The Plague (Subverters, Boarders, and IDs, Oh My)

[inigma]

now if only there was a way to take both religious and psychic traits...

[Fyron]

There certainly is. See:

http://www.spaceempires.net/home/content-1.html

[Parasite]

I like boarding parties, but have found them to be less useful in large battles. While great for cleanup work, in larger battles the capture ships die very fast and mostly before they can strike. Don't forget that the shields must be taken down for them to work. When a ship is captured, it is usually targeted by the enemy and destroyed.

For the ships you have listed, I would bump the small ones up to DDs at least. There is very little cost difference between a ES and a DD. especially once you get the heavier engines. Put some more Al. Subverters on it, and away you go. They will then fire at one ship, if they miss, they will fire again. If they hit, they fire next turn at a new ship with the others A. Sbvtrs.

Plus if multiple types are DDs, you can convert them from one type to another if you find large numbers of one are destroyed, or one type does not work against someone on one front.