Running Starship Combat: Any New Suggestions?

[Talen]

With the slate of Starfinder games run at FG Con I was curious if anyone stumbled on any improvements to running starship combat with FG? While I think the existing Pathfinder ruleset works surprisingly well with SFRPG (especially with Samarex's extension), the starship combat can slow a game down. Some of that is unavoidable (new system, etc) - but did anyone find a way to speed it up even a little?

[corwynn]

The first time I put characters in a ship, I actually lay them out on the tracker according to their basic aptitudes. I then tell the players they can freely move stations before any combat starts, and after each round. This leads to a bit of savings from the initial shuffle (oftentimes there are multiple characters who are good at a specific role so people start checking down the list of best secondaries, etc.) so it's worth doing, IMO.

This works best when you have a set roster like at the Con, or in a multi-part adventure.

I try to have players stick their characters in a consistent gunnery slot, and have the group agree on where modifiers are going to be used each round. This means less changing of modifiers and damage rolls, so it ekes out a little bit more speed. (Similarly, a good Captain knowing exactly when they are encouraging is GREAT, because as soon as that phase comes up their roll is in, even before the player they are working to aid is deciding action specifics. This is a big help in speeding things along.)

I have tried (really hard) to get players to just consent to ignoring piloting once it's been established that they have attained a dominant strategy and initiative, but it doesn't seem to work out well in practice. The pilot always seems to want to maneuver, even when it doesn't gain them anything.

I find that keeping tempo helps players from drifting off. The slower my combats run, the slower players are to react when it is their turn. By keeping things going as fast as I possibly can, I wind up keeping them in the rhythm and getting quicker decisions and rolls out of them.

[xazil]

I'll second that Corwynn's ship combats went well in the games during FG-Con. In the half dozen I have run I tend to use a simpler way which requires less player clicking but more GM stress, but I always try to put in extra description to keep interest up like Corwynn mentions too. Samarex's stuff is my go to as well.

I can't wait for a SFS ruleset with it in there, I could probably make my own but the effort wouldnt be worth doubling up on the work Smiteworks would do.

[Samarex]

With the slate of Starfinder games run at FG Con I was curious if anyone stumbled on any improvements to running starship combat with FG? While I think the existing Pathfinder ruleset works surprisingly well with SFRPG (especially with Samarex's extension), the starship combat can slow a game down. Some of that is unavoidable (new system, etc) - but did anyone find a way to speed it up even a little?

Well I had been thinking about this part of the game. After the couple session I played with Talen and Corwynn.
After I get Spells done (hopefully next couple days Mystic only needs lvl 6 then Techno). And then work out a few changes I was thinking about looking at Savage Worlds Chase System (its basically a second Combat Tracker for Vechicles) and seeing if I could input something together.
I will let ya all know,
And Thanks for the support. Glad you all enjoy my stuff.