TLDR: Coaching, having a selection of plays in the middle of battle.


I'm not sure if someone else suggested this, I've been scanning through all the great ideas here and haven't encountered something similar.


I'm planning to get early access tomorrow, and as far as I know about space combat is that you choose a play at the start and watch it unfold. I've also read that reinforcements are something that will be considered. And as far as I understand, space battles happen in only 1 global turn. So basically you either watch or skip it.


Many people want a hands on approach, controlling all your units and all, while some like the cinematic feel. I for one like both.


The idea is this, how about have the player coach the current state of combat. Effectively this would simply add phases to combat, attacking phase, repair phase wherein you can flee and the enemy can chase (though it may have more sense on Earth and during the middle-ages where people attack during the day and have a stand still during the night due to not having light. Thereby, having saboteurs and the like.


By coaching I mean, changing the play in the middle of battle, like in sports, a change of tactic called out by the screaming coach. A pincer formation diverging into an V attack formation or something like that. A keep your distance or stall the enemy while reinforcements arrive. The possibilities are endless. People are more engaged but are still not allowed to control every ship in the fleet. Or maybe have different tactics for each flotilla. A charging battleship tank with corvette escorts against fast moving ships while my snipers take out the bigger ships. Or having discovered this tactic, the opposing player would then issue an head on charge to kill the snipers thereby ignoring the battleship. 


Ideas simply to have justice to the word grand in grand strategy. I know there are already world management and government and all but strategy games are as said, strategy, and where else can we see your strategy unfold, in the battlefield. Kinda like chess, but less individual control, so maybe it is akin to sports with coaches like basketball and football and the likes. Just a thought.


Sorry if this was long.