Imperial figures ans all figures in skirmish are to attack only once.

Some special actions count as attacks and others not, even if they do damage as well.

Darth Vaders' brutality counts as an attack, while Force Grip don't, according to the manual.

So what is the hint I am looking for whether an action is an attack or not?

Is it the keyword 'attack' in the text? Is it when I roll dice or not?

I have the same question, Chewbacca has a slam action but I don't know if this is an attack.

If you have to roll attack dice, and the target gets a defence roll, that counts as an attack.

If there is no defence, then it's not an attack.

Its actually even more simple then that, If it says 'Attack' anywhere in the action description, then it is an attack. Otherwise, it is not.

Luke's Saber Strike says 'attack' in the action, so it is an attack.

Vader's Force Choke does not say 'attack' anywhere in the action, so it is not an attack.

Vader's Brutality says 'make two attacks' so it is an attack.

etc.

And Chewbacca's slam isnt an attack then?

So he could 'slam' a target a field away and then attack with his bowcaster...

Any other characters doing damage without attacking besides Vader and Chewy?

And Chewbacca's slam isnt an attack then?

So he could 'slam' a target a field away and then attack with his bowcaster...

Any other characters doing damage without attacking besides Vader and Chewy?

Yes that is correct.

Anyone using Telekinetic Throw/Force Lightning (of course, that's just Vader for now) would be another example.

Probe Droids Explosion

That's all I can think of at the moment.

Diala and Luke can use throw too, but not force lightning as that requires an Imperial force user.

Deflection can do damage without being an attack as well.

There are grenades that do not count as attacks. I think they come as an upgrade in the IMperial Might class and as crate items for the rebels.

Its actually even more simple then that, If it says 'Attack' anywhere in the action description, then it is an attack. Otherwise, it is not.

Consider if an (Elite) Imperial Officer uses Executive Order to order another figure to attack. This clearly does not constitute the one attack per round of that other figure (Rules Reference p. 6), but the special skill does use the word 'Attack' and you will be rolling dice, yet I'm not convinced that it counts as the Imperial Officer's one attack per round. The problem, though, is how to settle whether it is or isn't?

Now consider the "Lure of the Dark Side" Imperial Command Card. It basically functions as the Executive Order of the Imperial Officers, except that this one does an attack with an enemy figure instead. However, same as above, this doesn't count as the one attack of the model forced to do the attack. But does it count as the one attack per round when Vader uses it? Again the wording of the effect uses 'attack', but I'm not convinced that it actually counts as one.

I don't think the two examples above should count as attacks, but I would be very happy to hear your thoughts for and against and why or why not.

No. The rule is not one attack per round. It is one attack during its activation. Both of your examples do not violate this rule.

No. The rule is not one attack per round. It is one attack during its activation. Both of your examples do not violate this rule.

No it doesn't. Please explain how under either scenario the figure in question is taking more than one attack during its activation. Lure of the Dark Side and Executive Order cause non-activating figures to make an attack.

But maybe I'm wrong. I think both of those are attacks though.

If you read my first post again you'll see that this is not an issue about the non-activating figure made to make an attack. I even cite the explicit rule reference to why it can never be a problem for the non-activating figure.

My question, an entirely different one, is whether this counts as an attack for the currently active Imperial Officer, who might want to use his second action to attack before/after using his Executive Order special ability or Darth Vader who might want to use Brutalize before/after he spent an action to play Lure of the Dark Side.

I don't think Executive Order or Lure of the Dark Side are supposed to be considered as attacks when activated by an Imperial Officer or Darth Vader respectively, but that is my subjective opinion rather than something clear-cut in the rules as written.

I understand what you are saying. I guess I just don't see how that violates the rule. I guess I'm just not seeing how this isn't covered by the general rule that attacks made outside of an activation don't count toward the limit. I can see what you are saying though that the ability says "attack" and the ability is being triggered by Vader or the Officer. But I would agree with you that it doesn't seem like they are supposed to be the only attack of the activation, but again, I have been wrong before.

so you are asking if the action to give another figure counts as an attack for the figure performing the action

no it is just an action

Does the model that is performing this action attack as a result of this action?

"If yes, and if it is not a hero, then it may not make another action that results in this model performing an attack during this activation."

not a quote the rulebook, but thats the way I understand the rules.

The imperial officer's Oreder ability is not an attack, as it does not require him to roll any attack dice.

The figure targeted by his ability gets to interupt the officer's activation to perform an attack or a move but that does not count as an attack or a move on the part of the officer.