If players decided to use the optional module "Tides of Battle", are Tides of Battle cards used when attacking a neutral force?
The section about "Tides of Battle" on the rulebook (page 29) mentions that they are used on combat. But when reading the section about Neutral Forces on the rulebook (page 26), it did not become clear to me whether or not destroying a neutral force strictly counts as combat.
I couldn't find anything relevant in the errata/FAQ either.
Thanks in advance!
The Combat section of the rules (page 17) states that Combat ensues "whenever a player marches one or more of his units into an area containing units from another House…" However, it says nothing about marching into an area containing neutral forces, and nothing in the Neutral Forces section actually defines taking a neutral territory as "combat".
While obviously very combat-like in nature, as I read it "Destroying a Neutral Force" is very much its own thing and not simply an extension of combat. The line about collecting support actually lampshades that it's performed "as in combat" which, to me, demonstrates that this is in itself not "combat".
And technically, combat or no, the first step of drawing Tides of Battle cards is done "after choosing and revealing House cards," which would never happen anyway since "no House Cards are played" when Destroying a Neutral Force.
It does lsay on page 26 that the neutral force must be defeated by exceeding the stregth using the factors listed. Tide of battle cards are not listed and by this exclusion not useable on neutral forces.
