ooh no no, please explain, it might not work fully to your idea, but maybe dev's could use some part of it

You are thinking about something like the MoO had?

But just keep in mind, everything is in realtime, using alot of time on microing commanders to ships, would be alot of microing. IC are trying to avoid something like that i believe

Great point! You're right about micromanagement headaches by implementing to much. It's just that with this game the possibilities are all out there, especially with as many bloggers and developers trying their best to make this game the best. I don't know what MoO is, sorry, but I'm sure you're right.

To explain my idea a little more, I imagined that as a commander you could have the option of somehow attaining (through general gameplay I suppose) 1 to 3 'heroes (a maximum of three or less, for the sake of taking as little time as possible) that you could station on planets, capital ships, or platforms for a somewhat significant bonus, just enough to notice attentively. It's not necessary, but in my own opinion, I think it would just be another extra touch that adds that feeling of attachment to your units.

I've made a few posts mostly around the area of increased micromanagement, which is my favorite part of RTS games, but I was just thinking that perhaps instead of excluding ideas or concepts deemed too micro-demanding they could instead be made automated by default using the advanced Ironclad AI except they are given the option of being micromaneged by the user if it is so wanted in an individual game.

Maybe a Commander, admiral or heroes what ever you wanna call them, could be assign to a fleet.
They would require a upkeep, they dont level up or makes the fleet better, but they will be able to be assigned missions by you.

So missions could be alot of different kinds, like:
protect my bordors
colonize known planets
attact pirates
attact weak defended planets
and stuff like that

He will also have the option to make a fleet into a formation after then given situation.

Other things can ofcourse be added to him, but also not too much, dont want the game to play by it self.

Exactly. This idea is incredibly useful especially when you have oppened up several fronts.

Also every war has its heroes, in fact every war needs its heroes.
Oooh I like the sound of that, you can quote me if you want   

I think he was talking about when your ships and enemy ships are in the same system they auto attack the enemy (or if the enemy get close enough, depending on the setting you have for you ships).

well shurly if he failed a mission such as Defend or Attack wouldnt he be dead.
and dont tell me he ran away

Coward!!!

*beats danielost*

*drops a nuclear hand grenade*

Gotta love Heinlein's Work

*Nuclear Hand grenade detonates, taking the ninjas and everyone with it*