This question came up while reading a post concerning how one can perform a barrel roll before moving. A user posted than in addition to Advanced Sensors Lando Calrissian's pilot ability can potentially also allow a barrel roll before movement.

I've never used Lando so I had to check his card. It states, "After you execute a green maneuver, choose 1 other friendly ship at Range 1. That ship may perform 1 free action shown in its action bar."

I've never given any thought to free actions other than 1) Is the ship stressed? and 2) Is the ship attempting to perform the same action twice?

For example, say Lando (PS 7) attempts to give an action to Biggs (PS 5) who previously activated. Without thinking I'm sure many of us would just allow Biggs to take a free action no questions asked. But have we missed something?

Is there something more fundamental we've missed, namely 3) Has the ship's activation phase already passed? I can give free actions all day long, but do I have a way to spend them? I've scoured the rules and I can't find anything allowing an action (free or not) to be taken outside of the ship's activation phase. Tokens can be spent anytime appropriate but it seems actions are limited to the activation phase.

According to that, many abilities simply wouldn't work.

Namely, any free action you got after attacking, since your activation phase already has passed. For example, Turr Phennir could never activate his ability if it could do it only in the activation phase.

Also, squad leader is useless, since you can only use it on pilots with lower skill than you, who have already finished its activation.

Free actions occur when the requisites to gain/grant them are meet. The actual round's phase doesn't matter. Also, cards have prevalence over general rules. If the upgrade card tells you to perform a free action now, you must do so, regardless what the general rules say (or don't say).

I thought about that and certain cards do allow you to take actions outside of the activation phase, yet the rules seem to limit your actions to the activation phase.

As you brought up, Turr Phennir's pilot ability specifically states, "After you perform an attack, you may perform a free boost or barrel roll action." Using the Golden Rule of gaming, the card overrides the rules and allows Turr to take an action after he attacks (and after the activation phase.) Similarly, the language of Squad Leader also allows you to take an action outside of the activation phase.

I've also been thinking about this question from another standpoint. What if Lando gives a free action to a ship that has yet to activate? Does that ship immediately take the free action or wait until it's activation phase to use it?

No. The rules give you 1 action during your activation phase. A free action can be taken at any time as long as you are able to do so.

Page 8, Rulebook

If an ability allows a ship to perform a "free Action," this action does not count as the one action allowed during the "Perform Action" step.

Free actions are given out and resolved when they trigger.

So Lando could give a free action to a PS7 yet to activate, or a PS 8-9-10-11-or 12. They would then be able to use the free action before they activated, activate, and then use their perform action step to do another action (just not the one they chose when they did the free one as you cannot duplicate actions in a round).

No. The rules give you 1 action during your activation phase. A free action can be taken at any time as long as you are able to do so.

I believe this SHOULD be the case, but I can't find anything in writing that backs this up.

Page 8, Rulebook

If an ability allows a ship to perform a "free Action," this action does not count as the one action allowed during the "Perform Action" step.

Free actions are given out and resolved when they trigger.

Agreed, on the action does not count as the one action allowed. And I actually want to agree with your 2nd point but there is no official mechanic allowing for it.

Page 8, Rulebook

If an ability allows a ship to perform a "free Action," this action does not count as the one action allowed during the "Perform Action" step.

Free actions are given out and resolved when they trigger.

Agreed, on the action does not count as the one action allowed. And I actually want to agree with your 2nd point but there is no official mechanic allowing for it.

Sure there is. Forgive me for not citing pages and quoting, but I'm at work

Abilities resolve when their conditions are met. You resolve all of the ability right then. So when Lando executes a green maneuver, you do everything for that ability right then. In this case, that's an action.

Normally, you can only take actions during your Perform Action step, but the "cards beat rules" makes this work.

Core Rules. Page 20:

Breaking the Rules
Some abilities on cards conflict with
the general rules. In case of a conflict,
card text overrides the general rules.

If one card ability forbids an effect,
while another ability allows it, the effect
is forbidden.

From the FAQ of April 14, 2014 - Page 10

Q: If a ship is required to skip its “Perform Action” step (for
example, if it overlapped an obstacle), is it still allowed to
perform free actions outside of the “Perform Action” step?
A: Yes.

I don't really get the confusion with the timing, they say in the card when it happens:

Lando: "After you execute a green maneuver, choose 1 other friendly ship at Range 1. That ship may perform 1 free action shown in its action bar."

So when does the ship get the free action? After Lando completes his green maneuver.

Did Lando just complete a green maneuver? Yes? Then a friendly at range one takes a free action.

I fail to see any ambiguity.

Some of the abilities on cards use the term "immediately" while others do not. In the case of Lando's ability, can he wait until the combat phase to give the free action (provided he executed a green maneuver during movement)? Or Turr Phennir, does he have to boost or barrel roll immediately after his attack and before the next pilot attacks? For example, if an enemy ship is in his way, can he wait to see if that ship is destroyed by other fire thereby clearing the way for him to boost or barrel roll?

The action or ability triggered must be used when it happens. You can't "bank" the trigger and use it later, unfortunately.