Punishing Force explanation

By NathanBeitler, in Imperial Assault Rules Questions

In the new Jabba's Realm expansion, one of the new command class cards in the Nemeses deck is called Punishing Force. The text reads as follows:

Exhaust this card while an Imperial figure is attacking to reroll any number of attack dice.

Ready this card at the end of each Rebel activation .

It's those last three words that have be a bit puzzled. Does the word each apply to each individual hero on the board (so up to three uses of this card per round - as the heroes always go first and this card would already be in a ready position after the first hero activates)? I just want to make sure I play this right when I employ it tomorrow during a game.

Edited by NathanBeitler

A Rebel activation would include allies too.

If they have 4 heroes and an ally, you could potentially use the card 4 times (maybe 5 if you can somehow shoot during the first Rebel activation like if they kill a hired gun).

6 hours ago, DTDanix said:

A Rebel activation would include allies too.

If they have 4 heroes and an ally, you could potentially use the card 4 times (maybe 5 if you can somehow shoot during the first Rebel activation like if they kill a hired gun).

or you know...you can shoot first

Rebel activation is any activation when it is rebel turn to activate and the rebel side has a ready group to perform an activation.

Rebels can have up to 7 activations when a mission provides the rebels with allies (C-3PO and R2-D2) and then the rebels also take an earned ally to the mission too.

Just now, a1bert said:

Rebel activation is any activation when it is rebel turn to activate and the rebel side has a ready group to perform an activation.

Rebels can have up to 7 activations when a mission provides the rebels with allies (C-3PO and R2-D2) and then the rebels also take an earned ally to the mission too.

4 rebels + Rebel Troopers (3)

- Punishing Force Exhausted;

- First rebel trooper actives. Kills Stormtroopers. End of First trooper activation. Punishing Force ready now.

- Second Rebel trooper Actives. Kills Hired Gun --> Partin Shot (Exhaust Punishing Force) --> End of Second Trooper Activation. End of a Rebel Activation. Punishing Force si Ready again.

- Third Rebel trooper Actives. Kills Hired Gun --> Partin Shot (Exhaust Punishing Force) --> End of Third Trooper Activation. End of a Rebel Activation. Punishing Force si Ready again.

Is it possibile this scenario?

An activation refers to figure activation almost always unless explicitly specifying group activation.

So, even more potential uses with multi-figure ally groups.

Edited by a1bert
9 hours ago, ricope said:

or you know...you can shoot first

Good call, there! I forgot about that new card. I doubt I'd spend the two influence to gain the opening shot, but that's definitely a strategy worth noting.

Edited by NathanBeitler
grammatical error
5 hours ago, NathanBeitler said:

Good call, there! I forgot about that new card. I doubt I'd spend the two influence to gain the opening shot, but that's definitely a strategy worth noting.

Note that card says "Imperial Group", so you can disrupt Rebel's plan if they have a badly damaged hero from previous round (planning to go first & double rest), and you slam that card down to give 3 attacks from nearby Stormies (basically you get a free activation from one of your deploy card, 3 Stormies each gets to move + shoot)

Very situational yes, but it's a pretty harsh surprise

Edited by ricope
18 hours ago, a1bert said:

An activation refers to figure activation almost always unless explicitly specifying group activation.

So, even more potential uses with multi-figure ally groups.

The card says "Rebel Activation" which in the case of the Rebel Troopers would be after the final trooper has acted, correct?

Because Rebel and Imperial alternate activations, I would take this to mean the entire Trooper activation counts as the "Rebel activation"

That was my first guess, but like I said, almost always an activation means figure activation when it does not explicitly specify it to be a group activation. (The only exception I know is Scrap Batallion and that might get an errata.)

I don't think adding Rebel or Imperial there would also imply group.

There are a lot of agenda cards specifying Imperial group. Hasty Ambush and Weak Link can be played after/before any activation - obviously figure activation. Misdirection uses "Imperial group's activation".

But it should not have any practical difference either way.

The only relevance I could see is if a squad of Rebel Troopers are firing at a pair of Hired Guns.

Then the timing of the readying may become an issue...