Lets say a Weequay pirate at distance 5 is attacking a dewback rider and plays "tools for the job" as the first command card of the round. Agent Blaise uses "adapt" to apply the hidden condition to the dewback rider. Does the hidden get applied before or after the Weequay chooses which die to add to his attack pool?

If you use a card like "positioning advantage" in the middle of an attack can Blaise hide the figure you're attacking before the attack is resolved?

Weequay player has to decide his dice prior to the hidden getting applied. This is due to the timing of the conflict resolution. During an attack the attacker always resolves their effects first.

33 minutes ago, roman2440 said:

Weequay player has to decide his dice prior to the hidden getting applied. This is due to the timing of the conflict resolution. During an attack the attacker always resolves their effects first.

Yeah but "tools for the job" happens before the attack occurs, not during an attack. I still think you're right, but not for the reason you gave.

I would say Blaise's adapt is an actual interrupt react like negation. It allows Blaise to apply the hidden condition to a spy or trooper figure right after (but before anything else) your opponent resolves its first command card of the round.

So with tools for the job, the attack is declared and the dice to be added is selected. Then Blaise's player should declare "adapt" and apply the hidden condition to whoever they can and want to. So the attacker needs to keep that in mind when playing against Blaise. Good catch I wouldn't have thought about the reaction until I walked into it

33 minutes ago, Masterchiefspiff said:

I would say Blaise's adapt is an actual interrupt react like negation. It allows Blaise to apply the hidden condition to a spy or trooper figure right after (but before anything else) your opponent resolves its first command card of the round.

The only difference is negation specifically says "play after your opponent plays a command card", whereas Blaise's ability isn't as specific. It would make sense to use Blaise's ability after the command card, but if it is immediate you could choose the dice for tools for the job after the hidden condition got applied. I agree with your interpretation, but I could see an argument for the other side.

Quote

Adapt: The first time your opponent plays a Command card each round, choose 1 Spy or Trooper. That figure becomes Hidden.

Agent Blaise's Adapt ability is specific. It does not interrupt any other effects, such as your opponent playing their first Command card. Instead, you are able to 'choose 1 Spy or Trooper' 'the first time your opponent plays a Command card each round.' To play a Command card is to fully resolve its effects, otherwise it has not been played. It doesn't say 'the first time your opponent declares the intent to use a Command card each round' or 'the first time your opponent might play a card but isn't sure yet.'

Masterchiefspiff has it right, but we don't have to consider it an interrupt. Nothing instructs the Imperial player to declare Adapt until his opponent has played his first Command card for that round.

19 minutes ago, brettpkelly said:

I agree with your interpretation, but I could see an argument for the other side.

This should be your signature in life.

1 hour ago, Smashotron said:

To play a Command card is to fully resolve its effects, otherwise it has not been played.

What about all the cards that say "perform an attack", like jundland terror, call the vanguard, pummel, draw, etc. Do you need to wait for the attack to resolve until you apply your hidden from adept? That has some pretty big implications for comms disruption.

43 minutes ago, brettpkelly said:

What about all the cards that say "perform an attack", like jundland terror, call the vanguard, pummel, draw, etc. Do you need to wait for the attack to resolve until you apply your hidden from adept? That has some pretty big implications for comms disruption.

That does pose an interesting question also I would think that needs an official answer. Because those cards finish being played (or at least can easily be interpreted as not having been fully played) after the attack is over and other affects are applied. Then Blaise can hide someone?

On the last part of your statement, about implications for comms disruption. I'm not sure what you're getting at? Are you thinking one would perform the whole effects of call the vanguard and the opponent could wait to see how it all plays out and then play comms disruption to undo everything? I could see someone trying to say that based on the Blaise questions/definition of "played", but I would not think that's the way comms disruption is intended to work at all. Though again I can see someone thinking it could because when someone negates take initiative the person who played take initiative gets the exhausted deployment right back unexhausted since it was cancelled.

1 hour ago, brettpkelly said:

What about all the cards that say "perform an attack", like jundland terror, call the vanguard, pummel, draw, etc. Do you need to wait for the attack to resolve until you apply your hidden from adept? That has some pretty big implications for comms disruption.

