There was some discussion on the process for trashing cards as the Corp. The question has to do with the rule on page 13 which is quoted below.

"When installing a card in a server, the Corporation can first trash any cards already installed in that server. Trashed cards go to Archives faceup if they are rezzed, and facedown if they are unrezzed."

The question is this: if the Corp installs a card to a server, can they only trash a single card in order to replace it with another or in the case of ice, trash a number of ice in order to bring the cost down OR can the Corp trash any of the cards in that server they want?

Here is an example situation: A server has 1 Agenda, 1 Upgrade, 2 Pieces of Ice.

The Corp wants to install an Asset to that server and also trash all the other installed cards. Are they allowed to trash all 4 cards so that only the Asset remains or can they only trash the Agenda in order to replace it with the Asset?

I think the rulebook clearly states that all the cards can be trashed. It doesn't state anywhere that the trashing is limited to the card type you are replacing.

Is there an official ruling? Thanks.

I haven't seen any official ruling on this, but as my interpretation of the rules go, there are no limits; since the rules allow you to trash any cards before instaalling but place no limitations on what you can trash, I would say you can trash whatever you like.

A close reading of the rules implies that you may trash ICE when installing ICE and non-ICE when installing non-ICE.

The ice EXAMPLE I think is where the confusion comes from. Just because you can do one thing, does not mean you CANNOT do something else. There are plenty of examples in the rulebook to help people understand the strategy of how to play.

It seems like many players interpret the examples as the ONLY time you can do something. It never says that, so I wouldn't assume it's that way.

If the designers want a rule to exist, I think it should be explicitly stated in the rules or in a FAQ (like here).

Unless someone can point to another rule in the rulebook that extends the rule I quoted, I don't see how it can be interpreted a different way. It explicitly says ANY.

It explicitly says any card in the server. It also explicitly states that ice are installed in front of the server. It the goes on to state that ice can be trashed whenever you are installing ice.

For the record, no one said only one card could be trashed. You just can't leave the server empty. If you have remote server with an asset and two upgrades in it along with two ice in front if it and you want to install an agenda, you would be forced to trash the asset and would have the option to trash the two upgrades. But you could not trash the ice and you could not leave the server empty…the agenda has to be installed. So you would be left with a remote server with a new agenda and two ice in front of it. On your next action, you could install a new ice and have the option to trash one or both of he current ice, but not the agenda.

This is all stated explicitly in the rules.

PandaEskimo said:

ANY card in the server . Ice is not installed in a server, it is in front of the server.

Rules page 18: "Note: Installed ice is not in a server and is never accessed."

Thread on BGG for background:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/850442/can-corp-only-trash-when-installing

Conventional wisdom is that the Corp may only trash ICE when installing ICE (for the purpose of lowering the installation cost), and may only trash Agenda/Asset/Upgrades when installing an Agenda/Asset/Upgrade.

I feel a little like the OP didn't like that answer and went fishing for another answer.

I will be sticking with the conventional wisdom (which is supported by the rules as written and quoted above).

@PandaEskimo

Odd…my last post was just a giant white box. Going to repost this.

@PandaEskimo

I think most of us have been where you are now….convinced you are right and the other posters are mistaken. I know I have. Even though I am positive we are correct this time, I can't be 100% sure of this since I didn't design the game. If you still doubt what we think, you might want to try submitting the question directly to FFG. If it turns out you are correct, let us know. I'm sure everyone here are interested in playing the game as intended.

Did you by any chance post from a smartphone?

Yes I did. I soooo need to buy a tablet.

I've learned the hard way to stop posting on this forum from my phone…

Butaman551 said:

I'm sorry for: 1. Resurrecting an old post; and 2. Going way off-topic, but I needed to congratulate you, Butaman551, for your incredibly polite response. It's seldom I get to see somebody being assertive yet respectful on the Internet, and you sir— you've showed us all there's still people like that around. Thank you.

Enough with the flattering now. Let's hack into some servers!