Here are my thoughts from the other thread on existing ways to resolve a task that a group has to do:
There are several ways for characters to work together. Which one is appropriate defends on the nature of the task, but also affects time taken.
1) Any success completes the task, such as trying to hit a bullseye, or winning a foot race. All characters make individual task rolls, which might be simultaneous or sequential (if simultaneous, fastest success wins). Failure usually has no effect. May be done as opposed rolls if the characters are in opposition, in which case time taken is that of the winner.
2) Every check adds a result but do not combine, such as gathering rumours. Again, every character makes individual task checks - may need secret rolls. Failures may result in false information or the illusion that the job was successful. Time taken is that of the slowest.
3) Task Chains. Each character must complete their job before the next one starts, such as calculating an Astrogation plot for the Engineer to use in the Jump task. May or may not require absolute success before the next task can be done. For example, failure of Deception to forge a document would result in a dubious document that would hinder a subsequent Admin task to use it, but would at least allow the Admin task to be done. Time taken is the sum of all task times.
4) Group tasks with a leader and helpers, such as a Head Engineer repairing a Jump Drive with assistance from their subordinates. Task chain rule is used to work out the assistants' modifiers to the Head Engineer roll. Time taken is just rolled once for the group.
Some situations might combine them. If the task is to find a missing crewmember on a space station, the characters could all split up and search seperately (individual rolls, fastest success suceeds - method 1), or they could break up into smaller groups (each group uses a leader that makes the roll with others in their group contributing using Task Chain modifiers - method 4), the group with the fastest success is the one that finds them. Or the entire group could search together (straight method 4).
A fifth method (which appears not to be in the book, but is similar to the new proposal) is individual rolls towards a target, contributing either raw effect, or the Chain Task modifier (the former being if the situation allows for a wide range of individual contributions; the latter if not). For either, I don't see why you couldn't have some characters doing their own thing (individual rolls and effect) while others combine efforts on a sub-task (leader and helpers).
though now they call them Guides which I expect is because of Colonialist Baggage (oww that pun even hurt me!) with the term Bearer
(not all that likely), plus a similar rule appears in many games.