Curses and tarnation! That's a good point. Maybe "playing" a card is the act of declaring its use, after all? Otherwise cards like Comms Disruption make less sense. The important part here is to determine when Adapt should trigger, so you can determine whether or not you or your opponent missed an opportunity to trigger Adapt. A player could expect that they are supposed to wait for the card to be played (and resolved), and then be told they missed their opportunity because its supposed to be used when the card is declared (and not yet resolved at all).

Edit: I just found this entry in the Skirmish Guide:

Quote

Imperial Assault Skirmish Guide, page 5:

A player can play each Command card when specified on that card. To play the card, he reveals it to his opponent, resolves its ability, and then discards the card.

So at what point can you use an ability that triggers 'when X plays a Command card' (such as Adapt or Comms Disruption)? Must it be when the card is reveal? During card resolution? When the card is discard (signifying it is resolved)? At any point during this process?

Since "play" is spelled out, I am now thinking you can choose when you trigger these abilities. You could wait for your opponent to resolve their card, such as selecting a red die for Tools For The Job , and then declare Adapt to allow 1 Spy or Trooper to become Hidden after gaining that knowledge.

@Smashotron sounds to me like you agree with the interpretation but could see an argument for the other side

53 minutes ago, Smashotron said:

Quote

Imperial Assault Skirmish Guide, page 5:

A player can play each Command card when specified on that card. To play the card, he reveals it to his opponent, resolves its ability, and then discards the card.

So the way I am now interpreting this is that when you play "Call the Vangaurd" you can wait til after the attack resolves before you play "Comms Disruption". What if I play "Positioning advantage" or "Assassinate" in the middle of one of my attack, does my opponent just get to know that I have that in my hand now? That really doesn't sound like the intent of the rule.

I'm pretty sure somewhere along the way here we've really twisted the rules way out of what they're supposed to be. That's why I love this forum.

When does not mean after .

When does not mean while .

Because " when a command card is played" is not after a command card has been resolved or while a command card is being resolved, it must be the moment you play (reveal) the command card to be able to resolve its ability. You cannot resolve the ability unless you play the command card. Thus, playing of a command card must start by revealing the command card you are playing. That is when your playing of the command card begins. After you resolve the ability, the card is discarded (unless the ability instructs otherwise).

Abilities that have a trigger of the form "when" refer to a singular moment, not a time frame. (When a figure enters, when a figure exits, when you declare an attack...) Abilities with "while" or "during" refer to a time frame (during your activation, while defending...). And "after" means after (after performing an attack, after attack resolves, after suffering damage).

Another angle: You can't really play a command card unless the figure matches the trait requirement and can pay the cost. By playing the command card you are also paying the costs, and playing the card requires that you reveal it. Playing the command card triggers the ability, so you perform the ability, and discard the command card.

The explanation of how command cards are played could be worded differently to avoid some issues.

That makes sense, so you do apply hidden before you choose the die for tools

So if my opponent plays Assassinate, can I hide the figure being attacked before range is checked, possibly causing the attack to miss?

Hidden is resolved as a core/mission rule timing during step 4. Apply Modifiers, and that is before Assassinate (also during step 4.), so if the defender becomes hidden after that, it does not affect the current attack.

https://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/1631857/ability-resolution-order-during-attacks

Hidden reads "while defending" so why wouldn't it be triggered in Step 4. during Defender effects (after Attacker effects)? I cannot find anywhere where conditions are considered mission rules instead of a rule applied by the attacker or the defender.

Because Conditions have been ruled to be core/mission rules.

FAQ said:

Q: A figure with "Cunning" has the Weakened condition.
While defending, it rolls a evade symbol. Does it get to apply its
+1 block from "Cunning" before the -1 evade from the Weakened
condition is applied?

A: No. Conditions are treated as mission rules for the purposes
of timing conflicts, so the -1 evade triggers before the defender has a
chance to use "Cunning."

You're always on-point. Thank you!