The wording doesn't specify and it could go either way.

Looking at one ability that definitely lets the ability-owner choose is the Yin's devotion ability, and that makes it a point to explicitly point out that the Yin player chooses. "Produce 1 hit and assign it to one of your opponent's ships." If it had just said "produce one hit", I think most would assume that the target gets to choose. The Exotrireme ability is like if they left out the part about getting to assign it, but yet the wording is still ambiguous.

Official call on this? (personally I think the N'orr getting to pick would be a little crazy)

Can you post the specific wording? I don't have it in front of me.

"After a round of space combat, you may destroy this unit to destroy up to 2 ships in this system."

By comparison, here's the Yin devotion ability that goes out of its way to say that it's the Yin player who chooses the target.

http://i.imgur.com/oJedG6U.jpg

I've read arguments that say it's because "hits" are an exception so the Yin ability had to list the exception.

Quote

The Yin ability is a bit different. First, there is more room to write the ability than there is for Exotrireme II (which is already basically at capacity, text wise). Plus, the Yin ability is dealing hits, which normally is something the person who "hits" assigns to himself, so the text is more necessary.

There are no rules saying that "destroying" units is done the same way. The way the Exotrireme is worded, it looks to me like the N'orr player destroys his own unit, then destroys two opposing unit, which to me implies that the N'orr player chooses.

Thematically, I think it's somewhat represented by the N'orr player moving in and either crashing into another ship or exploding in close proximity to the affected ships. So he is choosing where he is going.

I'm not sure I agree with that. My view is that it basically comes down to what I think is ambiguous wording that could go either way, coupled with the precedent of the Yin ability having to spell out that a auto hit/destroy player gets to pick the target.

Balance wise, getting to choose means guaranteed dead war suns, dreads, and carriers and coming out way ahead in material exchange (not to mention stranding infantry and fighters by blowing up carriers).

20 hours ago, Rico01 said:

"After a round of space combat, you may destroy this unit to destroy up to 2 ships in this system."

The way I read it the N'orr get's to decide which 2 other ships in the area to destroy. The Yin ability is just assigning hits, but if a unit can sustain then it wouldn't necessary destroy it. The N'orr ability is very powerful, but given their otherwise lack luster ability it balances.

4 hours ago, IndyBart said:

The way I read it the N'orr get's to decide which 2 other ships in the area to destroy. The Yin ability is just assigning hits, but if a unit can sustain then it wouldn't necessary destroy it. The N'orr ability is very powerful, but given their otherwise lack luster ability it balances.

I agree. This tech is as it was in the third edition, nothing more, nothing less.

Norr decides which TWO enemy ships he destroys, sustain is not taken into account.

He is paying an upgraded dread for it, so it better be good.

You can compare it to the Pegasus wrecking the two Cylon Basestars.

is a g0od ability, for me is the same from TI3 but..

Sardakk start with 0 tech at least you have 4 round before you get it and you have to give up the destroyer spam which is in other direction 3 tech away and you will never get warsuns . seems fair to me

Another data point to consider, Assault Cannons. Also destroys a ship during space combat, but explicitly says the opponent chooses.

13 hours ago, 4m4d1s said:

Sardakk start with 0 tech at least you have 4 round before you get it and you have to give up the destroyer spam which is in other direction 3 tech away and you will never get warsuns . seems fair to me

This shows how important tech planets will be so you can try to skip AM and Magen.

Norr definitely loses their flavor as PDS race in TI4, which totally referred to Starship Troopers.

Just thought I'd add some thoughts...

Based on the rulebook on resolving abilities:

"When a player resolves an ability, he must resolve the ability in its entirety. Any parts of the ability preceded by the word “may” are optional, and the player resolving the ability may choose not to resolve those parts."

Key word: the player resolving the ability.

Since the Sardakk player would be the one resolving the ability, and there are no specific rules about which player chooses which ships are destroyed in a general sense (unlike hits, which are generally assigned by the player on the receiving end), it stands to reason that the Sardakk choose which ships are destroyed.

On 9/11/2017 at 9:50 PM, Evernoob said:

This shows how important tech planets will be so you can try to skip AM and Magen.

Norr definitely loses their flavor as PDS race in TI4, which totally referred to Starship Troopers.

Round 4? You can get it round 2 if you take tech round 1 and get Sarween and Antimass Deflectors AND (big and) take a blue tech planet round 1, then you can get it round 2.

Which brings to a question I want to make sure we are playing right. When you take tech card we produce for example Anti Mass with the free tech and now we have a 1 blue and so will get Gravity drive with the second tech.