Federation Commander

[storeylf]

I meant to ask this a few weeks ago when it was quite relevant, my other cloak question has just reminded me about this.

A ship that is held in a tractor that activates a cloak has the cloak voided.

A voided cloak is fully effective after 4 impulses. So what happens then?

1)Does the cloak kick in and negate the tractor.
2)Does the cloak kick in but the ship is still tractored.
3)Does the cloak void again, and keep voiding if it is still tractored after each 4 impulses.

[mjwest]

I don't think the four impulses start until after the tractor is released. So, the cloak is just flat out voided as long as the tractor is present. Once the tractor is released (for whatever reason), the four impulses then start. Four impulses after the tractor is released, the cloak is fully effective.
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Federation Commander Answer Guy

[storeylf]

Nothing in the rules (that I can see) mentions anything about the 4 impulses starting at any other time other than the point of voiding. As voiding starts at the point the cloak was activated the 4 impulses would start then.

Further voiding conditions may kick in at the point those 4 impulses are over. My number 3 seems to be the closest to what you are saying (but with some potetially significant differences).

[edit]Or are you saying in a slightly round about way being under a tractor is in and of itself a voiding condition, as opposed to just activating a cloak under tractor (which is the current rule). That would mean each impulse the tractor is present would start another void cycle of 4 imulses.

[ericphillips]

The rule seems to be written from the point of view of a voiding effect that is not a contining effect. I would think that the cloak would be voided as long as the continuing effect is ongoing.

Another way to look at this is that every turn the tractor is working, it voids the cloak over and over. Each impulse could be considered a new voiding.

[gar1138]

(5P3d) mentions "...assuming no further voiding condition...". Since the tractor is a voiding condition, I would take it to mean that the four impulses starts only when the tractor is released.

Garrett

[storeylf]

[ericphillips]

[storeylf]

I assume that the rule is intended to mimic SFB, but as I'm no longer an SFB player with no intention of buying SFB just to check such things I wasn't sure what SFB did.

Concept wise I can see it both ways - tractor prevents cloak, or tractor simply delays cloak.

At the time it was relevant I was considering tractoring an orion who had a cloak, just to stop the cloaking. But taking the rules as they were written it appeared clear that it would just delay the effect, though I wasn't sure that was intended or not, the lack of wording on what happens after 4 impulses in that case left me with that feeling of a possible mis-worded rule (or at least one to query).

[mjwest]

I really think the intent is "you are a moron if you activate cloak while being tractored." But I am asking to make sure.
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Federation Commander Answer Guy

[storeylf]

[mjwest]

Again, if the cloak stays voided for the entire time the tractor is present, then, yes, activating it is foolish. (Like I stated.)

If, however, your interpretation is correct, then activating the cloak can be useful as the moment the cloak activates (four impulses later) the tractor is also broken (since you can't tractor a cloaked ship). That seems, to me, to be way too good of a deal.

But, like I said, I asked. We'll see what happens.
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Federation Commander Answer Guy

[storeylf]

[mjwest]

OK, got a quick response from Steve.

The cloak is voided for the entire duration that it is tractored, and the four impulse period applies after the tractor is released.
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Federation Commander Answer Guy