Peripheral

Special Skills

Game elements with this Special Skill are Models or Tokens representing pieces of Equipment or Weapons operated by telepresence, or given certain autonomy by a control AI.

Peripheral

PERIPHERAL (SERVANT)

AUTOMATIC SKILL

PERIPHERAL

AUTOMATIC SKILL

Obligatory

Effects

Peripherals are deployed on the game table at the same time as their Controller.
Peripherals are always activated with the same Order as their Controller, executing the same Short Skills of the Order, or Entire Order, although they are not required to have the same target.

If any of the game elements (Controller or Peripheral) cannot perform part of the Order or Entire Order declared by the Controller and Peripherals, then they will be considered to have declared an Idle, while the other may act normally.
AROs must choose one of the Troopers activated by the Order as their target.

If any of the game elements (Controller or Peripheral) does not meet the Requirements of a Skill of the Order declared by the Controller and Peripherals, then they perform an Idle instead of such Skill, while the other may act normally.
Each reactive Trooper must choose only one of the Troopers (whether the Controller or one of their Peripherals) activated by the Order as their target, but they are not obliged to choose the same target.

During the Reactive Turn, both the Controller and the Peripherals gain their own separate AROs. However, unless a specific rule says otherwise, any declared AROs must be the same for both the Controller and the Peripherals.
In Close Combat, the rules described in Close Combat with Multiple Troopers must be applied.
If the Controller enters any Null State, the Peripheral will enter Disconnected State at the end of that Order. (See FAQs & Errata.)
Peripherals with a point cost in their profile will count towards Victory Points, Zone of Operations control, etc. Remember that the total cost of the Unit includes Peripherals and, therefore, the value of the Peripherals must be deducted to determine the itemized points of the Units.

If any scenario condition or Skill causes the Controller to gain the Impetuous Special Skill, the Controller's Peripherals will also be affected.
Peripherals and their Controller cannot be part of a Coordinated Order nor be a member of any type of Fireteam.
A Controller and their Peripherals always belong to the same Combat Group. If the player moves the Controller into a different Combat Group, all their Peripherals are moved as well.
If the player activates a Hacking Program that grants a MOD or State to the Controller (such as, for example, Cybermask), that MOD or State will also be applied to their Peripherals.
There are different types of Peripheral, each with its own features:

Peripheral (Servant)

Only Troopers with the Doctor or Engineer Special Skill may have Peripherals (Servant).
There is no limit to the operating distance between the Trooper with Peripheral (Servant) and their Controller.
The Controller may have a maximum of two Peripherals (Servant) under their control. In this case, they may only activate them one at a time, applying the previous conditions. Meanwhile, the other Peripheral (Servant) will be inactive.
Peripheral (Servant) and Doctor/Engineer:
- This Special Skill allows the Controllers, if they are Doctors or Engineers, to use their Special Skill even if they are not in Silhouette contact with the target.
- If a Peripheral is in Silhouette contact with an allied Model, their Controller can perform the Doctor/Engineer Skill, targeting that Model.
- In this case, by using the Doctor/Engineer Skill, the Doctor/Engineer will be the one performing the Roll, even if the Trooper in Silhouette contact with the target is the Peripheral (Servant).
- The Doctor/Engineer Skill can only be performed on one target per Order.

Peripheral (Synchronized)

Each Peripheral (Synchronized) must observe the Coherency rule in regards to its Controller. The player must perform a Coherency Check at the start and end of each Order or ARO.
If a Peripheral (Synchronized) Trooper fails a Coherency Check, breaking Coherency with its Controller, it will enter Disconnected State immediately, before measuring any declared movement.
- If the Disconnected Trooper passes a Coherency Check with its Controller at the end of an Order or ARO, its Disconnected State is immediately cancelled.
If the Controller has more than one Peripheral (Synchronized) this Special Skill works the same way. In this situation, with a single Order, the Controller and all his Peripherals (Synchronized) are activated.

Peripheral (Control)

There is no limit to the operating distance between the Trooper with Peripheral (Control) and their Controller.
The Controller may have a maximum of three Peripherals (Control) under their control. These Peripherals form a Control Unit.
The player must designate one member of the Control Unit as the Spearhead, placing a Spearhead Token (SPEARHEAD) beside it.

