Just to make sure I've got this right: the Imp player spends threat on any of his deployment cards, or is it just open groups? Once his initial and reserve units are destroyed can he still bring them back as long as he has threat to pay it? thanks

(non-unique) Initial and Reserved Units go back into the Imperial's hand after being destroyed, and can then be bought with threat at that point. From the RRG page 11:

Quote

When an initial or reserved group is defeated, except for unique figures, the Deployment card is returned to the Imperial player’s hand and can be optionally deployed during t he Status Phase.

You only pay threat for the deployment of open groups (or reinforcement of any group). RRG page 11

Quote

Figures deployed as initial or reserve groups do not cost (threat) to deploy.

Open Groups is the content of the Imperial player's deployment card hand at the start of a mission. When groups are defeated, the non-unique groups are returned to the IP's hand, and it does not matter whether they have originally been open, initial, or reserved groups.

The imperial player pays the threat cost for deploying groups and reinforcing figures during optional deployments.

Reserved groups can only be deployed by mission events when and if they happen.

Initial groups are also deployed, so you can add attachments. They do not cost threat.

Also, allies provided by the mission through special setup or from mission events do not give the imperial player threat, and do not count towards the up to one ally limit of the Rebel players.

7 hours ago, a1bert said:

Reserved groups can only be deployed by mission events when and if they happen.

I totally agree with you on this, but I couldn't find a quote in the rules where it said this specifically... Can you point me in the right direction?

Can I make fun of your page-turning abilities by quoting this?

RRG, Reserved Groups said:

During a campaign, many missions provide the Imperial player certain Deployment cards called reserved groups.

· These cards are not part of his hand and are kept facedown on the table. They cannot be deployed or reinforced while facedown. Rebel players cannot look at reserved Deployment cards.

· Mission rules specify when and how these figures can be deployed to the map.

· When the last figure in a non-unique reserved group is defeated, the matching Deployment card is placed in the Imperial player's hand. He can then deploy these figures during an optional deployment following normal deployment rules.

*facepalm*

go on, make fun.

Somehow managed to miss the Related Topics section that indicated there was a whole other section on Reserved Groups.

*doublefacepalm*

Thanks a1bert. this is why you get paid the big bucks!