Crew roles in starship combat

[Ineti]

So, in reviewing the rules for starship combat in Coda, it seems like the commanding officer, helm, security, engineering, and sciences (sensors) officers all have something they could do.

What would an XO do during a starship combat if the Captain is handling the Command maneuvers, Security/Tactical is handling the tactical maneuvers, Conn is handling the Helm maneuvers, Engineering is doing their thing, and the science officer is on the sensors?

Could the XO combine efforts on some of those tasks as a combined test? What else could an XO do other than sit and look dramatically at the screen?

Ideas, past experience, etc.?

[black campbellq]

He would probably act as per combined test with the CO; noting stuff the CO might have missed and handling the cooridation of the other officers -- he'd be the one prioritizing the damage control, security personnel locations to repel boarders. I know in the Royal Navy, the XO usually takes the repelling/boarding parties under command.

[Pericles]

Well this is a bit of a stretch on part bridging two separate eras and game systems, but he's my take. In the old FASA Starship Combat Simulator, each the PC crew had a function in combat. The Security Office in my house rule rolled his Security Prodecures skill reduce incoming casualties when the ship took damage that caused casualties (The doctor reduced casualties that got past the Security Officer). This is of course based on the TOS/TMP era duties of the Security Officer. In the TNG the Security Officer is rather busy with other functions, so as black campbellq suggests, maybe you can have the XO roll ro reduce incoming casualties?

Another option would be if the XO isn't doing anything else in the turn, he can make his Starship Tactics, or Security Procedures, or Admin, or whatever roll to reduce the multi-action penalty on the Captain for that turn. IE if the XO makes his skill test, the captain gets one extra action without a penalty. This is a very accurate portrayal of what XOs do during combat. They assist the Captain in commanding the ship.

[black campbellq]

The extra action idea's a good one as well.