So, while perusing the overlap section in the rules guide (yes, this is what I do in my spare time, don't judge me) I find this little gem:

Rules Guide pg 8

Overlapping

#3rd bullet point

"If a ship must execute a maneuver at a reduced speed due to overlapping another ship, it is allowed to overlap the maneuver tool in its final position. "

Is that referring to this rule?:

Rules Guide pg 8

Ship Movement

3rd bullet point

" . . . if it would overlap the maneuver tool, rest the ship's position, insert the maneuver tool into the opposite side of the ship, and move the ship."

Is this specifically saying that you can insert the maneuver tool into the "wrong" side of the ship if a collision happens when inserting it normally? (Granted still treating it as an overlap.)

Or is there something else going on here?

No, you still have to have the tool on the same side. But by moving your ship backwards one joint (to reduce speed) it may cause you to overlap the tool depending on how you have positioned it. Its just saying this is ok.

So, while perusing the overlap section in the rules guide (yes, this is what I do in my spare time, don't judge me) I find this little gem:

Rules Guide pg 8

Overlapping

#3rd bullet point

"If a ship must execute a maneuver at a reduced speed due to overlapping another ship, it is allowed to overlap the maneuver tool in its final position. "

Is that referring to this rule?:

Rules Guide pg 8

Ship Movement

3rd bullet point

" . . . if it would overlap the maneuver tool, rest the ship's position, insert the maneuver tool into the opposite side of the ship, and move the ship."

Is this specifically saying that you can insert the maneuver tool into the "wrong" side of the ship if a collision happens when inserting it normally? (Granted still treating it as an overlap.)

Or is there something else going on here?

Yeah, that's worded a bit funky. Basically, for most turning maneuvers your ship would end up in different final positions if you used the maneuver tool on one side of the ship or the other. For consistency (and ease of placement) they've made the rule that you have to avoid overlapping the tool in your final position.

When you have a collision, you back your ship up to an earlier endpoint on the maneuver tool. If you had some kind of zig-zag in your maneuver, this could mean that your ship will end up overlapping the maneuver tool. The rule is trying to say that you do not switch the tool to the other side of the ship to avoid overlap. The tool was placed the way it was because of the way things were for the original intended maneuver, and if you switch sides with the maneuver tool to accommodate the slower collision speed you would be altering the ship's path.

Short Version - When planning a maneuver, you insert the maneuver tool into the ship base on the side that would avoid overlap in the final position. This is now the one and only path that your ship is using for its maneuver. If there is a collision, you back the ship up along that path, even if there ends up being overlap. You cannot change the side the tool is on in the event of a collision, as that would alter the path.

But you can pre measure... Wouldn't you choose the side or yaw that won't cause you to collide (if you wanted to)?

But you can pre measure... Wouldn't you choose the side or yaw that won't cause you to collide (if you wanted to)?

Sometimes a collision is unavoidable, no matter what you try to do with the maneuver tool.

Ah, a zig zag. That's what I was looking for. Couldn't think of a situation this would happen till you mentioned that. Gotcha.

I have a question to follow up here. If your ship is at speed 4, let's say, and you collide with a ship. I know you have to bring it back one speed joint but what if that doesn't bring it back enough so it is not touching, do you bring it back one more joint or leave your ship touching the other ship.?

@Beatty that is correct. Keep reducing by 1 until you're not overlapping.

@Beatty that is correct. Keep reducing by 1 until you're not overlapping.

Kind of going off that last question, what exactly happens after the damage is dealt for the collision? For example: Played for the first time with my brother and he rammed my VSD head on with is nebulon, we dealt the damage but since it says in the rules to reduce speed to avoid a collision in movement we were both kind of... stuck. I ended up just blasting him to oblivion at point blank range but would we have been able to move through each other to get past?

You can move through another ship, so long as your final position is not overlapping. In the case where you don't have enough speed to do so (and neither does the other ship) you will continue to ram each other every turn until somebody is destroyed or speeds up enough to get past.

I'd like to see a collision reduce a ship's speed by 1 beyond the maneuver, but I can see how that would get abused as much or more than ramming.