Request for Advice: GMing vehicles and chases

[delericho]

Yesterday, I ran a one-shot game of the Serenity RPG. For the most part, it went really well. However, there was one scene that left me feeling that I really hadn't done well, and it's an area where I have had problems in the past.

Specifically, any time the PCs are onboard a vehicle, I find it difficult to make the scene live. And this seems to apply whether each PC has his own transport, or if they're all sharing the same ship. I just find it difficult finding ways to keep everyone busy doing something, finding interesting choices for the characters to make, and deciding which rolls should be made, and how to make them reflect both the PC's abilities and also the capabilities of the vehicles they're using.

So, I was wondering if anyone could offer any advice? Is there something that I've missed to make things easier, some trick to preparing for a chase or vehicle combat?

(I should perhaps note that although yesterday's game was Serenity, I've had much the same problem with SWSE, and even in D&D when the PCs have used chariots, Lyrandar airships, or other transport. So I don't think it's a system issue.)

 

[Fetfreak]

From the top of my head:

Use different attacks: Two ways of fire power (bombs, rockets, rail-gun), Ramming, Dangerous stunts, an enemy shooting the surroundings can create obstacles for the pilot.
Recovering from damage: If players are on the ship everyone besides pilot and shooters could repair the critical parts of the ship. One engine could be shot and a character goes on to transfer the energy to the remaining engine, repairing or boosting shields, there is hull breach and rooms or that part of the ship needs to be sealed up because it's eating air. Fire could spread and you can have one team of players fight fire. Enemy could sneak a small boarding party so now you have a space combat and combat inside of the ship.

Try to think about what could possibly go wrong in these kinds of encounters and make it happen