Using another program to resolve combat

[dmm]

I've suggested this for a long time. You just need an option at startup to allow manually entering the results of battles. So you could choose tactical, strategic, or manual. There would be no hacking of any turn files, which narf correctly points out is something we don't want. However you would need a trusted player or a GM who would enter the results.

Besides enriching the battles and enhancing the roleplaying opportunities, such an option would also save time and frustration in solo play (vs. computer). Examples: when a fleet attacks a few unarmed ships, when you want a fleet to lower the population of a planet (but not wipe it out) so your troops can assault it easily, when you want your planet-based fighters to stay close to the planet so they will be covered by your massive weapons platforms instead of racing off and being wiped out, when the enemy fleet has a high-value target ship that you want destroyed at all costs.

You could actually do this now for space battles with tactical (hot seat) if both players fully cooperated, but it would be a pain in the neck. And of course, this won't work for PBW. For planet battles, you can't do it now no matter what.