So, I've just gotten back into SS and I am wildly enjoying it again, aside from one "simple" thing.. the AI.
I just had an encounter where we were evenly matched, but due to my steady officers apparently watching too many rambo movies decides he can hipfire his weapons with 100% accuracy, I was forced to retreat. Fine as that can happened to the enemy as well.
The enemy fleet persues me and I get into another combat engagement.
As most of my ships are 20% or below hull while my ship is roughly 50% I order a full retreat thinking these ships are so damaged they will high-tail it to the top of the screen.
No, instead THEY ALL TURN AROUND in what I can only assume was an attempt to impress me with a heroic death.
My ships were faster, I had hit the full retreat button, so I couldn't give any other orders and yet my ships decided screw retreat, i want to die.
So instead of going full speed to the top of screen they just sort of lazily coasted just in weapons range (theirs and the enemies) until they were eventually whittled down and killed.
If I order a retreat, I expect my ships to drop everything aside from defense and GTFO, not "meh, when i get to it.."