Area Fire and Overwatch

[GazeboMimic]

Is the soldier's 8th level Overwatch feat intended to work with area fire weapons?

It should be incompatible because it involves a ranged weapon Strike and area weapons can't Strike. This would make it a feat usable only by automatic weapons, which isn't that unusual among soldier feats. However, Overwatch also takes the time to specify that it ignores the unwieldy trait, which no automatic weapon has. In terms of soldier weaponry, only area ranged weapons have it.

Perhaps it was mistakenly assumed that the unwieldy trait was what prevented area weapons from making strikes when writing the text for Overwatch?

[Baarogue]

Area Fire weapons can't normally be fired as a Strike. But as with the Primary Target soldier class feature, I would rule that this feat allows it as a case of Specific Overrides General. Even in the playset, the unwieldy trait only forbids Strikes as part of a reaction - not altogether. So I doubt it was misunderstood for this feat

[Rotfell]

RAW, you can't use overwatch for area fire, as other with primary target, there is no specific that beats the general rule written in there.
Including the unwieldy clause in the text may be simple future proofing (writing a rule in a way, with still non-existing rules/mechanics in mind).

To be fair, a lot of the soldier feats seem kinda wonky whenever it comes to area weapons, as the trait itself and the "you can only fire these weapons using area fire" often conflicts.

[The Dragon Reborn]

Rotfell wrote:

RAW, you can't use overwatch for area fire, as other with primary target, there is no specific that beats the general rule written in there.

Including the unwieldy clause in the text may be simple future proofing (writing a rule in a way, with still non-existing rules/mechanics in mind).

To be fair, a lot of the soldier feats seem kinda wonky whenever it comes to area weapons, as the trait itself and the "you can only fire these weapons using area fire" often conflicts.

I played and been ruling that you can. We think the unwieldy comment of there specifically to allow strikes but is just poorly written. We won't know until the errata, but that's how everyone I know is playing it.