The issue I have with EL combat is you can auto-resolve or fight it manually. But if you are going to let me fight it manually, then let me do it. The automated orders felt like a hybrid solution that wasn't quite satisfying (though it was original). But very curious to find out what all of you think.

Not alone :) I think Humankind had the perfect battel system as IIRC, you had direct control of units. My only gripe was that it was a bit easy to cheese the AI with ranged units and terrain. My wife and I have been binging EL1 recently, and direct control of units is something that I would have loved, as well as speeding up assaults had I chosen observer, or switch to observe/auto if I started an assault with the manual option.