How do GMs handle smaller groups in Rogue Trader games? I've run Dark Heresy games very easily with just 2 players before (their radical Inquisitor using them as a hit squad). I ask this particularly in the case of space combat because myself and the same two players will be starting a Black Crusade game in which they'll be getting an Iconoclaust raider to begin their damned careers with as I've been quite keen to make piracy a key element to the campaign. In DH and BC both a small 2-3 player party is easy to explain and cater for but in RT having fewer players would put the ship at a comparative disadvantage would it not?

DW

Not particularly. As long as one of them has a decent BS skill , they can make the most out of space combat. Piloting, Navigator powers, Astropath powers, Command checks, all of that is secondary to straight BS checks when firing weapons. For an Iconoclast if one has a good Piloting - Spaceship and the other BS, they'll be able to fly circles around vessels while pumping them full of weapons fire. And everything else you can just fluff away, navigation and the like.

My personal experience as a GM with small groups is including 2 NPC's or less that are created just like the PC's are, that tag along and fill in certain niches that the PC's are lacking in. Did these NPC's take the spotlight ever? Not really, they were more like background noise than anything else. And yes they did have fate points (Favored by the Warp Points, Touch by the Fates, etc.) to survive those deadly encounters the players sometimes rushed into. I mostly used them to 1) caution the PC's 2) as warning devices 3) dialog / RPing encounters 4) random humorous / cinimatic events in the game.

Now, no matter how many PC's I had in a group in RT, I always had a few NPC's (for me it is around 4 to be exact) that were important on the ship(s). These NPC's the PCs interacted with from time to time and left the ship to these NPC's care while they are gone. Last time I GMed I asked the PC's to help flesh out these NPC's with names, character traits/flaws, dispositions, ambitions, physical descriptions, etc. Worked out pretty nice too. These NPC's could of died quite easily, but mostly I only ever had them get seriously hurt/unconscious/missing if the PC's ship was near hulking. Only 1 ever died, and that was the NPC Navigator the PC's killed because he was arrogant, cocky, conniving, and sinister in nature. I created him myself to see what they PC's would do and they surprised me. In the end though, it's all up to you and your players on how lively you want your ship and crew to be.

I have four regular players who play the Rogue Trader, The Astropath, The Explorator and the Missionary.

In my folder I have the NPC Navigator, Void Master, Arch Militant and Seneschal. They are fully written up characters who have sheets, ready for the odd times we have extra players, usually if one of the other tables at the club has a few no shows.

The most we have had round the table was 8, the least just 2 which still worked really well. Its very easy to keep the action going, the players take turns making key NPC rolls like Navigation warp tests and the Voidmasters pilot skills for thier shuttle. The NPCs have developed over the campaign, the Arch Militant began as a humble Armsman Sargeant who was promoted after saving the Captains life in battle.

Seems to work well and of course we have an ample cast of Red Shirted security guards……..

Yes small groups are problematic in space future related games (my expirence) so I was thinkig about double roles 1 peron leading two characters. Didn't try it out yet, so I can't say if it waorks.

I don't see a problem with a small group. You will be able to devote more time each players needs, making it easier for everyone to enjoy the game. You just need to keep in mind a few things:

For regular combat just make sure to balance your encounters to their party size. You should already have a good idea about what to throw at them from your DH game.

For space combat don't forget that the NPC Crew can also take actions using their Rating for a given role (see NPC Actions pg 214 CRB). Feel free to give them a few more NPC actions than usual if you feel they are underpowered.