I can't imagine this hasn't been addressed yet, but I was unable to find it.

" Before a friendly ship's Attack Step, it may choose to attack from only its left and right hull zones this round. If it does, it may add 2 red dice to its attack pool while attacking a ship. "

Obviously if you choose to fire from your front or rear hull zones you don't get the extra 2 red dice.

If you choose to only attack from right and left hull zones it seems equally obvious that you can attack from only the left or only the right, forgoing your second shot, and get the bonus for the single shot that you take. If you have Gunnery Teams, and can therefore shoot at two different targets from your right or left hull zone, would both of those shots also get the 2 red dice added to their attack pool?

Don't see why it wouldn't.

I can't imagine this hasn't been addressed yet, but I was unable to find it.

" Before a friendly ship's Attack Step, it may choose to attack from only its left and right hull zones this round. If it does, it may add 2 red dice to its attack pool while attacking a ship. "

Obviously if you choose to fire from your front or rear hull zones you don't get the extra 2 red dice.

If you choose to only attack from right and left hull zones it seems equally obvious that you can attack from only the left or only the right, forgoing your second shot, and get the bonus for the single shot that you take. If you have Gunnery Teams, and can therefore shoot at two different targets from your right or left hull zone, would both of those shots also get the 2 red dice added to their attack pool?

Not sure that's all that obvious.

Left and right. Nothing about one shot only.

I can't imagine this hasn't been addressed yet, but I was unable to find it.

" Before a friendly ship's Attack Step, it may choose to attack from only its left and right hull zones this round. If it does, it may add 2 red dice to its attack pool while attacking a ship. "

Obviously if you choose to fire from your front or rear hull zones you don't get the extra 2 red dice.

If you choose to only attack from right and left hull zones it seems equally obvious that you can attack from only the left or only the right, forgoing your second shot, and get the bonus for the single shot that you take. If you have Gunnery Teams, and can therefore shoot at two different targets from your right or left hull zone, would both of those shots also get the 2 red dice added to their attack pool?

No, the ability was designed to enable you to perform an Akbar slash; ie fly through the middle of the enemy battle line blasting from both sides and if you read the MC80 article they are very clear in explaining that. The idea was that you would never get two shots on the same target.... unless your opponent is dumb enough to give you second player advanced gunnery.

We had this discussion at our Sullust event in NYC. Many players are convinced that Ackbar works on single shots. I'm not quite sure... Is anyone?

I can't imagine this hasn't been addressed yet, but I was unable to find it.

" Before a friendly ship's Attack Step, it may choose to attack from only its left and right hull zones this round. If it does, it may add 2 red dice to its attack pool while attacking a ship. "

Obviously if you choose to fire from your front or rear hull zones you don't get the extra 2 red dice.

If you choose to only attack from right and left hull zones it seems equally obvious that you can attack from only the left or only the right, forgoing your second shot, and get the bonus for the single shot that you take. If you have Gunnery Teams, and can therefore shoot at two different targets from your right or left hull zone, would both of those shots also get the 2 red dice added to their attack pool?

No, the ability was designed to enable you to perform an Akbar slash; ie fly through the middle of the enemy battle line blasting from both sides and if you read the MC80 article they are very clear in explaining that. The idea was that you would never get two shots on the same target.... unless your opponent is dumb enough to give you second player advanced gunnery.

Didn't that preview article also have the MC80s working the outside of the field with the added dice? From that article,

"For starters, it means that you won't want to approach your enemy head-on. You want to move into position alongside your foe and fire from your broadside, or if you're inclined toward a truly aggressive strategy, you can run your MC80 straight through the middle of your opponent's fleet, firing six attack dice from each side of your ship."

Sounds like a choice of one or both to me.

I can't imagine this hasn't been addressed yet, but I was unable to find it.

" Before a friendly ship's Attack Step, it may choose to attack from only its left and right hull zones this round. If it does, it may add 2 red dice to its attack pool while attacking a ship. "

Obviously if you choose to fire from your front or rear hull zones you don't get the extra 2 red dice.

If you choose to only attack from right and left hull zones it seems equally obvious that you can attack from only the left or only the right, forgoing your second shot, and get the bonus for the single shot that you take. If you have Gunnery Teams, and can therefore shoot at two different targets from your right or left hull zone, would both of those shots also get the 2 red dice added to their attack pool?

No, the ability was designed to enable you to perform an Akbar slash; ie fly through the middle of the enemy battle line blasting from both sides and if you read the MC80 article they are very clear in explaining that. The idea was that you would never get two shots on the same target.... unless your opponent is dumb enough to give you second player advanced gunnery.

