Standby and Suppression

By Strutter5550, in Rules

In the rules reference it states that you lose standby tokens if a unit gains a suppression token. Can you take a standby action if you already have a suppression token on a unit?

According to the Standby entry in the RRG, pg.41

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A trooper unit can perform the standby action if it has not performed an attack during its activation.

the second bullet point under this entry states:

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If a trooper unit gains a suppression token or performs a move, an attack, or an action, it discards all standby tokens.

I believe "gains" is the key word here

1 hour ago, Strutter5550 said:

In the rules reference it states that you lose standby tokens if a unit gains a suppression token. Can you take a standby action if you already have a suppression token on a unit?

Nothing in the rules prevents you from doing a Standy action if you have suppression tokens. The only interaction between both is when you gain a suppression token while you already have a standby token. As @NeonWolf said, the word "gain" is the key.

That's the way I read it too. I just think it is stupid that you can do a standby activation when suppressed but can't use your standby action if you become suppressed.

Makes total sense for me.

Standby is the act of - where you are right now, readying your weapons to snap shoot.

Gaining a supression token is a measure of "duck and cover" - actually hitting the deck or otherwise shifting position, or simply losing focus (if close to panicking), which... out of necessity, ruins your concentration and careful readiness to shoot.

You can go into standby after you've ducked for cover before (ie, are already supressed), but incoming fire tends to ruin your careful planning.

Remember, folks. Incoming Fire has Right of Way .