is it legal to barrel roll into base contact with a ship? it's not technically an "overlap" (but would still prevent that ship from firing at you in the combat round).
Barrel Rolling and Base Contact
is it legal to barrel roll into base contact with a ship? it's not technically an "overlap" (but would still prevent that ship from firing at you in the combat round).
Yes, you can do this, but note that as you point out it is not technically an overlap - therefore the firing restriction during combat would NOT apply. "Base contact" is not the same as "touching", which can only be caused by overlapping.
Um… I don't think that second part is accurate. The rules say that a ship in base contact with another ship cannot fire on that ship. When you overlap someone you move back to the last point you could occupy that is in base contact with them, but it's not the act of overlapping that prevents firing. It's base contact that does.
You can barrel roll so that bases are physically adjacent (think touching), however they will not be touching because there was no overlap involved.
Ships with bases that are physically adjacent to each other can still fire upon each other.
Page number or FAQ link?
I'm asking because someone said this was a legit strategy in a game today. I want to be able to empirically prove or disprove it with something citable.
Page 1 of the FAQ:
“A ship cannot perform a barrel roll if this would cause its base to overlap
another ship or obstacle token, or if the maneuver template overlaps an
obstacle token.”
Which means the end result of barrel rolling is that the ship's bases did not overlap. If you did not overlap, then you did not touch. If you did not touch, then you can shoot each other.
Page 8 of the FAQ also explains that ships can be physically adjacent but not considered touching:
"Touching and Stationary Maneuvers
If a model begins its activation touching another ship and executes a
[0] maneuver, the ships do not overlap each other and are not considered
touching, even though they remain physically adjacent."
But that is under specific parameters.
There's an email from FFG in this thread.
The rules say that a ship in base contact with another ship cannot fire on that ship.
No, they do not, Here is the exact quote from page 17 of the rulebook:
"Ships whose bases are touching cannot declare each
other as a target during the Combat phase while
their bases remain touching. As soon as
either of these ships moves away (so that the bases
are no longer touching), this combat restriction no
longer applies."
Nowhere in that quote is there anything about "base contact". The game term is "touching", and as I said before, "touching" can only be caused when there is an overlap condition. To quote the ruling cited above by Kraedin:
"The only way two ships can become touching is if one ship overlaps another ship when executing a maneuver. The only exception is with a 0 maneuver since this does not cause a ship to actually overlap a ship it was previously touching. A ship cannot becoming touching from a boost or barrel roll since it would have to overlap. Similarly, a maneuver would only cause you to become touching if it overlapped."
I have bolded the relevant sentence.
Edited by ziggy2000
Ok thank you. Today I faced an opponent who was relatively new to our scene. He insisted that he could barrel roll so that we were in contact and that doing so made it impossible for me to shoot him.
Ok thank you. Today I faced an opponent who was relatively new to our scene. He insisted that he could barrel roll so that we were in contact and that doing so made it impossible for me to shoot him.
I hope we've helped. It is a difficult idea that bases in "physical contact" may not be "touching" in game terms, especially since the original rules were written before such a fine distinction became debatable. It still causes conflict to this day. 
yeah they have basically said there is no such thing as 'touching' unless there was an overlap.. 2 ships side by side and in contact but not overlapping are just 2 ships side by side and if in arc one can fire on the other..
admittedly it's a frustrating rule and the language is what messes people up the most I think..
Okay, so I have read the rules, but I'm somewhat confused. Is it possible to enter into a situation where ships are in base-to-base contact without dealing with the mechanics of overlapping (ie. loss of action)?
I've had situations where the moving ship could fit snugly alongside, but my opponent said that such touching was the same as overlapping.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
Your opponent was wrong.
Is it possible to enter into a situation where ships are in base-to-base contact without dealing with the mechanics of overlapping (ie. loss of action)?
See the barrel roll example above.
Ditto Vronk.
interpretation Edited by Mikael HasselsteinSee the barrel roll example above.Is it possible to enter into a situation where ships are in base-to-base contact without dealing with the mechanics of overlapping (ie. loss of action)?
Is that your interpretation?
See the barrel roll example above.Is it possible to enter into a situation where ships are in base-to-base contact without dealing with the mechanics of overlapping (ie. loss of action)?
No, it is the interpretation of Frank Brooks, who is one of the Content Developers of X-Wing.
Is that your interpretation?
No, it is the interpretation of Frank Brooks, who is one of the Content Developers of X-Wing.
Well, pretty sure it's your interpretation too 
You know, given that it's the actual rule and all.
I'm pretty sure the proper stress there should have been on "your" but apparently we're italicizing interpretation this week. Because... well, I have no idea why, honestly.
Interpretation week then. I'm game.
No, it is the interpretation of Frank Brooks, who is one of the Content Developers of X-Wing.Is that your interpretation?See the barrel roll example above.Is it possible to enter into a situation where ships are in base-to-base contact without dealing with the mechanics of overlapping (ie. loss of action)?
He talks about how one comes to be"touching", but doesn't address how snugly two ships can wind up next to one another.
Edited by Mikael Hasselsteinis it legal to barrel roll into base contact with a ship? it's not technically an "overlap" (but would still prevent that ship from firing at you in the combat round).
If you're opponent reckons you can barrel roll and end up touching, tell him "touching is the result of an overlap" and point him to the bottom of page 8. No can do. You can only overlap after a maneuver, so no barrel rolling, boosting or decloaking should end in an overlap. After a maneuver, they're either touching (so no shooting at each other) or they're just reeeeally close.
Edited by ParravonFor my sake, I agree with the notion that unless it clearly is the case that one base cannot put all four corners on the mat, then it is overlapping. But if it can, it's good and does not lose its actions.
However, I'd like to see that in print.
My understanding is:
Touching is a game term. Touching has special rules associated with it (no firing). Currenty the only way to be touching is the result of fixing an overlap (also a game term, with special rules associated). During a game, it may happen that 2 bases are in physical contact. There are no rules associated with physical contact and it's business as usual.
Interpretation week then. I'm game.
And now from the Monty Python team. The rules of X-wing as communicated using interpretive dance!