First, FFG preview articles can't be looked at as a source in regards to correctly articulating or displaying game rules. They are frequently just plain not correct.

Additionally, that the article displays an example in which Ackbar can function does not mean that is the only circumstance in which Ackbar can function.

The phrasing of his ability doesn't support the interpretation that you'd have to shoot from both the left to get the additional dice. Nor does the timing of the ability.

The other way to look at it is if you choose to fire first from a front or rear hull zone you forfeit your ability to gain the extra dice with Ackbar. If you fire from a left or right hull zone first and take the dice from Ackbar you forfeit your ability to fire from the front or rear zones but may still fire from the remaining left or right.

I think the original question is can it combo with gunnery team.

And the answer Is yes, your guppy can fire 2 salvos of 5 red dice out its side using gunnery team.

The way I'm reading it it's an if:then statment. (If) you elect to fire from only your sides (Then) add 2 red dice to the attack. The extra dice are added upon election of using the card. The extra dice are not dependent on just reading half of the first part. You either take the card in it's entirety are not at all. You don't get to pick and choose which sections you pay attention to. That being said I totally get how it could be confusing but I'm pretty sure you use the entire card text which means single shots would get two extras.

Another thing to look at is if that isn't the case then it breaks the game. How do I get the two extra reds if I have not made an attack with the other side yet? Do I have to start checking range and LOS to see if there is a legal target from that arc out of sequence? It's just a super wonky interaction and borderline breaks the game state if it doesn't work on singles shots.

If it was intended to be one or the other it would say " Before a friendly ship's Attack Step, it may choose to attack from only its left OR right hull zones this round".

I am pretty certain that you get the extra dice even if you only take a single shot from only the right or left hull zone. If it only works when you fire from both left and right then I'm perfectly willing to throw those extra dice at an empty area of space. It just seems illogical, or even ludicrous, to say you can't get a good shot at the enemy on your left, unless you are also shooting at an enemy on your right.

On the other point I have become pretty convinced that the use of Gunnery Teams would allow you to take two shots out of the left or right arc and get the bonus as long as you don't do any shooting from the front or rear hull zones.

I will concede that this may be another one​ that has to be submitted for an official answer.

Another thing to look at is if that isn't the case then it breaks the game. How do I get the two extra reds if I have not made an attack with the other side yet? Do I have to start checking range and LOS to see if there is a legal target from that arc out of sequence? It's just a super wonky interaction and borderline breaks the game state if it doesn't work on singles shots.

That is a very cogent argument.

I just sent in the following question using the Rules Question form:

" When using Admiral Ackbar's ability, can the 2 dice bonus be gained by firing only a single shot from the left or right hull zone, as long as no other shots are taken? Or must you fire at target in both the right and left hull zones? Also can the Gunnery Team upgrade be employed in conjunction with Admiral Ackbar's ability? ​"

I will let you all know when I get an official answer.

If it was intended to be one or the other it would say " Before a friendly ship's Attack Step, it may choose to attack from only its left OR right hull zones this round".

What he said.

One part of the argument seems pretty clear to me:

"...it may choose to attack from only its left and right hull zones this round..."

You can attack from both side arcs. However, the argument that you MUST attack from both arcs is not quite as clear, but as already mentioned, the article about this indicates you fire fire from one or both side arcs when using this ability so I am inclined to go with that.

As allready pointed out, requiering you to shoot from both sides to get the extra dice intruduces all kinds of weird game state paradoxes.

Let's use an example:

My ship has a legal target on both sides.

Right side, a badly damaged ship with Moti on it.

Left side, a badly damaged ship that will go boom if Moti goes away.

I fire at Motis ship first and get my extra dice as I have a valid shot for my other side as well.

I destroy Moti and so the other ship goes boom as well leaving me with no valid target for my second shoot.

Now all of a sudden the extra dice I allrady gained are now illegal?

Allso, wouldn't Ackbar be grossly overpriced if his abillity could not be used when firing out only one side?

None of thouse are strict rules arguments, but it does point out some glaring problems if the "must shoot from both sides to get the bonus" interpretation should be correct.

"it may choose to attack from only its left and right hull zones this round."

Means to me you're just giving up the ability to shoot from front and rear. Nothing is stated about the amount of attacks you have to do, or if they have to be from different zones. The card doesn't change the fact that you can decide to attack once, twice, or not at all. See Slaved turrets text for that kind of effect, which clearly states "you cannot attack more than once per round."

