I thought SH3 was fantastic, esp after some of the great mods that were later developed. For SH4 the biggest thing I could wish for would be a improvement and integration of time compression and crew management. Setting daily watches without guys falling asleep at the controls is a must! I would also like to see when you are in time compression above a number you set, ie 8X the captain, (you) are off duty and in your bunk. Your XO would be in command and follow captain's (your) standing orders. ie, avoid target "this" and "that", engage target "this" and "that" You would arrive on the command deck with the crew already getting underway to avoid or engage a contact, and not wake up to a "death screen" because you couldn't slow the time comp in time.
It only makes sense to me that if the enemy AI can currently attack and sink you before you can lift a hand to get out of time compression, that the friendly AI crew mates can be smart enough to avoid that rock, not hit that friendly freighter or crash dive when swarmed by destroyers while you are rising from your bunk rubbing the sleep out of your eyes.
Once the immediate threat is dealt with, your XO can report all happenings while you were napping.
PS new here. Nice board. Great to see this series alive and well in the community.