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Please excuse my rambling. Feel free to offer any advice on my beginner IR observations. Thank you.
It's okay, and welcome within the Empire.
I agree with most of your observations, but would like to suggest a few things to you about the IR.
First off, is that you have to micro your fighter much more than you did with the NR, and make sure that no fighter squadron is alone, since they are much weaker than they were in the NR. You have the Hunt ability, but never use it until you killed off the mayority of the enemy fighters, or you will loose many fighters, and this can be a mayor loss.
The Praetor really is overpowered, and will be slightly nerfed in 2.2 to balance it out. Tectors are good, but you will have to make sure that you bring carriers with it at all time, since they have no fighter escort.
In Era 4 and 5 make sure to build the Venators, as they are a good Carrier AND second line attack ship in one hull
The VSDs are really good, I much prefer them over VSD IIs as well.
A small advice: you shouldn't buy much Aclamators, if any because they are not that effective. You are much better having Strike Cruisers.
Good luck with the Remnant