Surround Them Scheme

[AndreyF]

This is the description of the scheme from Gaining Grounds 2018:
 

Quote

This Scheme may not start revealed.

At the end of the game, this Crew earns 1 VP if it has a Scheme Marker within 6" of a Table Corner in the enemy crew's deployment zone.
At the end of the game, this Crew earns 1 VP for each other Table Corner with a friendly Scheme Marker within 6" (up to a maximum of 2 VP). Only one Table Corner within this Crew's Deployment Zone may count towards this Scheme

Is the first mentioned Scheme Marker near Table Corner in the enemy deployment zone mandatory or not?
I've been told it was discussed somewhere on this forum, and consensus was it is not mandatory. But I cannot find the thread and If it is not mandatory, then how could you place markers in other corners? Other then what? And if so, why not just remove first paragraph and make it (up to a maximum of 3 VP)?

[Gulil]

I think it is the same as power ritual, up to a very small change (and the revealed part): to score three VP you must have one of the markers in the enemy deployment zone.

This makes a difference only for corner or flank deployment. In power ritual you could score three point with one in your corner and two in the corners on the centerline. In surround them one marker has to be in the opponents corner to score all three points.

My reason to believe that this is the way it is intended is due to the extra note   (up to a maximum of 2 VP). If the first was mandatory this is superfluous because you can in total only score 3 VP for any scheme. But if you can score it without the first part it is indeed important.

[Clement]

I'm going back and forth looking at the wording between this and old school Power Ritual and wondering why the wording choices if not to force the first scheme marker somewhere.

Quote

Power Ritual (13)
A potent ceremony must be completed... or stopped dead.
At the end of the game, for each Table Corner that this Crew has a Scheme marker within 6” of, this Crew earns 1 VP. Only one Table Corner within this Crew’s Deployment Zone may count towards this Scheme.

If this Scheme is revealed and this Crew earns at least 2 VP from this Scheme, it earns 1 additional VP.

Aside from the old scheme reveal bits of course.

Thinking through it, I think your interpretation makes sense.  If the first marker isn't in the opponents corner, then you can't get to the "Other" parts.  I feel like it could have used the word "Additional" then to clarify.

[Angelshard]

As I read it You have to have one qualifying marker in the opponents deployment zone to score any points 

[santaclaws01]

On 1/18/2018 at 1:30 PM, Clement said:

I'm going back and forth looking at the wording between this and old school Power Ritual and wondering why the wording choices if not to force the first scheme marker somewhere.

Aside from the old scheme reveal bits of course.

Thinking through it, I think your interpretation makes sense.  If the first marker isn't in the opponents corner, then you can't get to the "Other" parts.  I feel like it could have used the word "Additional" then to clarify.

Power ritual didn't force you to put a scheme marker in the opponents deployment zone in corner and flank deployment. This one does.