Hi everyone.

I've been in a large discussion for most of the day with a number of people about Large monster movement, shrinkage and expansion during its activation. The biggest problem I have found is the Large monster rules particularly for interruption of movement don't take into account expansion.

Here are the Rules for large monster movement.

The Two movement examples I have a problem with are as follows:
Example 1: (52 seconds into the video)
Can a large monster expand after each action. For example can a shadow dragon shrink to it most forward square, move 3 spaces and expand forward 2 addition spaces before activating its second action and shrinking to it most forward square and moving another 3 spaces and expanding forward again effectively giving the shadow dragon a movement of 10 (or 15 had it used the Dash card to make a 3rd movement action). Or is the large monster only allowed to expand at the end of its activation allowing it to only move 6 spaces and expand in the forward most 2 spaces limiting it realized moved spaces to only 8 (or 11 had the OL played the Dash Card?)

Example 2: (2:18 into the video) - The Video details this scenario very well and how it possibly nerfs melee large monsters while buffing ranged large monsters.
Can a large monster like a Shadow Dragon or Crypt Dradon interrupt its movement, declare a second action like an attack taking into considering it can expand. For example can the Shadow Dragon move 1 space, declare a Melee attack knowing full well it can expand forward 2 spaces. Then expand to be adjacent to the Hero perform the attack then complete it final 2 movement moving off from any square? The problem is the rules I posted kind of make it sound like in order for a Shadow Dragon to perform a Melee attack the shrunken 1x1 space needs to be able to perform the action from its location BEFORE expanding. Therefore the dragon might have to move the full 3 spaces in order for its 1x1 to be adjacent to the hero before initiating the attack. Now while that sounds fine. The problem is so long as the monster has line of sight, this won't affect ranged monsters like the Crypt Dragon. The Crypt Dragon can still move the 1 space, have line of sight, declare the interrupted movement and expand for 2 spaces (for free) and roll for the ranged attack that inherits 2 free range. The Crypt Dragon can then move off another 2 spaces completing its first movement action.

Now some reports that I've read say the Melee Dragon is perfectly fine to perform the first example (move 1 space, expand, attack, move 2 more spaces and expand) and that the rules I posted above are more to prevent Overlords from making free moves by Shrinking and Expanding without being able to perform a second action upon their expansion. For example preventing the following: Shrinking, Moving No Spaces, Expanding in an opposite direction, then moving 1 space, expanding, attacking and moving and expanding a 3rd time.)

Here is a video question showing each of the following examples and how this can be interpreted, and if interpreted in one way can significantly nerf melee large monsters while buffing large ranged monsters:

cf https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1729458/community-rules-reference-guide-crrg/page/1

you have quoted the two important parts:
- monsters expand either when ending action (mouvement) or interrupting it
- monsters can interrupt a mouvement only if they can perform the declared action (from the square they are ) .. the interruption must also be valid.
I think this last point as also been specifyed on the FAQ

For ex 1:
he can
-declare a move action
-shrink
-move 3 squares
-expand
-repeat 2 more times

or
-Declare one move
-Declare a second move action
-Declare a third move action
-shrink move 9 squares
-expand

both are possible

the last case is only usefull if there are heroes standing on the path (not side by side), the Dragon must for some reason go as far as possible and he doesn't have enought space to expand between the actions

Just to be complete the following is also possible in the first case and does the same result

-declare a move action
-shrink
-move 1 or 2 squares
-declare an interrupt : a new move action
-expand
-shrink again
-move again 1 or 2 squares
-declare an interrupt : a new move action
-expand
-shrink again
- move the remaing mouvement poinbts
-expand

For ex 2
your first case is not allowed the shadow dragon must indeed be (while shrinked) adjacent to declare the interrupt attack
or use his complete mouvement action ex:
if the hero is one or two squares farther the dragon can shrink move is 3 spaces (he is not adjacent to hero) expand to be adjacent and do his attack
indeed in this case the attack is not an interrupt just a new action.

Yes large ranged monsters seem to have some advantages here but usualy ranged monsters do less damage

Thanks Felin, what you are saying does seem to be the consensus.

Taken from CCRG 1.12.
I guess using the example below. Once the Shadow Dragon is on position 2. It could interrupt its movement and perform an attack on either Tombul or Ashrian. Then proceed to move one more space onto position 3 and expand onto position 4 and 5.
However if they both were 1 space to the left he could not as the 1x1 space is not adjacent to the figures, therefore not able to declare a melee attack.

indeed.
for your last example if the Dragon was on 2 he can't interrupt because attack is not a valid interrupt at this place no heroes been adjacent...
... but if both heroes where 1 square to the left he could have moved directly on the diagonal top left (in the 'old' place of Tomble) and yet be adjacent at this place he could have done the interrupt just like on the original example.