Siege Engine in 19th printing

[Gryphon]

Hello!
I'm currently trying to figure out how new rules and cards work. My question is about Siege Engine:

Originally Posted by Munchkin Change Log

You can ride in the Siege Engine at the start of combat. It does not count against Big items in play. If you do use the Siege Engine, you are -1 to Run Away.

So (how I see it) Siege Engine is like Casting Couch now — at the start of the combat I must decide whether I use it. If I choose to use Siege Engine, it stops to count as Big item, so... And this is the point I don't catch. What is a purpose to have one less Big item in combat if I can't play another one (since I am in combat and can't change my gear)?
Or maybe this ruling says that it never counts as Big? So the caption "Big" was removed?

[StaticHamster]

It never counts towards your limit of Big Items.

It retains the Big status however because it benefits from being Big (not being able to be stolen by Thieves)

[Gryphon]

Oh! So it is like Steed, which carry itself? Thanks!

[MunchkinMan]

Actually, the wording on the card implies that if you're riding in the Siege Engine, it doesn't count against your Big Items, not that it never counts against your Big Items. We'll need Andrewic confirmation, however, on this one. . .

[Gryphon]

Well, currently I haven't new version of this card — all I got is change log...

[MunchkinMan]

I more than understood that, but that doesn't change the fact that StaticHamster made an incorrect statement that had to be corrected.

[StaticHamster]

Yes, sorry MM. My use of "never" was completely wrong as when you are not riding it, it does count toward your Big Items.

It is a very confusing card though.

Apparently you can chose to ride in the Siege Engine at the start of a combat and this gives the "benefit" of not counting towards your Big items at the penalty of a -1 to run away. Of course since it is decided at the start of combat you cannot play any more Big items so you pretty much had to have all your Big items legal in the first place so its really no benefit at all.

There is no reason to ride the Siege Engine unless you want a penalty to run away or for those rare instances where you can equip an item in combat (like Help me out Here).

I had thought that the intent was to make it more like a vehicle, where if you are riding the Siege Engine it gives a constant penalty to run away but does not count towards your limit of Big Items.

[Gryphon]

Well, change log says (I inserted the numbers to separate the statements):
1. It does not count against Big items in play.
2. If you do use the Siege Engine, you are -1 to Run Away.

So I think it never counts though. Let's wait for Andrew...

[StaticHamster]

Was this ever confirmed?

[Gryphon]

Um... Hello? Is anybody here?
I am sorry, I know how you guys "LIKE" when users bumping old threads up, but I really need your qualification... The Siege Machine is the last card that was change in 19th printing with changing that I still don't understand...