Retreat Option

[Suicide Junkie]

What you need is to remove the engine limitations, and use "engines per move" instead. That way, you could make an LC with 8 movement, 1 shield & a few "ExtendedRange Tractor Beams"

The LC zooms out, and start dragging the enemies back to the fleet to be killed.

IMO, a tractor beam should still work on ships larger than you, with a reduction in damage (pull) of roughly one point per hull size.

I always mod "ER Tractor Beams" with range upto 8, and damage of 1, reload 1 or 2. Use a lot, since you're gonna be inaccurate.
Still, for ships with equal movement, you can slowly drag 'em in, and every hit counts.