Two Questions about Target Lock and Secondary Weapons

[El_Tonio 103]

I have two questions about target lock and secondary weapons.

1. Can you use target lock to reroll attacks with secondary weapons (like Ion Cannon)? I don't see anything saying you can't (though maybe I am missing it), but I don't see anything saying you can either (ditto).

2. Consider secondary weapon that REQUIRE a target lock (photon torpedoes, concussion missiles, or cluster missiles).  They all say "spend your target lock to" do something. So, when you spend the lock to do it, do you get to BOTH use the secondary weapon AND also/still get to reroll any dice you want? Or, do you JUST get to use the secondary weapon and NOT reroll? I recognize that this second set of questions becomes moot if the answer to the first question is that you can't reroll with secondary weapons. 

Thanks, Admiral El_Tonio

 

 

[dvang 10]

1) Yes, as long as you aren't required to spend it for the attack.

2) No. You can only spend a target lock for one thing to get one effect. You spend it to get the reroll, or you spend it to perform the secondary attack.

[Daveydavedave 56]

dvang said:

1) Yes, as long as you aren't required to spend it for the attack.

2) No. You can only spend a target lock for one thing to get one effect. You spend it to get the reroll, or you spend it to perform the secondary attack.

Absolutely correct.

 

You might ask then "why take proton torpedoes at all, if I have to give up the re-rolls I could get with a normal cannon attack + target lock?"

I'm glad you asked.  4 dice shooting at range 3 with no range defensive bonus for your opponent (because secondary weapons ignore range bonuses), is statistically WAYYY better than shooting a standard cannon weapon (2 or 3 dice Y or X wing) with re-rolls from target lock, at range 3, giving the defender an extra die.

Apparently its exactly 4 points better, cause that's the cost of torps/missiles :-)

 

Bottom line: torps are awesome at max range.  They can one shot tie fighters more often than not.  The only real risk is not getting a chance to spend them before you die.

[JamesManhattan 0]

Also note:

 

Homing Missiles do not say you have to "spend your target lock", so you get to use the target lock to re-roll dice.

Ion Pulse Missiles. same thing, you don't have to spend your target lock to use them, so you can use lock to re-roll blanks.

Proton Rockets only require a Focus not a Target Lock, and also it says nothing about spending the focus, so you can use the focus to change eyes into hits on the proton rockets attack.

[Parravon 5,217]

In the case of Homing Missiles and Ion Pulse Missiles, you have to have a Target Lock on the defender in order to fire. But, because you don't spend it to fire the missiles, you can indeed use it to re-roll any dud dice rolls.

[Forgottenlore 9,838]

2 year old thread guys

[Parravon 5,217]

2 year old thread guys

Busted again. Who checks dates?!? 

[Marinealver 8,073]

2 year old thread guys

but proton rockets are not 2 years old.

 

Yes the question is old but rules do change thus changing the answer.

[UnfairBanana 2,251]

photon torpedoes

What did you just say?

[Parravon 5,217]

 

photon torpedoes

What did you just say?

 

Something about those Star Trek torpedoes, but he said it two years ago. 

[GreenSqnPilot 3]

Ha, I love threadomancy. But no matter the age of the question its a really interesting question for a noob like me.

Thanks, guys

[Buhallin 4,563]

 

2 year old thread guys

but proton rockets are not 2 years old.

 

Yes the question is old but rules do change thus changing the answer.

 

Am I missing something here?  The answer still seems perfectly valid to me.  Proton Rockets haven't changed anything.