It's a bit more complicated than that since you can combine two translate directions and rotations, but there is a simple script available in MagicLib that allows you to do just that using simple deco weapons.
IF moving forward - forward thruster fire code
IF moving backward - backwards thrusters code
IF strafing left - left strafe code
IF strafing right - right strafe code
IF turning right - right turn code
IF turning left - left turn code
The thrusters firing would be all the left ones to straffe right, and the bottom right one to turn right (the top left one being already on), meaning that both the bottom left and bottom right thrusters are working against eachother. It would make more sense to have only top left thrusters firing, otherwise you are just wasting thrust.
And if you want to have separate mid-ship thrusters for translation and corner thrusters for rotation, then you are not using the full available thrust to maneuver which makes even less sense.
Vanilla engines are but a special kind of decorative weapons themselves. They do not provide "thrust".And yet losing them affects your max speed.
And yet losing them affects your max speed.The engine themselves do not control the behavior of the ship: you can go backward despite not having any engine to the front, you can make engine-less ships... What I'm trying to explain is that this isn't KSP, the engines aren't providing "thurst" as in applying a force to the ship object. It's all abstracted! That's why making maneuver thrusters is mostly visual flair without any ties to the mechanics of the game:
And what I'm saying is if you take a missile to one of those engines your top speed drops.And yet losing them affects your max speed.The engine themselves do not control the behavior of the ship: you can go backward despite not having any engine to the front, you can make engine-less ships... What I'm trying to explain is that this isn't KSP, the engines aren't providing "thurst" as in applying a force to the ship object. It's all abstracted! That's why making maneuver thrusters is mostly visual flair without any ties to the mechanics of the game:
(https://i.imgur.com/cdXvM6M.gif) (https://i.imgur.com/cdXvM6M.mp4)
The script in MagicLib detects flameouts though, and can tie the deco to an invisible engine emplacement if that is desired.So yes it does if you set it up for that.
And what I'm saying is if you take a missile to one of those engines your top speed drops.Does maneuverability get affected as well? It might be fun to put extra targets on ships. Although a ship already loses both speed and maneuvers when they flame out, more targets definitely means more problems for sure.