Good day all.

Me & my other half are fanatics about Imperial Assault Skirmish. She is die hard scum player and especially likes the Nexu. However, while she is happily pouncing my rebels, a question popped up.

Pounce: Place your figure in an empty space within 3 spaces, then perform an attack.

Pounce is very vague in my mind, in that there are no restrictions. For example, we both agree that the Nexu can pounce through doors since we cant find any ruling that says otherwise. Is this correct?

Hi and welcome. Pounce requires you to count spaces. You'll find the Rules Reference Guide says that when counting spaces you can't go through doors.

Also make sure you're still respecting the 1 attack limitation. Nexu is still very fast though.

Thank you for your help theChony!

Yep. Counting Spaces is the measure of distance used in a lot of abilities. It cannot go through walls, doors, or blocking terrain.

Note that Counting Spaces can use diagonals because it is a placement, while normal large figure movement can only use the orthogonal directions.

Also note that while the Nexu itself is Mobile, when you are counting spaces for the purpose of Pounce, you cannot count through blocking terrain. You can, however, enter blocking terrain after the count, and the Nexu itself can effectively get one space closer since it is large and takes up 4 spaces.

And there are some rare situations where you will Pounce and NOT attack because it will give you better movement around corners.

You'll find a combination of move and Pounce can get you exactly where you need to be.

Fizz: Self-Proclaimed Undisputed Nexu Master.

Also, you can't count spaces into a space with blocking terrain, but as long as the target space you use for Pounce is valid, the rest of the Nexu can be placed on blocking terrain.

In addition, during deployment the distance from the deployment point is determined after the figure is placed (you can count spaces into figures on blocking terrain even when you cannot count spaces into the spaces themselves), so in some cases (when there's a figure on the deployment point) the Nexu can be deployed fully in blocking terrain and still satisfy the "as close as possible to the chosen active deployment point" requirement.

On 4/17/2017 at 10:25 AM, theChony said:

Hi and welcome. Pounce requires you to count spaces. You'll find the Rules Reference Guide says that when counting spaces you can't go through doors.

Also make sure you're still respecting the 1 attack limitation. Nexu is still very fast though.

You don't have to attack when you use pounce. It's perfectly acceptable to attack and use pounce to move away or just use pounce for movement.

On 4/18/2017 at 9:37 PM, NuSair said:

You don't have to attack when you use pounce. It's perfectly acceptable to attack and use pounce to move away or just use pounce for movement.

That's an interesting angle. I understand that you don't have to be able to attack after the movement part of 'Pounce', but if you've already performed an attack, is it legal for you to take the 'Pounce' action - even if you don't intend to perform the attack?

Yes, it's a gray area. First Pouncing without performing an attack, and then the Attack action seems fine. It's the other way that sounds iffy with the potential of performing an attack even when you intend to not use it.

(You may argue that if there is no valid target where the Nexu is placed by Pounce, it's fine. But starting an action containing an attack is the problem if strictly following RAW. On the other hand the rules talk about performing attacks... Drawing a line isn't easy.)

From the 'Learn to Play', pg 6:

"If a special action involves one or more attacks, this does count as the figure using an action to attack."

The special action does 'involve' an attack, even if it isn't performed, right? I guess that's the gray area...

RRG:
-- A non-hero figure can use only one of its actions to perform
an attack per activation.

The RRG refers to performing attacks, not just an actions containing attack(s). Which is why the gray area exists.

I always felt that because the Attack in the Nexu Pounce is optional ("may peform an attack"), then you could always select that action if your intent is not to attack.

The special action doesn't involve an attack until you decide it does. If you have already attacked prior, the rule quoted above kicks in and you cannot attack again.

Because it says "may" you have the choice to use the action without attacking, hence still adhering to the one action to attack per activation rule.

The "may" is the keyword here. You are not forced to attack, so this is legal.

I invented the Bantha + 6 Nexu "Taste the Rainbow" list and played it for over a year, at several tournaments, and the FFGC regionals. If you cant trust me, who can you you trust?