Boosting Rules and the Tie Striker title

By Rinzler in a Tie, in X-Wing Rules Questions

Please direct me to the thread/page number if this has been discussed in circles but I seem to see a lot of people saying that the new Striker title, Adaptive Ailerons, is a bit wonky and may not be an auto-include.

Tactics and choices aside, the rules for boosting still apply. Correct? Meaning that if a boost will not fit (any direction), then you cannot perform the boost and would execute your maneuver normally.

But what if a boost left and straight won't fit but a boost right does fit? I assume you MUST perform that rightward boost. Does that contradict the idea that one must declare a boost and it's direction before attempting? Or must the Striker simply choose another direction to boost, attempt, etc. until a boost fits (or none do)?

I'm sure this is pretty straightforward, just getting confirmation.

Note that on the card it is never called a "boost". Even though it mimics the movement options of a boost, they go out of their way to not call it that and, in fact, explicitly define it as a maneuver.

That means it follows all the rules for maneuvers (bumping, overlapping obstacles) and none of the rules for boosts. And, in fact, since it is not a boost, you could put an engine upgrade on the thing and do the aileron move, then your regular move, and then perform a standard boost as an action.

The ailerons may not be auto include because the effect is mandatory. Other than the duchess, there is no way for this ship to go slowly (well, not without some way to stress itself).

Edited by Forgottenlore

So then if you bump with the Ailerons, what happens? Do then perform your move?

Are your actions effected?

Seems tedious and breaks existing rules about maneuvers outside of the normal process - save SLAM.

If you bump with the aileron move you will definitely still reveal your dial and execute your plotted maneuver as normal, same as if you didn't bump.

As for actions, if you bump with the first maneuver but not with your regular maneuver, the rules as we currently have them say that you should then skip your perform action step. It is possible that FFG does not want it to work like that we will get a FAQ ruling sometime after the ship is released saying the airelon maneuver doesn't impact your action step at all, but so far nothing in the rules for the ship suggest that.

If you bump with the aileron move you will definitely still reveal your dial and execute your plotted maneuver as normal, same as if you didn't bump.

As for actions, if you bump with the first maneuver but not with your regular maneuver, the rules as we currently have them say that you should then skip your perform action step. It is possible that FFG does not want it to work like that we will get a FAQ ruling sometime after the ship is released saying the airelon maneuver doesn't impact your action step at all, but so far nothing in the rules for the ship suggest that.

Seems like something that should be clarified before the ship ever gets released - but we've been let down before.

They don't generally issue rulings on things before they are released. I think it happened once, but for the most part they refuse to comment on something until the product is on store shelves.

It really doesn't need any clarification unless the designers want the upgrade to work differently than the rules say it does. Absent another "because we say so" clarification the rules are very clear, the aileron movement is a maneuver and there is no reason to think that all of the rules for maneuvers wouldn't apply to it.

Except SLAM, right? Which is a great example because it's essentially the same thing: one true and one synthetic maneuver.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but can you not overlap an obstacle during the SLAM and still perform your Adv. SLAM action?

So is it this situation that cut and dry?

Edited by Rinzler in a Tie

You get a free action from Advanced SLAM as long as you didn't overlap an obstacle or ship with you SLAM action.

As Parravon mentions, advanced slam specifically talks about overlapping with the slam maneuver and makes an explicit exception to the a-slam free action not being allowed if you do.

In the case of slams, overlapping an obstacle during the slam is not relevant because by the time you are slamming, your perform action step has already occurred. So you overlap a rock while slamming and skip your perform action step that you have already taken... Nothing extra happens.

In the case of the ailerons though, the extra movement is happening well before your perform action step. Remember, the rules for overlapping an asteroid don't say to skip your next action, they say to skip your perform action step. If you overlap an asteroid with the aileron maneuver you follow all the rules for overlapping with a maneuver, which includes skipping your perform action step that round. Just because there is more activity between the overlap and the step you are supposed to skip does nothing to chance the fact that you are still going to skip it.

