Rules Question: Ongoing Boarding Actions vs Repairs (solved)

Armada
1

Question: If a ship is part of an ongoing Boarding Action, can it take the Repairs action instead of Repelling Boarders on Activation?

From Repairs p.36 Rulebook:
“When a ship Activates, it can declare the crew will attempt a Repair Action, unless it has a Blaze marker on it, is Disengaging from non-Surrendered ship, or has already performed Fire as She Bears this Turn. The ship cannot Shoot, make a Grapple or Boarding Action this Activation…”
Ongoing Boarding Actions p.34 Rulebook:
"When a ship Activates and is already Grappled it may either:

  • Attempt to Repel Boarders
    or
  • Attempt to Disengage
    …"

If you look at Repairs rule only it might seem like it would be possible to declare Repairs and skip entire Boarding Action, thus preventing enemy ship (and yours) from attacking this Activation, BUT the Ongoing Boarding Action is clear on what actions you can take, being either Repelling Boarders, or Disengaging. There is no Repairs mentioned there.
Furthermore Repairs rule is clear on being unable to declare Repairs if Disengaging from a non-surrendered Grappled ship. It is also clear you cannot do Boarding Action in the same turn as Repairs, which is the only other possibility if you do not declare Disengage.

If I was to house rule this I would say you CAN declare a Repairs, after electing to Repel Boarders. You then roll for Repairs, while enemy ship is the only one hitting in the Ongoing Boarding Action. This is backed by the way Repairs rule mentions Shooting, Grapple and Boarding Action. It does not state “cannot participate in”, but “The ship cannot Shoot, make a Grapple or Boarding Action this Activation”. It seems to me that the ship cannot attack in Boarding Action, but can be attacked back.
The only alternative is not being able to declare Repairs due to how Ongoing Boarding Actions rule is written, leaving you with two and only two choices on how to proceed on Activation. Still I would rather find a common ground between the two rules.
Otherwise it creates an error404 preventing enemy ship(s) from attacking Repairing ship.

@imarchi
Any chance for this to find a way into the FAQ?

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2

The wording on p34 for Ongoing Boarding Action gives you the option to either Repel Boarders or Disengage.

The Repair wording on p36 explicitly states you can’t do it if trying to Disengage, then rules out completing a Boarding Action while undertaking Repairs.

If the intention had been to prevent Repairs being carried while Grappled it could have been worded accordingly

As it stands I think you can Repel, opt to Repair and thus don’t subsequently carry out a Boarding Action.

3

So how would this work exactly? Let’s say we’re in a multiple grapple, where your XL expensive ship is fighting my two cheap goons. In your activation you decide to fight one to avoid getting attacked by multiple ships. On my activations I Repel Boarders, then Repair instead, then we don’t fight. Another of my ships does the same… your expensive ship is basically out of the game.

Another example: I play Basilean, field L or XL ship with Vet crew, Blessed Hull and keep a Slope within range. I Repair 11+ damage every Activation. Crits aside, if your ship has CS 6 it might (during your Activation) by a slight chance hit me for one more damage than I Repair (at my worst possible roll, and your 6 hits).

This just doesn’t seem right. This is why I would say the Boarding Action still takes place you just do not attack with a ship that elected to do Repairs, but the opponent can still hit. Of course not being allowed to Repair seem like the most simple and elegant solution.

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4

Chris from the Armada RC commented ad follows on FB:

"No repairs if grappled unless disengaging from a surrendered ship.

If grappled, you have only two available actions - repel boarders or disengage."

What that does mean is some of the wording in the Repair section is actually superfluous

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