That's not what Kalfireth meant IMHO....
....or at least that's not how I see the implementation.
There should 2 comm. systems:
1) Direct Command systy
2) Tac-Net sys
The first is the already in game comm.sys.
The later is a tactical interface that allows you to upload battleplans on-the-fly. Actually IMHO the FRED code could be reused.
IMHO useful functions:
1) Set navpoint
2) Set orders with priority
a) go to navpoint
b) go to jumpnode
c) attack target priority list
d) shipcomponent priority list
e) protect ship priority list
What I really lack in FS is the ability to use formations and hunt in packs.
This is an AI improovement, but it should tie into the comm. sysytem too.
If fighters/bombers could stick close in a formation they could actually dramatically increase their lifespan against attackers. This can be done as pinguins do in on Anctartis - you continously change who's on the outside, and that way you can divide damage between ships.
Similarly hunting in formation could drastically improove the ammount of damage you can dish out. The method here is timing the attacks between ships, denying and letup to the target.
Pincer manuevers are the next level of this. You could order a formation/wing to go pincer-right/left/up/down
Joint missile doctrine could also be devastating. It should actually be a auto-fuction, so by selecting missile-wave, the game automatically assigns targets for everyone in the formation. It takes 2 arguments - which formation should attack which. Similarly multi-target locking could also be implemented in a similar manner. (That would be handy for the Macross mod).
I'm also sick of how bad the AI is at joining a fight. Some basic manuvers should be implemented:
-Lead turn. Istead passing the bogey and then turning, you start turning before the pass, giving you an advantage. Since turn speed is independent of speed (as it should in space!), it's not that hard to calculate an optimum.
-Single Circle Fight. Actually it has nothing to do with single circle, you merly do a lead turn. You do this if your bogey goes faster than you giving you a smaller turn radius.
-Two Circle Fight. You do this if you have a bigger turn speed. You turn in one direction, tempting the bogey to start a lead turn, then reverse course, getting in his six.
-Scissor: it only happens when you're parallel to your target. You should initiate the manuever if you can decelarate faster putting you on his six.
