Viper Piloting

By radmod, in Battlestar Galactica

Sorry, but I haven't found any answers to these questions, yet:

1) I think I have this one, I just wanted confirmation. In one game, our first three Crises Cards were all Basestars. Assuming, of course, that even with the two Basestars already in play you still setup all the other ships, then we wound up with ALL vipers activated. That meant there were none in the reserves that Starbuck could launch from. I found the rule that says she "may choose to move a viper from any space area to the "Reserves" so that (s)he may pilot it." We agreed that was all together one action (basically we moved the viper to a launch area and put her in it). BUT it could be argued that she has to use an action to move the viper to the reserves and then another to launch it. Which way would it be?

2) Except for the above, is there any way to move a viper to the reserves (e.g. land a viper)? For example, all our vipers are in the wrong spot(s), can we use the Command Center to move one or two to the reserves and then launch them?

2b) What about Apollo's CAG ability where he can launch six vipers?

3) Re: Apollo's "teleport" ability. Technically, even when Apollo is already in a viper, he can choose to pilot a viper just placed on the board from the reserves. So in one game, I was at the back of the ship and destroyed two raiders. Next turn a Basestar Crisis popped up and I 'teleported' to protect the civilian ships. The question is: what happens to the old viper? We ruled that since he didn't 'technically' (game-wise) land on the ship then the viper simply remained where it was.

4) Apollo is in the Command Center and receives an XO. This means he could launch a viper and move it three spaces. However, what happens if he jumps into it (which he HAS to do before it moves)? As soon as he jumps in, doesn't that mean he can't activate it again from the command center (e.g. all he could do is launch a viper beforehand)?

Just ignore this

The questions or the second post?

For some reason I seem to be unable to edit.

The "Just ignore this" was that specific post.

As to my questions, though, please ignore #3. I screwed up and glossed over the fact that Apollo HAS to be on Galactica to "teleport" so he CANNOT move from one viper to another.

1) Return one to the reserves and launch in it all as one action.

2) Other than the above, the only way vipers go back to the reserves is when the fleet jumps, or due to a crisis card effect (e.g. "Sleep Deprivation")

2b) Apollo's CAG ability allows him to "activate" up to 6 unmanned vipers, meaning launch, move, or fire.

3) Ignored!

4) As soon as Apollo is in a Viper, he is no longer in Command, so can't use that location's action anymore. He could move two spaces, though - when he moves himself to the viper, his ability gives him another action, which he could use to move, plus the second action from his XO (assuming he was already in command when he received the XO).

ninjamatic3000 said:

2) Other than the above, the only way vipers go back to the reserves is when the fleet jumps, or due to a crisis card effect (e.g. "Sleep Deprivation")

2b) Apollo's CAG ability allows him to "activate" up to 6 unmanned vipers, meaning launch, move, or fire.

So for 2b) Apollo CANNOT activate the vipers if they are already in space (since they can't go back into the reserves).

I think you've got the idea, but you may be confusing the definition of "launch" vs. "activate" according to the rules. See the "Activating Vipers" section of the rule book on p. 25 for futher clarification.

You can't "launch" a viper that's already in space, but you can move it or attack with it using Apollo's ability.

ninjamatic3000 said:

I think you've got the idea, but you may be confusing the definition of "launch" vs. "activate" according to the rules. See the "Activating Vipers" section of the rule book on p. 25 for futher clarification.

You can't "launch" a viper that's already in space, but you can move it or attack with it using Apollo's ability.

Right, my bad. I meant 'launch' as opposed to 'activate.'