Lost Messenger

I tend to think that only the tokens spent for the COMBAT card are returned (because the card did not get played), but that tokens possibly spent for the COMMAND card are actually spent, because the card is still played, albeit with limited effect.

The text on the card:

Opponent’s orders do not get through
the lines. The number of battlefield units
ordered this turn is reduced to 1 unit.
Reserve artillery may not be ordered. If
opponent played a combat card alongside
his command card, it is returned to his hand
and HQ tokens are returned to his pool.

I understand that you would possibly be assuming that if you played a Direct From Headquarters card and ordered 5 Units and paid 5 Tokens that now, since ONLY ONE unit is remaining ordered that the Tokens used to order the other four units would be lost. I guess this is always a way to interpret it, but the card simply states without any specificity that "HQ tokens are returned to his pool" and I would let him return them ALL.

Consider for a second, the content and nature of the card: Lost Messenger.
Since the messenger never got his orders to the appropriate people only one order was accomplished. I feel that this is more of the spirit of the card, so the penalty is not giving orders and hence not paying for them either.

I think the answer to this question lies in the Sequence of Play
Phase 1, Play a Command Card, in this instance the Attacker plays Direct from HQ, and lets say a Combat card requiring X HQ tokens. The Defender responds with Lost Messenger, as per the directions on the card. (Play in response to opponent Command Card).
The Attacker returns the Combat Card to his hand, and X HQ to his pool.

Phase 2 - Order Units. The Attacker can now order 0 or 1 units, and pays 0 or 1 HQ tokens as required by the Direct from HQ Command Card. The Lost Messenger card means that more units cannot be ordered.
I don't see that Lost Messenger in any way changes the requirements of the Direct from HQ Command card, other than limit the number of units that can be ordered to one.

Mark McG wrote: I think the answer to this question lies in the Sequence of Play
Phase 1, Play a Command Card, in this instance the Attacker plays Direct from HQ, and lets say a Combat card requiring X HQ tokens. The Defender responds with Lost Messenger, as per the directions on the card. (Play in response to opponent Command Card).
The Attacker returns the Combat Card to his hand, and X HQ to his pool.

Phase 2 - Order Units. The Attacker can now order 0 or 1 units, and pays 0 or 1 HQ tokens as required by the Direct from HQ Command Card. The Lost Messenger card means that more units cannot be ordered.
I don't see that Lost Messenger in any way changes the requirements of the Direct from HQ Command card, other than limit the number of units that can be ordered to one.

A compellingly simple and elegant answer.

Question: if lost messenger is played on you, can you still discard a combat card for 1 HQ token at the end of turn?
Or in other words, is the combat card canceled by lost messenger considered played or not?

A:Was a Combat card played on the turn?
If the answer is yes, the answer will still remain yes, even when the Combat card is returned to the player's hand because a Lost Messenger card was played.

Richard Borg
www.boardgamegeek.com/article/30370936#30370936