Current Campaign we're in ... there's a TON of power tokens getting into the mix due to the heroes selected.

I'm wondering if there is a specific timing window regarding WHEN to use Power Tokens.

I just ask since they seem to hamper our attack rolls significantly as we play the game of "well if you use your dmg token I'll use my blk token" "well if you do that I won't" sort of feedback loop. It hasn't caused any real issues yet, but it does drag out the process and slow down the fun.

So yeah, we forced it to "after base dice and re-rolls are calculated THEN you apply power tokens with no take-backs." Are we playing this right?

No.

You can spend up to one power token when the attack is declared - i.e. attacker first, then the defender.

POWER TOKENS said:

Various cards and abilities in Heart of the Empire, Tyrants of Lothal, and in the associated figure packs allow figures to gain power tokens. The power tokens are: ï¢ (surge power token), ï¨ (damage power token), ï¦ (evade power token), ï§ (block power token), and ï¥ (wild power token).

When a figure with a power token declares an attack or is declared as the target of an attack, that figure may discard 1 of its power tokens. If it does, apply +1 of the symbol on that token to that attack's results. For example, if a figure spent 1ï¦, that figure's player would apply +1ï to the defense results.

A figure can only spend a power token of the appropriate type. The attacker cannot spend a power token that adds ï or ï and the defender cannot spend a power token that adds ï or ï. (No public ruling yet.)

When an ability instructs a figure to gain a specific power token, that figure's player picks one token of that type from the supply and places it either near that figure on the board, or on that figure's deployment card or hero sheet if that figure is the only figure in its group. When an ability instructs a player or figure to gain any number of ï¥ (wild power tokens), that player or figure gains that number of power tokens of his choice.

Power tokens are not limited. If players run out of a token type, they should use a suitable replacement. Each figure cannot have more than 2 total power tokens. If a figure would gain more than 2, its player must choose tokens to discard until the figure has 2. A figure cannot spend more than 1 power token per attack.

Related: I just noticed yesterday that there seem to be 1000+ downloads for the Consolidated Star Wars Imperial Assault Rules.

https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/168240/consolidated-star-wars-imperial-assault-rules

9 minutes ago, a1bert said:

No.

You can spend up to one power token when the attack is declared - i.e. attacker first, then the defender.

OHHH ... so it goes "I'ma gonna attack against you AND i use my token" and that's the only timing window for it?

1 hour ago, thinkbomb said:

OHHH ... so it goes "I'ma gonna attack against you AND i use my token" and that's the only timing window for it?

Exactly. It tends to come up in skirmish more than in campaign, but there's actually a pretty well-defined order that the attack steps happen in. A1bert's link will have a full list of all the rules, but in short the attack basically goes like this (with an example of a typical attack listed after each step):

• The attack is declared - "I'm attacking Jyn with this Stormtrooper"
• The attacker chooses any effects that happen when the attack is declared - "I'm spending this damage power token"
• The defender chooses any effects that happen when the attack is declared - "Ok, then I'm spending this block power token"
• Roll dice
• The attacker decides whether to reroll - "I'll use Sqad Training to reroll the blue"
• The defender decides whether to reroll - "Nothing to reroll"
• The attacker applies modifiers (adds/removes symbols), this often includes things that say to apply them while attacking - "No modifiers for me"
• The defender applies modifiers, which often includes things that say to use them while defending - "I'll exhaust my laminate armour to add 1 block"
• The attacker chooses what to spend their surges on - "Surge for +1 damage"
• You check to make sure you've got enough accuracy, then you calculate how much damage is done. If the defender suffers damage equal to its health, it gets defeated.
• The attacker uses any after this attack resolves abilities and applies any conditions, recover, blast, cleave, etc. - "Nothing for me after the attack"
• The defender uses any after an attack targeting you resolves abilities - "I'll use my Peacemaker reward card to interrupt to perform an attack back at you"

That's not an exhaustive list, and there are little nitpicks about when certain "while defending" and "while attacking" abilities can be used, but the above should give you a practical guide to the attack steps.

42 minutes ago, ManateeX said:

Exactly. It tends to come up in skirmish more than in campaign, but there's actually a pretty well-defined order that the attack steps happen in. A1bert's link will have a full list of all the rules, but in short the attack basically goes like this (with an example of a typical attack listed after each step):

• The attack is declared - "I'm attacking Jyn with this Stormtrooper"
• The attacker chooses any effects that happen when the attack is declared - "I'm spending this damage power token"
• The defender chooses any effects that happen when the attack is declared - "Ok, then I'm spending this block power token"
• Roll dice
• The attacker decides whether to reroll - "I'll use Sqad Training to reroll the blue"
• The defender decides whether to reroll - "Nothing to reroll"
• The attacker applies modifiers (adds/removes symbols), this often includes things that say to apply them while attacking - "No modifiers for me"
• The defender applies modifiers, which often includes things that say to use them while defending - "I'll exhaust my laminate armour to add 1 block"
• The attacker chooses what to spend their surges on - "Surge for +1 damage"
• You check to make sure you've got enough accuracy, then you calculate how much damage is done. If the defender suffers damage equal to its health, it gets defeated.
• The attacker uses any after this attack resolves abilities and applies any conditions, recover, blast, cleave, etc. - "Nothing for me after the attack"
• The defender uses any after an attack targeting you resolves abilities - "I'll use my Peacemaker reward card to interrupt to perform an attack back at you"

That's not an exhaustive list, and there are little nitpicks about when certain "while defending" and "while attacking" abilities can be used, but the above should give you a practical guide to the attack steps.

It actually has come up quite a few times during campaign given the skill level in our group, so seeing it more clearly written out like this helps wonders. Seriously thanks again!

For the full story: https://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/1631857/ability-resolution-order-during-attacks