So this came up last night with a new player and I wasn't 100% sure on the ruling.

He declared a barrel roll to the left and then tried it with the template all the way to the front before moving the ship. There was an asteroid in the way so he couldn't complete it no matter how he adjusted the ship after moving it so he put the ship back where it started. However, he DID have space to complete a barrel roll on that side if he moved the template to the back of the base before moving the ship but this would not be good because he would then have to go over the rock.

So my question would be does he HAVE to try every possible placement of the template or just adjustment of the base off the first placement of the template?

He went ahead and completed the barrel roll to the back and it ultimately made no difference in the game but would be good to know in the future.

From the FAQ page 5:

Performing a Barrel Roll

When performing a barrel roll, a player must first declare from which side of

the ship’s base the action will be performed. Then, he measures to see if the

ship is able to perform a barrel roll action to any legal area on the declared

side, moving the template as necessary. If the ship can perform the barrel

roll action on the declared side, it must do so. If the ship cannot perform the

barrel roll action, the player may declare a barrel roll in the other direction, or

he may declare a different action.

You guys played it correctly.

You have to try every possible placement on that side (side meaning left or right). If there is any valid spot on that side at all, even if it means trying different template positions, you have to take it.

There's no such thing as a partially blocked BR. Either there is no possible way to make the roll to a given side between slid forward all the way or slid back all the way or you will complete the roll into any available spot along that corridor of possibilities.

Now if you happen to have a curved roll you also declare which direction the template will be curving and test the spots that way; curving the other way is a different roll.

Just to confirm: is the template fixed in the position and I can then slide the ship along it, or I can place the template roll the ship and then decide, that "nah - I would rather put my template on the same side, but in the front and not at the end, like I did and try to roll again". Even though nothing blocks me from doing a roll.

I am pretty sure I can't do that as the template is already on the table and fixed.

Just to confirm: is the template fixed in the position and I can then slide the ship along it, or I can place the template roll the ship and then decide, that "nah - I would rather put my template on the same side, but in the front and not at the end, like I did and try to roll again". Even though nothing blocks me from doing a roll.

I am pretty sure I can't do that as the template is already on the table and fixed.

After declaring direction of the roll you can slide the template as much as you want. Side is fixed not template.

Just to confirm: is the template fixed in the position and I can then slide the ship along it, or I can place the template roll the ship and then decide, that "nah - I would rather put my template on the same side, but in the front and not at the end, like I did and try to roll again". Even though nothing blocks me from doing a roll.

I am pretty sure I can't do that as the template is already on the table and fixed.

After declaring direction of the roll you can slide the template as much as you want. Side is fixed not template.

He meant after putting the ship on the other side of the BR template. I'm not too sure about it, rules-wise. But I wouldn't allow it, because once the ship has been picked up, there's not always a way to put it back exactly where it was.

I agree with debiler, but I don't remember reading about this in the rules.

but if the template is at the "back end" of the ship and I can't fit due to obstruction, but if it were at the "front end", I would fit.

Or am I overthinking it? Probably I can't pick up the ship untill I am sure I can fit.

I agree with debiler, but I don't remember reading about this in the rules.

but if the template is at the "back end" of the ship and I can't fit due to obstruction, but if it were at the "front end", I would fit.

Or am I overthinking it? Probably I can't pick up the ship untill I am sure I can fit.

Actually, you're right. There's always the possibility of not being able to complete the BR due to your finaly position overlapping and asteroid. Tricky. Just for arguments sake, lets assume I choose to barrel to the left, put the template somewhere in the middle of my base and then realize that I can't complete the roll because of an overlap. There's now no way to reset my ship to its original position.

Funny that this has never come up for me, though.

There's a certain amount of error (and opportunities to fudge) built in to the prospect of putting your ship back down in its original position and sliding the barrel roll template forward or back to try a new set of options, but you do the best you can and make sure your opponent agrees. It's no worse that resolving some tricky overlapping maneuvers.

I agree with debiler, but I don't remember reading about this in the rules.

but if the template is at the "back end" of the ship and I can't fit due to obstruction, but if it were at the "front end", I would fit.

Or am I overthinking it? Probably I can't pick up the ship untill I am sure I can fit.

Actually, you're right. There's always the possibility of not being able to complete the BR due to your finaly position overlapping and asteroid. Tricky. Just for arguments sake, lets assume I choose to barrel to the left, put the template somewhere in the middle of my base and then realize that I can't complete the roll because of an overlap. There's now no way to reset my ship to its original position.

Funny that this has never come up for me, though.

A good way to measure for a barrel roll and avoid fudging in that sort of case is to just put the range 2 template on the side. The length accounts for the 1 template and the base to see if you'll fit but you don't have to move the ship.

If it fits then you can use the 1 to do it as normal, if not you can back up with no hassle.

Just to confirm: is the template fixed in the position and I can then slide the ship along it, or I can place the template roll the ship and then decide, that "nah - I would rather put my template on the same side, but in the front and not at the end, like I did and try to roll again". Even though nothing blocks me from doing a roll.

I am pretty sure I can't do that as the template is already on the table and fixed.

I'm not sure if there is a clear answer to this.

When you start the BR you declare a side and there is nothing to "fix" the template to any edge from your starting point. Now if there is any question about the ship fitting after it is moved to the "other side" of the template I'd strongly suggest marking the ship's starting point until the BR is completed.

If you're starting with the template all the way forward or backward you should be able to "return to neutral" and between those two positions should have been able to determine if there is a legal spot to roll to or not. I'm not sure if people would consider it pre-measuring if you determined what the potential BR final location box is before settling on that final position.