Actually, they noticed that it said characters at gencon, so it was a miss ruling early on. I don't recall when it happened but that's when I first realized the distinction.
and later
(emphasis mine)
Is this a change? My initial reading of the powers as well as (at one point, though I haven't looked in a while) the F.A.Q. seemed to indicate that while Go Bots! is unlimited, individual bot actions are not. Thus, while unity can use Go Bots! twice (or more) in a round (say, to have Raptor bot aim and then attack, or to have two different bots sprint), raptor bot still can't attack twice in a single round, nor can turret bot dodge twice, etc.
This was a recent rule-change (from the GenCon tournament, I believe) - individual bots cannot use the same action more than once in a turn.
I believe you are correct here.
Unless Christopher has changed his mind a third time on this topic, the last thing I heard, and the rule I played under all the way to the finals was that Unity's bots could take the same action multiple times in a turn.. hence being able to drop a Raptor Bot and chomp three times.
I think it used to be this way (and it was for the tourny that I casted at least). But I think it makes a lot more sense the way the rule is being described now. While GO BOTS! might be an unlimited actions, the actions of the bots themselves are not.
Unfortunatly this might have a negative effect on Proletariat. If the ruling stays consistent, then Pro might not be able to "Overwhelm" an action that he has already used. For instance, using Clone, then Overwhelm–>Clone to start with 4 Pros on the board in one round.
I agree Foote, consistency says that doesn't work anymore.
First off, there were several rulings that were set to be changed at one point or another (Unity's bots and related issues being discussed currently being the biggest one) that weren't changed from previous rulings for the sake of the tournament season being internally consistent. Christopher et al didn't want to "change the rules" midseason.
Basically, the end result, as best I can explain it, is this: You can't do the same (non-unlimited) action multiple times in the same turn, unless something makes you do that specific action, by name. Unity can't Go Bots Raptor bot to make him move if Raptor Bot has already moved this turn, because you're choosing Move. But if something tells you to do a specific action (Citizen Dawn lets you Sprint, for example), it doesn't matter whether you've done that action already this turn or not.
Maybe the rule would be clearer as "you can't choose to activate an ability that you've already chosen to activate this turn", putting Move, Sprint, and everything else under the umbrella of "abilities", some of which cost an action to activate.
Thanks for the clarification, Luther!
I am all for Internal Consistency for Tourney season play. It would be nice if we could have a living document that ecapuslates these "temporary rulings" that are contingent on full review after season end; a sort of Competition-level FAQ, if you will. That way, any teams trying to practice during the season can have rulings that are not up for debate once decided on by Christopher or Paul. This could really help to sideline a handful of the rules debates in the forums and at local tournaments, at least until the end of the season, when the tournament rules can be reconciled with the generally understood rules.
They'd need to maintain it officially, though, as the document should only ever be appended to, not altered, so season rulings would not change.
First we'll need to get a list together of the rulings that have been made.
1. Each action can only be taken once, unless it says 'unlimited' or it is specifically called out by a power. Example 1: Brisk Effulgence gives every character a sprint action, even if they've taken one. Example 2: Unity can use Go, Bots! multiple times on the same bot, but she cannot make the same bot attack more than once or move more than once in a turn.
2. Non-hazard space area attacks target everyone inside the blast when the original attack is declared, dealing with each on a target by target basis, not a hex by hex basis. This has the following effects: A. Allies who are in the blast and take the attack for another ally take the attack twice. Once for their ally and once for themselves. B. Targets that enter the blast area during the attack (for example, Proletariat's clones created via Shared Burden) do not also get attacked by the area attack.
Any other rulings like this that people can think of?
I like your thoroughness on the examples for the rule 1. It does make me a bit antsy with the Prolo ruling about Overwhelm, but as that was also a Season ruling, I'm sure we'll get a clarification soon.
Something that may have been common knowledge to others, but still struck me as odd in the Finals match: Area attacks do not need any other targets besides oneself(i.e. Flying Smash). Given that a target may not take damage from their own attack, I assumed that any area attack must attempt to hit another target. For now, it seems this only affects Flying Smash, as the attack gives you a bonus move, but I would be interested to know about the application to Swift Bot.
For instance: 1) can SB move without an intended target(perhaps over elevation changes, for the guaranteed 3 hexes)? 2)IF she arrives adjacent to any target, she must attack them? Currently it seems that this is the way rules are written, but it seems that targets should incur some penalty for attacking nothing. Maybe that's just the RPG-er in me talking, though…
TL;DR, attacks can be made without targets? just area attacks?
Should we start a new thread in the "Rules" forum? This seems to have the potential to get… extensive…
That’s a great idea. 
(And a link, once there’s a thread, would be useful for future reference.)
For Proletariat, I believe rule 1 would say this: Overwhelm will allow Proletariat to duplicate using all his clones only if he hasn't duplicated already this turn. As this is how I already played him, I may have a little bias. If I am wrong, that would be awesome, but I don't think I am.
Concerning Swift Bot and using her (its?) attack to just move 3 hexes, it would open up some interesting tactical choices, but does it go against the spirit of the definition of those abilities? They are designed for attacks, not just for movement.
Also, I created that thread in the Tactics Rules forum here.
This post is done through voice recognition while I'm driving, so please ignore any weird formatting.
i'm pretty sure Swift bot can use her action to move and failed to attack anything for the same reason that legacy can use flying smash to move and failed to attack anything. Now, neither attack actually occurs, so anything contingent upon attacking won't happen, but Sentinel tactics, like sentinels of the multi-verse, is a "do as much as you can " game. As long as you can pay the costs, you can activate an ability, and you do as much of that abilities effects as you can. In swift bites case, that would mean moving, but not making the attack. If there is a legal target at the end of the move, you would have to make the attack against that target. Unless Swift box says "you may", but I don't think that's the case.
this is all top of my head stuff; I'm obviously not looking at the rules currently.
That could make for some interesting strategies.