Block Supply Lines

Legend of the Five Rings card from Emperor Edition, Pre-Imperial Edition, Imperial Edition, Emerald Edition, Battle of Beiden Pass, Obsidian Edition, Jade Edition, Diamond Edition, Gold Edition, Pearl Edition, Samurai Edition, Storms Over Matsu Palace, Siege of Sleeping Mountain, War of Honor, L5R Experience, Ivory Edition, A Matter of Honor, Promotional–Ivory, Emperor Edition Demo Decks, Honor and Treachery, The Currency of War, Shadowlands, Anvil of Despair, Crimson and Jade, Time of the Void, Hidden Emperor Starter, Scorpion Clan Coup Starter, Ambition's Debt, Fire & Shadow, Soul of the Empire, The Fall of Otosan Uchi, Heaven & Earth, A Perfect Cut, Broken Blades, Dark Allies, An Oni's Fury, Winds of Change, Hidden City, Code of Bushido, Glory of the Empire, Promotional–Samurai

Card Type

Strategy

Gold Cost

0

Card Text

Battle: Move home a target attacking Personality. Bow his unit as he moves.

Focus Value

3

Legality

A Brother's Destiny (Ivory Edition), A Brother's Destiny (Twenty Festivals), Age of Conquest (Emperor), Clan Wars (Imperial), Four Winds (Gold), Hidden Emperor (Jade), Race for the Throne (Samurai), Rain of Blood (Diamond), Destroyer War (Celestial)

Deck

Fate

Printings

Rulings

• Erratum: Reads, "Block Supply Lines 0G 3FV Battle: Move a target attacking unit home. If it moved, bow it." [MRP, Samurai Edition, 25 July 2007] Comprehensive Rules, Samurai Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, May 2009, p. 125
• Erratum: Should not have the Celestial Edition kanji. [Erratum to MRP, Glory of the Empire, 12 January 2009] Comprehensive Rules, Samurai Edition, with specific card rulings, final version, May 2009, p. 125

