How to Limit the Number of Player NPC's?

[steinmon1920518]

My group consists of 6 people (including me as GM) and the issue I'm facing is simple: there are too many Character controlled NPC's.
While I have no problem with an Animal Companion here or a Familiar here, most everyone in my group has some form of Battle-trained mount that they use to act as an additional person (this may be the core problem, but I'd like some more expertise in this).
To make matters interesting, anyone who can Summon an additional creature, is Summoning an additional creature(s), further adding to the chaos.
Would it be simpler to have each character and associated NPC go on the same Initiative? (and how does one determine whose to go on?) Do I need to limit mount combat to when they are actually being ridden? And what about as far as Summons go?
So far, a simple battle is being drawn out over multiple sessions and after a while, it begins to get boring for everyone, so I would like to resolve this ASAP
Sorry for the outpour

And Thank You for your insights

[Âmesang]

I think the last time I found myself in this situation those of us who had NPCs, be they animal companions, familiars, wondrous figurines, or the like, just had them operate on the owning player character's turn; as in the druid and his companions went on the druid's initiative, then the bard and his (obtained) familiar went on the bard's initiative, then the ranger and his panther figurine on the ranger's initiative, &c.

Granted, we rarely had more than five players at a time and even then the foes were challenging enough that the extra bodies didn't get too far in the way.

[Fizban]

Mounts always move on the same turn as their riders unless the DM chooses to have intelligent mounts act separately, summoned creatures already act on the same turn as their summoners, and animal companions need orders so having them delay until their owner's turn is a perfectly fine choice.

But there is no magic solution to having too many minions. The game isn't balanced for it, and each extra body is an unavoidable increase in time spent on each turn. The answer on how to limit is simple: you state the limit (with possible input from the players), and the players follow the limit.

If people are riding their mounts that shouldn't represent a huge increase, as a mount mostly acts as a modifier to the rider (speed, relaxed action requirements, extra attacks), and if they can resolve their mount's attacks quickly then no problem. If they're the kind of player that takes 30 seconds to look up attack bonuses every turn, they don't get to attack with mounts until they git gud. If you consider the animal companion a major druid feature which they should retain, then let them retain it, but in exchange they forfeit their mount option (or at least their mount's attacks). And with 6 PCs I'd say there should just be zero summoning, unless that "summoning" is structured such that the caster loses their own actions so they're still only taking one set of actions per turn (there are a couple spells that do this, or you could make your own adjustments to the basic lines).

[steinmon1920518]

Okay. Sounds like a plan. I'll integrate and experiment with this next session. Thank you all