Also this:

Players must fully resolve each ship’s activation before moving on to the

next ship—this includes fully executing that ship’s maneuver (resolving any

collisions or card effects) and performing all of that ship’s actions. Each ship

in a squad must activate, move, and perform its action individually, even if a

player is moving several ships of the same pilot skill and selecting the same

maneuvers or actions.

This reinforced that the "move them all in a clump at once" and then focus them all approach is not legitimate in a competitive situation.

Here is one for you. Someone else mentioned this and none of the sticklers to the rules ever addressed it.

When your ship is passing through another ship, how do you handle it? Do you mark the ship in the way with the 1 straight, pick it up off the table, move your ship with the correct template, and then replace the original ship?

Or, do you follow the rules:

To execute a maneuver through another ship, the

player should hold the movement template above the

ships and make his best estimation of where the ship

should end its movement. Then he picks up his ship

and moves it to its final location. Both players must

agree on the ship’s final position and facing.

Everyone I have ever played with has done the first option. They mark the ship. It's more accurate and feels correct. They do it in sponsored tournaments too.

So I ask, what are the rule stickers doing? Are you walking the walk, or talking the talk? Because if you have ever marked and then moved a ship, you are arguing against your own behavior.

We need a best practices thread for x-wing, as the rules as written here are less exacting than the first method.

The irony is not lost on me, but I think the rules sticklers are more intent on getting the most precise game possible and likely using the most precise method.

It saves time to move my two PS6 Tie fighters, then go grab the tokens from the token box while my opponent is moving.

Any time saved is lost when we get into a discussion when you do something other then a focus action. That is the biggest issue with doing it that way. Sure if it's just a focus it may not matter, but a lot of other actions do. If you get in the habit of moving then action then you will find yourself trying to do something that does matter and the other guy will call you on it.

At that point the second or so you saved will cost you a number of minutes.

Doing it that way is quite simply against the rules in the rule book, and again clearly laid out in the most recent FAQ. It also doesn't actually change anything in the long run. The amount of time you save is pretty small, not enough to even get in another round.

But it does lead to sloppy playing, and will more then likely end up costing you more time then you could ever save.

Why have rules if expecting your opponent to adhere to them is going to get you branded some kind of tyrant who doesn't want to have fun?

We're not talking about some arcane rule variation. We're talking about basic core concepts. Choosing a maneuver. Declaring an action. It's the heart of the game. And honestly, if someone can't be bothered to get those steps right, I probably don't want to play with them. Knowing the rules and following them is a courtesy too, you know.