Again, according to the rules and rulings as they presently exist.

Despite your clean logic, I hope you're wrong. Else that title will find itself on the shelf/in the book...

I'm going to have to disagree with Forgottenlore on this one.

Would Tycho in the following situation skip his perform action step?

  • Lando executes his maneuver
  • Passes free action to Tycho
  • Tycho performs Daredevil, bumps a ship
  • Tycho activates, performs his maneuver without bumping
  • Tycho performs his action

I'm going to have to disagree with Forgottenlore on this one.

Would Tycho in the following situation skip his perform action step?

  • Lando executes his maneuver
  • Passes free action to Tycho
  • Tycho performs Daredevil, bumps a ship
  • Tycho activates, performs his maneuver without bumping
  • Tycho performs his action

That does sort of look like the consequence of the existing overlap rules. Since you've worked out a way to construct a test situation without reference to unreleased cards, you should go ahead and submit a rules question.

Klutz, always joining me on my Rules Forum adventures. Since you had better luck last time, will you submit this one to the ole' Dev Team?

I'm going to have to disagree with Forgottenlore on this one.

Would Tycho in the following situation skip his perform action step?

  • Lando executes his maneuver
  • Passes free action to Tycho
  • Tycho performs Daredevil, bumps a ship
  • Tycho activates, performs his maneuver without bumping
  • Tycho performs his action

"A ship must skip its “Perform Action” step if it overlapped another ship while executing a maneuver."

Yep. Action skipped. Whether it will stay that way is another matter.

Indeed. Good job coming up with a scenario that doesn't involve unreleased content. Definitely submit it.

In the case of the ailerons though, the extra movement is happening well before your perform action step. Remember, the rules for overlapping an asteroid don't say to skip your next action, they say to skip your perform action step. If you overlap an asteroid with the aileron maneuver you follow all the rules for overlapping with a maneuver, which includes skipping your perform action step that round.

I disagree with this, the rules for overlapping don't say skip your action step THIS ROUND.

The aileron maneuver is a "Execute maneuver step" that is 'detached' from the standard activation. In fact, the only thing you can do in a detached 'execute maneuver' step is checking for stress, which not by chance the very same card stablishes it as a [white] maneuver.

Only when you begin with the proper activation sequence with all its steps (revealing dial, executing the maneuver and performing action) you have the 'right' to perform that action step.

In other words, you can't skip your action step until you actually have an action step.

Adaptive ailerons doesn't grant any action step because the activation sequence has not even begun... You can only execute a maneuver, and even if you overlap with it, you can't skip your action step because you don't have any action step to begin with.

Note the contrast with 'Advanced sensors' which indeed specifically instructs you to skip you action step THIS ROUND if you use its ability.

But the overlapping rules don't refer to 'THE ROUND' as an absolute timing of when the overlap can occur. They refer to a maneuver. Thus, you can only skip the perform action step IF the maneuver has an associated perform action step. Which happens to be for the 'standard' round maneuver... but not for the single/detached "execute maneuver step" from abilities like 'ailerons', 'daredevil' or 'SLAM'.

In the case of the ailerons though, the extra movement is happening well before your perform action step. Remember, the rules for overlapping an asteroid don't say to skip your next action, they say to skip your perform action step. If you overlap an asteroid with the aileron maneuver you follow all the rules for overlapping with a maneuver, which includes skipping your perform action step that round.

I disagree with this, the rules for overlapping don't say skip your action step THIS ROUND.

Before stating something, you should go check your fact. Here I'll highlight it to make sure we all read it :D

Page 14 of the rules:

Asteroid: The ship must skip its “Perform Action” step this round. After skipping the “Perform Action” step, it rolls one attack die. On a result, the ship suffers one damage; on a result, it suffers one critical damage. While a ship is overlapping an asteroid, it cannot perform any attacks.

Boom...

