Carrier fleets --- Strategic combat?

[Jon Brave]

OK, what am I doing wrong? A prompt, simple response would be much appreciated.

I build carrier fleets: 1 carrier with fighters, several other ships, some with weapons. I attack, say, a planet with some defences and a ship. I press "Stratgic" combat. My carrier often gets killed, whether I win or not. When I press the replay, I see my carrier basically launches fighters then moves really close to planet, eventually gets zapped by weaps plats. The carrier seems to stick with the attack ships which move in, other supply ships etc. correctly get out of the way.

I have checked and my carriers' default strategy in Design menu is set to "Don't get hurt", like those ships which keep out of the way. I have also left the setting in Empire Strategies which says that Carriers "break formation" like, say, Colony ships. I have my fleet with, say, diamond formation with carrier as leader so it's in the centre. You don't seem to be able to get at an individual ship's strategy when it's in a fleet.

Basically I want my carrier to launch its fighters from afar, they go in with attack ships to attack enemy ships/planet while it stays back out of harm's way, like, say, a supply ship or mine sweeper. I (think) I know I can select Tactical combat, then perhaps break formation and make sure my carrier keeps back, but I want to be able to use Strategic combat. Can't I do this --- seems an obviously desirable strategy? Otherwise losing my carriers is costing too much.