I think this is a great idea. Right now the flagships of empires are just by name and slight HP bonus. Flagships can't be replaced once lost, so it would not be too imbalanced. If people are really worried about the bonus being too much, it could always be a toggle ability given to all flagships that cost some anti-matter in order to use for x duration in the gravity well, much like finest hour.

Oh, btw, while I do like the idea I do see a minor problem:

Flagships can't be replaced, which means that it could be imbalanced if its made too strong (1 ship behind makes defeat "inevitable" strong, for example). Further, if one player looses his flagship early on, while the other doesn't, it takes the possibility of turning the tide even further out of the equation than might otherwise be the case. Its something that needs to be examined, but... I do think it'd be a good idea.

Why should a flag ship be unreplacable?? i think it should be like changing your empires capital planet. it should take some ammount of money and time to select a new flag ship once your old one dies (or even if it hasnt) so that it cannot be done mid-battle. but every navy in the world has the option of designating a different flag ship... why not in sins?

I do like this idea. it gives the flag ship more power and prowess. and since your original flag ship doesnt cost anything, if you do have to replace it it is already gonna be a sore spot for your empire... PLUS it will make those of us whom chose the Aken as our flagship think twice because while the aken is a good ship for quick expansion, its really only good as a support ship later on. Good Idea   

exactly. have it cost some time and ressources to designate a flagship - and only one at a time - and its more flexible and forgiving.

you could also make the bonus directly dependent on ship level, so the more experienced the admiral on board the better the bonuses. furthermore I do think that ship dependent bonuses would cool. the dunov as a support ships could grant a shield bonus and increased shield regeneration, a carrier could help fighters or anti- fighter tactics to capships, a kol could give a weapons bonus and an akkan some other thing, maybe better maneuverability, speed and short jump time.

yes, in general that is definately an idea worth exploring.

how about a short negative effect of the same or larger quantity like the bonus if the flagship is destroyed? this way it becomes a bit more balanced since losing it and it represents the morale effect of seeing the command ship go down.

oh, and lastly: even though its unrealistic and stuff, maybe give it a max number of influenced ships. otherwise it could leed to much towards building a single massive fleet around your flagship just to make everything profit from the effect.

what I meant was that its not necessary to give them another reason to do it not to prevent them from doing it. as for why, maybe its just personal taste, but it doesn't feel very realistic or strategic just putting everything in one fleet and using it to mow down everything in its path. its in another thread, but I'd like to see some sort of counter to big fleets except for other big fleets.

multiple fleets would still be greatl;y useful, they would only be slightly disadvantaged if they ran into a flagship and its fleet of support ships.

But i also like the idea of antimater use, though have it s a dynamic drain.

So that the more ships you have in a fleet that the flagship is supporting the faster the drain will be. OR it could also be dynamic abilitys, if there is a smaller fleet they all get 30% increse to their abilities, but a huge fleet will have each ship get a 1% increse, then a smaller more well equiped fleet will blow theh ell out of a porly organized huge fleet

I think there are plenty of other factors in this game already, adding another one just to add somekind of attachment to ONE ship is kind of ridiculous.

attachment to any one LINESHIP would be annoying and detracting yes, but this is the FLAGSHIP, as thetraviler said. It is YOUR embodiment in this game. and only having ONE for each race wont be as distracting.

And once that ship is gone, oh well no more distracting.

And the flagships still would not be hard pressed to die, a good player with enough bombers can down one EASY.

well thats why i posted farther up about being able to designate a new flagship much like you can designate a new empire capital planet... but it would take time and money