Atomic Africa (Pt 6): Reactions

The Reaction Sub-phase follows targeting, and allows the Reacting Player to declare actions for one of his units.  If the Activating Player's unit fired on any enemy figure, the target unit MUST react.  If the Activating Player skipped the Targeting Sub-phase, his opponent may still possibly react.  If the Reacting player has a unit with LOS between either the Activating unit's Start Group or In-transit figure, that unit may react.  Only one of the Reacting Player's units may react (unless two were targeted with the Split Fire special action).  A reacting unit must have orders assigned; if it does not then the Reacting Player must assign one, during this sub-phase, from his Reserve; thus the Activating Player can "force the sword" and drive certain units to expend their action.  If the Reacting Player has no eligible cards in his Reserve, or no Reserve, then he cannot use the orderless unit for voluntary reactions.  Reaction by targeted units is compulsory however, therefore the Reacting Player must draw a card from the top of his deck and apply it using the Confused Unit rules.  A separate post addresses Confused units.  If a unit is reacting, either by choice or compulsion, the Reacting Player then places an In-transit figure, exactly as described above for the Activating Player.  The Reacting unit always returns fire on the Activating unit; the Reacting Player only needs to declare any other targets (again, only possible via the Split Fire special action).  Of course, any third unit fired on will result in that unit reacting as well...

The Declaration Sub-phase features each player revealing and possibly modifying written orders.  All players simultaneously flip over the orders cards for the Activating and Reacting units only.  A player revealing any face cards must announce his unit's special action.  If both players reveal face cards, use the card denominations to determine the order of declaration: Jacks declare first, followed by Queens, followed by Kings.  If face cards of the same denomination are revealed, use the Units' Experience Levels to determine declaration order.  Break any further ties with a die roll contest.  Upon completion of all declarations, players may examine their opponent's orders and decide to change their own, if able.  A player who decides to change his orders plays a card from his Reserve face-down on top of his just revealed orders.  The opposing player is given the same opportunity and once each player has played a new card or deferred to the previously revealed orders, any freshly played cards are flipped face up simultaneously.  The new card played from the Reserve totally replaces the previous order.  Each player again may examine the revealed orders and elect to play from their Reserves.  The process continues until both players stop, either due to satisfaction with the orders or an exhausted reserve.  Joker cards present a special case.  Revealing a Joker prohibits the opposing player from playing any more orders this Activation Phase, even if he still has a Reserve; the Joker unit seizes the initiative and effectively freezes the opponent's orders.  The player owning the Joker then declares any basic or special move, along with the unit's posture; the Joker essentially duplicates any other card from the deck.  Use the same rules for face cards above to resolve the declaration order between players revealing Jokers simultaneously.