Listening Device verbiage: " During the System Phase, if an enemy ship with the Informant upgrade is at range 0-2, flip your dial faceup."

It just says "During". So at what point do you actually flip you dial? The beginning? Do you have your opponent deploy all of their devices before you show them your dial?

System Phase speaks of Special Abilities that are "are resolved in initiative order, starting with the lowest initiative". Is this condition considered an ability? (that then resolves according to initiative?)

I believe that it is considered a "game effect," which (according to System Phase rules) would happen upon the initiative of the ship being listened in on, before any of that ship's optional/elective abilities would go into effect. Since the Listening Device condition card becomes part of the opponent's ship, they are forced to apply its effects at their initiative, not the original ship.

As an example, if Han Solo (Init 6) had an Informant aboard, and chose to place the Listening Device onto the opponent's Whisper (Init 5)... then in the System Phase, if Han was close enough, Whisper would be forced to reveal her dial at Init 5 (game effect), THEN have the option of de-cloaking if applicable (ship ability). If there were lower Initiative TIE Bombers, they would have to place bombs first (in initiative order).

I am feeling this is correct. Very interesting, as it definitely makes you want to assign it to a lower Initiative ship. I am just now noticing that it doesn't transfer to a new ship when the first ship is destroyed (like Agent Kallus does) so its a one and done. I will have to re-think my strategy with it.

12 hours ago, drazen90909 said:

I am feeling this is correct. Very interesting, as it definitely makes you want to assign it to a lower Initiative ship. I am just now noticing that it doesn't transfer to a new ship when the first ship is destroyed (like Agent Kallus does) so its a one and done. I will have to re-think my strategy with it.

It's been significantly de-powered since 1st Ed. Instead of working against any ship, it only works on one, but the cost has (effectively) more than doubled (from 1 in 1st, to 5 in 2nd).