Hello, elders of the Internet.

My gaming group has played so far 3 times this epic (basic) game, the best being 16 hour long match. ^^

I've tried to read about it everything I can, yet I still have some questions regarding the rules.

1) Who is rolling, when leader loses battle? (Owner of the leader, or the opponent)

2)Diplomacy SC: You can't activate systems where are units of that player - Does space dock count as unit, or you can activate system, that has only planet with a space dock.

3)Defender chooses pre combat order, I suppose, Assault Cannons shoot simultenously, but if they hit destroyers, can the destroyers still return fire with Automated Defence Turrets to hit Fighters, or they are removed from the game immediately? (I included ADT from the expansion, since I disliked the must have fighter armies we had first two times)

4)Minelayers - Did I understand correctly? The hits still participate in first round of combat? (With the exception of Dreadnoughts + direct hit)

Thank you, and till next time.

asmeus said:

Traditionally, we've let the owner of the leader roll. In theory it doesn't really matter, as long as the person rolling obeys the result the die shows.

asmeus said:

Every piece of plastic you have to play with is a unit. The bonus tokens for GFs and FTs are also units, since they represent X many additional GFs or FTs, Shock Troop tokens are units, and (I'm pretty sure) the mercenaries in Shards are also units. Beyond that I don't believe there are any non-plastic units (leaders are not units, IIRC.)

So yes, the SD is a unit that counts for Diplomacy.

I'm less sure about the answers to the other two questions, so I'll leave those for someone else

asmeus said:

During the pre-combat step casualties are taken immediately after the resolution of that action. Thus if a destroyer is sunk by Assault Cannon equipped Dreadnaughts before the Anti-Fighter Barrage is resolved, that destroyer does not get to fire its barrage.

asmeus said:

I do not have the card in front of me but I believe Minelayers is played before combat is engaged and thus the casualties (one hit/cruiser) are taken immediately.

digdoug said:

I also thought so, yet the FAQ says:

Q: When playing “Minelayers,” when exactly are the hits
taken (in relation to other pre-combat abilities and cards), and
are the hits taken as casualties immediately?
A: The hits are accumulated as soon as the Action Card is
played, i.e., immediately after the movement of the enemy
fleet. The hits are taken as casualties during the first “remove
casualties” step of the following Space Battle. These hits are
not incurred by the moving fleet if, for some reason, no Space
Battle takes place after the movement (due to the playing of
Action Cards, or other circumstances).

I checked, that "first step" when to remove casualties would be after first round of combat, yet it's played as pre combat effect, so that got me confused.

I'm asking because in one of the games, Mentak player got all cruisers, and used this ability to anihiliate opponents fleet, since at that time, I was sure, that it should be taken off immediately, without shooting back. Now I'm not so sure, why keep them till the end of round, can they shoot back? e.t.c.

Thanks for the others though!

asmeus said:

I suppose the idea is that the fleet playing minelayers are dropping mines in front of themselves in anticipation of the approaching enemy? So the enemy ships have one round to shoot at the fleet as they approach, even if all their ships end up getting geeked by the mines. I admit it's not the clearest ruling, but I suppose it makes sense, after a fashion.

I'm guessing the bit about cancelling the damage if the combat doesn't happen is thrown in there to prevent someone from laying mines and the strategic retreating away from battle. Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with that tactic, thematically or mechanically. It would be a dirty trick, but it also requires two very specific ACs, so it's not like it would happen all the time.