Hmmm I would say if such features were introduced then only as a researchable tech. In the early stages this would make things too easy I think micro management should exist at the start of the game as far as battles go. Later stages, you are right it gets messy. Even with 50 ships on each side, I try to take out the enemy capital ship and then I just let it go on as a huge mess of things.

well, i kinda feel like im missing a few things.
The speed of weapons fire is too fast, and there should be a chance for them to miss

In order to have a good game based on combat( ie SoaSE, even though they say that isnt the only thing) you need to have good tactical combat. There is no point in fleet movement if you a small guy and he/she is a big guy trying to kill you. if there is no real tactical combat, then there is no real point to micromanage a battle. If you aren't able to effectively micromanage a battle, then there is no hope of a smaller fleet being able to defeat a larger one. The only way to possibly do this, is to focus fire, but that isn't realistic. I am not a fan of super realism, but some does help.

yeah, otherwise what was the point in calling it an "RT4X?" I know its real time, but thats been done before... (I think anyhow)

define "pretty low end"
as soon as I start up sins the whole screen goes black for 1/2 a second, before reverting back to the original background of my computer and shutting down sins completely.

Just right click on the ability assignment button to set it to auto-assign abilities as it sees fit.

AMD Sempron 3100+ (1.8 gig clock), 2 gigs pc3200 ram (400 mhz clock), G-force 6600gt 256 meg vid card. Asus k8n MB with built in sound, running WinXP SP2 (I wont touch Vista with a 10 foot pole right now).

My computer has no issues running games made earlier than 2004, but definetly has problems running games like Supreme Commander, CoH, or others made '05, and up that deal with high end graphics.

LOL! I didnt know that ether. Thanks kryo

I agree that the battles are a bit lacking.

Once you have phase inhibitors the best plan seems to be hang around in whatever border system is a chokepoint with overwhelming force, await the inevitable AI horde, crush it because it can't escape and then counterattack.

Now you have to have some method to at least make things difficult to jump deep into your rear planets but phase inhibitors are too powerful. I would suggest that phase inhibitors merely cause charging for jump take much longer (ie 5 to10 times longer) and that you can only jump to a planet from the appropriate jump point.

This would mean that if you're willing to take a pounding you can get past chokepoints as you run for the other jump point and also you can use decoys to draw off defenders before the main fleet comes especially if they put in some sort of stealth tech. Right now things are a bit too easy and too mechanical, once you weather the initial storm of attackers.

the game does appear to lack content, but as mentioned, it is still just a beta. i've played similar 3d rts space genre games, like the homeworlds, and i'm currently using them as a water mark for a good balance of content, ui quality, and combat/economic dynamics...

...right now, the game looks pretty decent, has a good interface; though i find the mouse controls confusing, but it's pretty bare with regards to content and realistic dynamics in both content and economics.

the resource system produces construction frigates 'automatically', figters/bombers are constructed similarly in cap ships...

...this bothers me. if something as crucial as the resource system is off, the whole game might be off.

LodossKnight is right, the TEC are the master merchants, industrialists, and economists of the galaxy.