Those questions are probably better posed to the VBAM folks

http://www.vbamgames.com

But, to answer them as best I can...

yes

More bookkeeping than map/counters

I don't know

Yes, you can use a strategic combat resolution engine built into VBAM to resolve battles that you don't want to play out on the table. Typically for die-hard Starmada players, that will end up being those battles that are either just too large to reasonably play using Starmada, or battles that are too inconsequential to be worth playing out in Starmada.

It is a pen-and-pencil rule system, so there will be bookkeeping involved. Will you have to become an accountant to play? No. It is far easier to keep track of things in VBAM than it is in a system like Imperial Starfire. If you have some good electronic aids available (word processor, spreadsheet, etc.) it will speed play up considerably, as you can let the computer do all of the math for you.

The only map you would have to worry about (unless you introduce custom rules that say otherwise) is the galaxy map.

We have a YahooGroup setup; we don't have a web forum, since that would take more maintenance than we have time for at the moment (securing, patching, admining, etc.).

Going back and forth, the Starmada Edition covers how to convert damage back and forth. You have the option of either carrying forward specific damage per unit (ouch -- bookkeeping) or just use the notion of undamaged/crippled/destroyed that the VBAM CSCR combat rules use. So if a ship is crippled, it has a certain amount of Hull damage applied, IIRC -- it is assumed that repairs to other systems can be effected between battles.

I have never had any problems transitioning between the two, but I have to admit to only playing a small percentage of campaign battles in Starmada since I usually play solo, and playing out larger battles would take a long time to do by myself.

Most of the time in Starmada games I average maybe 4-6 ships per star system without totally sapping my economy -- more if they are smaller, cheaper ships, fewer if they are large dreadnoughts. Larger battlefleets could be composed of as many as 20-30 ships easily, while still leaving enough in your other territories to defend them.

If you are concerned about fleet sizes, you can also increase the cost of ships or the cost to maintain them (or both) to help limit fleet sizes.

I have to admit I am biased, being involved in VBAM and all

-Tyrel

70 in total or 70 per side?

Btw it resemble the action at Briggs system I have just written... 

Tyrel thanks for the answers. It seems that Starmade is just what I need  8)

BTW from what I have read here and in other places VBAM has a great potential for a "graphic" treatment

You are some sick people...

Anyways,  I was going to add that starmada works well if there is a person per 4-6 ships.  I would run massive battles of about 40 ships, but there were between 6 and 8 people playing.

VBAM works really well to bring some economic feel for your space battles.  Adding little time for turns shouldn't be a major problem(turns take ~30 minutes tops for each player).  Also with the expansions, you can create NPEs (non-player Empires) which brings new sets of challenges.

The last thing is that I was going to say is that it is possible to create the game into a board/counter game with a few modifications if that is what you wanted to work with.  Once the galaxy is created, create 'fleet' counters to mark where fleets are located on the galaxy map board.  All players might know where a 'fleet' is, but not how big it is until you scan it.  I don't have any books in front of me at the moment so that's the best I can do at the moment.

-Bren