so the big question we came across this week in playing is with overlapping ships. Let me try and set the stage, two imperial ships in a line, one rebel ships (3 speed) plots its move and would hit the second imperial ship but cannot be placed because of this ship , our understanding is you then have to reduce speed (2), and try and place again, this time you cannot place the ship because it hits the first imperial ship, so you reduce again , speed (1) and now you can place the ship.

So the real question is which ship takes the ramming damage Imperial ship 2 or imperial ship 1.

Sorry submitted in wrong place last time

Quouting the RRG:

"If a ship executes a maneuver and its final position would overlap another ship, it cannot finish its maneuver normally. Instead, temporarily reduce its speed by one (without changing the speed dial) and move the ship at the new speed. This process continues until the ship can finish its maneuver, even if that maneuver is to remain in place at speed “0.” Then deal one facedown damage card to the ship that moved and the closest ship that it overlapped.

So in your case, the ship that has to take the damage was the first imperial ship in the line (the closest to the rebel ship)

With Obligatory FAQ mention that doesn't really give any new information


Q: When a ship overlaps more than one ship, how does a player determine which of those ships is closest?

A: The player measures range to the overlapped ship that appears to be closer and temporarily marks that measurement (such as by holding his or her thumbnail where the ruler reaches the overlapped ship). Retaining that measurement, he or she measures range to the other overlapped ship. If the second range measurement is beyond the marked measurement, the first ship is closer; otherwise, the second ship is closer.

so the big question we came across this week in playing is with overlapping ships. Let me try and set the stage, two imperial ships in a line, one rebel ships (3 speed) plots its move and would hit the second imperial ship but cannot be placed because of this ship , our understanding is you then have to reduce speed (2), and try and place again, this time you cannot place the ship because it hits the first imperial ship, so you reduce again , speed (1) and now you can place the ship.

So the real question is which ship takes the ramming damage Imperial ship 2 or imperial ship 1.

Sorry submitted in wrong place last time

If I've mentally illustrated your example correctly, the rebel ship and imperial ship 1 take damage:

[Reb] -> [imp1] [imp2]

I was the other player in this game. I'm interested in an answer for this as well.

I have a diagram to make the mental illustration more concrete for everyone

.

Gozanti 2 is dealt damage because damage is dealt after you place your ship in it's final position. The closest of the potential overlapped ships (after you move) is the one dealt damage.

Correct, Gozanti 2 takes damage. And nothing on the Assault Frigate (because the ship it collided with, a flotilla, doesn't render it damage)