I've a fair amount of small wheel experience after 20+ years on recumbents.

Rarely do I use a full compliment of spokes. I've learned a few things along the way, usually by doing it wrong first.

Always use and skip spoke holes at the rim in pairs
skip 2-use 2-skip 2-use 2
or
skip 2-use 4-skip 2-use 4
or
skip 4-use 2-skip 4-use 2

Use the lightest spokes and stiffest rims possible. Spokes don't break because of too much load, they fatigue from going through loose-tight-loose-tight cycles. It's almost impossible to keep a 14g short spoke so tight it will always be stretched when you are skipping holes.

Heres a few of mine, all 406.

24 spokes on 36h rim and hub. I gave up getting the lacing right with 24, so I laced up all 36 spokes, X2 and then took out 12.


16 spoke X1 gives a very nice looking wheel



This one used a Velocity AeroHEAD, about 2/3 the weight of an AeroHEAT. Has thousands of miles on it with no maintenance.


Early on I built a racing recumbent wheel with 12 spokes on a light Sun M13 rim. Spokes were 14 Ga and I used every 3rd hole. It lasted through 2 seasons, but because I couldn't put much tension into the spokes I had to re-true it often.

We have 18 radial on the from of our Moulton without any trouble.

Another option is to use spokes long enough for a crossing pattern, but only put the trailing spokes on one side and the leading spokes on the other. Builds a fine long lasting wheel.