I'm a Rogue Trader and I've got a Veteran crew, so the way I picture it is that in each 30-minute round, I merely issue orders as to what sort of manoeuvres I want the crew to make, and what to shoot at. I also assume that I'm able to give other PCs orders during this time (try to lock onto ship X, etc.). What I'm wondering is whether this prevents me from making extended actions?

As a captain-character, if I can't make extended actions to at least make command checks and such, I lose a lot of utility -or- I lose the ability to decide which combat manoeuvres my ship performs. At least, this is what my DM has ruled. Thoughts?

You can make one extended action during your turn, and your crew can make a number of extended actions equal to the tens digit of the crew rating (known as the crew rating bonus).

You can roleplay giving as many orders as you want, but you are limited to one action with your bonuses and the crew rating bonus in actions with the crew rating.

This is nearer to what I figured it should be like. Do you have an in-book reference, or perhaps it's in the online errata, that I might find this and present it to my DM to sway his decision?

It would really suck to have to choose between inspiring my crew and commanding the vessel.

Core Book, Pg 212, Actions, Second Paragraph

Core Book, Pg 214, NPC Actions Sidebar

Also note that you can make an Extended, Attack or Maneuver action and the crew is similarly limited.

I believe there's also something that says PCs specifically have to pilot and gun the ship, not crew?

Nowhere does it say that the PCs HAVE to do anything. In the NPC sidebar, it's recommended that the PCs do the most important actions, since their bonuses are likely to be much higher than the crew.

Page 212, lower right, Actions, first paragraph.

=(

Honestly, that wording is mainly emphasizing that one character cannot do both the manoeuvre and shooting actions, not that the npcs can't do the action. If your GM decides to rule it that way, you are within your rights to complain whenever an enemy ship moves or fires at yours, as Explorer is very tightly defined as a player character.