Rules Q&A

• Q: Reaction: After an action taken by another player targets Tsuyoshi: Ranged 3 attack that is compared against the target's Chi.
  Can this reaction target only an action that has a Personality as the source of the player's action, such as an Iajutsu Challenge? Or can Tsuyoshi pick a target of my choice (I control Tsuyoshi) in response to a Kolat Assasin, Shame, Block Supply Lines, etc?
  A: He can shoot any legal target.
  You'll have a hard time finding a legal target for a Ranged Attack outside of a Battle though - since you'll lack any cards "opposing" Tsuyoshi, which are the only cards that are legal targets for a Ranged Attack from Tsuyoshi. (Diamond Edition Rulebook, page 90, "Making Ranged Attacks") Martin Lund, "Rules for 5 December 2004", 9 Dec 2004
• Q: Two questions involving the Ring of Earth:
  Scenario A:
  I use the Ring of Earth ability on one of my Samurai. I proceed to attack with that Samurai and a Monk in the same army. My opponent plays Block Supply Lines on the Monk. I use Turn of Fortune to redirect the BSL to the Samurai, which then doesn't get sent home because of the Ring of Earth. Is this valid?
  A: Sure thing. The Samurai was a legal target for Block Supply Lines, even if the effect of Block Supply Lines would be negated by "other players cannot move that Personality into or out of battles." Martin Lund, "Rules for 18 November 2004", 22 Nov 2004
• Q: Can the Isawa House Guard unbow Shugenja after they bow as a result of:
  A) Battle resolution or B) Being sent home from an action that sends the unit home bowed (for instance Block Supply Lines)?
  A: No. The cards don't bow until they move out, and hence until they are no longer in an Army. Martin Lund, "Rules for 20 May 2004", 24 May 2004
• Q: Based on the recent Kwanchai xp rulings, if one of my Wedged Personalities gets sent home (Block Supply Lines, for instance), am I correct in assuming I can use the Right Hand to negate the movement? If I am extrapolating correctly, I am targeting and negating the movement, not the Wedged Personality.
  A: Correct Martin Lund, "Rules for 30 April 2004", 3 May 2004
• Q: 2. Does the actions that affect the entire unit target him? For example, Can I cancel a Block Supply Lines?
  A: Anything that targets an entire unit also targets just the Personality, and vice versa. [DE p. 73] Yes. Jeff Alexander, "rules for 23 Feb. 2004", 24 Feb 2004
• Q: So if I play Block Supply Lines and my opponent cancels it with Kyuden Ikoma, I put the card back in my hand?
  A: No. You're taking the quote out of context -- namely, pg. 72 in the Diamond Edition rulebook. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 17 December 2003, Part 2", 18 Dec 2003
• Q: Hello,
  I have a series of questions about the game most relating with the Unit and Personality relation. I have been through the rullings but still did not find answer to this problems.
  The main cath for me is this:
  - I have a bowed personality (alone, nothing attached) in an attacking army can I play "Block Supply Lines" on it ?
  A: No. You cannot target your bowed personalities with actions, and any card that targets a unit automatically targets all cards in the unit, including the personality leading the unit. Vaughn Derderian, "Post for June 19, 2003", 19 Jun 2003
• Q: * Akodo Rokuro: the opponent plays a Stand Against the Waves, Rokuro can only save one Personality from bowing, right? Also, against a Block Supply Lines or Tsudao's Favor, he can use his ability, right? But then, it only keeps the Personality unbowed - the rest of the unit is bowed, right?
  A: Right, right, right. Jeff Alexander, "post for 19 May 2003", 21 May 2003
• Q: So, after the ruling that Ambushed personalities aren't home, here's the situation...
  It's Bob's turn. Fred plays Plans within Plans. Bob plays Ambush, ambushing Personality Bobby with his personality Freddy. Bob gets first action and as he's allowed to take a limited action, he plays Ambush (call it ambush B) targetting Freddy and Bobby too. So now we have an ambush in an ambush, which is sort of fine. So Fred, as his first action in Ambush B, plays Block Supply Lines, sending Bobby *home*. Resolving the ambush B, no units are destroyed and we move on. Now we go to the other ambush....
  But is Bobby home or in the ambush?
  A: Wow, Leon. What can I say? You've still got it. I think your crowning touch was NOT having Bob control Bobby.
  Bobby is home. Jeff Alexander, "post for 20 March 2003", 21 Mar 2003
• Q: This I am well aware of. The issue was not buying a base set where I already own 90% or more of the cards. I don't need the extra cards, but now it appears that I am going to have to in order to obtain the cards being re-introduced. I already have enough Block Supply Lines and such. Buying another base set as large as Gold is not fiscally feasible for me.
  A: This prompts me to ask why you feel the need to purchase vast quanitities of a set in order to acquire a small number of particular cards. Trading and the singles market are, and always have been, more effective at accomplishing this. Jeff Alexander, "post for 19 December 2002", 20 Dec 2002
• Q: Jeff, could you explain your answer please? I don't understand it:
  My opponent attacks with 2 units, led by a personalities with 4 and 6 force. I defend, and play Block Supply Lines on the 6 force personality. He plays A Test of Courage. He Passes. I play Overwhelmed, destroying my highest force personality. What happens now?
