So, this came up in our last game:

When, EXACTLY, does the Brotherhood of Yin's ability to convert an enemy ground force occur?

It says "Before Invasion Combat", but Bombardment and PDS Fire are also before Invasion Combat (and have a set order).

The Yin player wanted to attempt the conversion before Bombarding (as the rules don't specify exactly when before Invasion Combat occurs).

Thanks in advance!

I would guess that the defender chooses the order in which precombat abilities occur, much like in a space battle. (bombardment and PDS fire do not have their own step in a tactical action with regards to invasion combat, so their attacks must be precombat.)

Well, Bombardment and PDS Fire DO have a specific order (see below). Is there an official ruling on when the Brotherhood of Yin's ability occurs?

INVASION COMBAT

Before Combat:

a) Bombardment

b) PDS Fire

My two cents is that the Yin conversion ability should be used after both Bombardment and PDS Fire. As a sort of c) step.

It would be the most thematically correct too. I mean, why would you want to convert the enemy before bombarding the planet? And the PDS would most likely be fired after bombardment as the Yin ships come down to release their propaganda...

Fnoffen said:

+1

Thats exactly how I would play that rule.

Thanks!

That's how I thought that it should be played, but one of my fellow players wanted to use the ability first, as there was only one Ground Force on the planet. Her opinion was that if her conversion ability worked, she'd take the planet without having to Bombard or deal w/ the enemy PDS (and, incidentally, gain a free Ground Force). If the conversion failed, then she'd Bombard and deal w/ the PDS.

I got an official answer from Corey Konieczka on this: "As per the FAQ, the defender chooses the order of pre-combat abilities."

(emphasis is mine.)

Case closed.