Seeing as 3.5km long warships with ancient plasma-drives don't actually exist, it isn't really possible to know how they'd actually really operate is it?

Anyway, we playtested a few different space combat systems for RT, and the final version is the one we found to give the best playability, and the best tactical options.

I've not got a copy of the book yet, so I don't know if the final published version has changed any from the final playtest version, but I hope it hasn't.

Savage said:

Um, ya, it is. We can extrapolate how they'd behave in the vacuum based on what we know of it's properties, the properties of mass in a vacuum, and the properties of kinetic energy within a vacuum. So ya, it's possible. Granted, it's not solid as we don't actually have a 3.5lkm long space ship with plasma engines, but we can make educated guesses on how such should function based upon what we have observed and what we already know.

I'm just very confused at the idea that maneuvering would play any part at all in a battle between gargantuan starships, each several kms long, taking place over distances of tens or hundreds of thousands of kms.

Seems like a bit too much "miniatures rules" for an RPG.

Grashnak said:

Well, even at those sorts of distances, putting the maximum number of your guns facing the enemy at a point where the minimum number of his are facing you is still an entirely worthwhile tactic.

Manoeuvring on such a scale is grand movements - starships moving tens of thousands of kilometres and making large course adjustments - rather than precise little stunts.