Ballot Item # 5 - Region Movement for Hero Companies {rules clarification}

Cast your votes here for the 2018 Annual Rules Vote.
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Are you in favor of issuing the clarification described below?

Poll ended at Wed Jun 27, 2018 7:01 am

Yes
58
98%
No
1
2%
 
Total votes: 59
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the JabberwocK
Ex Council Chairman
Posts: 1156
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2011 4:46 am

INFORMATION
Most players today do not think twice about allowing multiple Hero companies to use region movement during the same turn while moving to the same non-Haven site.

However, the METW rulebook states:
Joining Two Companies at a Non-Haven Site
During the organization phase, two companies may move to the same site, but one of the following cases must apply:
• One and only one company may already be at the site. In this case the other company must state that its new site card is already in play
(the current site card for the non-moving company).
• One company moves to the site using the site path on that site card (i.e., the company starts at the site’s nearest Haven), and the other
company moves to the site using region cards for its site path. In this case, both companies must state that the same face down site card is
their new site card.
The above rule would prohibit multiple Hero companies from moving to the same non-Haven site during the same turn using region movement.

The MELE rulebook states:
MOVING COMPANIES TO THE SAME NON-DARKHAVEN SITE
During the organization phase, two or more companies may move to the same non-Darkhaven site, but one of the following cases must apply:
· One company may already be at the site. In this case the other company moving to the site must state that its new site card is already in play (the current site card for the non-moving company). This site card remains in play until at least the end of the turn.
· Two or more companies moving to the site must state that the same site face down is their new site card.
The second part of this rule permits multiple companies to move to the same non-Darkhaven site during the same turn while using region movement. However, the second part also has bullets next to it in the original rulebook. These bullets are defined as: "passages with major rules differences" when comparing METW to MELE. So while the MELE rules typically trump the METW rules, the bulleted items are defined as differences.

At this point it would appear that Hero companies indeed are more restricted than minion companies for the purposes of using region movement.

However, The Balrog Rules Summary states:
If you wish to move a company to a site that is face down on the table (for another company), tell your opponent which site the company is moving to. If you wish to move a company to a site that is face up on the table (because another company is also moving there), tell your opponent the company is moving to a face up site. The new site you choose must meet certain criteria. You may reach a site by either starter movement, or by region movement. Ringwraiths may not use region movement.
Because the Balrog turn summary does distinguish between hero and minion mechanics in other instances, it is reasonable to infer that hero companies are no longer limited to the restriction from the original METW rulebook.
Finally, there has been some debate as to whether or not The Balrog rules summary is in fact a binding and superseding rules document.

To clarify all of the above, a rule clarification is being presented to the community for a vote.

BALLOT ITEM # 5:
Are you in favor of issuing the following rules clarification?

REGION MOVEMENT FOR HERO COMPANIES
Two or more Hero companies may choose to use region movement and travel to the same site during the same turn.

CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR VOTE:
If you vote YES, then multiple Hero companies may use region movement to travel to the same site during the same turn. Hero companies would be treated the same as Minion companies in this regard.

If you vote NO, then the rules regarding Hero company movement described above will remain unchanged and unclear.
It will be up to each playgroup and tournament judge to decide whether or not multiple Hero companies may move to the same site using region movement.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
- In the event of a majority NO vote on this ballot item, a very reasonable argument can be made that (per the rules) multiple hero companies moving to the same site will only be allowed to use region movement for one of the companies, the second being required to use starter movement, while a third company is possibly prohibited from moving to the same site at all.
- It seems probable that a YES vote outcome would be aligned with how a majority of players currently play today.
- What justifies this distinction between hero and minion companies using region movement? Not allowing two hero companies to use region movement to the site seriously hinders their movement, and impacts the ease of play. Furthermore, by rule, Fallen-wizards cannot use starter movement!

REFERENCE TOPICS: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3162
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