Target Locks

By SDCC, in X-Wing Rules Questions

I don't know how I'm not sure about this with the amount of games I've played, but TLs are coming into my game more and more.

If you want to perform a TL action, can you measure to multiple targets? Obviously you wouldn't if they're clearly out of R3, but perhaps there are several nearby.

So if you measure to one guy, then think 'Maybe this other guy is a better option', can you or are you tied in?

Thanks.

OK, TL action.

CHoose a target - any target including one obviously out of range.

Measure the distance to the target.

If out of range, you may choose another target, another action entirely, or not to do an action at all.

If in range, acquire target lock. You can't choose another target once you've measured.

Nice one thank you.

I believe the answer depends on if you are following the tournament rules or the more casual rules.

The tournament rules require you to declare the target of your intended TL, even if it is obviously out of range, and measure to it taking the TL if it is in range. If it wasn't in range then you can back up and start all over.

I believe the causal rules would allow you to declare the TL and then measure to those likely targets but maybe this is just for attacks. Also note that many people always play tournament rules and get EXTREMELY unhappy if anything that even looks like it could be considered "measuring" in any form takes place except when it is explicitly required and under very narrow conditions. To put it another way don't look at the range ruler until it is exactly at the closest point between the two ships otherwise you may be measuring things you aren't supposed to measure.

There's no difference between the tournament rules and the rules reference on this issue - the sequence I quoted is from the rules reference.

Attacking is different; when you activate a ship in combat you can measure distance and arc to all ships (including those which are not viable targets) before you decide which one to shoot. You have to do all the measuring and all the shooting for one ship before you can do any measuring or shooting for the next.

There's no such thing as 'casual rules', though, if you and your opponents want to make a house rule like this, you're welcome to, it wouldn't be unbalanced, just different.

Of course, everyone is always free to fly as casual as they want and to ignore whatever rules they want; this forum is about what the rules actually say.

I think what's he referencing about casual vs tournament is that the original rules in the original core set tell you to measure to everything and then pick a target for the lock (more or less).