Once again.. You guys need to focus on the words. There is a difference between Targeting and Engaging. It allows it to be engaged, thus once it is engaged, abilities that refer to engaging apply. Blast damage from units deal damage to the current engaged objective, thus Fates that deal damage to the current engaged objective work. Targeting is not engaging, so it does not apply here.

rgeer3 said:

I tend to agree with this interpretation.  Target of Opportunity and the unopposed bonus work.  Rebel Assault and the damage from the balance of the force do not work.

It can be engaged as if it were an objective, but it is not an objective. Therefore, any cards saying "do X to engaged objective" (thich the DS dial is not) do not work. You can engage the dial with units, and they can use their blast icons to damage the dial, that is it. 

There are some semantic gymnastics that one can play, given some of the wording in the core rule book…but, we all know what the card means…you can use your units' blast icons to damage it. You can't use events and fate cards, etc. You are going into the deathstar with units themselves, to try to take it out. 

divinityofnumber said:

So why then do you contend that units with blast icons on them can damage the DS dial?  Engaging an objective DOES NOT damage the objective.  Focusing a unit with blast icons to strike deals damage to an engaged objective.  Your argument against Target of Opportunity and unopposed bonus would also preclude focusing to strike from dealing damage to the DS dial.  Again, you're placing unnecessary restrictions on the engagement allowed by Trench Run.

dbmeboy said:

This is my interpretation of the rules as well. I view Edge cards such as Target of Opportunity and the unopposed bonus as modifiers to the fight at this stage in the game. Thus, it makes sense for for modifiers to be able to add or subtract from the damage done to the Death Star dial. However, cards such as Rebel Assault and the Light Side balance of the force damage are not modifiers, they are simply doing damage to an objective -- which the Death Star dial is not.

This is how I currently play, and the ruling that I hand down to all the players in my area (Although I do note that we are awaiting an official ruling when doing so). While I can see how others could argue otherwise, this is my personal ruling on the issue for now. And until we get an official ruling on this (and tournament rules), that is all that any of use can do -- a personal ruling using our best interpretation of the rules and card effects.

Surge1000 said:

Because Trench Run allows you to engage it like an objective.  Which means you go through the entire engagement process with it.  But at no point does that make it an objective, and if it can't be an objective, it can't be an engaged objective.  "Like" doesn't mean "is."

I don't know why everyone is hung up on "blast icons only do damage to engaged objectives!" when the card clearly states you engage the dial like an objective.  That means blast icons can damage it.  But just because blast icons also damage engaged objectives doesn't mean EVERYTHING they damage is an engaged objective.  The card sets up an exception.

But really, none of this is life and death.  We'll get our ruling, and play it the way they say to play it, and life will go on.  Let's not get so worked up over this.

DailyRich said:

DailyRich said:

You're still adding exceptions to the process of an engagement that simply don't exist.    What do blast icons represent?  They represent damage to the engaged objective when a player is attacking.  Those are the rules.  We agree on that, yes?  For some reason, you're separating those "deals damage to an engaged objective" abilities from all other ways that damage is dealt to an engaged objective during the process of resolving an engagement.

Think of it this way.  A BLAST ICON on a card simply represents a rule. The rule it represents is:  if attacking, focus to strike, dealing 1 damage to the engaged objective.  So what you're saying is, a blast icon on a unit means deal damage to the DS dial when Trench Run is in effect.  But if they actually just printed the rules for the blast icon on the card, you wouldn't be able to deal damage to the DS dial because the word objective would appear in that text.  See how that just wouldn't make sense?  You created an exception where none exists.

The card sets up no exceptions to the way an engagement is resolved (once you accept that the DS dial can be engaged).  It creates a rule that the DS dial is not an objective.  That doesn't change the way engagements are resolved.  Resolving Target of Opportunity and other fate cards that do not target an objective are no more prevented by that clause than is resolving blast icons.

Let's all just agree to disagree. This is getting somewhat carried away. Everyone email FFG rules questions about Trench Run multiple times and maybe we can light a fire on getting that FAQ.

DailyRich said:

I agree, and if you sensed any animus on my behalf, please understand it was not intended.  I'm not worked up at all, and I hope you aren't either.

Toqtamish said:

This is one of several rules questions I've submitted for the game.  I haven't even gotten back any automated "we've received your question" emails, much less actually responses yet.  We'll have to keep our fingers crossed.

I can see that everyone's opinion here seems valid. In all of my playing of the game recently though, I have yet to actually have any rules disagreements over Trunch Run.

The REAL question here is why are you actually putting Trench Run into play? Edge that card away…

JustinMcBride said:

This man speaks wisdom.

JustinMcBride said:

Forget edge battles - this is the first card I ditch every turn…

JMCB said:

I dunno.  If you draw it in your opening hand, it's worthy of contemplation if you have the right cards to go with it (Wookiee Nav, Target of Opportunity, maybe a Hit and Run out as an objective).  Otherwise, yeah, it's edge battle or pitch during the draw phase bait.