Prompted by another thread.

Admiral Screed: Once per activation, when a friendly ship is attacking, it may spend 1 die to change a die to a face with a [CRIT] icon.

It doesn't specify who's activation, just once per activation. Seems to me that if one of my ships were to get an attack during the other player's activation, I would be allowed to use Screed.

I can only think of this being useful under a very specific case, but I can't see any reason I wouldn't be allowed to use it.

(In case anyone's wondering, It would be QLT, Kallus, and something that would make crits relevant, such as Flechette Torpedoes, or PDR, or black dice)

Qlt kallus flechettes ftw!

It would be a waste to spend the crit with Flechette to activate a squadron that already attacked you. You don't end its activation, and its already been activated.

I assume the intent was supposed to be used on the ships activation, but I don't see why you couldn't Screed your black Kallus die into a crit.

"Once per activation." Not "once during a friendly ship's activation." So I'm inclined to say he's usable once during the activation of each enemy ship, too, which would mean while countering against one of that ship's attacking squadrons.

I'm much less sure about his applicability during the squadron phase. He doesn't specify ship activation , but it seems to me that that's the intent, which would mean he's not applicable during the squadron phase.

Another of those cases of "couldn't you have just found a **** synonym , FFG??"

45 minutes ago, Undeadguy said:

It would be a waste to spend the crit with Flechette to activate a squadron that already attacked you. You don't end its activation, and its already been activated.

I assume the intent was supposed to be used on the ships activation, but I don't see why you couldn't Screed your black Kallus die into a crit.

Yeah, I'm not sure I see any use of the crit other than that, on black dice, a 'crit' facing is also a hit facing . So an otherwise-blank result you could turn into a hit+crit, which you can at least make use of the hit to inflict damage.

17 minutes ago, Ardaedhel said:

Another of those cases of "couldn't you have just found a **** synonym , FFG??"

And to think, when I first brought up the Attack / Salvo thing... I got abuse .

2 minutes ago, Drasnighta said:

And to think, when I first brought up the Attack / Salvo thing... I got abuse .

I still don't understand what you were trying to get at. We talked about it before but I'm still lost.

In my theoretical version (Which changes no rules, just wording. Well, apart from making part of the FAQ and one paragraph of the RRG irrelevant ...).

A Ship may make two Salvos during their activation. (Not attacks)

Demolisher may make one of its Salvos after performing its maneuver.

Slaved Turrets restrict a ship to only performing one Salvo per turn.

To perform a Salvo , you choose your hull zone, and then attack a single ship, or attack every squadron in arc.

Ergo, Upgrade cards that are to apply to a single attack, or allow you to do things to all attacks (such as Demolisher) would be salvo instead.

But attacks that are ONLY TO APPLY TO A SINGLE "ATTACK" (Such as Dominator), would still reference "Attack".

It would remove the FAQ in that each Anti-Squadron "Attack" counts as a new "Attack" for the use of Upgrade cards - and indeed, would even remove the "Repeat attack against another squadron" steps in the Attack Flowchart.

In effect, to Copypasta-and-makea-a-messa of the rules:

Ship Activation
Ships are activated during the Ship Phase. When a ship is activated, its owner proceeds through the following steps.

1. Reveal Command Dial: Reveal the ship’s top command dial. Then either place the dial next to the ship in the play area or spend the dial to place the corresponding command token next to the ship in the play area.

2. Attack: Perform up to two Salvos with the ship from different hull zones.

3. Execute Maneuver: Move the ship at its current speed.

• After a ship activates, place its revealed command dial faceup on its ship card to track that it has activated.
• Each ship can activate only once per round.

Salvo
A Salvo is a single attack against an enemy ship, or attacks against every enemy squadron in range and arc of the chosen hull zone.

Attack
To perform an attack with a squadron or ship, resolve the following steps:

1. Declare Target: The attacker declares the defender and the attacking hull zone, if any. If the defender is a ship, the attacker declares the defending hull zone. Measure line of sight to the defender to ensure the attack is possible and to determine if it is obstructed.
◊ If the attacker is a ship, the defending squadron or hull zone must be inside the attacking hull zone’s firing arc and at attack range of the attacking hull zone. ◊ If the attacker is a squadron, the defending squadron or hull zone must be at distance 1.

2. Roll Attack Dice: Gather attack dice to form the attack pool and roll those dice. Gather only the dice that are appropriate for the range of the attack as indicated by the icons on the range ruler.
◊ If the defender is a ship, gather the attack dice indicated in the attacking hull zone’s or squadron’s battery armament.
◊ If the defender is a squadron, gather the attack dice indicated in the attacker’s anti-squadron armament.
◊ If the attacker cannot gather any dice appropriate for the range of the attack, the attack is canceled.

3. Resolve Attack Effects: The attacker can resolve attack effects as described below:
◊ Modify Dice: The attacker can resolve any of its effects that modify its dice. This includes card effects and the P command.
◊ Spend Accuracy (G) Icons: The attacker can spend one or more of its G icons to choose the same number of the defender’s defense tokens. The chosen tokens cannot be spent during this attack.

