(Part 1 of Actions – Sequence of Steps)
Actions – Step 1: Initiation – Initiating an action may include any or all of the following, in this order:
• declaring the use of a multi-function card (e.g., you may play Going to the Top to return a personnel to hand OR to download a personnel; you may discard a Space-Time Portal from the table for one of five possible results);
• meeting conditions of rules and game text (e.g., battle affiliation restrictions; an open Alternate Universe Door to play an alternate universe icon card; game text such as “plays at start of battle”);
• choosing targets (e.g., selecting a player to draw cards with Kivas Fajo – Collector, an outpost at which to report a personnel; choosing a ship to attack, or a drone to download from your draw deck with the Borg Queen’s skill); and
• paying costs required by rules or game text (e.g., using your normal card play to report a personnel card; forfeiting a card draw to initiate a download; using a special download icon).
Once you begin to choose targets for an action, you must complete the initiation of that action (if legal). For example, if you start looking through your draw deck for a target card to download with the Ops text, you may not decide to abort the download by not selecting a target; if you have any valid target card available, you must select one and complete the download . (See showing your cards)
Dilemma encounters – The initiation of a dilemma encounter is complete (i.e, it has been “just encountered” and may be responded to) once any targets for the dilemma have been chosen and you have checked to see if the crew or Away Team can meet the dilemma’s conditions (if any). If the dilemma requires a trigger or specifies targets with specific features which are not present, the dilemma will have no effect, but the initiation is still complete. (See dilemma resolution)
For example, your Away Team encounters Nausicaans. The target must be selected and you must check the Away Team’s total STRENGTH to see if it is greater than 44 before you may nullify the dilemma with Interphase Generator or your opponent may respond by replacing the dilemma with aQ- Flash (using Beware of Q).
Some cards, such as Mission Fatigue and Cyrus Redblock, add a sub-action to dilemmas, randomly selecting a personnel to be “stopped” or killed before the dilemma’s own game text is resolved. The dilemma has been “just encountered” and may be responded to after you complete initiation of this sub-action (choosing a target to be “stopped” or killed). If the opponent responds by swapping the dilemma for a Q-Flash, the personnel is not “stopped” or killed because no results are obtained from the dilemma.