I think it depends. I mean....when you are first starting, it's almost 3 turns ahead. After things mix it up, it is sometimes just that turn that I'm thinking about. It's often more about strategy for your list and against theirs.

For example, I played against a friend's list tonight that I have often seen. It's 3 Z-95's, a HWK, and Gavin Darklighter. There are crits all over the place and jousting it is really hard. Gavin just needs to point in your direction to get it. It's hard to avoid. I planned a good strategy that had my A-wing zipping up the flanks and then behind. I also had Y-wing and X-wing flanking the other side. The forward facing X-wing was slow rolling. Overall, my point was to not face him directly and flank him or force him to break up his formation. It worked great! Overall, though, I had a hard time getting hits in with my dice while my opponent had great green dice. I had horrible green dice. It was brutal. I think I did tactically sound, but bad results. So.....my overall thoughts are that I had plans for the first 3-4 turns starting off. I had points when I was thinking about how to kill off the Headhunters and NOT be in the E-wing's arc. I thought ahead on these. Often, though, I found I was planning one turn ahead.

I plan where I'm building my initial box, then just try to keep building boxes.

I’m too busy perseverating on all the mistakes I made last turn to think about the future.

I see a lot of very good players saying they do not think ahead several turns. None or just one and even then not always as detailed as individual moves.

Maybe that quote from Quigon on the first thread page is more valuable than expected.

Flying Y-Wing bombers in 2.0 has taught me to think another turn ahead, I need to have my ships in a position to bomb in the next System Phase.

Overall I think of this planning phase and the next one, that's about it.

1 turn. You need to know that you aren't leading yourself into a traffic jam situation the following turn. Any more is pointless unless you have mind reading abilities, as the opponent's placement will always make you update your plans.

I'll plan out the whole game to ten turns or so during setup, and after each ship is placed during setup. Of course, that plan rarely lasts more than 3 turns, so in each planning phase I'll reassess the next 2-3 turns of movement.

In preparation for tournaments one of the key things I do is practice on Vassal to get my deployment just right against different speeds of enemy squads, and that can go a long way in turn 0.

Depends what turn it is. On turn 0 I am thinking about 3 turns ahead to plan out my opening engagement. From then on if we haven't engaged I am thinking about 2 turns ahead to keep my options open and setup the engagement I'm looking for. Once engagement happens though I am mostly just thinking ahead to the turn following the current planning phase and maybe the turn after. For example when I plan a maneuver, I am trying to make sure that I am keeping avenues open to maneuver next turn without going over an obstacle.

Wait, you guys have room for thinking while you play? How can you concentrate on that while you've got all the soundtracks running through your head as you play?

9 hours ago, CaptainIxidor said:

Wait, you guys have room for thinking while you play? How can you concentrate on that while you've got all the soundtracks running through your head as you play?

I always put on music in the background while I'm thinking.