Clarification on Cluster Hitter (Corrected 6th Printing)

[Gian]

Hi guys! I recently bought the ASCE Commander's Edition Corrected 6th printing. I noticed that it some items have some changes. I yet have to check out others.

Anyway, a few questions about the SPA Cluster Hitter (page 93, ASCE Corrected 6th Printing). The rule says:

"As long as the unit with this SPA does not move during its Movement Phase, it will add 1 point of damage to any successful weapon attack that uses the FLK, LRM, or SRM special abilities."

1. Let's say a unit has IF# special ability and decides to use an LRM special (say Magnetic Pulse warhead). The attack hits. Does this mean that the target suffers the effects of the Magnetic Pulse warhead (+1 TN to attack the next turn) AND/PLUS 1 damage? Or does this apply on direct attacks only and not IF?

2. This situation just happened during an earlier game. My opponent has a unit that has a Cluster Hitter SPA with a Medium damage profile of 3. It also has the SRM 1/1 and LRM 1/1/1 special. He was able to successfully attack/hit my unit.

So he applied a standard SRM 1 and a +1 damage for being a Cluster Hitter; a standard LRM 1 and another +1 damage for being a Cluster Hitter; AND another 1 damage for the Medium damage profile.

For me, this seems quite overpowered, so I guess we might have applied this wrongly. Am I correct to assume that it's just a single +1 added to the effect/damage no matter what?

3. Also, considering the new corrected rule, the +1 damage is only eligible if the unit uses the SRM or LRM special/alternate ammo instead of standard ammo?

Please clarify. Thank you!

Gian

[nckestrel]

1. No for this specific example. Magnetic Pulse warhead specifies an attack with Magentic Pulse warheard does no damage.  Cluster Hitter is overruled by that (the adding 1 is lost along with the rest of the damage, but the attack then does no damage).

2. For the SRM and LRM unit, Cluster Hitter only applies once.  If the unit has an of SRM, LRM, or FLK, it adds 1 damage.  Not for each of those, but if it has any of them.
In your example of medium damage of 3, SRM1/1 and LRM1/1/1, it would do 4 damage.  3 damage from medium and +1 for cluster hitter because it has SRM, LRM or FLK.

3. It does not have to use alternate ammo, it just needs to have the special abilities and make either a standard weapons attack or a special weapons attack using the ability.  A standard weapons attack includes the AC, LRM, SRM, FLK if the unit has them. (Similar to Anti-Missile System. It affects the standard weapons attack of a unit with SRM or LRM even if the unit is not using SRM or LRM alternate ammo).  Special attacks like NARC or artillery attack would not include the AC, LRM, SRM or FLK special abilities, even if the unit had them for its standard weapons attack.

[Gian]

Thank you for the clarification.

One more thing: on my question Number 1, regarding IF#. If the unit with Cluster Hitter SPA fires a standard LRM with indirect fire, does the +1 damage apply? Or is the +1 for direct SRM/LRM fire only and not Indirect Fire?

1. No for this specific example. Magnetic Pulse warhead specifies an attack with Magentic Pulse warheard does no damage.  Cluster Hitter is overruled by that (the adding 1 is lost along with the rest of the damage, but the attack then does no damage).

[nckestrel]

Yes.  However, the IF attack is then limited to the LRM value (if it is lower).
p78, Indirect Fire, second paragraph notes you can use LRM-based special pilot abilities with IF, but are limited to LRM long range value if lower than IF.

[paladin2019]

To be clear, if you have the LRM special, your base damage meets the requirements for stuff that modifies LRM attacks, even if you don't limit yourself to the LRM damage numbers?

[nckestrel]

For your standard weapons attack,yes. 

If you have 3/3/3 and LRM 1/1/1, you can make a 3/3/3 standard weapons attack and it has the LRM special. It doesn't add the LRM damage (those are already included in the 3/3/3).  It's affected by AMS and it's affected by special pilot abilities based on LRM.

There are specific rules that say you can only use the LRM values.  Like Indirect Fire using LRM alternate munitions or being affected by LRM special pilot abilities.   There are specific special weapon attacks that limit to only the LRM values (usually from alternate munitions, but some special pilot abilities also specify special weapon attacks AFAIR).

[Gian]

Got it. Thank you Nckestrel for your clarification. :)