Frequently Asked Rules Questions
Most of these come from the following page: Rules FAQ
Advice
Q: I have the book, do you have any advice for me?
A: Do not plan ahead, just play the game.
Aliens Kills
Q: Just to verify: range has no effect on Troopers resisting alien attacks.
A: Yes, range is immaterial to them. If the aliens succeed then they kill all Troopers still in the encounter that they beat.
Changing Range
Q: How do you change range? Can I change if I cause 0 kills?
A: Yes. You can change range in three ways as detailed on pages 18 and 19:
(1) you make an NFA test to change range (charging or retreating) and if successful you change range on your turn irrespective of what the enemy does,
(2) you succeed at FA and beat the aliens roll (pushing them back or "breaking off") even if you cause 0 kills,
(3) the aliens succeed at AA and beat your roll (they choose to close on you or flee from you, and they move any PCs they beat on the roll individually).
There are examples on p. 23 and p. 75 of changing range.
Changing Weapons
Q: Is changing weapons your whole action for the round?
A: Nope. You can change weapons as part of any successful NFA action. [Example on p. 23.]
Choosing Range
Q: When we roll for Dominance does everyone get put on the map at the same range?
A: Yes, as it says in the text: "Note that when the range is set all the PCs are initially at the same range."
Default Weapons
Q: Do you need to have the Special Items "readied" at the start of an encounter?
A: A default weapon has to be a weapon from the weapons list (Energy Rifle through to Shotgun). The "One Use Per Planet stuff" isn't in your hand, it's just stuff you call on when you need it and doesn't make you drop your weapon.
Errata?
Q: Hey, we have questions, are you going to have a new edition?
A: I am not changing any of the text in the book. I think that when you look at the rule wordings in the book in the context of where you are in play and what is happening in the fiction/at the table they are actually clear. When you play out an encounter following the steps in the book you'll find them guiding you through it. The exact wording of the present rules was something I worked pretty hard at and got a lot of feedback on.
Force Weakness
Q: Is Force Weakness your action for the round? (i.e. declare Force Weakness as action, roll NFA, only Force Weakness and optionally switch weapons)
A: Yes. Hope you succeed and roll high.
Levelling Up
Q: How does leveling work if highest kills are tied?
A: The tied PCs all go up.
Officer Resources
Q: Do Officers have access to ALL the resources below their rank?
A: Yes (well, they cascade down to Sergeant). Or you could rule that they have Gear down to Sergeant, but only the Resources at their rank, up to your play group to decide which they prefer.
Replacement Strengths
Q: Does my replacement gain a new Strength or is it an old one made available again?
A: It's an existing on for your level made available again: "The Flashbacks your dead PC had “Used” are also “Used” for your new PC except that one Strength is made “Available” again." on page 36.
Upgrading Weapons
Q: Is there ever a good reason to upgrade a rifle that does base 1 at Close rather than just upgrading hand-to-hand (which you can always switch to)?
A: You can switch to Hand-to-Hand for free, but you couldn't switch back to your rifle without an NFA roll.
Zero Kills
Q: When an alien ability prevents all kills, does that prevent the loss of the Threat Token too.
A: Yes. 0 Kills = 0 Threat Tokens removed. You killed nothing, the Threat remains.
