Hello all, I need clarification on something: (1) Does dodging (on my active turn) trigger AROs (from my reactive-turn opponent)? My meta is all against me in believing that it does, but I can't get my head around it and I'm not confident that they're right, or that I'm right in my reading that it doesn't. I've seen it said on this forum that dodge doesn't trigger AROs, which is useful for CC, but the rule page for dodge doesn't make it clear enough for my sleep deprived brain. We're playing tomorrow for the first time since lockdown and I've got a strong feeling we're going to have to stop and spend an hour discussing it. --------- Example situation: My Domaru is standing out in the open, in plain view of a Jotum. I declare dodge as my first short skill. --------- Does the Jotum get an ARO in this case? Could I use this dodge move (4") to get into total cover without getting fired at? If he doesn't get an ARO, but I fail the dodge roll, does he get an ARO after the fact? (2) Can we still force ZoC AROs without LoF and move around the corner harmlessly? (3) I notice that dodge movement comes last in the order resolution steps. Does this mean that if I declare dodge when I'm unseen my enemy can't declare shoot (even though it all 'happens at once') because they don't have LoF to me when the skills were declared? Thanks everyone. I hope this all makes some kind of sense. E
Any skill declared within LoF and/or ZoC of an Enemy model grants an ARO to that. Edit: and that was for the number 1... 2) controverse point. At the moment, there is a lot of debate on BS Attack to be prevented-to-be-declared by Total cover, otherwise you could declare it. You just check at "step 5" if the requirements are met. 3) Dodge movement happens at the Resolution step, all the rolls were performed before. The Dodge movement doesn't triggers ARO because of this.
Okay, that's clear. But what if I declare dodge outside LoF and dodge into LoF? Since dodge movement comes last in order resolution, I won't be in LoF until the order is already resolved, denying my target their ARO?
It depends. Remember the sequence... 1) Active declares first short skill. 2) Any Reactive model in LoF or ZoC (measured in any point of the eventual movement) declares ARO 3) Active declares first short skill. 4) Any Reactive model in LoF or ZoC (measured in any point of the eventual movement) declares ARO if he haven't declared before Now you roll all the dice. THEN you displace the successfull Dodge. You are not required to declare WHERE this movement will bring you untill this moment. TLDR: if all of the order was performed out of LoF AND out of ZoC, you can Dodge even in front of the entire enemy army but there will be no consequences. ... For that order, at least...
If you declare Dodge while in LoF of the enemy, they can ARO shoot you. It will be a f2f roll against your Dodge. If you win the f2f, you make your dodge movement at the end of the order. If you declare Dodge while outside LoF and ZoC of the enemy, they don't get to ARO. If your second short skill is to move into LoF or ZoC, then they can ARO to your second short skill. If you don't, your Dodge will be unopposed. If it succeeds, you do your dodge movement at the end of the order and that movement doesn't trigger AROs, even if it brings you into LoF. If you declare Dodge while outside LoF but inside ZoC, the enemy has to declare an ARO or lose their right to do so. BUT, they MAY be able to declare a preemptive shot, which will only become valid if you move into LoF with your second short skill. It won't become valid if you stay out of LoF with your second short skill, but then succeed at your dodge and use your end-of-order dodge movement to get into LoF.
Under what circumstances is a pre-emptive shot allowed? Am I right in thinking: If I declare dodge they can declare BS Attack ARO -- but that BS Attack ARO only becomes legal if my dodge brings me into LoF?
FIRST, if you are granted an ARO (i.e. you are in ZoC of an enemy activated model). Then, you can declare it. But it will be valid only if the second skill is MOVE and this brings the enemy in LoF. Disclaimer: there is a note in Total Cover that seems to prevent the BS Attack to be declared in this case.
It's an open question whether the preemptive shot can be declare while scenery is blocking the LoF, or while the declaring trooper is inside smoke. The preemptive shot can definitely be declared when only smoke is blocking the LoF, but the trooper is not inside the smoke. Yes, that's super weird and unintuitive. We're waiting for CB to clarify, but the guy who usually does the clarification has disappeared and CB hasn't explained what's happening. It's a problem. It's unlikely to come up in your first game back, so try not to worry about it too much :-) But, if you do declare a dodge and your opponent validly declares a preemptive shot, then no, the shot won't become legal if the dodge brings you into LoF. The dodge movement happens at the end of the order, after the shot has already failed. Where the preemptive shot becomes legal is where you first declare Dodge (or any other skill), they declare the preemptive shot, then you declare Move as your second short skill and move into LoF. There, the movement happens before Resolution, so when the shot is resolved, LoF exists even though it didn't exist when the shot was declared.
