Enjoying the new game mode so far. It's been fun to play around in.
One future suggestion: Maybe include an optional "mini" boss fight mid-round that provides it's own crate but not tickets? Something like an AT-ST battle, or Reek or Nexu? Could be a little side mission style type node or nodes. If you wanted to introduce a fleet component, it could be done in the same manner as a one way optional off shoot from an edge node.
A mini-boss could provide an additional challenge and enemy to play. Depending on how it was structured, if it was a mini-raid boss style, maybe it is tuned for you to use two or three teams against it with damage that you do being cumulative. This could also solve the problem of things to do if you get stuck on a node somewhere.
Just thinking of future expansions. Enjoy the mode so far! It is fun and looks to be a good base to build of off.