  He can't destroy his higher force personality, because that would require targetting that unit, which he can't do because he played A Test of Courage.
  He can't send two units home because that would require targetting his higher force personality, which he can't do.
  He can't send home the 4 force personality, because he has to send home two units.
  So does Overwhelmed have no effect on him in this situation?
  JA: He must send home the one unit he can.
  A: You pick an alternative you can satisfy and do as much of it as you can. Jeff Alexander, "post for 30 October 2002", 31 Oct 2002
• Q: My opponent attacks with 2 units, led by a personalities with 4 and 6 force. I defend, and play Block Supply Lines on the 6 force personality. He plays A Test of Courage. He Passes. I play Overwhelmed, destroying my highest force personality. What happens now?
  He can't destroy his higher force personality, because that would require targetting that unit, which he can't do because he played A Test of Courage.
  He can't send two units home because that would require targetting his higher force personality, which he can't do.
  He can't send home the 4 force personality, because he has to send home two units.
  So does Overwhelmed have no effect on him in this situation?
  A: He must send home the one unit he can. Jeff Alexander, "post for 29 October 2002", 30 Oct 2002
• Q: Example: I have a unit with the Spirit Legion attached. The Spirit legion reads: Action cards and ranged attacks cannot target the Spirit Legion. My opponent tries to use Block Supply Lines to send my unit home. Is that legal?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 29 July 2002", 30 Jul 2002
• Q: 2.) Argued the point, request confirmation: If Hida Sunao is sent home with a Block Supply Lines, Refugees, Tsudao favor, or other send-home action that bows the target, I can straighten him using his reaction once the battle ends?
  A: Yes. Jeff Alexander, "post for 18 December 2001", 19 Dec 2001
• Q: It's a no-action effect (lossing honor from a dishonored personality) and during the resolution of a battle but before you destroy the personality. It's known that an honor loss will occur.
  It's known by *you* that an honor loss will occur, because you can see the result of the battle coming. However, the cards don't have any idea of what's going on until the boulders actually start rolling. The death of the Samurai is what generates the loss, and that's the point at which you can start looking at Seppuku as an option for reducing said loss. Not before.
  Actually, it's known by the game also. By the mechanic that allows you to use Yu. During resolution, after the final totals of force are calculated, before the personalities are removed to the discard pile. Your personality is dishonored and his death is going to cause you dishonor. It's a known game effect, known game state. And similar to the Gaheris/Block Supply Lines/Winter Warfare ruling.
  A: I would, however, like to point out that nothing happens during battle resolution which is a valid trigger for seppuku's "reaction". Jeff Alexander, "post for 29 October 2001", 30 Oct 2001
• Q: Can the Spirit Legion be targeted by actions that target units? E.G. Block Supply Lines?
  Spirit Legion reads: "Spirit * Nonhuman * Unique Action cards and ranged attacks cannot target the Spirit Legion."
  A: Targeting a unit counts as targeting the Personality. It does not count as targeting every single card in the unit. The presence of a Spirit Legion will not stop BSL. Jeff Alexander, "post for 17 October 2001", 17 Oct 2001
• Q: I tried to Block Supply Lines but the action was considered to be targeting cards in Otaku Kamoko's unit, with Shiryo no Shinjo[.] Is referring to "an attacking unit" the same as targeting cards in the unit?
  A: Yes. If you target a unit, you always target the Personality leading it. Zen Faulkes, "Rules for 2-7 August 2001", 9 Aug 2001
• Q: Greetings,
  Question 1) Suppose my opponent attacks with two personalities and I defend with one I Block Supply Lines on personality A and he responds with Test of Courage. He passes. I then play Stand Against the Waves. Can he choose to bow the personality that was Tested? (In other words, is selection of a personality to bow from *my* Stand counted as targeting with an action)
  A: It is counted. He can't select that Personality. But don't forget that if he can't target the required number of Personalities, SAtW then creates a non-targeted effect which bows all of them. Jeff Alexander, "replies to 15-20 July", 26 Jul 2001
• Q: Greetings,
  Question 1) Suppose my opponent attacks with two personalities and I defend with one I Block Supply Lines on personality A and he responds with Test of Courage. He passes. I then play Stand Against the Waves. Can he choose to bow the personality that was Tested? (In other words, is selection of a personality to bow from *my* Stand counted as targeting with an action)
  A: Yes. A Tested personality cannot be targeted by its controller with any actions, even actions controlled by your opponents. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for July 23rd", 23 Jul 2001
• Q: What you could do with Nick's idea though is to make a general, universally applicable ruling (and RULE in the book) that any effect that isnt a verbal form is a dependant effect upon the verb effect. That WOULD work fine IMO. E.g. Block Supply Lines and Winter Warfare. The bowing is dependant so it doesnt happen. Twisting Ravine and BSL:
