So…. Cons & three hour slots.
I’ve usually run the Quickstart as written: Characters, then crew (Thieves): Usually takes up 30-45 mins. Openly read the starting situation and dive straight into the score: This can take up to an hour or more. I’ve also run it sans crew as John Harper suggests as an alternative, and once used Andrew Shields Gang rules to good effect.
This time I wanna showcase some of the other rules in my little timeframe. So I was thinking to make characters, ask some questions then jump straight into the Bazo Baz charged sitch. Make a plan (egg timer out) – engagement roll – score. Then choose a crew playbook.
Retroactively fill in blanks via flashbacks and vignettes and play through heat, entanglements and rep / coin as normal and award as if they were tier 0. Downtime actions and then award XP.
If time allows, play through another score / downtime as needed.
Thoughts?
Personally, I’ll all for getting stuck in as fast as possible and starting to play. One tweak to the setup might be to suggest that Baz or Mylera is going to back you lot in forming your own crew, once you do this one little thing for them.
Last time I didn’t use the starting setup because I had a player from a previous game day where I used it, and I didn’t want a repeat. The game actually offers enough hooks with faction -/+ and people you know that an alternative is to have a starting turf claim occupied by ruffians and reflect their choices so far in giving them an opportunity to act on their preferences and clear it out.
Anyway, I think what you’ve outlined would work well. Focus on getting to play through some action as quickly as possible.
I tend to start explaining rules by talking position and success effects, then getting started and bringing up focus, devil’s bargains, resisting, and harm levels as needed. =)