Hello as I'm sure most people will have noticed over the last two years of X-wing a certain upgrade card has become virtually an auto-include in any list which features one or more Large Based ships, namely the Modification Engine Upgrade. Why is it so prevalent? Because as the rules currently work giving a Large Based ship a Boost action dramatically increases its value to that player, far more so then it does on small ships. This is because in the current version of the rules a Large based ship taking a boost action moves forwards 3 Small Ship Lengths, while a Small based ship only moves forwards 2 Small Ship Lengths. As a rule of thumb in this article when I refer to "Ship Lengths" I am always referring to the length of a Small Ship's base as a unit of measurement.
Check it out, here are comparisons of the movements of some Large Based ships and an A-wing, which in the lore should be the fastest ship in the game at sub-light speeds (The Millenium Falcon is only the fastest ship in the galaxy at Hyperdrive speeds, otherwise its a space 18 wheeler.).
Current Method
As you can see when each ship moves at its fastest manuever all three ships travel the same distance. But once they boost both the Decimator and YT-1300 pull out in front. Score one big ships, the 18 wheelers apparently outrun the Ferraris in the Star Wars universe.
Current Method
Its even more noticeably when the ships perform a 1-bank boost. Now not only have the large ships moved considerably further forwards than the A-wing but they have also completed a wider turn.
The main problem with the rules as is is that they've created a situation in which Large ships are SO fast and maneuverable that they can dominate smaller ships quite easily, not only outgunning them and having more hit points but also being able to outpace and often outmaneuver them. I'm sure most players have experienced the "keep away" tactics often employed by players using boosts to have Large Ships arc dodge better than actual arc dodging ships can.
This has been recognized as a rules issue for a while, or at least the majority of players I've met have expressed concern over it, and has helped to contribute to the current "two ship list or bust" meta we often see at most tournaments. We already have seen a similar "too good" movement mechanic be toned down with the change to how barrel rolls work for Large Based ships, the challenge has been figuring out a simple way to tone down boosts. The challenge is that the previously presented and considered fixes to this issue have not worked very well, they were either too complicated, two clunky in application, or did not achieve a similar enough form of movement to the regular boost mechanic to be viable.
Here is the method I would recommend be tried and if it is deemed acceptable be implemented in the FAQ/Errata.
First we have a Large Based Ship, in this case a YT-1300. Its controller decides to do a Straight Boost. Ordinarily the player would then place a 1 straight maneuver token between the front nubs of the ships base and move the ship to the opposite side of the movement tile, resulting in a total forward movement of 3 Ship Lengths (As was shown in the tables above). Small ships using the same method only get to move 2 ship lengths forwards, so how can we make move types of ship move the same distance? Here is how.
First we will place a 2 straight maneuver token.
Step 1.
Now we will place another maneuver token on the opposite end of the 2 straight maneuver token to mark our destination point.
Step 2.
Remove the 2 straight from the table while holding down the 1 straight.
Step 3.
And lastly move the YT-1300 up to the 1 straight maneuver token. Total distance traveled: 2 ship lengths forwards.
Step 4.
Ok so it works well for ships doing a Straight Boost, bringing large ships exactly in line with small ships in terms of total distance covered by the move. But does it work for Bank Boosts as well? This has been the major failing of the other methods players have recommended for trying to fix this issue.
Ok again we have a YT-1300, this time a Left Bank Boost has been chosen by the player.
First place the 2 Left Bank maneuver token.
Step 1.
Next again place the 1 Straight maneuver token on the opposite end of the 2 Bank.
Step 2.
Again remove the 2 bank.
Step 3.
And finally move the YT-1300 up to the 1 Straight token. Total distance moved is about 1.5 Ship lengths.
Step 5.
Next we will see how Large Based Ships moved using this method compare with Small Based Ships moving the same way and then have a side by side comparison of the two methods. As I've hit the limit for attaching pictures to this one post that will by in a reply below. As a quick point if you try this out you will find that it really takes the same amount of time as the current method and it is just as easy to deal with bumps or attempting maneuvers around nearby ships as the current method is.