The card "Mortar," a 3xp card from the Armored Assault deck, says that it can be used by any Imperial Figure. We're playing a campaign. Can mortar be used by cards like nexu, which is neutral and not sentient?

According to the rules, in a campaign, neutral figures count as imperial figures. So apparently by the rules the Nexu can use Mortar. However, this doesn't make a sense, and I'm not sure whether or not there's a rule about this I'm missing. If anyone has any light to shed on this issue, it would be greatly appreciated.

The Nexu apparently has Shields to divert Power to, as well...

You don't mean neutral, you mean mercenary. Neutral figures is a completely different thing (see the RRG).

Also, as a recent Imperial Player who used the hell out of Mortar, I find it helps to change the flavour of what happens when you use it...

An imperial officer speaks into a comm device, and a second later a mortar strikes the ground where he points.

A Trandoshan has a grenade launcer mounted on his gun, and fires an explosive round at the target square.

The Nexu hisses and arches it's back, firing spikes at the general area.

Be creative.

Just because something is called "Mortar" doesn't mean it always has to be a literal Mortar.

And because the Nexu is an "imperial figure" for campaign purposes, and Mortar doesn't limit who can use it; BOOM. Nexu Mortar.

Also, as a recent Imperial Player who used the hell out of Mortar, I find it helps to change the flavour of what happens when you use it...

An imperial officer speaks into a comm device, and a second later a mortar strikes the ground where he points.

A Trandoshan has a grenade launcer mounted on his gun, and fires an explosive round at the target square.

The Nexu hisses and arches it's back, firing spikes at the general area.

Be creative.

Just because something is called "Mortar" doesn't mean it always has to be a literal Mortar.

And because the Nexu is an "imperial figure" for campaign purposes, and Mortar doesn't limit who can use it; BOOM. Nexu Mortar.

Speak for yourself, when I get my evil empire up and running, Im mounting mortar launchers on cats.

I taught my first wave of Nexu using mortar to point and go "Meow" when they wanted an area exploded.

It went over very well...