[Xrati]

If you use an open map, then you are playing a real strategy game. The universe is not 2D and the realism of a map that can emulate that is where the real challenges come in. A warp point system is very defined as you know where your enemy will come from and can have a 'welcoming' fleet. OR you can just mine the WP's and stack fleets on them. Even when you can open your own WP's later game tech prevents the use of them.

I think the best games are open maps and fleet restrictions. Lets face facts that one command ship could not possibly handle hundreds/thousand of smaller ships. Command has to be broken down into smaller control groups. A large attack fleet consisting of smaller groups make sense.