I'd be interested to hear what the local meta states are for folks who are having issues with timing. Super high activations, max squads, Rieekan Aces etc etc. Also what are the objectives being used more frequently. Some I've found do take more time due to both players moving tokens or whatever.

My game this past weekend took close to 2 hours but we were both using New Wave 6 ships so there was a lot more double checking of how the nav chart looked/ checking how a card worked. We normally are a bit over an hour to finish 6 rounds

I play primarily against the same opponent once a week. We started a game around 9 pm and at 1am we were only able to finish the 3rd round. He took forever to complete his activations. I only play casually so it's not a super big deal but I really wish I could get him to speed up.

43 minutes ago, ninclouse2000 said:

I play primarily against the same opponent once a week. We started a game around 9 pm and at 1am we were only able to finish the 3rd round. He took forever to complete his activations. I only play casually so it's not a super big deal but I really wish I could get him to speed up.

Is your friend very new to the game? 4 hours for 3 rounds sounds utterly ridiculous.

1 hour ago, draco193 said:

Is your friend very new to the game? 4 hours for 3 rounds sounds utterly ridiculous.

We started playing at the same time pretty much when the core set was released. He is terrible at making decisions. I could be a jerk and make him stick with his initial decision but we aren't playing competitively so I would feel bad about being strict.

I have found that if you blow up a slow players big ship with sensor teams MC30s, they tend to all of a sudden become quick players as their soul has been crushed.

7 hours ago, ninclouse2000 said:

We started playing at the same time pretty much when the core set was released. He is terrible at making decisions. I could be a jerk and make him stick with his initial decision but we aren't playing competitively so I would feel bad about being strict.

So what your telling me is that you both are constantly rewinding the game state to redo several points of the play through... So your playing not just the one game but replaying whole sets of moves? Am I getting this right? And if so, is it any wonder your game takes forever? Plus you sounds like good friends and probably spend allot of time chatting to boot am I right? And as well you should. But I don't see the game being the problem here. Just trying to under stand this.

Back to clocks... No?! What do you even time? My activation? My round? The time it takes me to physically manipulate the shield dials on my base? The time to gather up my dice for a large salvo? How about the time to physically adjust the maneuver tool? How many triggers will require me to hit the pass button within one activation?

Opponent passes activation, SLAP

I have to select ship to activate... Select

Select ship and reveal dial(squads)... assess

Choose to keep or spend... Spend

Spend, Measure for eligible squads...check

Select first squad and initial action, shoot, select target...check

Gather attack pool, roll...

Tabulate total result, assess...

Choose modifications and adjust tab, present. SLAP. Opponent had to start checking for Biggs and defense token shenanigans so this will take a minute.

In this example a player will have had to go along several of the branching option trees for each process of FOUR DIFFERENT choices before his opponent makes ONE choice. And further had to perform two strictly manual tasks that will take a VARIABLE amount of time based on how much or many physical components in the play space had to be manipulated. And that clock will get slapped back on him/her a VARIABLE amount of times based on what they bring to play with in terms of volume of pieces that present them with more options. The clock works against you for certain builds and is worked for others.

Let's get this straight, clocks work for Chess, and go. Arguably checkers. Because to advance the game and pass the clock you have to really only make A SINGLE decision. One piece, one total move, one small physical interaction with the play space that takes at most a second to complete before the clock is passed. In THOSE games a clock can be used because it measures your thinking time more than your physical speed and dexterity. Which is the purpose of the clock, to measure your mental ability to make decisions. It won't work for Armada in the same way it wouldn't work for Axis and Allies or Monopoly: you can't penalize a player for physical manipulation time required that is incomparable to the decision making process that mandates it. And if you were to just pause the clock for every manipulation, you'd never accurately measure the thought process time. Clocks. Don't. Work. For. This. Game. They won't encourage faster play as much as they encourage faster playing builds first.

But interesting idea to use them as a training/practice tool... Though I still don't see the point. Why time your self to complete six rounds when you really only need to get through the ones presented to you with a lead. Just be mindful of the clock when in tournaments and adjust your play to the games pace. If it looks like you'll only get through turn three, adapt the plan to have a won by turn three. You have over two hours to check the time and choose when to change your plan. That's what I do. Why try to finish the games six turns when you know it will only be to hours? Lol

Nothing stop you and friends from running a 500 point league game.