AI stands for Artificial Intelligence, so what does BI stand for?
*defensive
there are no bullets currently in the game
Now for your suggestion:
I think your basic idea is good, BUT
1) as you described there is no difference between the offensive and defensive ship, since if an enemy ship comes in range it will shot you, so the defensive will also react the same way as the offensive only slower
2) for the AI problem I think there should be a new ship category, somethink like \'unmanned\', it would have a special core, and the players would be unable to use it, except build mode
3) to controll the ship(s) you would need some kind of AI(new block) on your ship/station, which you need to connect them, and also some enhancer depending on the size/number of the ship(s)
4)there should be a range for these ships, and if they reach it they shut down(, and can be manually reactivated to go back to base, or something), the ships wont leave the control zone by default
5) there should be these options for the ships:
-patrol, going around in a large area around the command box(, or maybe following set waypoints), and attacking enemies, but dont chase them after they left the area
-defend, circling around/staying in a small area around the command box, and when the attached object approached by enemy units they attack them but dont chase
-attack, attacking the selected target, chasing it, until its destroyed or the signal is lost
by default they would be set to \'defend\', and I think this should be done like with the weapons computer, each ship, has its own slot where its stance could be set, and the ones set to attack would be assigned to a number like, and launched with lef click like weapons.
*I dont know if it would be better if the range was predetermined or could be extended with enhacers, if it should be using energy, and if should then how much.
**Also i think a new AI should be introduced because the current one is dumb, my battleship just got attacked by a pirate fighter, it barely got the shields...