Hi everyone,
a doubt arose during the campaign about the side mission agenda.
In practice this happened:
1. we played a side mission (R2-D2 and C3PO's side mission), then we carried out the REBEL UPGRADE STAGE and IMPERIAL UPGRADE STAGE. Right now the Empire has purchased a FORCED MISSION ("Insidious", Palpatine's side mission).
2. The campaign diary involved playing a story mission and therefore we played the story mission.
3. After playing the story mission and before carrying out REBEL and IMPERIAL UPGRADE STAGE do we have to play "Insidious"? Or do we have to resolve REBEL and IMPERIAL UPGRADE STAGE first and then "Insidious"?

RRG, page 18, says that "Forced mission are resolved between campaign stages.... If the mission occurs immediately after another mission is resolved, they resolve "post-mission cleanup" but do nor resolve any Reberl or Imperial Upgrade Stages before this mission."

So, I think that after playing the story mission, first we have to play "Insidious" and after we can resolve Rebel and Imperial Upgrade Stages.

Thanks for your help.

Insidious is not a forced mission, the card says to play this as a side mission. You can look at the Impounded card to see a forced mission.

If the Imperial player had purchased a forced mission like Impounded after the side mission in your step 1, I think you would have had to play the forced mission right away before moving on to the next story mission. The rule you quoted says to resolve it between campaign stages, so you'd have to resolve it between the Imperial Upgrade stage where it was purchased and the next Mission Stage.

I don’t think Insidious is a forced mission? Here is a link to the actual mission card

when the Imperial Player purchased an agenda mission like this, I believe it is put as another side mission to choose when it comes time to choose and play the next side mission in the campaign. If the rebels choose to play another side mission, then *after* that mission is finished - the Imperial Player would receive Palp as a reward. The IP could then add Palp to their Open Groups.

When I run my campaigns, I keep the “active” side mission cards which are drawn by the Rebels. If I purchase an agenda mission like the Palp one, I just put that card right next to the other active side missions. It becomes another choice for the Rebels.

There are only three forced missions, all of them in the core. Others (3 influence) are regular agenda side missions.

Agenda Side Mission : Some Agenda cards are played as side missions. After purchasing one of these cards, follow its instructions to place it faceup on the table; it is now an active side mission. This Agenda card is kept with the active missions between sessions. Discard the card after the mission is resolved or follow its instructions after a different side mission (or threat mission) has been resolved.

http://www.iki.fi/a1bert/TheConsolidatedImperialAssaultRules.pdf

See also: Mission Stage.

Ok, I've confused agenda side missions with forced mission. I thought that all agenda side missions are forced mission, but they aren't.

So, in my game, after playing story mission (step 2), we can resolve Rebel and Imperial Upgrade Stage and then we can play "Insidious". Is it right?

8 minutes ago, Yuna1979 said:

Ok, I've confused agenda side missions with forced mission. I thought that all agenda side missions are forced mission, but they aren't.

So, in my game, after playing story mission (step 2), we can resolve Rebel and Imperial Upgrade Stage and then we can play "Insidious". Is it right?

If the next mission slot in the campaign log is a side mission, AND the Rebels choose to play Insidious as their next Side Mission - then yes. You should resolve upgrade stages no matter what (in your scenario above).

In my experience, most rebels just decide to play the side missions from their deck (automatically giving the Imperial Player the agenda reward) because they care more about earning their chosen rewards vs blocking the Imperial player from getting his. 🙂

It's time to play a side mission,so the rebels choose which of the available side missions you play. They might not choose to play Insidious. (If they don't, after playing the side mission resolve the text on the agenda side mission.)

1. Choose Mission: Rebel players refer to the campaign log to determine the next mission. If this reads "Side
Mission," the heroes choose one of the active Side Mission cards. If this reads "Story Mission," they must
choose an active Story Mission card. There may be just one active mission of the required type.
• Active missions that are not chosen are saved between sessions and remain active until resolved.

Thanks to Totalnoob and A1bert.