So... While planning for the Golden Age no Tactics World champs even at gencon and brainstorming teams... I randomly had to look in the rulebook for another reason and noticed that bystander tokens are listed under tactics. When I was first told about the format and was explained what "no tactics" meant, I was given the apt (but sorely missing important bits) description of "no feats, battlefields, special objects or resources".

I kind of assumed without being told that theme teams were not a thing there.

But...

Are bystanders just totally verboten in a no tactics event, or are there caveats?

some clarifications on this (it is basically 5 questions in one)

1. Can you play a bystander on your force?

2. Can an effect/ability bring a bystander onto the map from outside the game?

3. If no to 2, how do things like squirrel girl (monkey joe), and Alyosha Kraven (gulyadkin the lion) work?

4. If no to 2, is the answer different for figures who 'have the bystander described on the back of their card'?

5. Do bystanders that have a 'stack' work differently from regular bystanders for some reason (I would assume they don't, but being arbitrary has never stopped a ruling from being correct before)

6. What am I supposed to do with this stack of Lian Harper tokens if they don't do anything? Are you saying I abducted hundreds of the same child for no good reason?

7. ???

8. Profit!

I assume the answers to these questions should lead me to the answer to my other questions on tactics (namely how does TT008 Wonder Girl's trait Wonder Girl's Lasso work, and can you choose to pay for it even if it will do nothing?)

Anything included under the Tactics section of the Rulebook will be ineligible.

I don't know how bystanders-as-byproduct-of-character work, but I'd imagine they are legal as they are a part of a legal figure, and are not listed independently on your build sheet.

Answers in bold. Hope this helps.

All of those answers are what I expected, and probably how I would have ruled if the decision was up to me. I just wanted to double check and make sure there wasn't a precedent that "bystanders that are on the back of a character's card are considered part of that character and so are exempt from tactics restrictions" or something (which honestly I could see being the case)

I would agree with this.

Any time there has been a No Tactics tournament at past conventions you were not able to use Bystanders period. So Squirrel Girl would have Monkey Joe attached, but would not be allowed to detach to make a Bystander.

I do not know if this will be ruled differently this year.

So wait.

You can't use a legal part of a figure in this sort of game?

GOOD JOB WK! WONDERFULLY THOUGHT OUT EVENT. AGAIN.

It's not a "legal" part of a figure in this even though. I don't get your frustration? If a tourney has no bystanders, and monkey joe is a bystander, why would you get all up in arms that a bystander can't be used in a tourney where bystanders are not legal? I don't get it.

It's HCRealms.

Complain first, use your brain second (sometimes third).

This is no different then a character such as Hulked out Heroes that have a mechanic such as Revert and all of its replacements are Golden Age and the Tournament is Modern.

Good point. I stand corrected.

You don't really need to defend the event. If some numbnut brings DC and Marvel figures to a Star Trek Tactics event, then that's the players fault and not Wizkids.

Same here. If someone brings Squirrel Girl or Scorpio to the event, that's on them for not understanding the game and the scenario.

...and be wrong.

It's ok, you can just blame me!