When I suggested using a chess clock in another thread I didn't mean to use it to manage time but as an indication of when you were finished.

You could use anything. A bell, a Turn Token like Firefly the board game, a BB-8 squeeze toy, a flaming torch. What ever can be used to show the other guy that you had finished what you were doing and he can start his action.

I suggested the chess clock because I thought it would be a good example. I was wrong ☹️

Bad Idea, rounds vary so much. Sometimes round 1 and 2 is only movement, then round 3 and 4 are all action, then round 5 and 6 is cleanup. Sometimes round 1 and 2 is all combat (fleet ambush) and the game is over by round 3. So, I don't even know where you would declare as time limits since the timing of actions does change so much. I have not had a game go to time yet.

Not sure if you understand how the clock works: it's not round dependent, there's total time that goes down whenever it's your responsibility to do something ( in chess, that's just move a piece).

You're perfectly in your rights to slow down at times and be speedy in others, but if you run out of your own time you lose. It keeps the game from bogging down into attempting to visualize 9 moves ahead every turn.

I guess I am lucky then cause I have never ran out of time in a game. So, I guess, my point really was, I have no reason for a chess clock if my games do finish in the allotted time period. Just another thing to bog down the game cause I would forget to hit it after activating a ship or squadron. I guess if you have games that last over 2 hours and 15 minutes then it might work to give the person that spent less time 1 point per minute in the time spent for moves but only if time runs out.

I just want to draw an important distinction, as I'm a person in favor of shortening round times - stricter time limits should be Regionals and above (maybe, maybe Store Champs, but there are a ton of those).

Chess clocks and Armada would be tricky. There is SO much back-and-fourth. Sample activation:

Reveal Command Dial, Squadron. Activate and move squadron, attack X-Wing near Jan, roll. *CLICK* Opponent chooses whether or not to spend defense tokens. *CLICK* Activate squadron two, attack same target, roll dice. *CLICK* Defense token debate. *CLICK* Squadron three, dice. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* Squadron four. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* Squadron five. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* ISD shoots anti-squadron at three squadrons and Jan. Roll first attack. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* Second attack. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* Third attack. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* Attacking Jan. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* Move ISD, overlaps squadrons. *CLICK* Opponent places squadrons and starts turn.

That's nineteen times the clock has to be hit during a single ship activation, and it's a pretty common activation (ISD carrier pushing five squadrons into a Jan or Rieekan Aces blob). And you can't just keep the activating player's clock running, because an unsporting player could use that activation to eat up a lot of time. How long would you give them to decide whether to use a token or not? Ten seconds? Five? Three? If you went with five, a sneaky player could still eat up almost a full minute of their opponent's time in a single activation.

If it were the way people played regularly, that wouldn't be a problem. It would become second nature to roll dice against something with Defense Tokens and automatically hit the clock, and your opponent would be programmed to either hit the clock immediately because they're passing, or they would be aware that they're using their own time to debate the token flip. But I would be extremely wary of including them outside of a club night or some such, because even the lower level tournaments can draw people from outside of your regular group. And I would be pretty salty if I showed up to a tournament and discovered there was an unofficial element that would completely alter the way I have to manage my fleet.

Players tend to play at a tempo based on the total time. Just shorten the time you give them and they will play faster.

Perhaps a sweeping generalisation, but I have found with Flames you could go for 2 hours or 3 or somewhere in between. Always there were some of the players just finishing up as the bell was rung.

I just want to draw an important distinction, as I'm a person in favor of shortening round times - stricter time limits should be Regionals and above (maybe, maybe Store Champs, but there are a ton of those).

Chess clocks and Armada would be tricky. There is SO much back-and-fourth. Sample activation:

Reveal Command Dial, Squadron. Activate and move squadron, attack X-Wing near Jan, roll. *CLICK* Opponent chooses whether or not to spend defense tokens. *CLICK* Activate squadron two, attack same target, roll dice. *CLICK* Defense token debate. *CLICK* Squadron three, dice. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* Squadron four. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* Squadron five. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* ISD shoots anti-squadron at three squadrons and Jan. Roll first attack. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* Second attack. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* Third attack. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* Attacking Jan. *CLICK* Tokens. *CLICK* Move ISD, overlaps squadrons. *CLICK* Opponent places squadrons and starts turn.

That's nineteen times the clock has to be hit during a single ship activation, and it's a pretty common activation (ISD carrier pushing five squadrons into a Jan or Rieekan Aces blob). And you can't just keep the activating player's clock running, because an unsporting player could use that activation to eat up a lot of time. How long would you give them to decide whether to use a token or not? Ten seconds? Five? Three? If you went with five, a sneaky player could still eat up almost a full minute of their opponent's time in a single activation.

If it were the way people played regularly, that wouldn't be a problem. It would become second nature to roll dice against something with Defense Tokens and automatically hit the clock, and your opponent would be programmed to either hit the clock immediately because they're passing, or they would be aware that they're using their own time to debate the token flip. But I would be extremely wary of including them outside of a club night or some such, because even the lower level tournaments can draw people from outside of your regular group. And I would be pretty salty if I showed up to a tournament and discovered there was an unofficial element that would completely alter the way I have to manage my fleet.

Actually, the constant clock smacking you described above sounds pretty fun. I'll have to try this some time!

What is with people and Chess clocks?

It will NEVER happen stop trying to make it happen

What do you mean? If my opponent or I decide to play with a chess clock (and actually get a chess clock), then we'll have a chess clock. Are you going to stop it?

Strong am I with the force. Use it to liberate players across the galaxy form the oppression of the chess clock I will.

No!

The chess clock and I shall rule the galaxy like father and ... chessclock.

that not true, that's impossible

Ben why didn't you tell me?

Your father is a chessclock from a certain point of view.