The wording isn't either " it may choose to attack from its left and right hull zones this round." where it could be argued more clearly that there has to be a valid attack for each zone.

So yeah, single attacks and gunnery teams have to work.

"it may choose to attack from only its left and right hull zones this round."

Means to me you're just giving up the ability to shoot from front and rear. Nothing is stated about the amount of attacks you have to do, or if they have to be from different zones. The card doesn't change the fact that you can decide to attack once, twice, or not at all. See Slaved turrets text for that kind of effect, which clearly states "you cannot attack more than once per round."

The wording isn't either " it may choose to attack from its left and right hull zones this round." where it could be argued more clearly that there has to be a valid attack for each zone.

So yeah, single attacks and gunnery teams have to work.

What he said.

"it may choose to attack from only its left and right hull zones this round."

Means to me you're just giving up the ability to shoot from front and rear. Nothing is stated about the amount of attacks you have to do, or if they have to be from different zones. The card doesn't change the fact that you can decide to attack once, twice, or not at all. See Slaved turrets text for that kind of effect, which clearly states "you cannot attack more than once per round."

The wording isn't either " it may choose to attack from its left and right hull zones this round." where it could be argued more clearly that there has to be a valid attack for each zone.

So yeah, single attacks and gunnery teams have to work.

What he said.

I am pretty certain that you get the extra dice even if you only take a single shot from only the right or left hull zone. If it only works when you fire from both left and right then I'm perfectly willing to throw those extra dice at an empty area of space. It just seems illogical, or even ludicrous, to say you can't get a good shot at the enemy on your left, unless you are also shooting at an enemy on your right.

On the other point I have become pretty convinced that the use of Gunnery Teams would allow you to take two shots out of the left or right arc and get the bonus as long as you don't do any shooting from the front or rear hull zones.

I will concede that this may be another one​ that has to be submitted for an official answer.

I can't imagine this hasn't been addressed yet, but I was unable to find it.

" Before a friendly ship's Attack Step, it may choose to attack from only its left and right hull zones this round. If it does, it may add 2 red dice to its attack pool while attacking a ship. "

Obviously if you choose to fire from your front or rear hull zones you don't get the extra 2 red dice.

If you choose to only attack from right and left hull zones it seems equally obvious that you can attack from only the left or only the right, forgoing your second shot, and get the bonus for the single shot that you take. If you have Gunnery Teams, and can therefore shoot at two different targets from your right or left hull zone, would both of those shots also get the 2 red dice added to their attack pool?

No, the ability was designed to enable you to perform an Akbar slash; ie fly through the middle of the enemy battle line blasting from both sides and if you read the MC80 article they are very clear in explaining that. The idea was that you would never get two shots on the same target.... unless your opponent is dumb enough to give you second player advanced gunnery.

First, FFG preview articles can't be looked at as a source in regards to correctly articulating or displaying game rules. They are frequently just plain not correct.

Additionally, that the article displays an example in which Ackbar can function does not mean that is the only circumstance in which Ackbar can function.

The phrasing of his ability doesn't support the interpretation that you'd have to shoot from both the left to get the additional dice. Nor does the timing of the ability.

I wasn't making that argument, just stating that the idea that you have to pick left or right for all your shots is dumb and wrong particularly considering the lore behind the ability.

I just sent in the following question using the Rules Question form:

" When using Admiral Ackbar's ability, can the 2 dice bonus be gained by firing only a single shot from the left or right hull zone, as long as no other shots are taken? Or must you fire at target in both the right and left hull zones? Also can the Gunnery Team upgrade be employed in conjunction with Admiral Ackbar's ability? ​"

I will let you all know when I get an official answer.

Essentially they are examining this situation and want to evaluate it further before making an official ruling. They did indicate that this would likely be addressed in the next FAQ update.

I am guessing they want to see how it affects game balance and want to observe a while longer.

Huh. That's unexpected. Many if not most of us seem to have assumed that the answer was obvious.

Perhaps the ability, when unrestricted, turned out to be more powerful than originally intended?

Huh. That's unexpected. Many if not most of us seem to have assumed that the answer was obvious.

Perhaps the ability, when unrestricted, turned out to be more powerful than originally intended?

If find this very hard to fathom.

When you make an admiral and let him do +2 red dice, surely you've playtested it rather rigorously, no? It's not a very complex ability either, just masses of extra dice, so how hard can it be to get right?

Well, in my experience, it's actually very hard

But then again, it's FFG, they should have the manpower to do it even if it's hard.