@Allectus
Deploying fighters peacemeal isn't usually the best (or most effective) way of deploying them. The more fighters there are, the more damage they can cause before being sent back to the carrier. Besides, you never needed to use your interceptors to recon - the Sensor Arrays always gave you plenty of sight radius. Furthermore, the disposition of enemy forces in a space game isn't all too important compared to the disposition of vehicle on land, as on land there are obstacles blocking maneuvering, sight lines, and terrain providing tactical advantages such as a defense on a hill or a reverse-slope defense. None of those exist in Starsector - thusly, reconnaissance is nearly pointless, furthermore since you already know the exact fleet composition of the enemy before the battle even starts. Furthermore, getting flanked in Starsector is not nearly as disastrous as getting flanked in real life (for example, putting flanking fire down a group of line infantry, called "raking the line" in the American Civil War, which could cause some serious casualties because it was harder to miss and a single bullet could strike multiple soldiers), as shields exist and give the ship in question enough time to GTFO and remake the battle line. Hell, even in real life, reconnaissance is only useful on the largest tactical, moving onto strategic, levels. Cavalry during the American Civil War were so valuable because they were the eyes and ears of the armies - they kept track of the enemy army, fed information quickly back to headquarters, and could fend off enemy cavalry trying to do the same thing to them. But once the battle actually started, the cavalry were ditched - you already know where the enemy will be and can thus determine the place of battle. Skirmishers were there to engage and keep in place the enemy.
Furthermore, carriers already attempt to keep behind friendly ships (or if they don't, Alex has already confirmed any situations as bugs), so there's another beautiful thing of simplicity. Not everything has to be more complicated to be better.