Character scale is identical to the standard movement scale. Combat is carried out on a grid in which each square equals 1.5 meters (about 5 feet).

In character scale, most vehicles are large enough to occupy multiple squares on the battle grid. How many squares a vehicle occupies is determined by the vehicles's size (and the same holds true for characters and creatures). Vehicles of Colossal (frigate) size or greater are not placed on the battle map; they are either off the map (perhaps providing fire support), or the battle takes place inside them.

In character scale, more than one surface vehicle cannot occupy the same space on the battle grid, and a collision occurs whenever a vehicle enters a square occupied by a creature, obstacle, or other vehicle (see Collisions).

In starship scale, each square of the grid is abstract, representing a variable amount of space depending on the vehicles involved. In most cases, one square is hundreds or even thousands of meters wide. In starship scale, the grid itself only represents relative movement, not absolute movement, so several starships in orbit might be drifting together at many kilometers per second, even as they move around one another.

At starship scale, a vehicle can pass through squares occupied by allies, but not squares occupied by enemies.