[Suicide Junkie]

The modifiers all add, with a base To-Hit of 100% at range zero.

Your net difference in To-Hit modifiers is +60% defense.

That leaves 40% at point blank. By using escorts, you could drop the enemy's To-Hit to the minimum, 1%.

By using one of the weapons with a bonus, say WMG, the enemy will have 30% To-Hit at point blank.

What your opponent will likely do is use mines, missiles, and ramming ships to overcome the defense bonus. All have guaranteed hits.
Fighters get a significant To-Hit bonus as well, and may be useful.

Fixes:
1) Just increase the base To-Hit in settings.txt from 100 to 130 or something.
2) No. That is 80kt of space to get +30% defense. It is already weak enough.
3) I have made my training facilities only add 1% per turn. Reinforcements take 2 years to finish training.