As a newbie to the SCBG I would like to ask about some unclarities relating to Assist units:

From rules I understood that they can be assigned (in a skirmish) only as a supporting units, unless they are only units in the battle (of a given player) but:

a) what if a player A attacks an area where there is only one enemy (player B) assist unit? That assist unit will be (therefore) chosen as a FLU. But what attack or defence values will it use? No combat cards have such parameters for assist units. Does it use minor numbers of any combat card like in a case of when you do not have a combat card that would suit your unit (i.e. has a picture of it)?

b) may that assist unit use in this case its support card together with some regular combat card? Or may assist unit play only (its) support combat cards and is therefore almost always killed?

For example Defiler vs. Vulture. Defiler would use Plague together with some normal combat card. Plague would give him possibility not to die in vain and some suitable combat card (minor value) could help him survive the attack. If he could not use any suitable normal combat card he would die always.

c) how can be assist units, almost always acting as supporting units, killed? If we omit a case of a splash damage or a case of targeting that assist unit, when you are not able to target enemy FLU, that the assist unit is supporting (which would be a mistake by that player).

Thanks for advice.

Hello my friend,

your problems can and will be solved:

a) what if a player A attacks an area where there is only one enemy (player B) assist unit? That assist unit will be (therefore) chosen as a FLU. But what attack or defence values will it use? No combat cards have such parameters for assist units. Does it use minor numbers of any combat card like in a case of when you do not have a combat card that would suit your unit (i.e. has a picture of it)?

b) may that assist unit use in this case its support card together with some regular combat card? Or may assist unit play only (its) support combat cards and is therefore almost always killed?

For example Defiler vs. Vulture. Defiler would use Plague together with some normal combat card. Plague would give him possibility not to die in vain and some suitable combat card (minor value) could help him survive the attack. If he could not use any suitable normal combat card he would die always.

c) how can be assist units, almost always acting as supporting units, killed? If we omit a case of a splash damage or a case of targeting that assist unit, when you are not able to target enemy FLU, that the assist unit is supporting (which would be a mistake by that player).

Thanks for advice.

Splash damage is the only possibility. Assist-units are very hard to kill, that's their advantage. Else, if they should be unable to retreat, but that's very unlikely.

There's another way to destroy assist units: If there is sufficient strength, but the front line unit cannot be targeted, a support unit which could be targeted is destroyed instead, if there is one. This is rather uncommon in the base game (e.g. Ultralisk vs. Scout + High Templar, or Reaver vs. Mutalisk + Defiler), but can easily be enforced in the Brood War expansion (e.g. Corsair vs. Zergling + Queen: only lvl. 1 units).

I don't get what you want to tell me with this one ^^

He meant that it's not possible to play the top card from your Combat deck, and then play a reinforcement card. You can either use the random Combat card option or play a reinforcement card, but not both at the same time.

So even if you don't care which Combat card to play on your front line assist unit vs that Battlecruiser, you must play one from your card hand to be able to play a Reinforcement card.

(yes, I overlooked that one too before someone mentioned it)

Stefan said:

Because on the faction sheet all units had something called a attack capability (ground or flying) and all assists units dont have such capability (small icon on the sheet).

Still you can force a kamikaze-attack from enemy Scourges or Infested Terrans when you attack only with assist units. This happened once in our games.

Another question to that point:

Can assist units count as supporting for playing the Zerg reenforcement cards 17 or 18?

I don't see way not.

Simple to answer, they do. Assist units are always supporting units, and since they aren't outruled they can be used.

Fine, thanks for the answers!

Aba said:

Thanks, aba, your answer explains it exactly the way I wanted to hear .