@ Alex: I do not remember if I tried it in 0.7.2. I could try a game a little later to confirm. Back in 0.7.1, AI with Burn Drive could force themselves into a corner, but they seem to do it by accident... which works well when the AI is an Onslaught and the camper is a cruiser. Still, even if enemy could come to the corner since 0.7.2, it may still be a good idea for an Onslaught to camp at the corner because ships cannot fly past the wall like fighters to flank Onslaught where there are fewer guns, unless they can now. Better to have about four to six ships to swarm your Onslaught instead of twelve or more.
Even hugging the wall provides some relief. If Onslaught (or Paragon for that matter) is hugging a wall, but not a corner, AI sometimes tries to approach to attack or flank, but it is better than being completely in the open because Onslaught does not need to worry about three or so fast frigates trying to maneuver toward its six. Just hugging the wall partially stops big Wolf and Tempest swarm from surrounding and overwhelming Onslaught or even Paragon. (Yes, Paragon can lose flux war then be in as much trouble as Onslaught.)
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@ AgroFrizzy: Paragon is easier to use because it has strong 360 shields, can fire a bunch of guns at any direction, and if you get overwhelmed and/or need your alpha strikers (such as autopulse) to recharge, you can take a time out with fortress shield. It is simple enough that even the AI does well with it. In short, Paragon is easier because it is easier to defend against damage. Onslaught is harder to use because of weaker shields and mostly forward-facing firepower. However, Onslaught can mount lots of flak - more than enough to stop any missile/torpedo barrage and fighter swarms - and there is no such thing as too much PD when the simulator or worse throws nearly everything at you. Also, both dual flak and Vulcans are DPS monsters. Targets with thin or no armor get finished off quickly. Onslaught has TPCs and superior ballistics to outrange everything except another Onslaught or Conquest (or Paragon's TLs), and it can outgun anything else that cannot flank it. If you do not want to stay at a corner, and want to fight in the open, but fear frigates more than missiles, replacing two dual flak with HMG work wonders. Frigates will die. However, your Onslaught will become vulnerable to missile strikes at the rear. There is no substitute to dual flak for missile defense and anti-fighter. Basically, Onslaughts defense against things that flank it is to burn drive away, preferably to a wall to prevent the enemy from flanking more, to buy time if rear PD is insufficient. If Onslaught has max Evasive Maneuvers, almost nothing can shut down engines. Even then, if player has Damage Control 10 and Automated Repair Unit, everything repairs quickly.
In a rating from from 1 to 5, my ratings of capitals' offense and defense:
* Onslaught, offense=5, defense=4
* Paragon, offense=3, defense=5
* Conquest, offense=4+, defense=1
* Odyssey, offense=2, defense=2
