Hi there!

The missus and I were playing a game the other day. We're new to the game and a bit unsure on the rules of free actions. It states in the rulebook that they can be used even if a ship has skipped its perform action step. Does this mean that they can be activated at any time you fancy?

Second part, is does the Expert Handling free barrel roll count as your one regular action in the perform action step, or does it count as a free action on top of an action already taken? Having the word free in there confused us.

Cheers!

What is "free" about a Free action is the break away from the Perform Action step and that is pretty much it. I believe every free action has some specific trigger that allows it so when that trigger happens you either use it or you do not; you can't use it any time you want.

When you activate Expert Handling, your regular action in the Perform Action step is "Expert Handling," wherein you do the stuff described by the Action: header on Expert Handling. One of the things it directs you to do is take a "free barrel roll action". The barrel roll has to be a free action because your one regular action is already spoken for. They could also have said "perform a barrel roll" (like Decloak) and had you do the movement but not treat it as an action.

StevenO covered the first part, there's always some sort of trigger condition for free actions, so while they can be performed outside the Perform Action step you still have to meet the condition.

In the specific instances of Expert Handling, it has the Action: header, which means using it requires an action. Performing the Expert Handling action lets you perform a free Barrel Roll action, along with the other effects. So note, that you cannot use Expert Handling, and then from some other trigger(typically Push the Limit) perform Barrel Roll as an action in the same turn, since you still can't barrel roll twice.

Got sidetracked but with Expert Handling the "free" barrel roll is triggered by using your Action on Expert Handling. If you don't use EH then you can't use the BR.

When it comes to actions "free" is an often misinterpreted word. If frees the action of normal timing but controls that by giving it a new timing limitation to follow instead.

-snip-

They could also have said "perform a barrel roll" (like Decloak) and had you do the movement but not treat it as an action.

This would, however, let you Barrel Roll and Expert Handling together, either through Darth Vader's ability or Experimental Interface, for the ultimate in arc-dodging technology.

That is why Ex Hand was in the first FAQ, btw.