Heavy Fire Zone

Heavy Fire Zone may be used to replace a ship’s blue anti-squadron dice to attack a Proximity Mine.

Reference

When a ship equipped with Heavy Fire Zone declares an enemy squadron the target of an attack. If that squadron is not engaged with a friendly squadron, before moving on to the “Roll Attack Dice” step, you may replace all blue dice in that ships anti squadron armament with red dice.

There is much confusion over this card, however the intent is clear.

Here is an example of why this card works. Using the Attack sequence.

For this example, it will be a ship with an anti squadron armament of 1 blue die and an enemy squadron that is within long range of the attacking hull zones firing arc.

1. Declare a Target. In this case, a ship attacking a squadron.
2. As you are checking range, declare you are using Heavy Fire Zone and since you are in the “Declare Target” step, which is before the “Roll Attack Dice” step, this allows you to replace the blue die with a red die. Now when the range is checked, the squadron is in “attack range”.
3. And now move on to the “Roll Attack Dice” step gathering the red die needed to conduct the attack at long range.

Can you attack proximity mines with this card effect?
Yes, as long as those proximity mines are not “engaged” with a friendly squadron.

What is the interaction with the Counter keyword, if a ship also has Quad Laser Turrets equipped?

Counter is an anti-squadron armament of 1 blue die and would be able to be replaced with a red die.

How does this card interact with Instigator?

The “additional” squadrons still give engagement, however they are not considered “friendly” to any fleet. So any enemy squadrons engaged by just Instigators “additional” squadrons would be viable targets for Heavy Fire Zone.

FROM THE PERSON WHO DESIGNED THE CARD.
Brooks Flugaur-Leavitt
“Yes, as the ability to gather dice of colors appropriate to the range of the attack is what determines whether the attack can proceed (last bullet of step 2: Roll Attack Dice) and Heavy Fire Zone triggers before the dice are gathered.”