Fighter Ambush and the Arborec/Diplomacy

[Errant 185]

I've got a weird rules clarification I need to make regarding Fighter Ambush. It came up in a game last night that a Fighter Ambush appeared, and killed all my carriers. As I'm playing the Arborec, I assumed I could just use the racial tech to move a ground troop onto the planet next turn, thus removing the Fighter Ambush. But another player insists that Fighter Ambush actually gets applied to the system, which means it isn't linked to the planet and can be removed in that way. Is that correct or no? Same question applies to Diplomacy II annexation.

 

Also, are Distant Suns counters removed when resolving Diplomacy II, or do they take effect? My group of players are currently just sort of ignoring the bad effects of Distant Suns when using it and then taking the trade goods or what have you.

[Forgottenlore 9,838]

The FAQ specifies that a Distant Suns token is removed with no effect when Dip2 is used. I would assume the same would be true of the Arborec ability though it doesn't specify in that case.

[Errant 185]

Cheers, thanks.

[Steve-O 473]

Distant Suns tokens are "attached" to the planet they were placed on, even if thematically it's something that extends into space, like a fighter ambush. The fighters are based on this planet (they don't have the logistics to survive in space without support.)

I'm not 100% what the ruling is for cases where planet becomes occupied without Invasion Combat taking place, but I'm inclined to agree with Forgottenlore. Generally speaking, it seems like FAQ rulings lean towards the idea of removing the token without effect if the planet becomes occupied by some "unexpected" means.

Edited November 29, 2014 by Steve-O

[sigmazero13 102]

I agree with Forgottenlore.

 

One very important thing, though, is that Fighter Ambush is NEVER applied to the "system".  If a planet has Fighter Ambush on it, you can enter the system itself without any effect, even if the Fighter Ambush has only been revealed.  Fighter Ambush would only trigger if you try to land on the planet.  They will not trigger or fight you if you  just camp your ships in space without invading.

[Forgottenlore 9,838]

Or if you try to land on a different planet in the system.

[sigmazero13 102]

Or if you try to land on a different planet in the system.

No, they only attack if you land on the planet with the token.  They will not attack if you land on a different planet in the same system.  The fighters don't care about the other planets, they are just protecting their home.

 

Domain Tokens only apply to the planet they are actually on.

 

EDIT: Errr, don't mind me, got Forgottonlore's quote out of context, so "corrected" his statement where no correction was needed.  Ignore this post!

Edited December 4, 2014 by sigmazero13

[Forgottenlore 9,838]

Which is what I said.

You finished your post by saying

"They will not trigger or fight you if you just camp your ships in space without invading."

Which implies that any invasion would trigger them, so I clarified with

"Or if you try to land on a different planet in the system. "

So that the whole thought would read

"They will not trigger or fight you if you just camp your ships in space without invading or if you try to land on a different planet in the system."

[sigmazero13 102]

Ah, ok, my mistake, I misinterpreted your post  I just saw the "or if you try to land on a different planet" and somehow thought you were saying that would TRIGGER it!  Of course, as you point out, that's not what you were really saying at all.

 

I should have re-read my OWN post for context first!  Sorry for that!  Egg on my face!

Edited December 4, 2014 by sigmazero13