So, a situation came up yesterday during our playthrough of Leia's Side Mission "Communication Breakdown". The IP attacks with a Hidden Probe Droid, resulting in 5 surges. The target rolls 1 evade. The IP attempts to exhaust Strategic Redeployment to deploy an elite Imperial Officer (5 Threat Cost), before the evade cancels one of the surges... then the argument started.

We ended up ruling that the IP could only spend 4 surges as Threat, precisely because the ability couldn't be used before factoring in evades.

Now we just need confirmation.

Yup, the ability is played during the spend surges phase just like any other surge ability. I have a question though, can the imperial player still spend threat as well? 4 surges and 1 threat, or must it all comes from the same source?

Yup, the ability is played during the spend surges phase just like any other surge ability. I have a question though, can the imperial player still spend threat as well? 4 surges and 1 threat, or must it all comes from the same source?

I read somewhere else, that it explicitly says "instead", so no - it's surges or nothing.

Yup, the ability is played during the spend surges phase just like any other surge ability. I have a question though, can the imperial player still spend threat as well? 4 surges and 1 threat, or must it all comes from the same source?

Well, some exceptions are also mentioned for abilities that are resolved "while attacking" (I don't have the book with me right now), and Strategic Redeployment is not strictly covered by these exceptions... hence our argument.

Only surges can be spent during it (step 5 of the attack), and you can't spend surges that have been cancelled due to evades or -1surge abilities (in step 4 of the attack).

Note that you can only deploy single-figure groups or reinforce.

(The ability says you're spending surges, so it implies the spend surges step. If you have a good argument against, then ask FFG.)