Technological Singularity

Once per combat, after 1 of your opponent's units is destroyed, you may gain 1 technology that is owned by that player.

The Nekro VirusFaction ability

Once per combat, after 1 of your opponent's units is destroyed, you may gain 1 technology that is owned by that player.

Source: Base game

ClarificationsSelect rulings confidence level

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If the Nekro player gains a technology during a space combat, this does not prevent them from gaining technology during ground combats in the Invasion step of the same tactical action.
If multiple ground combats happen on separate planets as part of a single Invasion step during one action, the Nekro player may gain a technology during each combat.
Any method that destroys a unit during combat will trigger TECHNOLOGICAL SINGULARITY, including an ANTI-FIGHTER BARRAGE roll, the Direct Hit action card, the Creuss player’s Dimensional Splicer faction technology, etc.
- This includes any method used by the Nekro player’s opponent that destroys their own units, usually as an ability cost.
- If a unit is removed, but not destroyed, that unit will not trigger the TECHNOLOGICAL SINGULARITY ability.
- Space cannon and BOMBARDMENT rolls happen outside of combat. Any hits produced cannot be used to trigger the TECHNOLOGICAL SINGULARITY ability.
If the Nekro player chooses to gain a unit upgrade technology, that upgrade will be in effect from that point in the combat onwards.
- The combat value of a combat dice is fixed as it is rolled, and all combat dice are rolled before any hits are assigned. Gaining a unit upgrade technology will not cause any already rolled combat dice to produce any additional hits due to an improved combat value. The same applies to unit ability dice.
- Destroying an opponent’s unit during the Anti-Fighter Barrage step, and gaining a unit upgrade technology will allow units of that type to use the abilities and attributes of the upgrade for the combat rolls of the same round.
- Destroying an opponent’s unit at the start of a combat, such as with the ability of the Assault Cannon technology, and gaining a unit upgrade technology with an ANTI-FIGHTER BARRAGE ability will allow units of that type to use that ability during the Anti-Fighter Barrage step of the first round of combat.
- If the Nekro player uses the Direct Hit action card to destroy a unit when it uses its SUSTAIN DAMAGE ability, this will occur before any units are destroyed from being assigned hits. If the Nekro player then gains a technology that gives their units the SUSTAIN DAMAGE ability, they may then use that ability for their units participating in the combat to cancel hits produced by their opponent during that round of combat.
- Players resolve abilities in initiative order, starting from the active player, until all players decline to resolve an ability consecutively; players who declined to resolve an ability previously may choose to resolve an ability if another player does so. While every player has the opportunity to resolve an ability, it is most common for only the two players involved in the combat to do so. Say the Nekro player does not have the Dreadnought II unit upgrade. If they use the SUSTAIN DAMAGE ability of one of their dreadnoughts, then their opponent may destroy it with a Direct Hit action card. If the Nekro player does not use the SUSTAIN DAMAGE ability (or any other ability within the same timing window), then their opponent may choose to use the SUSTAIN DAMAGE ability of one of their units (or any other ability within the same timing window). If they do not, then the timing window advances, and no more units may use their SUSTAIN DAMAGE abilities to cancel any of the remaining hits. If the opponent does, however, use the SUSTAIN DAMAGE ability of one of their units, the Nekro player may then destroy it with a Direct Hit action card, if it is an eligible target. After that, the Nekro player may choose to use the SUSTAIN DAMAGE ability of one of their units, even if they had previously declined to do so; if they gained the Dreadnought II unit upgrade when they destroyed their opponent’s non-dreadnought unit with the Direct Hit action card, then their opponent can no longer destroy the Nekro player’s with their own Direct Hit action card.
If the Nekro player destroys a unit, and gains a technology with an ability that is used during the same timing window, they may use that ability immediately.
- For example, if the Nekro player uses the ability of the Assault Cannon technology at the start of a space combat to destroy a unit belonging to the Creuss player, and thus place a Valefar token on that player’s Dimensional Splicer faction technology, the Nekro player may immediately use the ability of their Valefar Dimensional Splicer to produce a hit against one of the Creuss player’s ships.
If the Nekro player gains the Infantry II unit upgrade from their TECHNOLOGICAL SINGULARITY ability during a combat, any of the Nekro player’s infantry destroyed at the same time as the unit used to trigger the TECHNOLOGICAL SINGULARITY ability will be returned to their reinforcements.
- If the Nekro player uses a Direct Hit action card to destroy an opponent’s unit, and gain the Infantry II unit upgrade, then any infantry destroyed in that Assign Hits step will roll to be placed on the Infantry II card. This will most commonly occur if the Nekro player has infantry participating in space combat via the ability of their flagship, The Alastor.
- Any infantry destroyed by the Argent player’s Strike Wing Alpha II faction unit ability are destroyed during the Roll Dice substep of the Anti-Fighter Barrage step. The Nekro player will not have the opportunity to gain the Infantry II unit upgrade until the Assign Hits substep immediately following, and so the destroyed infantry will be returned to their reinforcements.

Sources

LRR: Living Rules Referencetirules2: tirules2.comCommunity: TI4 Online Discord, TI4 Homebrew Hub Discord