I think you should be able to change your flagship, like a "Reflag" ability

True

its another free capital ship at the start.  You use it to attack and run away, get some more hard to kill bombing damage on an enemy world...i think its a great way to mix up multiplayer games.

maybe let the flagship "absorb" 1% of hull of all ships destroyed in the gravity well it is currently in.

And maybe add a stacking "frenzied crew" passive ability that boosts firing rates for the flagship for each ship destroyed in the gravity well. Shouldnt be permanent ofcourse, maybe 15-20 seconds or something.

Actually now that I think about it, I would like these abilities on the titans

I'd say the flagship still gives advantages in lategame, you can lure the enemy's fleet towards one side of a solar system/gravity well

The flagship should provide an XP boost (15%?) for combat experience gained when it is in the same system.

That'll have people sticking it's neck out or at least wishing it were out there with them.

I think Flagships should gain XP and level up like other cap ships.

I think flagships are perfect exactly how they were originally concieved.

I think people here are getting mixed up as to what the OP meant by 'flagship'. It is possible I am mistaken, but I see some posts that seem to think he's talking about Titans, others that seem to think it's the 'Fleet leader', and then a few that seem to have it right. To clarify, there is a 'last flagship standing' win condition in Rebellion, in which you start the game with a capital ship that must survive the whole game. 

I like the flagship game mode... alot. Though I do think the game modes should have more options to them. For example, maybe losing the flagship doesnt lose you the game, but severely handicaps (ie you loose half your fleet supply , permanently, and can no longer upgrade your supply). In general, I'd like to see the game modes much more tweakable. Think of the multiplayer options for halo, and you get an idea of what I'm shooting for.

That being said, I could see flagships getting Auras that affect how you would want position them, but nothing drastic. Some possibities (obviously not suggesting all get implemented):

• 5% damage boost to nearby ships
• -5% income rate to nearby planet
• frigate capturing (long cooldown)
• +5% regen and healing rate to nearby ships
• +1 armor to nearby ships
• -10% turning rate to nearby enemy ships

On another note, I suggested a long time ago that I think "fleet leaders" (aka thing-formerly-known-as-flagships that are created when a fleet is formed) should give bonuses as well,

Yeah.  Logic says that fleet cohesion will improve if a fleet is kept together.  My only problem is that it would create problems because players wouldn't commit their better fleet to a battle.

This is because a conservative player will try to keep his fleet cohesive.

I will note I also think we should a negative experience. 

For the Unity!