How long does a game take?

[Andy Blozinski]

OK guys that have played some games already...I really do need to know this.
How many players did you have?
How many ships did each command?
How long did the game take?

[The Royal Hajj]

Andy, real quick:

6 players, 6 ships, 1.5 hours to teach and play with lots of player and bystander questions asked

2 players, 4 ships, about an hour. Two first time players and lots of maneuvering... Nelson would not have been proud, not "Damn the maneuvering, go straight at them!" in that game!

[Andy Blozinski]

The deal is that I have 4 hours to fill for the conventions and I have to figure out how to do it and keep everyone not bored. This helps. Thanks. Please, anyone else who has been involved in early trials of the game, let me know those three questions as well. I have a really busy schedule the next week and I have to figure out exactly what I need to buy through the kick starter to hit the ground running. I can run some games at the store that already carries Wings of Glory and fine tune things for conventions, but I need a rough idea of things so I can at least have planned purchasing to get myself in the correct ballpark.

[7eat51]

If teaching and an engagement could take 2 hours, you might want to consider a two-part scenario in which the second scenario's starting situation is determined by the first scenario's ending situation. If this goal is reached, then this effect will take place, etc. This way, there is a little break between games but with some continuity between them.

How many tables do you plan on running at one time?

[The Royal Hajj]

You can also run the same scenario twice, with players switching sides.

[Andy Blozinski]

I figure the first scenario would be a basic rules game and just have them smack each other using single ships. For 6 players, that should be over with in 1 to 1-1/2 hours...I'm hoping. The second scenario would actually have context. I'm thinking a small convoy escort vs raiders. I have the 1/900th scale ships I can use for merchantmen. I really want to switch it up on the players and use the full rules for the second game. Switching them to two ships each will change the experience more than the extra rules. I also need to give them something to look forward to after the first game. Since they'll still be on a team, there will still be the chaos of not so much coordination.
If I had the Constitution and Victory right away, I could make the second game crazier.
I need to play test things at the game store before the con. How much will I use the abilities deck? For the basic game, do I make it all frigates, or put in one SOL on each side? Exactly how should I arrange the ships for the second scenario? How do I handicap or tweak each side with the abilities deck in the second scenario?