If my attacker has HSCP, and I have 1 agility and a focus, if I roll an evade, can he still make me spend my focus, even though it can't do anything?

Yes. You must spend your focus token to turn you 0 eyeballs into 0 additional evades. Or you could spend it on Sensor Cluster to turn you 0 blanks into 0 evades. Or... well, you get the idea.

The only times that 'if able' clause comes into play are when some external factor prevents you spending tokens (e.g. Carnor, Sheathipese Fenn Rau when he comes out) or an upgrade does (Accuracy Corrector is the only current one).

What if it's guaranteed that a second attack is coming, such as with Cluster Missiles or Twin Laser Turret? Can I wait until the second defense roll to spend the focus? (I'm assuming no)

What about unusual effects for spending focus, such as Lieutenant Kestal's ability? Can I withhold spending focus on my attack roll to use it for modifying the defender's defense roll?

1. If the attacker has both HSCP and CM or TLT , they don't work together. That function of Hotshot Copilot only triggers when attacking with a primary weapon, as per the card text. If the attacker has CM or TLT and the defender has HSCP, the attacker would need to spend a focus token on the first attack if possible.

2. I don't think so with Kestal. While I know using Weapons Guidance and Calculation are acceptable uses of a Focus token for HSCP, but these all happen in the "modify attack dice" step. I'm highly confident Kestal would have to spend a focus before getting to the "modify defense dice" step.

The timing rules for HSCP say that you may spend the focus anytime after Declare Target and before the end of the Modify Defense/Attack Dice step, depending on if you are defending against HSCP or attacking a ship that has it. If you are attacking a ship that has it, you have to spend the focus before the end of the Modify Attack Dice step, so you wouldn't be able to save it to modify the targets defense dice.

Where on the Hotshot Co-pilot upgrade card does it say I have to spend my focus token during the Modify Attack Dice step when I am attacking a ship with HSC equipped?

Based on the loose wording of this card, if I have a pilot ability that triggers elsewhere in the combat flowchart which allows the spending of a focus token I don't see how HCP prevents me from using that ability. With Lietenant Kestral's ability in play, as he would be the one attacking the ship equipped with HCP, I see no reason why - within the Rules as Written - I cannot save my focus to use with my pilot ability. The only catch being that, with the Lietenant Kestral-Hotshot Co-pilot interaction if I do not spend my focus token during the Modify Attack Dice step Hotshot Co-pilot forces Kestral to spend it after defense dice are thrown in order to satisfy the spending requirement of HCP - even if there are zero blank and zero focus results to cancel. You still must spend the focus token to cancel ALL the focus and blank results in the defender's dice pool, even if there are none to cancel.

In the spirit of doing what the cards say to do I would know, when attacking a ship with HCP crew, I at some point in the course of the attack have to spend a focus token. Whether or not I spend it in the Modify Attack Dice step or the Modify Defense Dice step with Kestal's ability is irrelevant. All that matters is that, before concluding the attack (i.e. resolving step 10 of the flowchart), I have spent a focus token. HCP, in this scenario, literally requires the attacker to spend a focus token during the attack. An attack starts at step 1 (of the flowchart in the FAQ) and ends after concluding step 10. In order to meet the requirements of HCP the attacker must spend the focus between steps 1 and 10, doesn't matter where so long as a focus token was spent.

[Theoretical] Though not possible (as the TIE Aggressor does not have a systems upgrade slot) this would mean Kestal would not be able to use the Accuracy Corrector work around to save his focus as HCP would force the spending of the token during the trigger for his pilot ability.

9 minutes ago, ZealuxMyr said:

Where on the Hotshot Co-pilot upgrade card does it say I have to spend my focus token during the Modify Attack Dice step when I am attacking a ship with HSC equipped?

It is in the FAQ. So any abilities that allow you spend tokens before the"Declare Target" step and/or after the "Modify Defense Dice" step do not meet the requirements for HSCP.

2 minutes ago, ZealuxMyr said:

Where on the Hotshot Co-pilot upgrade card does it say I have to spend my focus token during the Modify Attack Dice step when I am attacking a ship with HSC equipped?

FAQ page 18. The wording isn't the best, but in the context of the card it does lay out the timing:

• When attacking a ship with Hotshot Co-pilot equipped, the defender must spend the focus token after the "Declare Target" step and before the end of the "Modify Defense Dice" step.
• When defending against a ship with Hotshot Co-pilot equipped, the attacker must spend a focus token after the "Declare Target" step and before the end of the "Modify Attack Dice" step.

Which is kind of looks like it's worded backwards, and it certainly was written before Kestal was released and there was a way for an attacker to spend a focus token in the "modify defense dice" step...

I find the argument that Kestal should be able use their ability persuasive, however. I hope the next FAQ is revised to make it clear.

4 minutes ago, theBitterFig said:

Which is kind of looks like it's worded backwards, and it certainly was written before Kestal was released...

Yeah, I'd have written it more like:

• When a ship equipped with Hotshot Co-pilot is attacking, the defender must spend the focus token after the "Declare Target" step and before the end of the "Modify Defense Dice" step.
• When a ship equipped with Hotshot Co-pilot is defending, the attacker must spend a focus token after the "Declare Target" step and before the end of the "Modify Attack Dice" step.

THere's not been an FAQ since Kestal was released. Hopefully soon. It would be good to formally clarify when her ability is supposed to happen.

4 hours ago, Nspace said:

FAQ page 18. The wording isn't the best, but in the context of the card it does lay out the timing:

• When attacking a ship with Hotshot Co-pilot equipped, the defender must spend the focus token after the "Declare Target" step and before the end of the "Modify Defense Dice" step.

And, presumably, Kestal's ability triggers between the "Declare Target" step and before the end of the "Modify Defense Dice" step. Granted we don't yet have a Kestal FAQ entry but, if his ability triggered after the "Modify Defense Dice" step, we can all agree that timing would make his ability 100% useless. So, assuming Kestal's ability triggers during the "Modify Defense Dice" step wouldn't he be completing the conditions of the HSC card text and FAQ entry by spending a focus token before the end of the "Modify Defense Dice" step?

I agree that Kestal's ability would trigger during Modify Defense Dice (since there have to be defense dice to cancel and there would be no point in canceling after the defense modifies the dice). So we end up with four possibilities with HSCP;

1. Lt. Kestal has HSCP and is attacking - Kestal's ability goes off first, since attacker modifies defense dice first, and the defender has to spend a focus token before the end of the "Modify Defense Dice" step.
2. Lt. Kestal has HSCP and is defending - Kestal's ability doesn't matter (as it's attack only) and the attacker must spend a focus token before the end of the "Modify Attack Dice" step.
3. Lt. Kestal is attacking and the defender has HSCP - Kestal must spend a focus token before the end of the "Modify Attack Dice" step. Unless Kestal has a second focus, there is nothing for her to spend to trigger her ability.
4. Lt. Kestal is defending and the attacker has HSCP - Kestal's ability doesn't matter (as it's attack only) and Kestal must spend a focus token before the end of the "Modify Defense Dice" step.

If both Kestal and the defender have HSCP, then the result is much the same as number 3: Kestal must spend a focus token before the end of the "Modify Attack Dice" step, though the defender will also be forced to spend a token.