Strange Aeons FAQ

[Uncle Mike]

Yeah. The wording on this bugs me...my fault and possibly it will be clarified in future printings.

Regardless, the answer is: 'a'.

The thought was that you always have something...with cultists they can shoot or stab, poorly. The choice is yours! 
Once you play a few games it becomes second nature. I treat it like a second weapon option for Cultists anyway. That is to say that I would buy a Shotgun and use the 'free' weapon as a Club...or buy a Cleaver and use the 'free' weapon as a .22. Thus making sure that each model has both a close combat and shooting weapon of some sort. 

[rcketscientst]

I have a somewhat related followup question.  For the purposes of the solo play cards, if a cultist (lurker) is armed with both a close combat weapon and a ranged weapon, how do you categorize them?  Use:

a) the weapon that cost more EP

or

b) the weapon that the .5 EP was spent on

Thank you.

[styx]

I would say they would be classified by the most expensive weapon.

[Uncle Mike]

That would be my feeling as well...although I didn't write those rules. I'll see what I can do about getting someone qualified to answer this one...

[Basement Dweller]

I have a somewhat related followup question.  For the purposes of the solo play cards, if a cultist (lurker) is armed with both a close combat weapon and a ranged weapon, how do you categorize them?  Use:

a) the weapon that cost more EP

or

b) the weapon that the .5 EP was spent on

Thank you.

Choosing option a) is a safe choice and will be the right choice most of the time.  The intention was for the player to classify the model based on what you intend him to do and this is likely going to coincide with the more expensive weapon.  However, if the model has a .22 (0.5EP) and a cleaver (1EP) for example, you may still want to classify him as ranged, especially on a list that doesn't have much shooting.

Hope that helps!

[rcketscientst]

That answers my question, and gives me a good idea of the intent of the "rule".  Thank you.

I have another couple questions about lurkers in general.

1) In the creation section (page 36 of the second edition book), it mentions adding equipment and skills.  There is no mention of being able to add to the stat line (by spending points while making a Lurker list for a game.)  There is mention in the Nemesis section for campaign play, but nothing for plain, old Lurkers in Basic or Advanced scenarios.  Is this allowed/intended, as part of the basic rule set?

2) Also regarding creating a Lurker team for a game, I cannot find a cost for buying magic spells.  Specific lurker profiles in the "beastiary" section address this issue, but nothing for lurkers.  As an example, if I take a Cultist Leader, spend a point to give him Speak Languages, he can cast spells.  So how do I buy him spells?  Or are they for free?  Or is there a generic table/listing (i.e. basic spells = 2 EP each, evil spells = 3 EP each, necronomicon spells = 4 points each), that I am missing?

I am new to the game and trying to reign in my OCD, but......

[Mason]

It may be an idea to split this thread into two, chaps.

Editions 1 and 2.

As a lot of the posts refer to first edition this may cause some confusion...

[Uncle Mike]

I am a poor moderator and will never get around to this idea of yours Mason (although it is a good one...) so let me say now, here, for the record, let us only talk about Second Edition from this point forward!

[Sir_Lunchalot]

Hey Uncle Mike, I read through the rulebook and I really like what I've seen so far. I just need to get my minis painted up so I can get out and play some games. I do have two questions about re-equipping.

1) What happens if I have a threshold list that is at or above the maximum PP total? For example, if my starting list is a character and three agents (10 pp) with 5 EP worth of gear between them, what happens if I get an advancement before I hit 5 wins? Am I not allowed to re-equip until someone retires or I win 5 games? or am I just not allowed to buy new agents but can still play around with my equipment?

2) When re-equipping, am I allowed to go up to the maximum determined by my number of wins or what I had prior to the game that triggered the re-equip? For example, if my starting threshold list (15 points) loses enough games in a row that I need to re-equip, am I limited to the 15 points (assuming no advancements) that I currently have, or can I bring my total up to the 10 PP and 10 EP?

Thanks!

[mdomino]

Once you buy threshold personnel, they generally stay on your list until death or retirement. If you are at 10 PP and get advances, you take them as usual. This takes your PP over the max of 10. You can't add personnel when re-equipping in this instance, but you can re-quip normally. Your EP is still limited to 10 until you are promoted.

Your first re-equip after starting your threshold list allows you to go up to 10 and 10.
Mike D


1) What happens if I have a threshold list that is at or above the maximum PP total? For example, if my starting list is a character and three agents (10 pp) with 5 EP worth of gear between them, what happens if I get an advancement before I hit 5 wins? Am I not allowed to re-equip until someone retires or I win 5 games? or am I just not allowed to buy new agents but can still play around with my equipment?

2) When re-equipping, am I allowed to go up to the maximum determined by my number of wins or what I had prior to the game that triggered the re-equip? For example, if my starting threshold list (15 points) loses enough games in a row that I need to re-equip, am I limited to the 15 points (assuming no advancements) that I currently have, or can I bring my total up to the 10 PP and 10 EP?

Thanks!
[/quote]

[mdomino]

Psychology? Just a clarification; what constitutes a new situation for testing insanity? If I have tested hideous once for a zombie, do I test again for the same zombie in the rare instance I get back into base to base? Do I have to test for new zombie #2, #3, etc? I suspect the answer is no to all the above questions, but if a new hideous creature appears- elder thing- I am required to test? Someone at the game over the weekend suggested the language in the rulebook suggests only one test for each condition each game; if I test hideous once in a game I don't have to take any other hideous test regardless of game conditions. Thanks.
Mike D

[Uncle Mike]

You would have to test for each Hideous thing you haven't been in base to base with (Zombies #2 and #3) but not if you go back in base to base with the original Zombie.

[Mr. Peabody]

Do we test Psychology before resolving Alert actions?

[Mr. Peabody]

Questions about Animals and Death:

1. Does the death of an animal allow a Threshold list with an Animal Handler to re-equip?
1.a How are these 'sentient weapons' replaced if expended?

2. The Animal section, on page 118, describes animals are to be treated as children when suffering a Major Injury... Is that only for the purpose of determining whether or not the model recovers, or also for Black Marks?

3. This one is for both Lurkers and Threshold lists. Does the death of an allied animal provoke a resolve check in models subject to psychology?

Thanks for yer time. Hope none of these are deadly redundant, or have already been tackled elsewhere! 




 

[Uncle Mike]

Hey Peabody! Let us answer some of these...the first answer is: always Psychology first.

Next, the animals.
1. No.
2. Good question.  Only for Injury...unless you are an animal lover. Either way works well, just depends on your level of empathy.
3. Yes. For both. The animal is treated as a member of the list in this case.

Let me know what you choose in the case of 2. I'm curious about your moral make-up...