  "Bowed" IS a verbal form. It is a participle, a verbal adjective, in that it is derived from a verb directly. I still like the idea, though.
  A: And you expect newbies to know this???
  I can just see it now: passing out grammar pre-quizzes at the L5R demo booth next GenCon. Jeff Alexander, "Rulings for 24 March 2001", 29 Mar 2001
• Q: Tsuchi-do Text Kiho Battle: Bow one of your shugenja or monks and target any Personality in play. The target may not move into or out any battles this turn. This action may be performed even if you do not have any units in this battle, and even if neither Personality is in this battle. Gold 0 Focus 4
  If a personality who has been targeted by this kiho is then targeted by Block Supply Lines, Refugees, or the Favor, are they bowed? The rulings seem to indicate yes.
  A: They are bowed. Jeff Alexander, "Rulings for early March, 2001", 14 Mar 2001
• Q: Using the Dark Path/Winter Warfare ruling...
  If I use Block Supply Lines to send an attacking unit home, bowed and then use Sanetama's Reaction, would the attacking unit stay in the battle, but be forced to bow?
  Cards in Question...
  Shinjo Sanetama - Unicorn Clan Master of the Hunt * Cavalry * Reaction: Bow when an infantry unit is moving into or out of a battle Sanetama is in. The move is cancelled if all the units in Sanetama's army are cavalry.
  Block Supply Lines - Battle: Remove one attacking unit from this battle. It returns home bowed.
  A: Yes. Sanetama only negates the movement. (He was worded back when "cancel" was used in two different ways.) Jeff Alexander, "Rulings for late February 2001", 10 Mar 2001
• Q: This question maybe old, but I have just joined the list-serv. Let's say I am in a battle opposing Bayushi Kachiko, exp. 3. I play Block Supply Lines on Kachiko. If she cancels, and I play Fall on Your Knees in response, can she try to cancel the blocks supply lines again??
  A: Currently, yes. This ruling is still under debate by the Rules Team, and may change. For the time being, though, a canceled action is still considered to have never taken place, and so a canceled Reaction would be able to be used again in response to the same trigger. Kachiko's controller would have to discard another card as a cost, though. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for January 26th", 27 Jan 2001
• Q: 3. If Block Supply Lines or the Imperial Favor Targets the Personality and ToC is played, the personality does not go home but is bowed?
  A: Not true. You're mixing up two different rulings, there. One ruling says that a personality who cannot be sent home or moved out of a battle, targeted by an action that would send them home from battle bowed, will not move home, but will become bowed. That, however, has nothing to do with Test of Courage, because ToC cancels the action entirely, and that doesn't even come close to touching the above ruling. Vaughn Derderian, "Rules for December 21st", 21 Dec 2000
• Q: Hi all,
  So to ask for clarification regarding the new "Targeting Paradoxes" section of Comprehensive Rules as it is not very clear to me when some things should happen from this thread
  viewtopic.php?f=59&t=112030
  If i have The Abbot and a Yojimbo at the Battlefield and a copy of Final Sacrifice in hand. My opponent declares an action (say Block Supply Lines) when does he pay the extra 2g to allow him to target the Abbot? Does he hay to pay it in initial costs step (i.e. before interrupts or targeting in effects block) or when he targets (after interrupts. If he does Pay before can I then final sacrifice to redirect or is it no longer a legal target?
  thanks
  Az
  A: If your opponent wishes to target The Abbot with his Block Supply Lines, he must pay 2g during the Pay Costs step of the action.
  As per the Targeting Paradoxes section, this ties the action to targeting The Abbot: no other card is a legal target (unless that card also has a similar effect that makes the action targeting it cost 2g extra). Alex Jones, "Re: The Abbot", 19 Feb 2015
• Q: If I use Brazen Disregard to prevent my unit from being moved home with Block Supply Lines, does this also prevent my unit from being bowed? Block Supply Lines specifically says "Bow his unit as he moves" ... and he no longer moves.
  Thank you!
  A: Yes, that is correct, and it's the reason Block Supply Lines is worded the way it is. His bowing is contingent upon his moving. So if you prevent the move, he does not bow. Jon Palmer, "Brazen Disregard + Block Supply Lines", 17 Feb 2015
• Q: Does Familiar Terrain gain honour from actions that bow enemy cards "as they move" such as Block Supply Lines?
  Thanks
  A: Yes indeed. Brook Cunningham, "Familiar Terrain & Block Supply Lines", 2 Oct 2014
• Q: 3) If I discard a card from my Fate deck, Block Supply Lines for instance, without using it for its action, then at a later time use it to send an attacking unit home, it would be removed from the game, correct? It first hit the discard pile well before it was used. Since it has been used once and hit the discard once, though, it would be removed, regardless of the order it happened in. Or is it only removed from the game if it has been played, then enters the discard pile for the first time (which seems very powerful).
  A: Any time that it hits the discard pile after it has been played at least once in the game, it gets removed from the game. The first time this happens, it tends to preclude it from happening again. Martin Lund, "EomE Questions", 3 Apr 2005