Federation Commander

[Spacecowboy87]

Two ships (Klingon & Kzinti) exchange direct fire at a range of 1, with each ships #2 shield facing the enemy. On the ensuing launch phase, the Kzinti launches a stack of drones at the Klingon, but doesn't point them directly at the Klingon-- he points them to the hex aligned with his own #3 shield (that is, the drones are pointed to the hex the Klingon will be in if it moves directly forward). In response, the Klingon slips into the Kzinti's hex (the launch hex). NOW THEN-- do the drones immediately impact the Klingon's #2 shield, or are they required to move forward 1 hex in the direction of launch before turning back on the target, presumably with an HET?
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Damn, these dice are cold!

[mjwest]

They impact immediately on the facing shield (#2 in this case).

Basically, if a ship moves into the same hex as a drone that is targeted on it, the drone hits immediately. The drone does not have to leave the hex on its move, its facing is irrelevant, and it immediately hits that sub-pulse.

While it is true that normally a drone has to make its first move directly forward, that doesn't apply when the target of the drone is adjacent or in the same hex as the drone. In that case the drone uses rule (4F3e) to immediately use a high energy turn to face the target ship and impact.

As a more general principle, if a ship ever ends its movement in the same hex as a drone targeted on it, the drone will automatically impact. It doesn't matter if the ship ends its movement in the same hex as a drone that has not yet moved that sub-pulse, if the drone enters the hex of the ship that sub-pulse, or both units are occupying the same hex without moving. If a ship is done with movement for a sub-pulse and is in the hex of a drone targeted on it, the drone impacts that sub-pulse.
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Federation Commander Answer Guy