4. Spend Defense Tokens: The defender can spend one or more of its defense tokens.

5. Resolve Damage: The attacker can resolve one of its critical effects. Then the attacker determines the total damage amount. Then the defending squadron or hull zone suffers that total damage, one point at a time.
◊ If the attacker or defender is a squadron, the damage is the sum of all F icons.
◊ If the attacker and defender are ships, the damage is the sum of all F and E icons.
◊ Each ship has the following standard critical effect: “E: If the defender is dealt at least one damage card by this attack, deal the first damage card faceup.”

6. Declare Additional Squadron Target: If the attacker is a ship and the defender was a squadron, the attacker can declare another enemy squadron as a defender and repeat steps 2 through 6. The new defender must be inside the firing arc and at attack range of the same attacking hull zone. Each enemy squadron can be targeted only once per attack.

• A ship can perform two Salvos during its activation, but it cannot attack from the same hull zone more than once per activation.

• A ship can attack the same target with different Salvos.

• Ships and squadrons cannot attack friendly ships and squadrons.

Some Offhand Card Changes:

Gunnery Team
- Your ship can perform both Salvos from the same Hull Zone. It cannot attack the same Ship or Squadron more than once during its activation.

Slaved Turrets
- When this ship attacks, it adds a Red Die to the Attack Pool. You can only perform One salvo per turn.

Demolisher
- You may perform one of your Salvos after executing a Maneuver.

Dominator
- While attacking, you may sacrifice up to 2 shields to add that many blue dice to the attack pool for that attack.

Basically, things that are designed to work against either a ship or every squadron attack in arc will utilise "Salvo". But if it is to apply to an individual attack, including stopping you from using it on squadrons more than once (affecting only a single squadron in the entire attack, such as Dominator)...

As it is, at the moment, without the FAQ on "Each anti-squadron attack is separate", it was argued that you could spend 2 Shields on Dominator, to add 2 blue dice to every anti-squadron attack from a single arc, since that was one of the two ships "Attacks"... It would be awesome, and probably worth the Points somewhat.......... But its also illegal as per the rules.

If it were intended to work that way (One sacrifice = buff every attack), Dominator could use the following wording:

Dominator
- Before performing a Salvo, you may sacrifice up to 2 shields to add that many blue dice to your attack pools for each attack.

Boom. 3 Blue Die vs Every Squadron.

I hope that explains it. Its hard to tell. I havn't had Coffee.

Hmmmmm. This seems like an argument before the anti-squad FAQ so it's hard for me to say what I think. I started playing more after the FAQ so I've never had this issue and it's hard for to understand it. Kinda like growing up with AC and going to a country that doesn't have it and wondering how those people can live without it. They have to no experience with it so they don't know any better.

As it is, I don't see what the issue is besides the intent behind some upgrades. As of right now, I don't see why you can't use Dominator for every anti-squad attack. Before the FAQ, I see the problem.

You can use Dominator for every anti-squad attack, it just costs you 2 Shields every time.

The question is, if I have 5 Squadrons in Range and Arc, and you want to add 2 blue die vs all of them, will it cost you 2 Shields, or 10 Shields?

The FAQ answer says 10 Shields.

Before the FAQ Answer, people argued it both ways.

Also, the other one - Slaved Turrets...

Currently says "You may only make one attack per turn."

Is that an attack as in, one single solitary attack (ie, can only shoot one squadron), or is it not? It had to be defined by FAQ....... Word it the way I have, and there's no FAQ needed, is all I'm saying.

1 minute ago, Drasnighta said:

You can use Dominator for every anti-squad attack, it just costs you 2 Shields every time.

The question is, if I have 5 Squadrons in Range and Arc, and you want to add 2 blue die vs all of them, will it cost you 2 Shields, or 10 Shields?

The FAQ answer says 10 Shields.

Before the FAQ Answer, people argued it both ways.

Oooohhhh I get it now.

Thanks ahaha

1 hour ago, Ardaedhel said:

I'm much less sure about his applicability during the squadron phase. He doesn't specify ship activation , but it seems to me that that's the intent, which would mean he's not applicable during the squadron phase.

I would argue that he's no good in the squadron phase. You activate a squadron, but it's not "an activation" like it is for a ship.

1 hour ago, Undeadguy said:

It would be a waste to spend the crit with Flechette to activate a squadron that already attacked you. You don't end its activation, and its already been activated.

Yea, good point. But let's roll with the argument anyway.

Just now, JgzMan said:

I would argue that he's no good in the squadron phase. You activate a squadron, but it's not "an activation" like it is for a ship.

Yes.

3 hours ago, JgzMan said:

Prompted by another thread.

Admiral Screed: Once per activation, when a friendly ship is attacking, it may spend 1 die to change a die to a face with a [CRIT] icon.

It doesn't specify who's activation, just once per activation. Seems to me that if one of my ships were to get an attack during the other player's activation, I would be allowed to use Screed.

