Cactus Game Design Message Boards

When unique characters from territory are brought into a side-battle, and that side-battle is later negated, are they counted as having 'entered battle' that turn and unable to enter again (such as through the other combatant playing a side-battle card or a banding card)?

Scenarios:
1. The character never entered battle, as there was technically no side battle.
2. The game tracks 'entering battle' itself, and the character counts as entering battle regardless.
3. Only CBI/CBN characters are counting as 'entered battle' (following the precedent regarding playing a card in general).

I would tend towards 2, but I'm honestly open to any interpretation because I can't find an applicable ruling (though I'd dislike 3 on the same principle that fuels my dislike for the rules on playing drawn cards being different based on whether they are CBI/CBN or not).

Number 1 is correct. The same principle applies to FBTN characters that are banded in and then kicked out by their own ability (like Jacob to TSA). In that case, the battle is still FBTN (because of the rule to avoid loops) but TSA is considered to never have been in battle for later battle purposes.

However, TSA was still in battle, because his ability is active (cannot negate himself even indirectly), even though he was kicked out.  I understand the idea that he was 'never in battle', but I would disagree with the application to that scenario because the ability clearly activated (and is still activate), showing that he must have been prior in the turn.

Is there a rule that we can refer to in these cases that explains how this works?