there is a hint at the loading screen that says pirates and militia focus on civilian and colony ships, so keep them safe/protected
dont see why the normal AI of your fleet shouldnt do the same...
however, if you want to fix it, you could always set the fleet engagement range to local area instead of GW
Restricting engagement ring would work on strike craft ? ... I'll have to try it out.
Focusing on trade ship while I have nothing else to do is right... But, as a person, I would consider killing the fleet directly in front of me (You know, the one who is currently destroying your ships/planet instead of turning back and leaving the fight, therefore making you more vulnerable (since enemy continue to attack you while you "flee" the current threat to destroy a single trade ship far away in the current gravity well))
That's just not logic, don't you think ?
Ex :
I got 20 ships, enemy got 20.
We're about the same force (same upgrade, same ships)
An enemy trade ship or navigator/seeker/scout pop in the gravity well, my whole 20 ships + strike crafts crew reaction
should be continuing fighting the biggest thread or turn back the enemy fleet (taking damage but not doing anymore to the
enemy fleet, therefore giving the advantage to your nemesis) to crush that single trade ship bastard that is doing
business on your gravity well...
Does anybody micro-managing his fleet agains the enemy is doing that ? ... I don't think so.
A.I. should have that same priority, dictated by logic, instead of that illogic behavior.
After you managed to kill the enemy fleet, if trade ship comes into the same gravity well, I have nothing to argue agains the
fact my fleet react to it... but in the middle of an epic battle, it's a bit disappointing, no ?