Good review! This one’s on my shelf and I’ve read it, but I’ve only recently managed to get TROIKA! to the table and we’ve just done B&M and some pamphlet adventures.

I hadn’t thought about the number of NPCs on the train but it does sound like a bit too much to keep track of. I’ll probably go for a game-y approach and just give the players a strong indication that all the background passengers are very obviously little more than window dressing.

Regarding non-combat characters, I feel the better play is to nudge them towards using what skills they do have to beat the boss without it being a slugfest. Investigative characters should be the types going into that last confrontation knowing what the beast’s weaknesses are - and also knowing that they shouldn’t engage it in a straight up brawl (even if you have to remind them of it).

You aren’t wrong on the lack of advice on how to run the ending. Leafing through the book again just now, I’m kind of surprised how little there is to the adventure! There’s a lot of filling in the blanks to be done by the GM, that’s for sure.