How are you supposed to perform or get ambushed on the strategic layer? The distance between fleets on the map represents several hours or even days of burn travel. It doesn't make sense for an ambushing action to happen in open space.
If the ambushing setup is something like "hide inside an asteroid field and wait for prey", how is the player meant to ever accomplish such a maneuver?
A couple of ideas:
1. Make it a Skill:
Prepare Ambush.
Acts like Going Dark, but even better, but:
A. Your movement speed is basically zero.
B. You get bonuses to hiding if in an asteroid belt, Hyperspace cloud, etc.
C. When in Ambush Mode, you can intercept nearby fleets with a much wider radius than usual, simulating how you'd "leap out of hiding". Should probably cost a little bit of Fuel and CR. Radius would have to be drawn.
Give said skill to the AI. Now Pirates, instead of chasing people, go to good ambush spots and hide. More realistic and much more interesting.
2. Make it a contextual thing. We have the ability to interact with practically any TokenAPI objects. Why not give a special dialogue / option for good hiding spots? This is a bit of an issue to do with AI, as it would be a whole new subsystem for them and the player that didn't interact.
3. Another Skill idea: "ECM Dump". Primary usage: rapidly conceals player from view from anything in between an area (where said ECM is deployed by drones or whatever) and other fleets. Stays in place for a few hours. Does not block all view of the player, just LOS.
If player is in the ECM and a fleet enters, player can engage in an ambush.
Give same Skill to AI; let them use it when player is attempting to chase their fleets down and has a higher speed. Lets AI use Ambush tactical choice to, perhaps, damage player's logistics badly-enough to stop pursuit.
Other thoughts: In general, the game needs ways for Pirates, especially, to hide and surprise the player. I'm much less concerned with making these Skills wonderful for the player, but giving players additional tools (and in this case, things to give the game another distinct playstyle, as well as enhancing smuggler builds, traders trying to avoid trouble, etc. is just icing on the cake). As it is, Going Dark is useful for avoidance of enemies, but has practically zero use as an offensive ability; this would add offensive layers to "being hidden" as well as defensive benefits (ambushers get the choice of what type of engagement to do).