Symmetrical Thrusters can be individually deleted. The only validation the game does is to ensure an even number of symmetrical thrusters in total on the ship. As a result, a player can create pairs of thrusters and delete half of them, in order to put thrusters anywhere on the ship desired.
The below example shows two symmetrical thrusters, both on the same side of the ship and on different decks. The game validates the design as "Maneuverability OK".
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SymmThruster1.jpg [ 114.04 KiB | Viewed 3391 times ]
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SymmThruster2.jpg [ 105.14 KiB | Viewed 3391 times ]