Hello. I ask you for help in finding the answer to the question. If a figure is standing in smoke (Zero Visibility Zone) and an enemy model is entering the base contact, will the first model have LoF on the second? CC rules tell us: Figures engaged in CC can draw a 360˚ LoF, but only to whatever they are in base contact with. Rules Zero Visibilit Zone says: Troopers cannot draw LoF through a Zero Visibility Zone. What are the rules here in priority?
They will have LoF, but they will only be able to use skills allowed in the Engaged state (CC Attack, Dodge, etc). Because the two silhouettes are touching you're not technically drawing LoF through the zone.
But in the effects of Engaged State there is nothing about LoF in Close Combat. We have two quotes. One says "can draw LoF" The other is "cannot draw LoF." How is priority selected?
Ok. The second statement from the effects of Zero Visibility Zone: "Inside a Zero Visibility Zone, troopers can only declare Skills that do not require LoF or that require them to be in base to base contact with their target." According to this, a model in smoke cannot dodge.
That's a blanket statement that's modified by other specific rules though. A trooper attacked from outside a ZvZ by an Intuitive Attack or an enemy with MSV2 can declare Dodge or BS Attack. A trooper with LoF to an enemy via base contact can still declare Dodge against that trooper (but not others).
It is a bit of a grey area, but "Dodge needs LoF" and "Being in CC grants LoF" definitely suggests to me (and everyone I've ever played with) that Dodge is allowed, even inside a ZVZ.
Technically that is incorrect due to the wording of Special Terrain Rules. Area of Effect of Special Terrain Zones The Area of Effect of a Special Terrain zone is the area in where its special effects are applied. Any trooper in base contact with a Special Terrain zone, or whose base or Silhouette Template is covered at least partially by Special Terrain zone, is equally affected by the Effects of the zone. http://infinitythewiki.com/en/Special_Terrain_Rules If a trooper only touches the ZVZ, and an enemy trooper tries to draw LoF to him from the side where there's no ZVZ - the enemy trooper will fail without an MSV2. I would think the same should apply in this case.
From Zero Visibility Zone: Inside a Zero Visibility Zone, troopers can only declare Skills that do not require LoF or that require them to be in base to base contact with their target. The LoF granted by Engaged is predicated on being in base contact, so it meets the second clause of that sentence.
Engaged state does not give LoF. Only limits. CC rules tell us: Figures engaged in CC can draw a 360˚ LoF, but only to whatever they are in base contact with. But you can't draw LoF in ZvZ. Why you have LoF in base contact, if you in smoke? The rule clarifying the question of LoF in CC is obviously general. Smoke rules are a special case. Based on the logic of the game, smoke rules should prevail in this situation and, as a result, we cannot draw any LoF. I apologize for my persistence, but with all due respect, I do not understand where in this situation LoF in CC will come from.
I think you're right that the rules aren't explicit in this regard. However, if you don't allow models to dodge in CC if there was smoke, it swings things even farther in the CC-capable model's favor than is required.
In truth, this question is interesting to me because I want to understand the basic principles of how the rules work in this game) On the table, such situations arise extremely rarely and I doubt that a particular interpretation of this situation will change a game. But I would like to interpret this not “as we are used to,” but as the creators intended.
I'm reasonably confident that the creators intended for dodging to be a valid ARO when engaged in smoke, but obviously I can't read their minds. Circumstantial evidence: When not engaged, you can still use Change Facing if someone is moving nearby in smoke. However, Change Facing is not a legal skill when engaged. You can dodge templates from out of LoF (including ZVZ). If an enemy attacks you from your front arc through a ZVZ, you can dodge with no penalty. In general, one of the core tenets of N3 was to do away with situations where the defending model was denied any sort of ARO. Obivously if you read some of the Hacking / Jammer / Reset threads you can see that they didn't fully succeed, but this case is ambiguous enough that I prefer to choose the reading that supports the broad design direction of this edition of Infinity. Beyond that, N4 is coming out this summer, so I've got limited energy for in-depth rules arguments. I'm saving up for learning the new rules instead. :-)
