Battle and Splash Damage

[trenki 0]

If i hava a Battle:

Archon + Templar  vs Zergling + Defiler
and
Reaver vs Hydralisk + Queen 

with following Cards be played:

(9/8 + Splash) + Psi-Storm   vs (5/4) + Dark Sworm
and 
(10/8+Ground Splash) vs (6/6) + Ensnare

As first i resolve the Skirmish between Reaver and Hydra, where the Hydra is killed clearly and Ground Splash is activated.

For Second the Battle between Archon + Zergling. 
As the Zerg plays the Dark Sworm the Archon, unlike in the game, is not able to kill that Zergling. 
Now there are 2 Questions:

1. As the Archon doesnt kills the Zergling will the Psi-Storm Splash Damage be triggerd, because unlike Bloodbath there isnt written on the Card it will be triggerd always.

2. By resolving the Ground Splash Damage from the Reaver, the Zerg has to choose 1 Ground Unit that will be killed. Now, can he choose his Defiler or has he to select for first the FLU?

thnks trenki

[Carnate 1]

Splash damage is only triggered when the opposing front line unit is destroyed, so in this case it isnt. And you are right, you may choose the defiler to be killed by the splash.

[EMELT 0]

trenki said:

 

1. As the Archon doesnt kills the Zergling will the Psi-Storm Splash Damage be triggerd, because unlike Bloodbath there isnt written on the Card it will be triggerd always.

2. By resolving the Ground Splash Damage from the Reaver, the Zerg has to choose 1 Ground Unit that will be killed. Now, can he choose his Defiler or has he to select for first the FLU?

 

 

1. So in the description of splash damage (Page 39-40 of the base rules) it specifies that for splash damage to be triggered the front line unit must make a kill.  So in this case the Psi storm will not trigger because the Archon loses its ground attack capability from the dark swarm and thus can't kill the zergling.  Zealots are still usefull later in the game (or Dark Templar if you have the expansion) as they do not lose their ground attack capability from dark swarm.  The plague ability is the only splash damage ability that auto triggers regardless of whether or not a kill is made in that skirmish and is an exception to the rules as it is noted on only the plague card.

2. The zerg is not forced to choose the zergling.  He has to choose a ground unit from the survivors of all the skirmishes in that battle.  So he could choose the Zergling or the Defiler.  NOTE:  If the zergling is chosen to be killed in this case, then the defender (the zerg) will be left with only assist units, and thus by the retreat rules they will have to retreat giving the protoss the area.  If however, the defiler is killed by the splash damage, the zergling and Queen will hold the area and the protoss will have to retreat.  So it is a decision: to save the more expensive/ powerfull defiler at the expense of losing the area, OR to keep the area at the cost of losing the defiler.

[trenki 0]

Thanks for that detailed description.