Cactus Game Design Message Boards

This can be for RTS or f2f games.

I ra and realize I need to play aotl before the opponent blocks. In RTS, I'm certain the EC has started to move, but I'm not sure it has "blocked" yet, aka is "faced off" against my hero because of the lag factor. I quickly play aotl and my opponent says that everything is cool. So when is the EC officially in battle?

So in a case with Uzzah. Say he's in someone's territory for whatever reason. You ra and they begin to pick him up and move him to battle. When is the lastest you can say, "oh I forgot, I'll aotl him before he activates."

As a host, I would have ruled against you in both of these circumstances. If the opponent announces the EC that will be blocking (whether they have touched the card or not) or they have already started to pick up the card to bring it into battle, then you cannot play AotL until after the EC's SA completes.

Part of the strategy of Redemption is not knowing which EC your opponent intends to block with. They may have Prince of this World in their territory, but you have an enhancement that will negate his immunity, so you RA with your lone hero. If they suddenly decide to block with Demon behind the Idol, you may now realize that they wanted initiative to play first. Any clue to their intentions would give you an unfair advantage.

If you want to play AotL before the block, then you should play it immediately before the RA.

So in RTS games, where there isn't any annoucement made, once you've seen the EC move from it's original spot, then it's too late then, right?

I don't play RTS much, so I am not the best person to ask. I would say "yes," but I also remember that when you want to read the SA of a card in your territory you have to click on it. This sometimes causes the card to move slightly on your opponent's screen. I would say that if the card is actually moving to the FoB, then it is too late to play AotL.