Each Peripheral (Control) must observe the Coherency rule in regards to the Spearhead of their Control Unit. The player must perform a Coherency Check at the start and end of each Order or ARO.
If a Peripheral (Control) Trooper fails a Coherency Check, breaking Coherency with the Spearhead of its Control Unit, it will enter Disconnected State immediately, before measuring any declared movement.
- If the Disconnected Trooper passes a Coherency Check with the Spearhead of its Control Unit at the end of an Order or ARO, its Disconnected State is immediately cancelled.
Each time the Controller and Peripherals are activated with an Order, the player must designate one member of the Control Unit as that Order's Spearhead, placing a Spearhead Token (SPEARHEAD) beside it.
In the Active Turn, if a Skill is declared that requires a target, only the Controller and the Spearhead will perform the Skill, and the other members of the Control Unit will perform an Idle instead.

IMPORTANT

When included in an Army List, Peripherals must always be associated with a Controller.
Both the Controller and the Peripherals must respect the selected Army's global availability limit (AVA).

Sibylla's Advice

Normally, for a Peripheral (Servant) to move towards their target, the Doctor/Engineer will usually remain still in a safe spot on the battlefield. Meanwhile, the Peripheral Trooper performs the Order, moving until it reaches contact with the target.

Peripheral (Synchronized) Example

In the Active Turn, an Arjuna and his Kiranbot are hidden behind a wall. The player activates them both with an Order and declares Move as the first Short Skill of the Order. Before measuring or moving the Models, a Coherency Check is made, and is passed. The Arjuna sends his Kiranbot to one end of the wall while he moves to the other end.

An enemy Zhanshi can see the Arjuna and declares a BS Attack ARO against him. Meanwhile, an enemy Hsien can see the Kiranbot and also reacts with a BS Attack ARO. With the second Short Skill of the Order, the Arjuna and Kiranbot declare BS Attacks. The Arjuna fires the entire Burst (B) of his weapon at the Zhanshi, while the Kiranbot uses its E/Marat, placing the Large Teardrop Template over the unfortunate Hsien. At the end of the Order, another Coherency Check is made to verify that the Kiranbot is still inside the Arjuna's ZoC.

Thanks to Peripheral (Synchronized), the Arjuna and his Kiranbot have attacked two different enemies, using a single Order from the Order Pool.

FAQs & Errata

N4 FAQ

Version: 1.1.1, Dec 2021

Q: How does the Peripheral (Synchronized) Special Skill interact with multiple close combats in the Active Turn? For example if a Chimera and a Pupnik are in one close combat, and a second Pupnik is in another combat?

A: You have to choose one Trooper per combat. Each combat have to follow the Close Combat with Multiple Troopers rules.

Related Pages: Peripheral

N4 FAQ

Version: 1.2, Jan 2022

Q: If multiple Troopers use Surprise Attack against the same target, for example via a Coordinated Order, or a Controller and Peripheral, do the Surprise Attack MODs stack with each other?

A: No. Each Trooper's Surprise Attack MOD will be applied separately. For example if a Trooper is the target of two attackers using Surprise Attack, they will only suffer one Surprise Attack MOD if they Dodge, or Attack one of the Active Troopers.

Related Pages: Coordinated Orders, Peripheral, Surprise Attack

N4 FAQ

Version: 1.2, Jan 2022

Q: What happens if the Spearhead of a Peripheral (Control) Control Unit enters a Null State?

A: The player must immediately designate a new Spearhead.

Related Pages: Peripheral

N4 FAQ

Version: 1.3, Nov 2022

Q: What happens if a Peripheral or their Controller enters Isolated State?

A: The Peripheral will enter Disconnected State at the end of that Order. If the Peripheral's or Controller's Isolated State is cancelled, this will also cancel the Peripheral's Disconnected State.

Related Pages: Disconnected State, Isolated State, Peripheral

N4 FAQ

Version: 1.3, Nov 2022

Q: Do Peripherals in Disconnected State still activate with their Controller?

A: No. A Peripheral in this State cannot be activated, or declare Orders or AROs.

Related Pages: Disconnected State, Peripheral

N4 FAQ

Version: 1.3, Nov 2022

Q: Can a Controller be part of a Fireteam or Coordinated Order if its Peripheral is Isolated, Disconnected, Dead, etc?

A: No.

Related Pages: Coordinated Orders, Fireteams: Basic Rules, Peripheral

Special Skills

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Peripheral

Contents

Peripheral

Peripheral (Servant)

Peripheral (Synchronized)

Peripheral (Control)

FAQs & Errata