I searched the forums for an answer to this question and found none, so forgive me if it has already been answered.

Tie fighter travelling at speed 5 attacks a YT-1300 travelling at speed 4.

Range between ships is medium.

Tie won initiative and goes first.

Can the Tie do this?

1) Fly/Drive maneuver and moves from Medium to Close (traveling at speed 5)

2) Action: fires on the YT

3) Takes 2 System and Personal strain to perform 2nd Fly/Drive maneuver to move from Close to Medium.

This takes the Tie out of range of return fire (unless the YT does 2 Fly/Drive maneuvers to move from close to medium on its turn).

If your answer is yes...

Now substitute the YT for a ground mounted quad laser cannon in a turret (or something like it that fires at close range). If the Tie performs the same sequence of maneuvers and actions, the quad cannon does not get a chance to return fire.

Your thoughts?

Forgive me, I spelled Strafing wrong

Turns are in theory simultaneous. The YT-1300 or Ground Turret doesn't just hang out while the Tie fighter does its action, then fires after the Tie stops and waits for it's next turn. I don't see any reason why the strafed target shouldn't fire back, though I might impose a black for the "shortened" targeting window. This is essential the same function as taking cover, being attackable for only part of the turn.

A few points, not in any particular order...

1. Strain is a limited resource. The pilot & fighter must both take 2 (system) strain to perform a second maneuver, so you can't keep this up over any long period of time.

2. A TIE can't even see out to Medium range, since their sensor range is Close and an Easy Computers check is needed to even extend active sensors out to Short range in a specified arc.

3. If I was the target of this tactic, I'd try and initiate a chase (EotE 241) between the little TIE fighter and my freighter.

4. If the TIE fighter is employing this sort of tactic against a ground installation, and the guns didn't reach to Medium range, I would use something like Blanket Barrage (AoR 246). The TIE would be risking a great deal by flying in and attempting a strike!

As flimsy as fighters are, this sounds like reasonable tactic to me. Suddenly A-Wings don't look so scary to fly in.

This is very similar to the guy who was arguing he couldn't be attacked because he "Wasn't taking cover, he was walking out from behind the wall, shooting, then walking back out of LOS."

This is very similar to the guy who was arguing he couldn't be attacked because he "Wasn't taking cover, he was walking out from behind the wall, shooting, then walking back out of LOS."

This is exactly what a Threat is for. You roll a Threat, you get caught out in the open.

Thanks for the responses. Ya gotta love power gamers and their desire to find loop holes in rules.

Awayputurwpn's remarks on sensor range makes sense. Race up on a target too soon and you don't have time to aim your weapons, unless you had a star destroyer with long range sensors feeding you information on the targets position.

Awayputurwpn's remarks on sensor range makes sense. Race up on a target too soon and you don't have time to aim your weapons, unless you had a star destroyer with long range sensors feeding you information on the targets position.

"Motherships" notwithstanding, there's little way to even know where stuff is if you can't sense it. You'd be flying completely blind in space trying to locate something that small outside your sensor range. Bottom line, if your sensors can't see it, how do you know where it is?

By yourself, it'd take at least an action and some sort of (opposed?) skill check to determine the location of a small enemy ship. Success+Threat means you found him: he's right on top of you! Success+Advantage means you've found him, and he is none the wiser.

I think that's part of the reason TIEs always launch from a capital ship... so it can direct them towards the enemy!

It also gives increased utility to the A-Wings with their extreme sensor range - it will see a threat coming long before it sees the A-Wing!