Can someone help me understand the consequences of a "forced move" in structured vehicle encounters described on page 221? The only explanation I see is in the pair of paragraphs (and the table) on that page.

Does the pilot have to move X range bands away from their target? Or, because "a vehicle generally goes where the pilot wants it to" can, at two speed, a pilot move one range band away and one range band back?

At speed 3-4, does the pilot need to spend one maneuver to, essentially, stay put? Should this be narratively described as either going so fast you can get right where you want (Speed 5) or going so slow that you're able to stay on top of your target (Speed 1-2).

In the planetary scale, is there no difference in the amount of time it takes to move from strategic into medium range and from extreme into short range? At speed 5, for example, the ship is "forced" to move 4 range bands. Or, should the range bands for purposes of forced movement be considered without regard to relative positioning, somehow?

A "forced march" or movement in military jargon means fast, typically fast as possible.

No clue if that's what the devs meant with their verbiage. Excellent dev question though.

2 minutes ago, 2P51 said:

No clue if that's what the devs meant with their verbiage. Excellent dev question though.

That makes me less guilty feeing for submitting it a few moments ago! Thanks.

I think it just means it's as far as you can move at a given speed. We shall see though...

Just now, 2P51 said:

I think it just means it's as far as you can move at a given speed. We shall see though...

Yeah, I guess when it said "forced" I assumed that meant necessary, not maximum.

It's not a good or even needed word choice imo. Unless of course there's some other intent.

"At the beginning or end of [the pilot's] turn, you must have the vehicle move a certain number of range bands [...]"

3 hours ago, FortyFaced said:

Does the pilot have to move X range bands away from their target? Or, because "a vehicle generally goes where the pilot wants it to" can, at two speed, a pilot move one range band away and one range band back?

The quoted sentence, to my understanding, in context to the rest of the paragraph, is supposed to mean, that performing the forced move along a simple trajectory does not engage any of the pilot's attention; anything more complicated (as your suggested about-turn) though requires an action.

Essentially, compared to EotE, they changed the frame of reference from the vehicle to the terrain.

If it requires an action to, essentially, stay put, then when is the pilot going to use actions like Gain the Advantage or Attack? It seems like the pursuer is forced to fly away from their prey.

If an engaged pursuer is forced to move, for example, 4 range bands away at speed five, then the prey will have the opportunity to move another four bands on their turn. Now the pursuer is 8 range bands away because they were forced to move away from their target. Now, as you suggest, they might take an action to make an "about-turn," rather than fly four bands away, but that leaves them with no opportunity to shoot down their prey.