Hey guys, I know this has been discussed before, but I'm not sure if we have an official resolution.

I was playing at a tournament recently, and while deciding which ship to activate, I used the maneuver tool to just kind of eyeball movement ranges. My opponent commented that maneuver tool pre measurement wasn't allowed. He didn't make a big deal about it (casual tournament) or anything.

So I was curious, I know that people have speculated that this is the case, but I haven't seen anything official or definitive to confirm it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also, it definitely wasn't an issue of slow play, or a slow play accusation.

It is allowed. The rules specifically states this.

That's what I thought, right? Pre measurement is allowed.

I know the question came about because somewhere else in the rules it references that you can pre measure with the range ruler, which led some to think that pre measurement was exclusive to the range ruler.

I think you can only use the maneuver tool during the determine course step...

Premeasuring

• Players can measure with either side of the range ruler

at any time.

• The maneuver tool can be placed and adjusted freely

during the “Determine Course” step of executing a

maneuver to assist in determining a course. A ship is not

committed to a course until the guides of the maneuver

tool are inserted into the ship’s base.

Related Topics: Maneuver Tool, Range and Distance

Gibbobobo will like this.

This post includes a ruling from James about triangulation when you premeasure. It also confirms that premeasure is allowed

I got an official response. Not the response I wanted, exactly, but there it is.

"While the range ruler can be used at any time, the maneuver tool is indeed limited to the Determine Course step.

Thanks for playing!

James Kniffen

Game Designer

Fantasy Flight Games

[email protected]"

I was wondering that the other day when I was using it to pre-measure for a Demolisher's second attack. But I was using it before my first attack to decide which arc to shoot with before moving.

How do you guys premeasure movement? Do you just set the maneuver tool down next to the ship without slotting it in to the base? It seems like it's almost the same thing as slotting it in but still allowed by the rules?

How do you guys premeasure movement? Do you just set the maneuver tool down next to the ship without slotting it in to the base? It seems like it's almost the same thing as slotting it in but still allowed by the rules?

Yes, no slotting is allowed if you want to make a different measurement as you will be locked in. Another way is to hold above the ships to get an approximation...

I got an official response. Not the response I wanted, exactly, but there it is.

"While the range ruler can be used at any time, the maneuver tool is indeed limited to the Determine Course step.

Thanks for playing!

James Kniffen

Game Designer

Fantasy Flight Games

[email protected]"

I'm curious, would this allow you to estimate an opponent's movement? The rules say premeasuring is allowed during the Determine Course step, but they don't say you can only premeasure for your own ships.

Would this theoretically allow you to premeasure to see where your opponent is likely to end up, as long as you do it during this step?

I don't see why you'd want to measure to see where he'll end up. He could very easily just click a joint differently and he'll be nowhere near where you pre-measured him to be.

Because you can get a general idea of where he will be at different clicks. It allows you to get ahead of the possibilities. It's like chess, knowing where something will be or could be is vital information

Yeah, you wouldn't plan their turn for them, but you could get an idea of their options.

Yeah but there is no dice in chess. "If he moves here, I can shoot with this.... and 4 blanks and an accuracy." And he then just moves away....

With people too worried about triangulation and slow play, worrying about where he will be and pre-measuring to get a better idea will only make games longer.

With slow ships like the VSD, he can only really move in a small area anyway so you have a general idea of where he'll end up AT THE END of next turn. At this time, it's really only the Gladiator that can move-shoot so unless you're maneuvering against a ship that has not acted yet, I don't see the point of worrying where he'll end up. Just worry about where YOUR ship ends up and make sure his shot is as difficult as you can make it. If you're maneuvering against a ship that HAS ACTED this turn, same thing... make sure his shot on your ship (which will happen NEXT TURN) is as difficult as possible.

With faster ships, then again that 1-click difference can result in a very big shift in position and with all the possible yaw-clicks that he can do...

So while I see the point in "seeing where he'll end up," I just think that there are too many variables (on fast ships) to make it worthwhile or too few variables (on slow ships) that a rough guesstimate will do.

I'm sure somebody will tell me what I'm missing and if they could provide a concrete scenario, I'd love to hear it!

There is still math. You roll 3 red dice, you have a 25% chance to miss, a 12.5% chance to double hit, etc. You roll 3 blue dice you have a 50% chance to hit, 25% to crit and 25% chance to get an accuracy.

Getting an idea of where they can go allows you to plot mentally their next move since that is what matters, it let's you know where you should go so that you can get the attack you want.

Remember, you are not planning for this turn and you usually want to plan for the turn after the next, that is where the most damage will come.

It's called long term planning and looking at the big picture. The mini combat from ship to ship or squadrons is the small picture and watching just that means you are losing out in the tactical planning the big picture gives you.