And if you're a small base ship parallel with the board edge, and you're inside the rock line, you can do a 4k. Range 2 is the same length as a 4 speed move plus a single small base.

3 minutes ago, thespaceinvader said:

Also, IIRC though I've not checked, there's no way to get out of your own firing arc without using repositioning actions.

Space tug says hi! But also never considered that. What else do you have?

nothing offhand that I can articulate.

Playing around with Echolocation is useful for this stuff, though annoyingly it lacks the facility to show where your firing arc is when you start.

http://randolphw.github.io/echolocation/?tiesffighter&&&7,7,7,7,15&18&&&1

or just messing around on Vassal, though that lacks the base-size grid which is very helpful.

7 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Definitely second 'earning your wings' and the 'pinwheel formation' - fly multiple ships in a formation acting as a smaller number of larger ships.

Thirded. I haven't hit an obstacle in forever. I still collide with ships, but sometimes it's the better maneuver for setting up the next turn.

Boom Owl's suggestion for at home practice sounds fun, too.

5 hours ago, JJ48 said:

I'm relatively new to the game, ...

Currently, the biggest issue I'm having is just remembering to take PS into consideration when planning my maneuvers. I tend to pick maneuvers that would work well if I did them in a different order, but end up overlapping when done in the proper, legal order.

This just got me last night. Played 2 matches. I had Eden Vrill, Tarn, Grey Sqd Stressbot and a Bandit Z.

Game 1: vs Scum aces I took turns using my ships to block and successfully blocked my opponent no less than 6 times for a fairly easy win.

Game 2: Opponent had a PS 2 and a PS 3 like me and was moving first. I was so used to moving all ships first from the previous match that I forgot the order and he blocked 3 of my guys the first round. He never blocked me after that.

As others suggested, I practiced and practiced on the dining room table by getting out some rocks and a dozen ship bases. I positioned a base and saw where each maneuver template would leave me after each possible move. I really looked hard at the starting position and ending positition while leaving the template in place. It really helps you visualize not just final distance and position but also where your ship might clear a rock but where your template will overlap it.

5 hours ago, the1hodgy said:

Woooooooh back it up Boom Owl. Have you just invented an X-Wing Variant? Oh my glob you could do pac-man in same style have other people play as the ghosts, and can kill you by bumping.

I read that then hurriedly scrolled to see if someone had said this yet.

Pac-Man rules needs to be a thing. And it needs to be so fun that the people that threw out their spare shields will wish they hadn't.

@ArcaneSpringbrd

Is part of the problem bumping into your own ships? Remember to place Lower PS ships in front of Highe PS ships. Also when placing ships on the mat, have a least the width of the range ruler between the ships bases. That'll keep them from clipping each other if they all perform the same maneuver.

The trick about the arc is really handy. Banked turns will place you inside the arc, Hard turns will put you just outside of the arc.

Also, if you're not sure if you're going to clip a rock or debris, it's better to make the wider turn than to get trapped on a rock.

You'll get it with practice.