It makes sense, I just feel that it is a little unclear. Especially whether the damage, if it is there, is reduced by ARM or not.
The rule of
= [Push + 1 damage] is under the headline "Damage Tree Results". Immediately above that, it says that ARM is only subtracted from damage originating from a damage tree. So the
is a damage tree result, but it can be applied from a non-attack ability too. Which makes me wonder if it still counts as a damage tree result then.
Compare with the other symbols.
and
are specifically called out in the rulebook as damage tree results, but also as vitality box effects. They can be either, but use the same symbol. So if the symbol always means 100% the same thing, then does a
effect on the vitality track also do 1 damage on the attacking model?
I think reading intuitively, I would venture that all symbols found on the damage tree or in a special ability do + 1 damage, and that if it originates from a special ability rather than an attack, this damage is not reduced by ARM (choosing to interpret the damage as "damage from other effect" rather than "damage from damage tree"). Any symbols found on the vitality track I would venture are meant to only trigger the effect and not the + 1 damage.
I'm curious if this is how it's meant to be played for reals.
Post-clarification edit: Turns out it is not. See below. To summarise:
Symbol effects activated by a special ability always count as if they originate from an attack / damage tree and are resolved as such, including damage, with the exception of symbol effects found on the vitality track. Symbol effects on the vitality track do not include damage. Damage that counts as originating from an attack / damage tree is reduced by ARM.
The damage that counts as "damage from other effect", and is not reduced by ARM, is damage that is not associated with a symbol.