When exactly can you activate Feedback Array? The card's text, "During the Combat phase..." is extremely vague. Can I activate it:

• When the equipped ship becomes the active ship?
• The beginning of the combat phase?
• Right before equipped ship dies?
• Whenever I freaking want, as long as it's during the combat phase?

Since it is not an action or an attack, I would tend to think I could use it at any point during Combat phase; as written on the card. Can anyone clarify or provide further insight on this conundrum?

You activate it when it's your turn to attack, according to your pilot skill. You choose between attacking normally, or using Feedback Array.

On a related question, could you use feedback array while on an asteroid?

I'm thinking not, but if you could, would certainly change how I played a few games with it.

On a related question, could you use feedback array while on an asteroid?

Up for debate, and can be argued either way. We'll probably need to wait for an FAQ on it.

I say yes. It is not an attack, it is an effect.

I say yes. It is not an attack, it is an effect.

But it's an effect that takes place instead of an attack. If you can't attack you can't do something instead of it.

But as was said, it needs a FAQ entry, because there's no RAW case to be made, everything is RAI.

Friendly game, I'd let him do it to me if he was touching me.

Tournament? *shrug* Sure, but FAQ would be nice.

But it's an effect that takes place instead of an attack. If you can't attack you can't do something instead of it.

Sure you can. I totaled my car last week (not really), instead of driving to the local store, I can walk there.

Sure you can.

That all depends on how you define the word instead. Which is not clear in this case.

Quite clear.

normally you can attack or do nothing (2 choices)

now you can attack, use feedback array or do nothing. (3 choices)

On an asteroid remove attack choice. You still have the remaining 2 choices. Obstacle rules does not say you can do nothing in the combat phase, only that you can't attack.

Quite clear.

normally you can attack or do nothing (2 choices)

now you can attack, use feedback array or do nothing. (3 choices)

On an asteroid remove attack choice. You still have the remaining 2 choices. Obstacle rules does not say you can do nothing in the combat phase, only that you can't attack.

I'm not sure if FFG will rule to allow or disallow Feedback Array when on a rock, but...

I wanted to point out at that ships on an asteroid, even if they can't attack DO become active at some point during the attack phase.

This is an important distinction to make when dealing with the Simultaneous Attack Rule:

Simultaneous Attack Rule

Although ships perform their attacks one at a time, ships with a pilot skill value equal to the active ship’s pilot skill value have the opportunity to attack before being destroyed.

Cases where this is important:

• If Jan Ors is on an asteroid, gets shot at by a PS8 enemy (e.g.: Howlrunner) and is dealt damage cards up to her hull value. Even if she can't attack (on an asteroid), she still stays in play until she becomes the active ship. You could decide to activate Corran Horn (also PS8) first, have Jan Ors take a stress and boost his attack. Then, activate Jan Ors, who can't do anything since she's on an asteroid. Jan is now destroyed.
• When running dual IG-88's and the share-abilities title, if IG-88B gets killed by a PS6 enemy while on a rock, you can "activate" the other one first and get to use IG-88B's "gunner-like" ability. Then, activate IG-88B, he does nothing, and is destroyed.

All this to say that, even if a ship can't attack because it's on an asteroid, it still gets a turn during the Combat Phase.

What they mean by "instead of" and if it implies being allowed to attack to use Feedback Array is unclear.

Quite clear.

If that were true, then we wouldn't have nearly so many posts debating it. It would be nice if people would stop acting like their interpretation is the only one, as if there's no counter argument to it. It is frankly quite dismissive and a little insulting.

I don't care what your opinion on it is, there is no call to act as if this is a settled debate and there's no room for further discussion or a FAQ ruling.

You still have the remaining 2 choices. Obstacle rules does not say you can do nothing in the combat phase, only that you can't attack.

That assumes that Feedback Array isn't intended to be a replacement for an attack, and so if you can't attack you can't use it.

That's my opinion but unlike some I'm willing to accept that may not be what FFG intends and will gladly abide by whatever ruling they make. I don't pretend the only possible interpretation is the one I have.

Here's a visual representation of the current debate...

Which red box is the right one?

In my opinion (Which what I wrote earlier also was) the left one. Because to red one to the right is not instead of performing an attack but when performing an attack.

In my opinion (Which what I wrote earlier also was)

But it wasn't stated as an opinion, it was stated as a fact and implied anyone who didn't agree was being dense.

In my opinion (Which what I wrote earlier also was) the left one. Because to red one to the right is not instead of performing an attack but when performing an attack.

That's because the box is drawn wrong. Using the Feedback Array is not triggered by an attack, and placing it in as part of the attack is incorrect.

Or, rather, the box is "when performing an attack" but that's not what Feedback Array is.

That's because the box is drawn wrong.

I think the point of the box is what your options are.

So you have two options for your attack phase, declare a target like normal, or use the Feedback Array. With the implication being, that if an attack isn't an option, then neither is the FBA.

That's because the box is drawn wrong.

I think the point of the box is what your options are.

So you have two options for your attack phase, declare a target like normal, or use the Feedback Array. With the implication being, that if an attack isn't an option, then neither is the FBA.

Yes, that was the point of the image...

Some people are arguing that "instead" implies you need to be able to perform an attack. In this case, Feedback Array would be the box on the right.

Others are arguing that "instead" means you can do it as an alternative to performing an attack, even if you can't attack. In this case, Feedback Array would be the box on the left).

I threw it together rather quickly, using Word of all things...

I just re-read the exact wording of the rulebook...

Important: When overlapping an obstacle token, the ship stays where it lands (on top of the token). A ship that is overlapping an obstacle token during the Combat phase cannot attack any ship but may be targeted by other ships as normal.

Does this mean you can "perform an attack" but that all targets are considered invalid?

It would've been clearer had it said :

"A ship that is overlapping an obstacle token during the Combat phase cannot perform any attacks but may be targeted by other ships as normal.

Yes, I'm grasping at straws to try and figure out which way I think it should work...

I'm still not convinced either way.

"Attack" was completely undefined in the original rulebook. Trying to parse it that finely will cost you 2 sanity points.

Does this mean you can "perform an attack" but that all targets are considered invalid?

I suppose that from a RAW there's a difference between not being able to do something and having no valid target to do it to.

But that line does little to help establish Intent because it is so vague, and as with all things FFG will rule based on how they want the card to work and not necessarily based on how the rules work.