I must be thick but could someone please explain section SP1.1 on page 81?
The section reads as follows: "Players place any cards they have kept from the previous turn next to their on table generals. Professional generals may hold one more than their allowance but then receive no new cards as already above their normal amount."
If I understand this correctly, the "extra card" must have been gifted earlier in the turn. For example, our general is a competent professional. He used all his cards during the previous turn. He is dealt three cards and is gifted one by his CiC. During the course of the turn he spends 3 of his 4 cards keeping the gifted card.
How many cards is he dealt? I think he would receive two new cards bring his hand to three. Is that correct?
If however, he didn't spend any cards during the turn, he could keep all four for the upcoming turn. Is that correct?
Finally, after being gifted another card bringing the total to five, our general has another inactive turn and keeps his hand throughout the turn. The following turn he would have to discard one of his cards to bring the total back down to four. Is that correct?
Summing up, the only way a general can hold an extra card is if his hand is maxxed out at the start of the turn.
Thanks in advance for any assistance. This section could be a lot clearer and should have been included in the General's section on pp. 88 ff. A great set of rules but poorly edited and organized.
Back to painting some Essex Thessalian cavalry to reinforce one of my oldest armies. Trying to match my painting style of almost 30 years ago has been challenging... :)
Holding extra cards can only ever apply to professional generals.
An army commander can gift one card to non-allied professional sub-generals within range.
A floating army commander can gift any/all of their cards to professional sub-generals within range.
Therefore a sub-general may be holding one or more cards than their normal allowance. If they do not use these cards, what the rule is saying is that they can never "carry over" more than one card over their normal allowance.
So a competent general normally holds 3 cards. Due to gifting they may be hold more than 3 cards. If this is the case, then they may keep 4 cards but must discard any more cards..
Hope this is clear.
Richard
Thank you for the quick response. That is certainly not clear as written.
What is really confusing me is "Professional generals may hold one more than their allowance but then receive no new cards as already above their normal amount."
So, if our CP held back 1 card, surely he would be dealt 3 cards; his allowance plus 1 extra. Unless I'm missing something which is very possible, as written the CP must hold his entire hand to get the extra card.
Thanks again for the help.
yes you are right.
end of turn card if the competent general holds 4 cards, he does not have to discard.
but next turn he gets no new cards. he keeps his 3 + 1
Quote from: Pyrrhus on June 13, 2021, 04:01:54 PM
Thank you for the quick response. That is certainly not clear as written.
What is really confusing me is "Professional generals may hold one more than their allowance but then receive no new cards as already above their normal amount."
So, if our CP held back 1 card, surely he would be dealt 3 cards; his allowance plus 1 extra. Unless I'm missing something which is very possible, as written the CP must hold his entire hand to get the extra card.
Thanks again for the help.
If the general is holding one card after any discards, he is dealt up to his normal allocation. You are only ever dealt up to your normal allocation amount.
If he were holding 4 at the start of SP1.1 he can, being competent, hold them all - 1 more than allowance - after which he is dealt no more.
If he were holding 5 at the start of SP1.1 he would have to discard 1 even if he wanted to keep 4 as he can only hold 1 more than his normal allowance.
The sequence within SP1.1 is to decide how many cards you wish to hold from the previous turn (if any) and then deal.
Holding is all about what is left from the previous turn and that is where the +1 is adjudicated if applicable.
Thanks Nik for the very clear explanation. That paragraph has stumped me for some time.
Cheers,
Kent