We had a very interesting rule interaction in our session tonight.

Jyn interacts with comm tile and summons Czark.

The door opens and Czark is revealed.

The IP reads Czark's intro and interrupts Jyn's turn for a trigger. The trigger reads Jyn rolls an eye test wins and makes an attack against Czark or lose and be attacked.

However 2 Rebel saboteurs were standing in the doorway.

The IP thought this test and attack don't happen bc LOS to which the other players agreed. I thought the attack is a mission trigger that is higher priotirty then rule book and did argue this before knowing Jyn won or lost the roll.

here are the 2 ways we argued it:

1) An attack needs a LOS

2) the missions says make attribute test to gain attack

3) the attack then auto fails because there is no LOS and can't announce the figure as a target

vs.

1) the mission says make attribute test then attack is made on the target given by this mission text

2) attack is made bc the target is already declared and acquired before checking for LOS

3) roll and resolve all other dice normally

It was argued that why would you still need to check range if that were the case? The mission doesn't give you an auto hit so you shouldn't have to get a roll vs. the part in the sequence where an attack is declared on a target already happened so no LOS check is made since you can't target and miss bc of LOS. Blocked LOS means you can't even declare the target.

To me this is just following the priority of text mission - card - rules. Especially since some missions have text that interrupts a turn to say attack if can, but Hign Moon just says make an attack against this target. Which case is it? And why with rule references?

we handled this professional gamer style, but it did sour moods for a bit so good explanation would help us. Thanks.

The attribute test is resolved, then the appropriate attack resolved. If there is no line of sight to the target the attack cannot get through step 1. Declare Target, is invalid and is aborted.

Can you explain why that happens? Mission text trumps rule book text, correct? Player can't target a figure they don't have Los to. This mission effect gives an attack and declares the target. Why would Los step even happen? And there are mission text interrupts that say attack if Los, why would this mission text leave it out?

how is step 1 declare target not already done by mission text, perform attack against this target?

1 minute ago, Rebelarch86 said:

Can you explain why that happens? Mission text trumps rule book text, correct?

A mission rule would trump the attack rules if it specified that "no line of sight is not required for this attack".

When performing an attack, you perform all steps of it. If the target is not valid, the attack cannot be performed.

Being able to perform all parts of an ability is not a prerequisite to activating the ability. You can activate an ability even when some or all parts of it cannot be performed. You perform as much as you can. The same happens with mission rules.

Where I am getting stuck and really hope I can get a ffg FAQ on it, is the mission text declaring the target. I don't think bc the attribute test gives an attack I have to take it, I think bc the mission text declares a target you skip the declare a target rule step.

if the mission text read, the winner may make an attack, I would have no argument and agree los leaves the winner with none. But the mission text specifically says the winner makes an attack against a target the mission text declares. Once the mission text declares the target ai don't see why step 1 of declaring a target from the rule book has any affect.

this is a story based mission. It's her arch rival. I think the mission text is deliberately written that way bc this is a story moment that is happening.

There are plenty of times when a mission rule or an ability restricts the choice of targets somehow (the latest one for Barrage: a target within 3 spaces of the target space of the previous attack, or Way of the Sarlacc restricting the attacks to adjacent figures even if Diala's weapon has Reach, or an attack from mission rule in Sorry About the Mess), but restricting the target to a specific figure or other requirement doesn't remove the requirements of the Declare Target step (unless the mission rule specifies something that isn't an attack, or explicitly removes some restrictions).

High Moon is a core set mission, and is very swingy. Not getting attacked by Jyn is often the only way for the imperial player to even have a chance of winning. (I finally got to play the mission recently, so I speak from experience. I still lost, but could put up a fight.)

Further reading:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1284761/mak-sniper-target-aquired-no-escape-and-los/

I still don't see the rule answer. This sounds like a common sense / that's the way it's done answer, but raw don't often align that's just how it would make sense.

the mission text isn't restricting a target. That's not what I'm reading and I wouldn't ever think the attack happens if the mission text said anything like may attack, may attack only "stated target", attack target if able (which some text says).

I really need a rules only text answer for why: mission text says make an attack against stated target, should then go to step 1 of of declare a target? Mission text beats rule text, mission text has already declared an attack and target, why are we going Down to rule text to check a step mission text has already done?

The mission rule says to perform an attack, so you perform an attack, thus you go through all of the steps of an attack, including Declare Target step.

You can ask FFG to confirm if you don't agree.

(Edit: Btw, Clipper has been the tech editor of Imperial Assault expansions since Return to Hoth.)