I can only think of this being useful under a very specific case, but I can't see any reason I wouldn't be allowed to use it.

(In case anyone's wondering, It would be QLT, Kallus, and something that would make crits relevant, such as Flechette Torpedoes, or PDR, or black dice)

Going off the text of the card alone, Screed applies to attacks only during a friendly ship's activation.

I would say no, QLT plus Kallus would not allow you to proc screed.

Edit: Similarly, Screed cannot be used during the squadron phase.

1 hour ago, Ardaedhel said:

"Once per activation." Not "once during a friendly ship's activation." So I'm inclined to say he's usable once during the activation of each enemy ship, too, which would mean while countering against one of that ship's attacking squadrons.

I'm much less sure about his applicability during the squadron phase. He doesn't specify ship activation , but it seems to me that that's the intent, which would mean he's not applicable during the squadron phase.

Another of those cases of "couldn't you have just found a **** synonym , FFG??"

Nor does it day, "once during any ship's activation."

Just now, Warlord Zepnick said:

Nor does it day, "once during any ship's activation."

...

I eat your dog.

Just now, Warlord Zepnick said:

Nor does it day, "once during any ship's activation."

That is true. I'm not sure what your point is, though.

4 minutes ago, Ardaedhel said:

That is true. I'm not sure what your point is, though.

That Screed can only be proc'ed during the friendly ship's activation.

Just now, Warlord Zepnick said:

That Screed can only be proc'ed during the friendly ship's activation.

It might mean that. I don't know and I don't care. It doesn't say that.

56 minutes ago, Drasnighta said:

Word it the way I have, and there's no FAQ needed, is all I'm saying.

Some day they'll just give in and hire you. In the long run it'd likely save them a lot of man-hours on FAQs lol

2 minutes ago, Ardaedhel said:

It might mean that. I don't know and I don't care. It doesn't say that.

Well yeah, when your read the two clauses in conjunction, that's what it means. The same two clauses that are, ya know, on the card.

Just now, Warlord Zepnick said:

Well yeah, when your read the two clauses in conjunction, that's what it means. The same two clauses that are, ya know, on the card.

Fair enough, I can see how you'd think the context gave it that meaning.

I really couldn't care less about this one. Play it however you want.

2 minutes ago, Ardaedhel said:

Fair enough, I can see how you'd think the context gave it that meaning.

I really couldn't care less about this one. Play it however you want.

No worries I was just pointing out to OP what the card says and means.

I wish I could say that I caught this at release. I wish I could have seen this was an Issue with the Core Box and Wave 1... But unfortunately, I didn't catch it until relatively late , which to me, kind of invalidates it... To be worthwhile, its the sort of thing that I should have been able to see and catch as a playtester , and in my Games design philosophy or training - I didn't catch it quickly enough - relatively speaking... If I had done so, then yes, I would say I would be of use to FFG. But unfortunately, I am not. I didn't catch this as a problem until well into Wave 2's release, where the problem had escalated a few times, and the FAQ's had been no doubt started to be issued.

I have experience at Games Design and a near eidetic memory when I can be bothered to remember (and suitably caffeinated)... One of my previous jobs working for a Games company was to re-read and re-prepare sets of rules that are written in vernacular or 'lazy' english, and prepare them in formal english, so they could be presented to translators to be translated into French, Spanish, German and Portuguese... (For some reason, someone else handled translations specifically for Chinese and Russian.)

So I have a mind to see how things are written, how things are explicitly written, and have to try to define an intention behind that writing to be able to present it as fact, rather than intention.

Like, as above - Warlord Zepnick has read the card, and has stated his believe that the first line is a single clausal effect.

I read it, and I notice the comma between the two clauses...

Whereas he translates that as "During a Friendly Ship's activation", a single clause, I translate that as a two part AND clause:

- During an Activation
- While a friendly Ship is attacking.

I then run a "rules background check", and ask - is there an opportunity for both of the above to happen at the same time - and I find it... Both in current rules, and in potential rules (and that is something else, so ignore that bit) - but in Current Rules, yes. You can attack on someone elses activation, Ship or Squadron, and that is due to the Counter rule, which can be granted to Ships through Quad Laser Turrets.

Now, there are other bits and pieces that need to be addressed, in said working, but that's a gist on how I look at things - is it possible, is it plausible, is it at least potentially intended... Some days, they just can't be black and white (and they end up Purple and Orange)...

But an important thing to remember is this:

Unless you Designed the Rule, and Unless you Wrote the Rule, you cannot say you know the intention behind the Rule. You can be told it, by the person who did write the Rule.... But you cannot know it, you can only guess at it.

Saying you know without having adequate evidence (and a lack of coherent rules to espouse the opposite) is, at best, arrogant.

I do admit to being an arrogant bastard most of the time. But that's because I try to back up what I say with logic, evidence and precedence. There's no "gut feelings" on my part, and I do remove my own sense of bias before deciding on a card.

I can only hope people appreciate that.