Copied from the other thread so as not to clutter it...

Question, during setup, atomicboxer used the hard two to measure to the B-Wing for what will essentially be his first move. Is that legal? I would have thought it wasn't.

It is legal to use anything but pretty measured templates.

Is this actually how people are interpreting the new rules?

Here's what it says:

"However, players may use their range rulers and maneuver templates to help them set up formations during deployment."

Using the range ruler and maneuver templates to measure between your ships and between ships and the board edges during setup seems to be the intent here. Using a maneuver template or the range ruler for ship alignment, unless when deploying or when executing a maneuver assigned during the planning phase, certainly sounds abusive.

Until the phrasing of the official ruling changes, I would consider pre-aligning against future maneuvers (or any other sort of measuring/aligning using the templates) to be justifiable as being helpful when setting up formations, and therefore legal.

There doesn't appear to be any official word on what constitutes a "formation" so this might well refer the placement of any ships anywhere in the allowed deployment zones, regardless of their proximity to each other. Deciding where to place ships certainly can and does depend on where other ships are placed, including the opponent's.

Official clarification on that would be great, of course.

The rule clearly say you can use the ruler and any movement template during the setup. I sure don't see any restrictions on how they are used. You want to use them and clearly telegraph your opening moves, which can often be guessed anyway, that's up to you.

If you want really crazy I don't see why you couldn't use those tools to build your own "layout" template.

The rule clearly say you can use the ruler and any movement template during the setup. I sure don't see any restrictions on how they are used. You want to use them and clearly telegraph your opening moves, which can often be guessed anyway, that's up to you.

If you want really crazy I don't see why you couldn't use those tools to build your own "layout" template.

I thought I remember reading somewhere that this is illegal.

However, it does seem simpler to just make a sheet of printer paper with cutouts for where to put the TIE Swarm that you could lay on the play area.

The rule clearly say you can use the ruler and any movement template during the setup. I sure don't see any restrictions on how they are used. You want to use them and clearly telegraph your opening moves, which can often be guessed anyway, that's up to you.

If you want really crazy I don't see why you couldn't use those tools to build your own "layout" template.

I thought I remember reading somewhere that this is illegal.

However, it does seem simpler to just make a sheet of printer paper with cutouts for where to put the TIE Swarm that you could lay on the play area.

Making a paper template is explicitly illegal in tournament play.

Using maneuver templates and range rulers to measure while setting up is permitted. I think StevenO is referring to using an arrangement of templates and rulers to place your ships during setup.

I don't see any reason why this couldn't include using templates to measure your ships relation to points ahead of them on the board, in addition to their relationship to other ships or the board edges.

The rule clearly say you can use the ruler and any movement template during the setup. I sure don't see any restrictions on how they are used. You want to use them and clearly telegraph your opening moves, which can often be guessed anyway, that's up to you.

If you want really crazy I don't see why you couldn't use those tools to build your own "layout" template.

I thought I remember reading somewhere that this is illegal.

However, it does seem simpler to just make a sheet of printer paper with cutouts for where to put the TIE Swarm that you could lay on the play area.

My suggestion to use the tools to make your own layout template meant to actually use those tools. Earthworm sees what I'm saying there in that you use the tools as your "template" which of course makes one say "why not just have some kind of custom template?"