Why not? Would the ability to manually set off Dead Man's Switch Z's really be OP? Or to TL one of your own ships and fire an assault missile at it to better control splash damage?

Would the ability to potentially sacrifice one of your ships to trigger ACD with no other target in arc be OP?

Or intentionally attacking one of your ships in range one of an enemy ship with Ruthlessness and giving the enemy ship an auto damage?

Is it just a theme thing, that it wouldn't make sense thematically? From a game play perspective, allowing it would open up some interesting dilemmas and options for list building and tactics. I can't really think of anything that would suddenly be OP should it be allowed.

You could fly a Lambda into things and pretty much just auto-hit your assault missiles onto it for a moving wall of splash damage. That seems viable but not OP. Seems pretty fun.

Shame you can't take ruthlessness as scum.

As you said before that would bring in some mechanics that were not intended by the developers and will also disturb the balance in the force *ahem* balance in the game. Example setting off the dead mans switch to get the last kill. Looking at some other games such as hearthstone or Warhammer there will be times you would want your ship/card/model to be destroyed as it gives you a boon which was meant to be a "comeback after a losing" mechanic. Allowing such freedom with destroying your own units may place some "win more while winning" mechanics that would not be fun.

That being said there are still effects that can damage your own ships (for example Darth Vader <crew>). For the list you were suggesting maybe you should include a Scum-wing with a seismic charge or two (using Extra Munitions) You may even include genius so you have some flexibility to set the swarm self destruct sequence.

Certain mechanics, like A'Shera's pilot ability, could be abused under very specific circumstances. Although those circumstance are likely rare (that is the only one that I can think of), having that abused in a game by a player firing at it's own ship to intentionally miss would make the game feel very strange.

Miranda's ability would be OP if she could attack her own ships and use TLs to reroll hits and such.

I don't think any list built around damaging your own ships would be particularly OP or NPE inducing. If someone manually triggered DMS with friendly fire and used it to win against me, I wouldn't be pissed. I'd probably have a good laugh.

The lists that would gain from the ability to do this would be kind of wonky and weird, in other words, fun and refreshing. I don't see how it would be an NPE to lose to one.

Miranda's ability would be OP if she could attack her own ships and use TLs to reroll hits and such.

Eh, Miranda is really the only one that benefits from this in instances where she has no enemies in range.

Laetin A'shera getting charged up with a bunch of weak attacks isn't a problem. Fly HWK's with him and intentionally use their primaries to give him 3-4 evade tokens. A list based around that would be cool, and now the 1 attack die HWK primary is actually useful for something and has a niche, and so does Laetin.

I don't think any list built around damaging your own ships would be particularly OP or NPE inducing. If someone manually triggered DMS with friendly fire and used it to win against me, I wouldn't be pissed. I'd probably have a good laugh.

The lists that would gain from the ability to do this would be kind of wonky and weird, in other words, fun and refreshing. I don't see how it would be an NPE to lose to one.

but there won't be damaging your own ships. As one example giving a person would be using rerolls/TL or FCS to get blanks so that there will be no damage but you would still get the benefits.

The overall problem is you would open up exploits which were not intended to be in the game. Not to say that game design should not have exploits many types of exploits and combos are designed into the game but those were intentionally put in to have either tricky set ups or counters so that they don't take over the game. These unintentional exploits may give no counters or complications thus breaking the game.

I don't think any list built around damaging your own ships would be particularly OP or NPE inducing. If someone manually triggered DMS with friendly fire and used it to win against me, I wouldn't be pissed. I'd probably have a good laugh.

The lists that would gain from the ability to do this would be kind of wonky and weird, in other words, fun and refreshing. I don't see how it would be an NPE to lose to one.

but there won't be damaging your own ships. As one example giving a person would be using rerolls/TL or FCS to get blanks so that there will be no damage but you would still get the benefits.

The overall problem is you would open up exploits which were not intended to be in the game. Not to say that game design should not have exploits many types of exploits and combos are designed into the game but those were intentionally put in to have either tricky set ups or counters so that they don't take over the game. These unintentional exploits may give no counters or complications thus breaking the game.

Only thing that benefits significantly is Miranda and like, Dutch Vander. Every other list based around friendly fire seems like it would be fun and interesting. Nothing really game breaking. I don't think a game where you could ramp up Laetin to 3-4 evades with your own HWK primaries while sacrificing your own offensive capabilities would be bad.

Narratively, it would be dumb as hell. "My wingman just shot me! Oh well, let's roll with it."

Narratively, it would be dumb as hell. "My wingman just shot me! Oh well, let's roll with it."

On the other hand though, I could see a ship using another friendly ship as a target for an assault missile as thematic. "We won't be able to lock those TIE Phantoms, lock onto my ship and I'll fly close!"

