What happens when the AI rolls M (careful, ranged method), the Objective is Defeat Any enemy, and the last enemy is engaged with an ally?
It is supposed it changes to O, because it is near (the subject is near), and O changes to A, because it is Defeat X, but A does not changed the method in these cases, and it will not shot at its objective. Should change the method to melee?
Edit:
Even forgetting all the previous responses (any O or M would be an A), when you get an A (careful) with ranged weapon method and there is only one enemy, wich is engaged with an ally, the AI’s model could not shoot to the enemy and, obviously, it could not prepare , so… in theory, it loses 2 actions, because A becomes O (referring to the ranged Attack list) wich becomes A again due to the subject (Defeat X)… This situation is easy to get in the game.
Should not have a bullet point in the ranged Attack list to perform a CC action (maybe shooting at melee) if it cannot shoot at range? Even if the AI’s model is engaged with the last enemy and with an ally, then it rolls the A/O/M responses, it would move away and could not shoot (by the actual rules), and it is another easy situation (you just need Defeat X and the last enemy engaged).
I think this should be reviewed to add an option here (ranged Attack list) for AI to shoot engaged or change the method if you check they would move away for shooting and they could not due their attitude. It is supposed the model wants to shoot to its enemy (the objective), but does not want to risk hitting its friend, so it would move to the melee, avoiding the risk, shooting at CC, trying to achieve the objective without risks
I believe that point two under the ‘A Attack’ response on page 11 answers this point.
That section states that if the preferred weapon is unavailable (the example given is when a weapon needs loading, but it would also apply to shooting into melee since the option to shoot is removed from the model), then the model defaults to their secondary weapon and so on.
If they can’t use their secondary weapon, you would keep checking each weapon to see if it could be used in this situation. If it turns out that none of the weapons could be applied, you would consult the rest of the bullet points to see if they could be applied.
They cannot use any weapon when you roll ranged method and they are cautious and the enemy/objective is engaged, because they cannot shoot to melee, and they cannot change the method, even to Improvised weapon, or shoot at melee (that could be logical, so they are looking to achieve the objective you rolled and they are being cautious), if not, the rulebook says they don’t attack, so they would move only and would stay at yellow, and they would lose 2nd action, while they are seeing the objective there
the campaign handbook says (same page you said) it would change to a weapon wich could perform the required method, that would be the problem… when you roll ranged with a cautious model and cannot change the method
Yes, as I said, I would change the method to melee, the thing is I don’t see any line about switching weapons to melee in the campaign handbook, p.11 says they don’t attack if they don’t have a weapon wich could perform that method, they switch to a weapon wich could perform the rolled method
It’s right here. The weapon is no longer available so they would swop. The rule is broad in its method of writing, yes but it would apply to this situation.
