"I think I get this, it was just that example I don't think if the Archer is trying to shoot a guard I don't think dagger guy or Javelin Feat guy are augments. To me they are alternative ways to take out the guard, the Javelin Feat sounding like the best option. To me, and augment would be casting Sureshot on the guy so he couldn't miss, or silence to prevent the guard from calling out - though that isn't really part of the SAME ACTION but a separate [automatically successful?] action."
(capitalisation mine...)
That's the difference between how I see things and you see things. To me contests in HeroQuest aren't about resolving actions - they're about whether the players achieve a goal or not.
In this case the goal is to get past whatever security is in place. The players decided to lob shit at the guard until he falls over. However they could have snuck in, flown over, tunnelled under, done the "these aren't the droids you're looking for" trick or something else - it's still the same contest 'cause it's got the same goal. As all the player characters are working towards the same goal then it seems reasonable to use a simple contest with augments for the players that want to get involved. Your mileage may vary and if you think another technique's better then fill yer boots - it probably is for you and your players.
One thing I got wrong in that example is having varying degrees of difficulty for augments. The rules don't include that as a possibility (all augment checks are against moderate difficulty) and I've only occasionally broken the rules like that and never in the last year or so.
AND if the players care about something as throw away as that example then say sod it, make it an extended contest and let them all pile in and have a chance to do something interesting.
Cheers,
Ash
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