"Remember when diving into the enemy to shout at the top of your lungs: "Hissatsu!" ["Sink without fail!"] At that moment, all the cherry blossoms at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo will smile brightly at you."

Scum should have an aces pack with pilots for either the Starviper or Scyk that gain an agility or increase in attack dice after losing a ship. Or maybe getting the evade action added to the action bar after losing a ship with a particular unique title.

But nope no possibility for that.

Thematically, the Rebel Alliance doesn't really have the resources to go around deliberately damaging its own spacecraft.

I can't see it as a Rebel or Empire ability. Maybe you could get an illicit upgrade or S&V EPS called backstabber? Make it unique with a PS requirement and give it a bit of a carrot to entice usage?

Thematically, the Rebel Alliance doesn't really have the resources to go around deliberately damaging its own spacecraft.

And the Imperials would have you punished for lack of discipline at best, or executed for treachery at worst.

As suggested though, I guess I could see it as a Scum illicit? The challenge would be working out how to fit it into the slot. Perhaps "Secret bounty" or the like.

Ruthlessness, bombs, assault missiles.

Dude, my friendly fire record is even worse than the US military!

and that's BEFORE my red dice betraying me when I hit roids.

I'm going to assume it's thematic. Because even with Ruthelessness, you're shooting at the enemy and friendlies are just getting caught in the crossfire.

Actually shooting at friendlies to trigger some nebulous pilot ability they have sounds like a good way to get yourself executed after the battle.

I'm going to assume it's thematic. Because even with Ruthelessness, you're shooting at the enemy and friendlies are just getting caught in the crossfire.

Actually shooting at friendlies to trigger some nebulous pilot ability they have sounds like a good way to get yourself promoted after the battle.

Fixed that for you, comrade.

I like the idea with Scum. I mean ... the booty or bounty is divided equally amongst the survivors, I guess?

The IGs would never attack a brother, but they would attack a pirate scum ship anytime if there is any advantage in doing so.

Also competing bounty hunters.

Thematically it would be a wonderful idea if scum ships actually could shoot at each other.

So yeah, just blast the guy having the death man switch with an Assault Missile right in his back!

If you could attack your own ships... I would never fly with Biggs as he would force you to attack him instead of the enemy. I would leave this Pandora's Box unopened.

If you could attack your own ships... I would never fly with Biggs as he would force you to attack him instead of the enemy. I would leave this Pandora's Box unopened.

<is giggling insanely at this prospect>

<is imagining a temporary alliance against scum situation>

<is in tears laughing maniacally>

I DIN'T MEAN TO SHOOT BIGGS, IT'S THE RULES MAN!!!!

What? with 8 black squadron pilots, all with ruthless, killing my Corran in the process?

Rules man, rules!

But.. you could have chosen the blue b-wing, he was at range 1....

Ummm yeesss but corran was closer. Fluff...

But really, was it absolutely necessary to shout "WAAAAGHHHH DIE CORRAN DIEE! when rolling?"

Umm.. yeesssssss...

Ahh, Keyan and Phennir could have a shot when they wouldn't to spend stress / get an action. You could ion a friendly to move 1 forward without that dial choice. Make an easy target for ruthlessness/ion Torps/assault missiles. Lots of interesting ways to abuse this.

Ahh, Keyan and Phennir could have a shot when they wouldn't to spend stress / get an action. You could ion a friendly to move 1 forward without that dial choice. Make an easy target for ruthlessness/ion Torps/assault missiles. Lots of interesting ways to abuse this.

Interesting and hilarious.

I like the idea with Scum. I mean ... the booty or bounty is divided equally amongst the survivors, I guess?

The IGs would never attack a brother, but they would attack a pirate scum ship anytime if there is any advantage in doing so.

Yes, but the "advantage" in these cases are pilot abilities that aren't quantifiable from a perspective of lore.

So a claim of "it's thematic" doesn't work when the thematic reasoning doesn't exist in-universe.

I like the idea with Scum. I mean ... the booty or bounty is divided equally amongst the survivors, I guess?

The IGs would never attack a brother, but they would attack a pirate scum ship anytime if there is any advantage in doing so.

Yes, but the "advantage" in these cases are pilot abilities that aren't quantifiable from a perspective of lore.

So a claim of "it's thematic" doesn't work when the thematic reasoning doesn't exist in-universe.

Right, so black sun gangsters who might be able to gain in position if their flight leader has an... accident wouldn't... accidentally, shoot them down, or kill their shields at an inopportune moment.

Sure.

Right.

I'll be over here in the corner giggling more. Xizor himself is basically inverse ruthless don't forget.

It might be a future pilot ability, that lets you shoot at your own ship. I'd expect it to either be a droid pilot that says "Friendly ships MAY attack / Target Lock you"..

Or a Scum pilot that says "You may attack/Target Lock friendly ships". Naturally this pilot would have missiles and torpedo slots.