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Chapter 2: Starship Combat / Boarding / Resolving a Boarding Party

Tactical Boarding Resolution

Source Starship Operations Manual pg. 41
When multiple PCs participate directly in a boarding event, it’s best to put the starship combat on hold at the end of the current round. Record the starships’ positions and statuses (their HP, SP in each quadrant, etc.). Resolve the boarding action as a tactical encounter using a 5-foot-square grid.
Calculating CR: In general, a boarding party encounter’s CR is 1 less than the tier of the enemy starship (e.g. boarding or repelling invaders from a tier 9 starship is a CR 8 encounter). Increase the CR by 1 if the boarded ship’s BR is at most 5 higher than the boarding attack modifier. Conversely, decrease the CR by 1 if the boarding attack modifier is at least 15 lower than the boarded ship’s BR.
These values assume that only some of the PCs are participating in the encounter, with the rest remaining at their posts. If the entire party participates, consider increasing the CR by 1 or more to provide the appropriate challenge.
PCs Attacking: If the PCs successfully overcome the combat challenge, they deal damage to the enemy starship as if they had succeeded at their boarding attack. If they succeed within 3 rounds (or otherwise achieve an extraordinary victory, at the GM’s discretion), the PCs also incapacitate a fraction of the enemy ship’s complement as though the boarding attack exceeded the BR by 5.
PCs Defending: If the PCs successfully overcome the combat challenge, they treat the boarders as if they had failed the boarding attack by 5. If they succeed within 3 rounds (or otherwise achieve an extraordinary victory, at the GM’s discretion), the PCs also incapacitate a fraction of the enemy’s boarding party as though the boarding attack failed the BR by 10.
After resolving the encounter, resume the starship combat for one round, and if the PCs continue to engage in or defend against boarding actions, begin another tactical encounter to represent the next boarding attack, repeating as necessary.