Since the number of units that can load LRM alternative munitions
just became alot larger, I'm reminded to finally ask something I've been meaning to:
What happens when you fire Semi-Guided LRMs at a target that has not been designated with TAG?
If targeting a unit that has been successfully designated by a
friendly TAG in the same turn, apply 1 additional point of damage to
the target on a successful hit from the unit’s standard weapon attack.
If the attacker using semi-guided missiles chooses to attack with
just its LRM special, apply a –2 to-hit modifier for attacks against a
target that has been successfully designated by a friendly TAG in
the same turn, instead of the damage modifier.
Semi-guided missiles may also be used for indirect fire attacks,
applying 1 additional point of damage to the target on a successful
hit. The unit may choose to make an indirect fire attack using only
the LRM special abilities’ long range damage value instead of
the IF value, and applying a -2 to-hit modifier rather than the 1
additional damage. For both effects, the targets must have been
successfully designated by a friendly TAG in the same turn.
I see two ways to read the rule with regards to the question:
1) Semi-guided LRMs work just like standard LRMs when the target hasn't been TAG'd. (it doesn't say what to do, so why would you do anything other than treat it as otherwise normal?)
2) Semi-guided LRMS may not be fired at targets that have not been TAG'd. (it depends on what "both effects" is referring to in the text of the final sentence in the rule.. is "both" referring to both green and red text rules, or is it an extension of the red text and referring to the two types of attacks in the red text?)
Those are two opposite ways to read the same rule, so it's pretty important that one be embraced as the official view. The rules lawyer in me would argue for #2 on technical terms. Plus if #2 is NOT the case, then choosing to take semi-guided LRMs involves getting benefits with no drawbacks (making it not much of a choice).
