Federation Commander

I know that we can't reload a drone rack during a turn on which it was fired.

But does that also mean that we can't begin to reload it? For example, a frigate has a repair rating of 2; can the frigate begin to reload a rack on a turn in which it was fired, because this wil not mean that the rack is actually reloaded per se? A minor nitpick, I know, but I do hope that you guys can see the point.....

I would say no. The rack could be considered to be a "hot" area full of all sorts of nasty stuff in any turn that a drone was launched, so you don't have access to the reload hatches (or whatever) until the area is cleared. I read the rule as you can't apply any repairs (regardless of whether they are completed or not) to the rack in a turn which the rack was fired.

However, Mike West will no doubt supply the correct answer when he gets a chance!

No. Repair points CAN NOT be applied towards reloading a drone rack on a turn in which it was fired.
(5G5) RELOADS:
..."You cannot reload a rack or launcher (whether it is empty or only partially empty) on a turn that it launched a weapon/probe."

While it doesn't specifically state that you can't BEGIN (emphasis on "begin") repairs on a turn in which it launched, I would think that the original intent of the designer was that it can not be done if the weapon launched that turn.

Reload, begin reloading, all the same thing.

Repair points cannot be applied to a drone rack on the same turn in which it was fired.

Fair enough. Thought that'd be the case! Cheers.

For a practical exercise on this question --

Take an automatic weapon (pistol or rifle) --- open the bolt --
stick your finger in --- attempt to fire --

That mostly illustrates how reloading works ---

hahaha.
I like that example. I may have to use it the next time someone argues with me about reloading / firing in the same turn.

Bolo that was GREAT!!

Yeah, Bolo, good 'un

In my case, I likened it to trying to load a submarine's torpedo tubes with the outer doors still open....