Steel Rift FAQ and Errata

Q1: My Light HE-V with Optic Camouflage is being targeted by the Engage Order of a unit under the effect of Suppressive Fire. The total modifier for my Light HE-V’s Defense Roll is +3 (+1 for Light, +1 for Optic Camouflage, +1 for Suppressive Fire). Does this mean that any result on a D6 will be a successful Defense?

A1: No, results of 1 on Defense Rolls, regardless of modifiers, will always fail. See the Errata.

Q2: My Ultra Heavy HE-V is rolling a Defense Roll due to a Weapon with the Frag Trait. This means that I would need to roll a 7 on the D6s to avoid damage. Is this possible?

A2: No. Some combinations of modifiers may make a Defense Roll impossible, and in such cases you will take all damage in the Attack Pool.

Q1: My HE-V wishes to target an enemy HE-V, and the lower half and base of the target HE-V’s silhouette is covered by Blocking Terrain. However, the upper half of the target HE-V’s silhouette is clearly visible to my HE-V. Is the target HE-V in Line of Sight?

A1: Yes. You may draw a Line of Sight line from any height of your silhouette to any height of the target unit’s silhouette to establish Line of Sight. Note that, in this case, some possible lines do pass through Blocking terrain, so the target would benefit from the -2 modifier for an obscured Line of Sight during Engage orders. 

Q2: My HE-V wishes to target an enemy HE-V. There is Blocking Terrain covering all Lines of Sight from my base, but other lines drawn from higher up on my silhouette have a clear Line of Sight to the entire enemy HE-V’s silhouette. Is the enemy HE-V in my HE-V’s Line of Sight?

A2: Yes. You may draw a Line of Sight line from any height of your silhouette to any height of the target unit’s silhouette to establish Line of Sight. Note that, since you can draw clear Lines from the nearest point on your silhouette to both sides of the enemy silhouette, the target does not benefit from any cover modifier during an Engage order.

Q3: My HE-V is using a Weapon with the Short (6”) trait while engaging an enemy HE-V. The enemy HE-V is 5” away along the board, but it is also on top of a building 5” tall. Do I measure along the board (meaning the enemy HE-V is 5” away, and I can use this weapon) or do I measure diagonally, (meaning the enemy HE-V is about 7” away, and I cannot use this weapon)?

A3: When measuring distance, measure diagonally, from your base to the Target’s base. NOte that Line of Sight can be measured from any height on your silhouette to any height on the target’s silhouette, but distance should be always measured from base to base.

Q1: My unit with the Squadron trait is hit by a weapon with the Blast trait. There are some other units near my Squadron. Would other nearby units also be hit if they are within the Blast effect distance of any model in my Squadron? Or, do the other units need to be within distance of the Squadron model closest to the Engaging unit?

A1: Measure for the Blast effect only from the model selected as the target of the Weapon. See the Errata on the Squadron trait.

Q2: One of my units makes a Defense roll due to being within x” of the original Target of a weapon with the Blast trait. This unit has an effect that may modify attacks, damage, and/or defense rolls from the Weapon that has the Blast trait, such as a weapon with the Flak trait, Ablative Armor, Optic Camouflage, Reactive Armor, Return Fire, Close Support, Squadron, Unit Type: Ultra Light, Unit Type: Vehicle, Suppressive Fire, Stagger, Combat Shield or others. Does this effect modify the Defense Roll I am making against the Blast effect?

A2: No. 

The unit engaging with a Weapon with the Blast trait and the original Target apply all modifiers to the attack, damage, and defense roll as normal. Once the final Attack Pool is determined for Step 4 of the Engage Order, note the number of dice. 

Once Step 7 of the Engage Order is completed, make a Defense Roll for each other unit within Blast range of the original Target. The value of the Defense Roll is 1 less than the Attack Pool against the original Target. 

The only modifiers to this Defense Roll are for the Weight Class of the affected unit, and its Unit Type. Note that the units suffering this Blast effect are not “Targeted”, so units with the Unit Type: UL HE-V or Unit Type: Light Vehicle will receive a total modifier of +2 and +1, respectively.

See the Errata on the Blast trait.

Q3: One of my units must make a Defense Roll due to the Blast trait of a weapon Targeting a nearby unit during an Engage order. The Engaging unit is in the Rear Arc of the Targeted unit, but the Front Arc of my unit in the Blast effect. What modifiers are used to generate the Defense Roll?

A3: Calculate the Defense Roll made by the Target unit as normal through Engage Order steps 2-5, applying modifiers for Arc, cover, etc.. Once the Targeted unit has its Defense Roll, use the value of that Defense Roll to calculate the Defense Rolls made by the units affected by blast. See the Errata on the Blast trait.

Q4: My HE-V is within the distance of a Blast effect of a Weapon targeting a nearby HE-V. However, there is Blocking terrain blocking all Line of Sight between my HE-V and the Target HE-V. Is my HE-V still taking a Damage Roll?

A4: Yes. Do not consider Line of Sight or Cover when determining what units are affected by the Blast trait.

Q: If my HE-V has 2 weapons with the Draining Trait, can I fire both in the same Engage Order, even though the first one gave me a Redline Marker?

A: Yes. When a Draining weapon is used it gives the firing model a Redline Marker. However, this marker is given at the end of the Unit’s activation. As such, it can use all its Draining weapons as it’s only prevented from doing that if it has a Redline Marker when it activates.

Q: My HE-V is receiving 9 damage from an enemy Smash order. Normally, 5 points of Damage would go to Armor, and 4 directly to Structure. However, I only have 2 points of Armor left. After those 2 points are removed, and there are 3 points of Damage to Armor remaining, are those 3 points of damage ignored?

A: No. The remaining 3 points of Damage would then rollover and also be applied to Structure. So, in this example, after all is said and done, your HE-V’s last 2 Armor points would be removed, then a total of 7 damage would be applied to its Structure. (the 3 remaining damage, plus the 4 direct to Structure from the initial split). Hope you’ve reinforced!

Q: If my model receives a Redline Marker for any reason other than taking a Redline Order, does it still take a Structure damage?

A: Not unless specifically stated. You only take the 1 Structure Damage related to Redlining when you perform the actual Redline Order. Some units with specific traits, like Unit Type: UL He-V or Unit Type: Light Vehicle, may be forced to take Structure Damage instead of receiving a Redline marker.

Q: My HE-V would like to declare “Return Fire” while being Engaged. My HE-V has a Redline marker when it is targeted by the enemy Engage Order. May I use my Coolant Tanks Upgrade to remove the Redline marker, and proceed with the Return Fire?

A: No. For a Return Fire, you check your unit for an Activation or Redline Marker when the enemy targets your unit with an Engage Order, but you may only use Coolant Tanks when you would issue an Order. The Return Fire is declared and the Redline marker is checked for during the enemy’s Engage Order; you do not issue your own Engage order until after they have completed theirs. 

However, you may use your Coolant Tanks at the beginning of the Engage order you take as a result of Return Fire, if, for example, your enemy had successfully used the Disruptive trait against you during its Engage order, but you wish to use a Draining weapon during yours.