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[Vind]

Expecting AI ships to carry you here is overly optimistic. Pirates must win here unless player fleet can eliminate their carriers or somehow neutralize strike craft very quickly.

[Rusty Edge]

On the other hand - a lone Shrike against these odds will get surrounded and melted in no time. That's why I suggested an Escort just to keep the small guys alive in the shadow of a tanky Apogee. Generally I don't use Escort either. A Defend command for the AI fleet would do the same thing and may allow for some more individual maneuverability.

 Your methods sound experienced and competent.

 An escort FOR a Shrike is a fine idea, a Shrike AS an escort is usually a waste. There are great escort shops that can be used liberally, and to great effect (Omen, Centurion, Monitor ect.)

 My main caution for newer players is against the behavior of Youtubers who take their high alpha damage, short range glass cannons(shrike, wolf, LP Brawler, Tempest, Sunder ect.) And put them all on a suicidal escort daisychain. And then wonder why none of them are performing properly.

 For less experienced players who want to issue a lot of orders: Offensive ships will perform better with "capture", "rally" and "Eliminate" orders. And Defensive ships perform better with "Defend" and "Escort" orders. And(almost) all ships operate better in larger numbers.

[Daynen]

I tend to outfit my fleet for endurance so one boneheaded AI decision doesn't suddenly leave me down three or four ships and surrounded--and the AI WILL make boneheaded decisions at high speed.

Try cruisers with a few capitals for fleet anchors.  Give them strong point defense, make sure there's kinetic weaponry to pressure enemy flux, decent AOE weapons to splatter fighter/bomber screens and make sure they can standoff at range.  Make sure your fleet has one or two ships with a nice wide shield and low shield damage ratios so they can take hits and strong flux dissipation so they don't take a day and a half to vent.  Try steady or aggressive officers so they stay in combat range but don't headbutt entire enemy lines.  Get a few nimble frigates with good defensive systems, like omens or monitors, then fit them for pure survival and staying time so they can annoy the enemy flanks by holding control points and keeping their line in place.  Then make sure YOUR ship can maneuver into position to strike and get the job done.

Remember, your fleet is there to back you up, not the other way around.