Re: "I wish the damage was done in order from left to right."
Well, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense given the simplicity of damage modelling in combat -- since there is no "orientation" to damaging blows, it is difficult to justify a left to right ordering to components.
Specifying the order in which components is damaged is a bit too much for the relatively simple set-up of SEIV combat ... although I could stretch to justify why crew quarters might be the first to get it (your empire designs vessels with meatspace on the exterior of the hull), it is difficult to carry the justification across all possible components in the game (how to justify that a self-destruct mechanism would be the first to go?).
I fear the AI would not be able to cope with players capable of such design finesse.
I'd also prefer to see some (limited) modelling of fore / aft / starboard / port in combat first
