Terrain, Line of Sight, and Other Weirdness
There are a few things about SWMinis that are different from other miniatures games, which I will cover in this article. These are very small details that one could miss if you've just been taught the basics, but they do mean a lot to gameplay--they could even change the course of a game if they are missed or misinterpreted.
"Within 6 Squares": Not as Cut and Dried as It Sounds
In SWMinis, "within 6 squares" does not mean that you count six squares away from the character in each cardinal direction, and that's the range of the special ability or Force Power. Rather, you count out the squares as if you were doing movement--moving diagonally across one square takes up 2 move, whereas moving in a straight line takes up 1 move per square covered.
Here's a demo, as if the character wants to draw line of fire to something 3 squares away:
See how the measurement of "3 squares away" varies depending on whether you move diagonally or straight? This same principle applies no matter how far the distance you're trying to measure in SWMinis.
Moving and Shooting Past Walls
Pay very close attention to how walls are drawn on SWMinis maps! If the corner is a traditional right angle, you cannot shoot past the corner, even if the line of sight is a straight diagonal line across the board, and the target you're trying to shoot is the closest target. However, if the corner is beveled, or looks like the pointy right angle has been cut off, you CAN shoot straight diagonally past that corner with no problem to line of sight, as long as the character you're trying to shoot is the closest target.
For moving, you must move in straight lines up and around traditional right-angle corners, but you can move diagonally past a beveled corner.
"Melee" is not Equal to "Adjacent"
Some special abilities and Force Powers have as part of their wording the following: "If this character is hit by a nonmelee attack...", "If this character is successfully attacked by a nonadjacent character...", "If this character is successfully attacked by an adjacent character...", or "If this character is hit by a melee attack." What is important to realize here is that these wordings make a lot of difference as to how the special ability or force power goes off!
"Adjacent" and "nonadjacent" basically mean whether the character is base-to-base with yours (adjacent) or at a distance (nonadjacent). The trouble comes in when you're trying to determine what is a melee attack and what is a nonmelee attack. Melee doesn't mean "any adjacent character"--it means a character with the special ability "Melee Attack" on its card. If the character is a ranged attacker (doesn't have "Melee Attack" on its card), but is base-to-base with yours, it still counts as a "nonmelee" but "adjacent" attack. Very confusing, but a difference that can sometimes find a loophole in Force Power coverage!
Checking for Cover, Corner to Corner
You may be able to shoot another character because you can make a line from anywhere on your character's square edge to anywhere on the opposing character's square edge, but finding out whether a character has cover (+4 to defense in or behind Hindering Terrain or part of a wall when viewed from your character's perspective) is a bit more complicated than it might seem. You don't just check one line of sight--you check several.
First, check the line of sight from your character's square to the opponent's character's square matching up the left front corners. Then check right front corners the same way. Next, check left front to right front, and right front to left front. Lastly, check any other corners that your character can see. If at any time those lines of sight cross Hindering or part of a wall, that character has cover, no matter if the other three lines are clear!