Just pointing out that it is possible that a condition that would prevent one option will also prevent other options as well.

We can finally put this question to rest. StephenEsven managed to find a neat little something in the Illicit Dealings article.

... However, to use the Feedback Array, you must forego your attack and receive one ion token. Even though you’d be trading away your attacks for just one damage, that’s a trade in which the value is easy enough to identify. You might find yourself outflanked, lacking a shot altogether; or you might want to land just one more damage on a ship that you’re touching, in order to finally destroy it...

There you have it. Straight from FFG in a preview article, Feedback array can be used if you can't attack, and can be used against someone you're touching

We can finally put this question to rest. StephenEsven managed to find a neat little something in the Illicit Dealings article.

... However, to use the Feedback Array, you must forego your attack and receive one ion token. Even though you’d be trading away your attacks for just one damage, that’s a trade in which the value is easy enough to identify. You might find yourself outflanked, lacking a shot altogether; or you might want to land just one more damage on a ship that you’re touching, in order to finally destroy it...

There you have it. Straight from FFG in a preview article, Feedback array can be used if you can't attack, and can be used against someone you're touching

Just to clarify, "lacking a shot" and not being able to attack are not the same thing. Lacking a shot could mean something like not having any enemy ships in arc, while not being able to attack would be landing on a rock.

Which just furthers my belief that you can use Feedback Array while touching, but not on an asteroid.

Lacking a shot could mean something like not having any enemy ships in arc

Which is clearly what they're referring to, when it says "you might find yourself outflanked"

Also news articles and previews are not the same as a FAQ, because as has been pointed out above, they sometimes get it wrong.

We can finally put this question to rest. StephenEsven managed to find a neat little something in the Illicit Dealings article.

... However, to use the Feedback Array, you must forego your attack and receive one ion token. Even though you’d be trading away your attacks for just one damage, that’s a trade in which the value is easy enough to identify. You might find yourself outflanked, lacking a shot altogether; or you might want to land just one more damage on a ship that you’re touching, in order to finally destroy it...

There you have it. Straight from FFG in a preview article, Feedback array can be used if you can't attack, and can be used against someone you're touching

Just to clarify, "lacking a shot" and not being able to attack are not the same thing. Lacking a shot could mean something like not having any enemy ships in arc, while not being able to attack would be landing on a rock.

Which just furthers my belief that you can use Feedback Array while touching, but not on an asteroid.

Lacking a shot does indeed make you unable to shoot. I'm fairly certain they've mentioned you can't shoot at nothing.

Also, asteroids only prevent you from attacking, not from using upgrades.

While it may not be an official ruling, it's the best we have right now for a question that's been well-argued. Any FAQ will of course take precedence, but until then this is as close as we can get.

Lacking a shot does indeed make you unable to shoot.

But you have to start the attack process to see if you even have a ship. So you have the ability to perform an attack even if you don't have a valid target.

Any FAQ will of course take precedence, but until then this is as close as we can get.

But this isn't even that clear, it doesn't say that you can use it if you land on an asteroid, only that you can use it even if you don't have a valid target.

Lacking a shot does indeed make you unable to shoot. I'm fairly certain they've mentioned you can't shoot at nothing.

No. Lacking a shot and not being able to attack are two different things.

"Lacking a shot" has no game meaning, or rules relevance.

Your ship has its opportunity to attack. You must be able to attack to determine if you have a target.

Lacking a shot does indeed make you unable to shoot. I'm fairly certain they've mentioned you can't shoot at nothing.

No. Lacking a shot and not being able to attack are two different things.

"Lacking a shot" has no game meaning, or rules relevance.

Your ship has its opportunity to attack. You must be able to attack to determine if you have a target.

If you have no valid target, you cannot shoot, because you cannot shoot at nothing.

If you have no valid target, you cannot shoot, because you cannot shoot at nothing.

You are mistaken.

Here's the step by step:

• Attack phase
  • Higher PS ships activate
  • Your ship activates!
    • Perform attack
      • Declare target
      • Roll attack dice
      • Modify attack dice
      • Roll defense dice
      • Modify defense dice
      • Compare results
      • Deal Damage
  • Lower PS ships activate

A ship without a valid target still gets to perform an attack. However, they only make it to step 1 (Declare Target), are unable to declare a valid target, and their activation comes to an end.

Feedback array can be used instead of the "Perform attack" step, which means you never actually get to the "Declare Target" step.

Edit:

The "you can't shoot at nothing" ruling is important, since if a pilot like Garven Dreis of Keyan Farlander cannot declare a valid target, they never make it past step 1, and therefore don't get to "Modify Attack Dice" and activate their ability to pass a focus or shed a stress.

Edit 2: Don't skip this!!

Counter argument... Airen Cracken: "After you perform an attack, you may choose another friendly ship at Range 1. That ship may perform 1 free action." I think everyone agrees that Airen Cracken cannot pass an action is he doesn't have a valid target.

However, my argument in this post hinges on the fact that, even without a valid target, a ship still "performs an attack"... the Cracken case seems to invalidate this.

Oh bother...

Edit 3: To make this all work together, the following simple assumption is required:

For a ship to be considered to have "performed an attack", it needs to have completed the whole "perform an attack" process.

If you have no valid target, you cannot shoot, because you cannot shoot at nothing.

Rules wise, you can't know if you have a valid target or not, until you start the attack process. So while you may not roll any dice, you still have gone though the attack process, it just ends when you have no valid target.

If you have no valid target, you cannot shoot, because you cannot shoot at nothing.

Rules wise, you can't know if you have a valid target or not, until you start the attack process. So while you may not roll any dice, you still have gone though the attack process, it just ends when you have no valid target.

Counter argument...

Airen Cracken: "After you perform an attack, you may choose another friendly ship at Range 1. That ship may perform 1 free action."

I think everyone agrees that Airen Cracken cannot pass an action is he doesn't have a valid target.

If he needs to go through the attack process to determine that he doesn't have a valid target, does this mean he has "performed an attack", and should get to pass an action?

If you have no valid target, you cannot shoot, because you cannot shoot at nothing.

Rules wise, you can't know if you have a valid target or not, until you start the attack process. So while you may not roll any dice, you still have gone though the attack process, it just ends when you have no valid target.

Counter argument...

Airen Cracken: "After you perform an attack, you may choose another friendly ship at Range 1. That ship may perform 1 free action."

I think everyone agrees that Airen Cracken cannot pass an action is he doesn't have a valid target.

If he needs to go through the attack process to determine that he doesn't have a valid target, does this mean he has "performed an attack", and should get to pass an action?

We reeeaaally need an FAQ.

Counter argument...

Airen Cracken: "After you perform an attack, you may choose another friendly ship at Range 1. That ship may perform 1 free action."

I think everyone agrees that Airen Cracken cannot pass an action is he doesn't have a valid target.

If he needs to go through the attack process to determine that he doesn't have a valid target, does this mean he has "performed an attack", and should get to pass an action?

It's not terribly well defined, but it seems reasonable that you cannot have "performed an attack" unless you completed the entire process. Is that not pretty obvious?

It's not terribly well defined, but it seems reasonable that you cannot have "performed an attack" unless you completed the entire process. Is that not pretty obvious?

Yes, that seems like a reasonable assumption.