[dogscoff]

dmm's idea is a good one- especially if "manually inputting" could also mean passing the data in from some other program as a parameter.

However, the main changes I'd like to see made to ground combat- which would enhance it greatly without noticably increasing micromanagemnt- would be to throw in a few extra (and moddable) ground combat variables:

- "home ground" modifer- so that gas races get a bonus scrapping on gas planets, ice races on ice planets etc.
- An ability that can be added to facilities and/or weapon platform components and/or nearby ships and stations to enhance troop defence so you can build "fortifications".
-Militia numbers modified by population mood/ loyalty/ whatever we get in se5.

As long as all the above are moddable and moddably stackable, these few things would open up all kinds of possibilities for more interesting combat.