(Answered) 2 questions: Revealing Battlefield Supports and wind direction

[phantom16]

Hello Mechwarriors. I've been getting into Alpha Strike lately, and have been really enjoying it. I think I have a decent grasp on the rules, but I have just 2 lingering questions I can't figure out.

For Battlefield supports, CE p54, and on the cards in the AS box, it says "If a support type is to be used, it must be declared during the combat phase of the turn it will be used. The player reveals their selection of that support type, but does not need to reveal all choices of that support type." What does that mean? Does it mean I declare I am doing an artillery support but not specifying which one? Wouldn't my target number reveal that implicitly? Or is it intended that I reveal that I am doing a sniper artillery strike but not reveal if I have more chosen? Why would I do that in any case? That second sentence doesn't make sense to me. What information am I still keeping secret apart from my unused support choices? I don't see why it would even come up that one would think I would need to reveal all the rest of my secret choices.


And then, what does wind DIRECTION do (not speed, which is clear)? It's explained in the environmental conditions page, i.e., not the optional rules, but the only thing I have seen that interact with is fire and smoke, which are optional rules. I've been on a mad-goose chase trying to figure out what wind direction causes. It makes sense to put it with wind speed, but if it really only is for optional rules, then maybe it should be put back there? Or at least a note stating this this is only relevant for X optional rules, in case anyone else gets confused by this.

Thanks in advance!

[nckestrel]

Hello,

For Battlefield supports, CE p54, and on the cards in the AS box, it says "If a support type is to be used, it must be declared during the combat phase of the turn it will be used. The player reveals their selection of that support type, but does not need to reveal all choices of that support type."

It just means you reveal the one support card, not all of them.  If you have three battlefield support cards, you reveal just the one you are playing right now.

And then, what does wind DIRECTION do (not speed, which is clear)? It's explained in the environmental conditions page, i.e., not the optional rules, but the only thing I have seen that interact with is fire and smoke, which are optional rules. I've been on a mad-goose chase trying to figure out what wind direction causes. It makes sense to put it with wind speed, but if it really only is for optional rules, then maybe it should be put back there? Or at least a note stating this this is only relevant for X optional rules, in case anyone else gets confused by this.

You got the idea.  Most of the battlefield rules section is itself optional (was more clearly listed as such in previous edition of rulebook), so it doesn't call out that it only works with optional rules.  But rules wise, I can't think of anything else the wind direction affects.  Agreed, it could use a note saying what it affects.

Thanks in advance!

Have fun!