Federation Commander

[Maldus]

Rule 3F1 states that the Aegis ship conducts its Defensive Fire at the same time as the protected ship. Seems to indicate the protected ship AND the Aegis ship both use their ADDs, then phasers, and then the protected ship may use its Tractors on impacted seekers. In that order. So if I understand, a drone that impacts on Impulse #1 would not be eligible to be shot with an Aegis ADD until Impulse #2 since ADDs fire before Tractors in Defensive Fire and the rule states that only tractored seekers can be shot with Aegis ADDs. Am I reading this correct?
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Matthew Cicero
Heroism is endurance for one moment more.

[mjwest]

OK, please forgive me, but I am not following the question. But, let me give it a shot anyway.

All rule 3F1 is really saying is that an Aegis ship may assist any allied ship within four hexes by adding fire from the Aegis ship to that of the allied ship in that allied ship's Defensive Fire Phase. Other than the exceptions provided at the end of the rule, all of the other rules continue to work as before.

So, if a drone hits an allied ship on Impulse #1, the during that Defensive Fire Phase, both the Aegis ship and the allied impacted ship may use the Defensive Fire Phase procedure to deal with the drone. So, either, both, or neither ship may fire ADDs at the impacted drone. Assuming their ADD fire sucks, then either, both, or neither ship may fire phasers at the impacted drone. Assuming the drone somehow survives that, then the impacted ship may always slap a tractor on this exceptionally resilient drone.

Now, on Impulse #2, if the Aegis ship has any weapons left to fire and if the allied impacted ship with the drone held in a tractor is still within four hexes then the Aegis ship may again try to destroy the drone in the Defensive Fire Phase of this impulse. (Of course the allied impacted ship could just use its own weapons, too.)

So, there is no reason for the Aegis ship to wait until the following impulse to fire on the drone, and there is no reason the Aegis ship has to wait until the drone is held by a tractor. An Aegis ship may always fire on an impacted drone on the impulse of impact (assuming all of the other limitations and restrictions given in 3F1 are fulfilled).
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Federation Commander Answer Guy

[Maldus]

You actually answered my question. The sentence about the Aegis ship using its ADD on a tractored drone is what confused me. If that was ALWAYS the requirement, then the sequence of play would not allow the Aegis ADD to fire on a newly impacted drone (since it does not get tractored until after ADD fire). As you've noted, the intent is to allow the Aegis ship to fire its ADD on any "leftover" drones that are still tractored after the impulse of impact. Thanks!
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Matthew Cicero
Heroism is endurance for one moment more.