Edit: But this create even more confusion... because when you read the rule... you roll the dice AFTER skipping the action step... why did they say so is a mistery... so if you overlap an Asteroid with the Adaptative Wing, then you must do your normal maneuver, skip your action step and THEN roll for potential asteroid damage.

They really need to do like the Attack Step and clean the Obstacle Effect Rules to fit with all the new "corner case" that are now not really corner anymore...

Edited by muribundi

Before stating something, you should go check your fact. You are totaly wrong there, and now confused anyone comming to learn rules...

Page 14 of the rules:

Asteroid: The ship must skip its “Perform Action” step this round. After skipping the “Perform Action” step, it rolls one attack die. On a result, the ship suffers one damage; on a result, it suffers one critical damage. While a ship is overlapping an asteroid, it cannot perform any attacks.

Boom...

Edit: But this create even more confusion... because when you read the rule... you roll the dice AFTER skipping the action step... why did they say so is a mistery... so if you overlap an Asteroid with the Adaptative Wing, then you must do your normal maneuver, skip your action step and THEN roll for potential asteroid damage.

They really need to do like the Attack Step and clean the Obstacle Effect Rules to fit with all the new "corner case" that are now not really corner anymore...

Dammit, And I was sure to have had double-checked all the relevant rules.

Well, There goes my Thesis :angry:

Edited by Jehan Menasis

Sorry, I was a bit harsh on my tone... wanted to be more sarcastic then aggressive...

Don't worry, no offence taken. But as you pointed, the whole sequence now becomes messy.

So, theoretically, you can overlap an asteroid with the ailerons, but you won't roll for damage until after you skipped the perform action step from your second maneuver (which on top may not overlapped anything at all).

If you bump with the aileron move you will definitely still reveal your dial and execute your plotted maneuver as normal, same as if you didn't bump.

As for actions, if you bump with the first maneuver but not with your regular maneuver, the rules as we currently have them say that you should then skip your perform action step. It is possible that FFG does not want it to work like that we will get a FAQ ruling sometime after the ship is released saying the airelon maneuver doesn't impact your action step at all, but so far nothing in the rules for the ship suggest that.

exactly how i viewed it.

I want it to get faq'd, but i doubt it will because of Ion Tokens. If you bump with an ion move, you lose your action. This or stress + ion has been one of the meanest things you could do to someone since you 100% robbed them from that ship for a turn and possibly more (since theyre also easily dodged so they cant shoot). If they rule that only your dial maneuver skips the action step, then ion moves will no longer prevent actions if you bump or hit a rock.

Ailerons might be a DOA upgrade because of this except on Duchess. I say MIGHT because it could also lead to some pretty mean flyby strats with the not-boost-boost and boost followup via EU. Also, we only know Duchess' ability, the others might also be focused around it (You may use the 1turn template, you may use the 2straight template, you may mimic a barrelroll instead, etc etc) which would lead to X-Wing thought patterns of individual ships doing their own shenanigans rather than taking 1-3 for cheap and flying in formation like TIEs usually do.

I sent in a rules question with my Lando/Tycho scenario.

However, here's how I THINK the rules are INTENDED to be played:

The only maneuver that can cause you to skip your Perform Action step is the "normal" maneuver you perform during your activation.

Adaptive Ailerons, Daredevil and other cards which instruct you to "Execute a maneuver" do not have you skip your Perform Action step, even if you overlap an asteroïd / ship while executing them.

Instead of "a maneuver", I think the Rules Reference should say this:

  • A ship must skip its “Perform Action” step if it overlapped another ship while executing its previous maneuver.

Since FFG doesn't seem to update the Rules Reference PDF, I think we're more likely to see an entry added to either the Errata or Rules Clarification section of the FAQ.

Who am I kidding... it's gonna be a FAQ entry for "Adaptive Ailerons" and we're gonna have to apply/extrapolate it to other similar scenarios... :rolleyes:

Finally a formal update on this. Bumping with an aileron maneuver doesn't make you skip your action

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