I rather like the more hands-off thing with fighters. Don't have to waste loads of command points ordering them around for them to be effective - under the carrier's command, they can actually get stuff done without me having to micro their every last move.
Don't see why we couldn't have both. All ships should operate reasonably well without orders, but also abide by ones we issue if we decide their worth the command points (which imho they absolutely are).
With as powerful as fighters are in the current version, I can't help but think that raw power combined with that level of tactial micro in the players hands would give you too much advantage. Why would anyone ever use something other than a carrier when they have that much control over their lethal wings? The lack of of the ability to micro/focus the fighter squadrons is the only reason to use a non carrier in the present version, IMO. Carriers are that good now, they actually need to have "one arm tied behind their back".
And that arm should never be bad AI or lack of controls for your cariers, but more balance of dmg and similar. Never put bad AI to balance something out, as that doesnt fix anything just makes more problems
Well, "lack of controls" depends on whether you think you're playing a primarily action oriented combat sim, or a fleet level tactical sim. It's possible that the game you think you're playing is not the game Alex is making.
As far as "bad AI", I disagree, and think that the AI for carriers is pretty good, in that you can mostly leave them alone and wait for them to win the battle for you. They dont need too much babysitting as long as you dont issue them stupid orders, which is what I want out of a ship AI.
As far as balance, carriers *should* be powerful, but they should also be much more vulnerable then they are now, requiring heavy escort. They should definitely be a ship the enemy AI prioritizes. I personally think that carriers of human piloted strike craft are an anachronism in a sci fi setting, but if youre going to use the concept then carriers are something that need escort because they are vulnerable to a number of threats without it. In the game at present, there are no real threats the carriers are particularly vulnerable to that cant be solved with their fighter bays.