You mentioned using the avoid command. I'm currently running a close support garbage-tier no-officers fleet of hounds trying to kill an assault falcon_A I caught out retreating from a pirate fleet with just a vigilance and a chaingun hound escort. Every time I engage the frigates escort the falcon, which shouldn't be a problem because I outnumber them severely and also out-range them and this falcon can't catch my fleet (75 vs 200). All we have to do is surround the enemies, so the frigates have nowhere to hide, and then pummel them until they're dead and then the falcon is defenseless; nothing it can do should be able to prevent it from going down to a spread of HVD's surrounding it that it can't catch.
BUT, every time I engage either my hounds barge into phase lance range and die, or I order them to avoid the falcon and they run to 2,500 range out and don't involve themselves with this fight at all. It should be easy but I've been sitting here for hours replaying this fight and I can't get through it just cause the AI can't handle itself ): I want dat falcon
