I may have my first ship to ship encounter in my next game.

I am aware of the chart that explains how many maneuvers it takes to change range bands based on speed.

however, what I don't understand is how two ships with two different speeds affect one another when those two speeds can accomplish the same range modifications.

For instance speeds 2-4 can all accomplish the same range band changes ( as can 5-6) But shouldn't a speed 4 craft be able to out run a speed 2 craft?

Secondly, how do you determine which ship is in front and which behind. and how to Overcome this.

Some ships only have forward mounted weapons, so if they are being chased, this become important to know since they can't fire behind themselves.

So lets say two ships of equal speed, #1 starts out being chased, the other, #2 is the cahsed.

#2 wants to attempted to swap out positions so he can fire at the enemy.

Do I just have the two pilots make opposed Piloting skill checks, and the winner gains the position? Perhaps giving the chaser a Boost die since he is already in position?

Just MHO, but by default every space combat should be a chase, so much of the narrative is assisted by using that framework. EotE core, p241.

For instance speeds 2-4 can all accomplish the same range band changes ( as can 5-6) But shouldn't a speed 4 craft be able to out run a speed 2 craft?

During a chase, if you win the round and are going a faster speed, you can open the lead (or close the gap) by the speed difference in range bands.

Secondly, how do you determine which ship is in front and which behind. and how to Overcome this.

Currently, no such thing. Remember a round is up to a minute long. If it's a chase, consider that in that minute the participants are constantly dodging and angling for position, and shots can be fired as opportunities come up. The one behind might take a wrong turn and end up momentarily in view of the forward cannons of the one in front. That said, you can always use narrative dice results (say, a Triumph on a piloting roll) to deny a shot from an opponent's "logically opposite" weapon.

The only time ship target location comes into play is when someone has successfully done a GTA action...now they can pick which part of the target ship they want to shoot at.

The system actually works okay, even though I'm not a huge fan of it, and I completely avoided it (having only the most rudimentary of chases) until recently.

I think I would agree with you that all vehicle combats (accept maybe Ships larger than Silhouette 4, should be considered chases.

I think I would use the range band part to adjudicate position.

If the person who "Wins" the round on Piloting checks is in the lead/being chased. He could choose to drop into a side by side position or even behind the other vehicle. Dropping in speed accordingly until their next action. I think i would use the Pilots Piloting Skill to determine their Initiative each round as well. Competing Pilot checks being the only determining factor that allows a Change in the initiative order.

Maneuver range movements are for combat and targets that are intent on engaging one another. There is no intent to outdistance each other.

Remember Speed is described as "An abstraction of both speed and acceleration..", it's basically saying more or less don't get wrapped up in a high degree of specificity, or more simply, don't worry about speed 4 relative to speed 6.

If there is intent to get away, then use the chase rules.

The system isn't trying to be a tactical simulator and trying to assign rigid interpretations to those values only leads to trouble in the system.

I think the problem is the devs included too much detail for ships. They should have skipped the speed stat altogether imo and just stuck to a handling stat for how nimble ships are. Then just stuck to the way they handle maneuvers and general range bands like they did in dirt side combat. In ground combat there is no discussion about how fast a Drall runs compared to a Wookiee, precisely because there was no fixed stat applied to distance and movement. Even the racial for Hutts just says they only get one maneuver for movement, it doesn't get into a speed stat.

They could have done the same for large ponderous ships if they wanted to. The speed stat is where ship rules fall down and become confusing I think.

Maneuver range movements are for combat and targets that are intent on engaging one another. There is no intent to outdistance each other.

If there is intent to get away, then use the chase rules.

This.

And I've used GM fiat during chases for weapon facing. If you are being chased (using the chase rules) your front-mounted weapons may not fire on the ship chasing you. If you turn to fire at the ship behind you then you are no longer using the chase rules, but standard combat. This makes turreted weapons or rear-mounted weapons important if you tend to run alot.

The reverse is also true. The chaser can't use rear-facing only weapons when chasing someone.

My players have never had a beef with this.

ETA: In 0G you could actually (easily?) do a flip to fire behind you while keeping your forward momentum. If my players ever bring this up, I plan on reminding them this is Star Wars, not the new Battlestar Galactica. If they argue the point I probably will give in to a mid-chase flip to fire in 0G ableit with setback to Gunnery and/or a Pilot roll required.

Although, I don't ever recall seeing a starfighter in Star Wars use thrusters that weren't on the tail end such as side or front maneuvering thrusters. I recall seeing small thrusters on the Falcon when coming in for a landing, but never on a starfighter. Anyone recall such in Clone Wars or Rebels? Perhaps only allow 0G flips if you have the Maneuvering Thrusters attachment? (Jewel of Yavin 47). ETA: Upon reading Jewel of Yavin, they are only for small vehicles, but perhaps a larger version could be house ruled or created .

LOl Yeah... The way it has always been portrayed in Star Wars is that Space physics is the same as Aeronautical physics.