specifically the one where the opponent has to have a hacker make a check against the hvt. If the hvt is in the ZoC of a nullifier, does the nullifier stop the hacker from being able to do the check? Personally on the fence, but id like some more opinions
I really want to say 'Yes, the Nullifier does stop the Hacker' because I think it's a cool interraction, but I don't think it does. The classified doesn't say the Hacker is using a Hacking Programme as per nullifier: Inside the Area of Effect of a Nullifier troopers cannot declare the use of Hacking Programs, Technical Weapons, Comms Attacks, or Sepsitor, applying the effect of an Idle in such situation. Rather HVT Espionage simply says to perform a Short Skill. The same is true of Data Scan: However, it will stop the use of Spotlight, so it's not bad for that. But my reading is not unequivocal. Reset only normally affects Hacking Programmes and Comms Attacks, so by the fact that Reset affects Data Scan you can surmise that it is a Hacking Programme or Comms Attack. But that's tenuous at best and is better used as a post hoc justification of RAI than a 'simple English' reading of RAW.
Datascan is not a Hacking attempt. Similarly to how you can't use Repeaters to do the HVT objective, you also can't use anti-hacking counter-measures to stop it (a hacker with a disabled Hacking Device can still do it, f.ex.)
No, as a civilian is not trooper and nullifier protects troopers, scenery and equipment, an hvt can be forward observed if they are in a nullifier and you are not. From rules a trooper:: Game element with a Troop Profile, which belongs to the Army List of any player, capable of spending Orders as well as declaring and receiving Attacks
Interesting. So it actually can't even stop you from spotlighting the HVT, provided that your hacker isn't physically in the Area of Effect? If so, that's pretty bonkers.
From what i can tell, a nullifier cannot protect the hvt by being placed near it. You can place it near the enemy to prevent him from doing some of the actions (like spotlight and forward observe), but thats it and it has no relation to where the hvt is located, just the enemy's position.
It seems really counter intuitive that the nullifier protects literally everything but the civvie. Like it protects random bits of trash on the ground but not a high value target. Pretty bad engineering on the part of whoever designed them.
