Loose Cannon with Legendary (second activation token issues) (possible spoilers)

By Tenka, in Imperial Assault Rules Questions

Posted at
Ok, so some amounts of frustration ensued with debates over wording and rulings in our latest Imperial Assault session on the mission "Loose Cannon".


There are 2 rebels (I was using Mak Eshka) who would both normally equip the Legendary Hero status applying +10 health and "At the beginning of the mission, recieve a second activation token".


Then the mission rule states:


"The AT-ST is a rebel figure under Mak's Control. When Mak activates, ready and activate the AT-ST. Mak's hero figure is not deployed and cannot activate. Apply additional health equakl to the threat level to the AT-ST. The AT-ST can enter and occupy spaces on the Hangar".


Problem 1: It seemed reasonable to discern that the AT-ST doesnt get the additional 10 health from Legendary, as the Legendary is applied to Mak's Hero card and not the AT-ST. However confusion came into play as to whether or not it would get 2 activation tokens.

My reasoning was this: the rules state that When Mak activates, ready and activate the AT-ST to me that says that I first activate Mak from the Hero card (using an activation token) then redirect to the AT-ST. The game master however ruled against this saying that I was "playing the AT-ST, not the Hero". We played as so and the AT-ST was destroyed on round 2 which leads me to Problem 2:


Problem 2:


Once the AT-ST is destroyed the mission rules read "place Mak's figure in one of the spaces that was occupied by the AT-ST. He suffers 10 Damage".


Now we have the problem of whether or not Mak's hero card recieves the second activation token at all, because the Legendary Hero card states " At the beginning of the mission , recieve a second activation token". Since I began using Mak's hero card half way through the mission there was a debate over whether or not I can use a second activation token for the remainder of the mission even though I'm no longer an AT-ST.


My reasoning was this: I was still the hero card at the start of the game and I still recieved the second activation token on the hero card, even if I couldnt use it until now because I was using the AT-ST. .. Since the game at this point was becoming a little heated, they conceded to my point allowing me to use the second activation for the remainder of the game.


We still lost of course, I was unable to kill any imperials with the AT-ST before it was destroyed and we were immediately swarmed and though we grinded out 3 more rounds we were defeated.



Any thoughts on what the correct ruling is in these situations? I feel like as we played it, this mission is straight impossible for 2 rebels to complete.

Edited by Tenka
Posted at

First, you must understand that the game is not ideal with, we could even argue it was not made for, only 2 or 3 heroes, so that kind of problem is bound to happen.

I would think you were right in both instance, as the mission states that it's only the "hero figure" that is not deployed, so I guess the hero card keep all its upgrades. So the question is : does the 2 activations tokens affect the At-ST? The mission briefing does not seem to go suggess otherwise to me. Besides, you always get 4 activations with heroes, so only getting 3 in one particular mission doesn.t sound like it was intended.

I doubt there is an official answer to that particular situation, but I'll try to see waht I can find.

Posted at

You were correct in both. If Mak has two activations, the AT-ST gets two activations, but does not get legendary health.

When the AT-ST is defeated, Mak is placed in any of the previously occupied spaces exactly as he would if deployed from the beginning, and then takes 10 damage. Activation tokens and all. I mean, did they argue that it doesn't say he gets his equipment cards so he starts weaponless and with no abilities?

The writers did the best they could in order to write out the scenarios concisely and to cover all situations, but please ask your Imperial player to apply some logic. Both of those interpretations drastically reduce the number of actions the Rebel Heroes get to the point where you'd just be better off never playing that with less than four Rebels.

Edited by R5D8
Posted at

Now that I am home and can look at it...

The key point here is that Mak's hero card, with its activation tokens, is still set up at the beginning of the mission. It's only his FIGURE that is not. And as the mission rules that you quoted state, when Mak activates, ready and activate the AT-ST.

When it comes time, simply place his figure where it should, and continue.

Edited by R5D8
Posted at

Now that I am home and can look at it...

The key point here is that Mak's hero card, with its activation tokens, is still set up at the beginning of the mission. It's only his FIGURE that is not. And as the mission rules that you quoted state, when Mak activates, ready and activate the AT-ST.

When it comes time, simply place his figure where it should, and continue.

Right .. this is pretty much what I was trying to explain. It seemed obvious to me, but .. I guess different people interpret things differently.

There was no contest about items/abilites post AT-ST destruction, the only complaint was on Legendary as the Legendary card states that you only recieve the additional activation token at the "Beginning" of the mission. I think in their mind, the Hero card and all cards/abilities "entered play" at that moment and not at the beginning of the game, therefore missing out.

Thanks for your input.

Edited by Tenka
Posted at

Only Mak gets the extra health - since the rules do not specify that the AT-ST is in any way related to Mak's health, only threat of the mission. But Mak is still the hero with the activations, even though his figure isn't on the board, so for both activations that Mak has, activate the AT-ST.