Rules question, possibly a stupid one

[adamemc2]

Hey everyone! I'm new, both to the forums and to the game. I'm loving A Call to Arms, both as a game and because its B5. In fact, I played Victory at Sea first, so the rules were actually familiar!

I have a rules question I was hoping you could help me out with. Can I fire on the same ship with two different weapon arcs, as long as he's in both?

I saw a rule that said when a model is on the edge between two arcs, you have to choose one to fire, but I figured that was there in case there was a debate as to which arc the ship was in, not if it was quite clearly in both. My opponent (also new to the game) disagreed, so I'm turning to the experts for help!

I understand that all rules are abstractions from reality, but it seems like you should be able to fire both arcs. I don't see any practical reason why a ship approaching from an oblique angle couldn't get a ship in both its front and side arcs.

Oh, and we're playing from a 1st edition boxed set, so obviously I would prefer if anyone could remember the ruling from 1st edition. If they clarified it in the 2nd edition though, that's fine too!

 

[Da Boss]

If a ship could be in either arc - ie its on the line - the firer can choose which of the two arc weapons can fire at it but not both.

Unless you mean turrets - which can fire in to any ONE arc during the fire phase?

 

[adamemc2]

If a ship could be in either arc - ie its on the line - the firer can choose which of the two arc weapons can fire at it but not both.

Unless you mean turrets - which can fire in to any ONE arc during the fire phase?

The situation was that I was at an angle to the 1st ed Centauri Battleship (sorry, I don't have the books with me to look up the name) and since its such a huge ship, it filled up both arcs. I could see only being able to fire from one arc if it was right on the edge, but the thing was clearly filling the vision of the guns crews in both arcs.

Does this also mean that if I fire a boresight weapon at a ship dead in front of me, I can't fire weapons in the front arc as well, since I would be firing at the same ship from 2 different arcs?

 

[katadder]

if its boresight its counted as in both arcs.
what you have to remember is the target is nothing to do with the model but the central stem of the flying base.

 

[adamemc2]

if its boresight its counted as in both arcs.
what you have to remember is the target is nothing to do with the model but the central stem of the flying base.

We were using counters, so that's probably why we were confused!

Thanks!

 

[katadder]

counters have a centre dot which all measurements are taken from and also the only point used for seeing in which arc.

 

[Greg Smith]

You could potentially fire three arcs at the same target - boresight, front and turret.

 

[katadder]

is there any ship that has those 3 arcs?

 

[Greg Smith]

Oracle, Kabrokta, Ka'bin'tak.

 

[katadder]

fair enough, have been drinking so couldnt recall them

 

[Burger]

Victory, although it can't fire them all...

 

[Na-Po]

You can also fire from Aft, B(a) and turret

 

[Lord David the Denied]

Used to be the Hyperion had a turret, front and boresight arc, and Na-Po's B(a), frear and turret as well.

 

[Greg Smith]

The first ed. Hyperion was my immediate thought. I had to think and look to find a few 2nd ed examples.