Explosive munitions blast 1 - require damage first?

By Armandhammer, in Imperial Assault Rules Questions

Question is pretty straightforward. If the defender suffers no damage from the attack, does the blast 1 ability still apply?



explosive-munitions.png



Same goes with Fenn’s Havoc shot (it’s been awhile since we’ve seen this guy hence the confusion haha).




I'm pretty sure at least 1 damage has to go through for both instances but RRG page numbers would be helpful.



Thank you!


See Blast.

Blast always requires that the target suffered damage in the step 7 of attack or it does nothing.

Edited by a1bert

See Blast.

Blast always requires that the target suffered damage in the step 7 of attack or it does nothing.

Thanks for the timely reply, that's exactly what we needed haha.

It seems like the only exception to this "must require damage first" ruling is when Kayn Somos wants to use squad command.

Kayn's actually seems like kind of an edge case, since ordinarily the Focus keyword would also require that damage be done just like any other condition. In his case though, since the Focus goes to an adjacent trooper instead of himself, they can't just use the "surge: Focus" keyword format, but they also didn't reiterate the standard conditions-require-damage rule. I could see that argued both ways; has FFG ever issued a ruling on that?

There's the mantra: Blast, Cleave and Conditions require the target to suffer damage. All other surge abilities can be used without damage suffered, unless their text explicitly requires that.

Squad Command does not trigger a condition to be applied to the attacking figure. I think FFG has already said so, but it should also be apparent, because Conditions are applied to the target if harmful and attacker if beneficial, and Squad Command does neither.

Edited by a1bert

I could see that argued both ways; has FFG ever issued a ruling on that?

It's in the FAQ. No damage required.

Basically because what albert said.

Ah, but explosive munitions isn't a surge effect. Its a static effect given by the card. It doesn't have to be triggered, it changes the parameter of the attack.

Being a surge effect isn't the part that matters. What matters is that "the attack gains Blast 1" and the rules for Blast specifically require that the attack deals damage to the primary target, or else Blast does nothing.

Well, ok then, lol

Just like Bleed (condition) from Nexu doesn't need a surge, but still requires that the target suffered damage from the attack.

I could see that argued both ways; has FFG ever issued a ruling on that?

It's in the FAQ. No damage required.

Basically because what albert said.

Does he need to reach the enemy figure with an attack, or can he shot him, even if the enemy is unreachable?

As long as Kayn can target a hostile figure, he can perform an attack and it does not matter for his surge ability if the attack is a miss (due to insufficient accuracy or a dodge rolled) or not.

If the attacks need to not miss for the ability to be usable, it needs to be explicitly specified in the ability. (For example the No Disintegrations Agenda Card.)

Edited by a1bert