I agree that you would have to follow the rules for acquire target locks. ( range 1-3 )

also that you do NOT need to have target lock in action bar.

And that you can maintain only ONE target lock ( unless the ship has the upgrade card weapons engineer)

the cards states You MAY... so also you can choose if you want to lock on to that ship

Then we are all in agreement. But I could imagine someone arguing the other way, if he was shooting the tracers.

He can argue all he wants. He's wrong.

But if you are running through the acquire target lock rules, when unable to make the lock on the designated target, designate another target.

When you read through the FAQ on acquiring target locks if you can onto acquire it, designate another target, if there are no valid targets, perform a different action.

No.

Just... no.

You're not declaring a target lock action (which allows you to choose another action if you're out of range).

You either acquire a target lock on the target of the thread tracers, or you don't.

Alright one more wrinkle to smooth out. In the Rules Reference page 3 under Acquire A Target Lock bullet 4 states:

If an ability instructs a ship to "acquire a target lock" [ Note : this is the exact wording on XX-23 S-Thread Tracers ] this is different then performing an acquire target lock action. The ship acquires the target lock without performing an action, and it may do so even if it has already performed the acquire a target lock action this round.

So which is it? It isn't the action (see above). So does it need to go through the algorithm of the action and adhere to the 1-3 range restriction...

Still confused... Trying to follow the rules.

You still use the procedure laid out in the action, it's just that you don't have to perform an action to get into the process. Range restriction still applies.

Citation: FAQ 4.2.3 p 20

Q: When an ability instructs you to acquire a target lock, does the locked ship need to be at Range 1–3?

A: Yes, unless the ability explicitly states otherwise or another ability modifies the range at which the ship can acquire target locks.

Okay digitalbusker I can see that but the ability on thread tracers explicitly states that "friendly ships at Range 1 - 2 of you may acquire a target lock on the defender."

In the play book it says the the Acquire a target lock action has range requirement. Which one trumps?

I see both sides of the coin now because bullet point 4 of the FAQ was pointed out to me.

One other point for the which rules have higher priority is from page 2 in the Rules Reference.

"If a rule in this guide contradicts the Learn to Play booklet, the rule in this guide takes priority.

Card abilities can override the rules listed in this guide."

So Rules Reference can override the Learn to Play. Cards can override the rules in the Rules Reference.

Following that line of logic I assume the FAQ rules them all.

4 hours ago, lanewalkerx said:

Okay digitalbusker I can see that but the ability on thread tracers explicitly states that "friendly ships at Range 1 - 2 of you may acquire a target lock on the defender."

In the play book it says the the Acquire a target lock action has range requirement. Which one trumps?

I see both sides of the coin now because bullet point 4 of the FAQ was pointed out to me.

XX-23 S-Thread Tracers is an attack , and you must have a focus token to perform the attack, hence the Attack(focus): header. Note you don't need to spend that token, just have it.

According to the card, if the attack hits , then each friendly ship at Range 1-2 of the attacking ship (you) automatically acquires a target lock on the defender. BUT , they must still be in Range 1-3 if the defender to do this. There's no rule being trumped by a card here. If the range to the defender is more than 3, then they don't get to acquire a target lock, as per the normal rule.

One exception to this would be a friendly ship equipped with Long Range Scanners which allow ships to acquire target locks at Range 3 or more, but not Range 1-2. But it would still have to be in Range 1-2 of the attacking ship.

And in regards to your post above, the FAQ overrules them all as the final authority.

For the car to override the rules about the range at which a lock can be acquired, it would need to explicitly say so on the card.

I.e. something like 'friendly ships at r1-2 of you acquire a target lock, even if they are beyond range 3 of the target.'

There are two differences between " acquire a target lock" and an "acquire a target lock action".

1. You can only use the "acquire a target lock action" once per round as you can not take the same action, more than once. If the text lacks the action keyword, then you can acquire a target lock more than once per round.

2. You can only use the "acquire a target lock action" if you are unstressed. If the text lacks the action keyword, then you can do so regardless of stress.

Everything else is pretty much the same.