Hit Zone and Visible Hit Zone

[LaJou]

What is the difference between a “Hit Zone” and a “Visible Hit Zone?” Or should I say why is there a definition for both? Do packs that have been tagged and so have their lights off no longer have a “Visible Hit Zone” and at that point only have a “Hit Zone?” Just trying to understand what is being said here and why the two definitions.

[xDKx]

In the old version of the hardware, shoulders counted as visible hit zones, whereas phasers and back sensors only counted as hit zones. With Gen 6, the AU/NZ rules are in process of being updated to include chest plates in visible hit zones, and in the US, we're including phasers and chest plates as visible hit zones. So far as I know, back plates remain simply hit zones since you can't take a legal shot offering only your back plate (but then again, in the US version, I don't see how you would).

Whether or not the lights are on is irrelevant (*EDIT* In the rules, it says "incorporates flashing lights," and I take that to mean as long as the lights are capable of flashing, it is a visible hit zone *END EDIT*). The "visibility" refers only to specific sensors over others. The wording was chosen because while phasers can be hit straight on (more so in Gen 6 than in Gen 5), they were often difficult to see as compared to the shoulders, hence "visible" hit zones.

[LaJou]

Thanks. I was wondering if this was some remnant from an earlier version.

[xDKx]

Thanks. I was wondering if this was some remnant from an earlier version.

I suppose it is now that I think about it, since all the IR areas have lights, and all the lit areas now have IR. The case can obviously still be made that the phaser from "straight on" doesn't have the same level of visibility, but that won't apply under the US addendum. In every other instance, it appears that every hit zone is now a visible hit zone.