Reinforcing a shield that is down?

[Paul Grogan]

This question came up today. I thought there was something in the rules about it, but couldnt find it.

Can you reinforce a shield that has no boxes left?


Also, whilst I am here. Once a drone has impacted, but is still being held by a tractor beam, does it count towards your limit of 6 / 12 seeking weapons?

Thanks all

[pinecone]

I'm not sure, but I'd say No (how do you reinforce a wall that doesn't exist?) and Yes (It's still tracking the ship, it just ran into traffic (or in this case a policeman who says that the speed limit is 16 ))

[MikePowers]

Part 2: Yes, a drone which is tractored still counts as being "controlled".

[Scoutdad]

1) No, you can not reinforce a shield that is down.
I have been known to drop a shield that's down to only one or two boxes, especially near the end of the turn when I'm low on power and unable to reinforce against incoming hits. The extra internal or two scored are usually neglible. On the foillowing turn, you can raise the shield (with 1 or 2 boxes intact) and then you've got power to use for reinforcement.

2) No. Once they have impacted, they no longer count against your control limits, as technically they have hit and exploded. The delay until the 4th sub-pulse is merely a "fudge factor" to compensate for the lack of firing opportunities during sub-pulses 1, 2, and 3.

[pinecone]

If the drone already hit and blew up, then how do you tractor an explosion?

[Scoutdad]

It looks like this one may have to go to MJWest and /or SVC for a resolution.

We [being Battlegroup Murfreesboro] based our determination of "impacted drone counts against / does not count against control limits" from our SFB experience (which could mean we're wrong - hence the request for a clarification).

In SFB, you can fire on incoming drones on any of the 32 impulses (note: 32 impulse, not 8 impulse with 4 sub-pulse each - for an effective total of 32). Once the drone has hit the target, it explodes and does damage immediately (which removes the need to control it)
In Fed Comm, rule (4F4a) IMPACT: If a seeking weapon enters the hex of it's target, it has "impacted" on it's target...
Rule (4F4b) EFFECT: ...the counter for that weapon is removed from the map and placed on the ship card of the target..."

Once the drone counter is removed from the map due to "Impact", it has hit it's target and no longer needs to be controlled. The delay until the 4th sub-pulse is merely Fed Comms way of allowing defensive fire to possibly mitigate the damage from the drone's impact.

[mjwest]

You may not reinforce a down shield.

Rule (3C2) defines that a shield that is "up" or "active" (meaning those two words are uses interchangably in this context) is able to absorb damage. As a contrast, it also defines that a shield is "down" if it has no boxes left.

Rule (3C5) says that an active shield may be reinforced. Consequently a shield that is down may not be reinforced. (Similarly a shield which is "dropped" may not be reinforced either.)

On drone control, my understanding is that a drone continues to use a control channel until it is destroyed or blows up. This means that an impacted drone held in a tractor will continue to use a control channel.

I would also argue that a drone held in a tractor is not removed from play, but is only removed from the map. As long as that drone counter is on the ship card, it is still very much in play and still needs to be controlled.

I could be wrong on this, but it is my understanding of the rules. Do note that there will probably not be any clarifications prior to Origins due to more important issues being addressed by Steve.

[Scoutdad]

On drone control, my understanding is that a drone continues to use a control channel until it is destroyed or blows up. This means that an impacted drone held in a tractor will continue to use a control channel.

I would also argue that a drone held in a tractor is not removed from play, but is only removed from the map. As long as that drone counter is on the ship card, it is still very much in play and still needs to be controlled.

I could be wrong on this, but it is my understanding of the rules. Do note that there will probably not be any clarifications prior to Origins due to more important issues being addressed by Steve.

Bummer - that's one we've been doing wrong then!!!

[Bolo_MK_XL]

In the Defensive Fire Rules Phasers fire at drones at range 1,
the same in next impulse or turn when held in a tractor ---

This would indicate it still needs a control channel because officially it hasn't impacted -- It is the result of FC movement rules (FC Impulse = 4 SFB Impulses) --

[junior]

It's "impacted", but it hasn't hit the ship.

Keep in mind that impact has been turned into a specific technical term to describe a drone that is so close to the target ship that other ships can't safely fire in support, but hasn't actually quite hit its target yet.

[Mike]

We've always played impacted drones as continuing to use a drone control channel until they either hit the target ship and explode OR are destroyed (which would include running out of their 3 turn time limit).