How do you think this is going to work?

By the RAW accuracy isn't relevant for a ranged cleave "The chosen figure must be an eligible target" is the only restriction but the first quoted response I found on the issue says

" So, if Gaarkhan performs an attack with a ranged weapon and triggers cleave, the cleave damage can be dealt to any figure in line of sight and within the accuracy results of that attack."

(I was really surprised that this was about ferocity instead of dancing weapon).

The literal rules response is that the hidden figure is not defending so hidden doesn't apply but flavor wise it shouldn't be easier to hit someone hidden when you're aiming for someone else and ricocheting (or whatever ranged cleave is) and we've already seen the literal rules response be overruled on this issue.

I'll be sending a rules query 30 days after release if it's not faq'd by then. Until then place your bets, state your feelings or whatever else you like.

For all we know, the Bespin rulebook will have some additional clarification about situations like these, and you may not need to submit a query. Until we see it next week, everything we are doing now is pure speculation.

<--- Start speculation --->

That said, I would put my vote behind hidden affecting the range result in the above example (again, strange Diala's Dancing Weapon wasn't the reference point). Since we have a precedent that calls out that the accuracy rolled remains a factor when triggering Cleave, it would stand to reason that if a Hidden figure would still modify the Accuracy of the Cleave for determining a legal target. This will only affect Ranged attacks, unless the ability specifically states melee attacks require 1 or more accuracy (so far, we have seen one such ability that does this, but we may see more).

<--- End speculation --->

I doubt hidden would apply. It's not being targeted. Just like extra blocks or defensive re-rolls don't apply either.

Hidden says "when defending" I'm pretty sure that it's already been clarified that you don't count as defending when suffering blast or cleave damage.

On the other hand, I didn't know that ranged cleave can hit any viable target.... I would have thought it would be adjacent to the original target, but I guess that makes sense if you have reach or something.

There's no other ranged cleave in skirmish and i'd never seen it in campaign so never realized how it works.

Just to confirm: they made the literal ruling.

My Email:

Is there any interaction between hidden and cleave? In a previous FAQ you clarified that a ranged cleave target had to be within the accuracy result of the attack but does cleave affect this. For instance if Diala uses dancing weapon to attack and rolls 5 accuracy and wishes to spend a surge to cleave a secondary target at range 4 can she do it if that target is hidden? What about if the primary target is hidden (assuming the attack still hits). What about melee cleave if the secondary target has stealthy can they still be cleaved if the attack doesn't roll any accuracy? Thanks

The response:

Only the Hidden condition on the target of the attack would effect its results. So, in your example, if the primary target was not Hidden, Diala would still be able to hit the secondary target even if he was hidden. Conversely, if the primary target was hidden, Diala could not hit the secondary target even if that secondary target was not hidden.