Vile Fumes: less effective on sites without AA?

[Konrad Klar]

Technology. Playable at a tapped or untapped Shadow-hold [S], Dark-hold [D], or a site with a Dwarf-automatic-attack. Discard during the site phase at a Border-hold or Shadow-hold [S] to make all versions of the site Ruins & Lairs [R]. Its normal automatic-attacks are replaced with: Gas-each character faces 1 strike with 7 prowess (cannot be canceled). Keep Vile Fumes with the site until the site is discarded or returned to its location deck.

A company may not play any resource during the site phase until they have faced all
automatic-attacks, unless that resource directly affects an automatic-attack.
Removing an automatic-attack does not directly affect it, although cancelling does.

Underline mine.

Common interpretation of quoted CRF rule is that affecting of AA applies only to actual attack, not to the status of AA (present/not-present), so craeting a new AA does not constitute affecting of AA*.
So (rhetorical) question is: whether AA that does not exist may be replaced?


*) I think that it is implication of "Removing an automatic-attack does not directly affect it, although cancelling does". Status of AA (present/not present) is not something that could be removed in any way; only actual AA may be removed.

[dirhaval]

After reading your recent questions - my head hurts.

[Bandobras Took]

Good question. I can see both sides of the argument, but I don't think you can "replace" something that doesn't exist. Unless it's held that this item implies permission to do it anyway, since it lacks the phrase "a site with an automatic-attack." See also Chance Meeting.

[Konrad Klar]

@dirhaval

This is a malady without healing, so wait patiently for second strike.