well yeah, i keep 5+ hotkeyed as well, but I've always got 3-4 around my home planet for fixing stuff, as well as 1-2 at any border planet...
I suppose your using a ton of energy on those resistance frigates/bomber things, I never quite saw the use for them, especially with their high energy and resource cost.
Then again, I also never got above 500ish aip...
The resistance frigates are monsters! give them a shot, they are expensive, but very very good. 
unfortunately for them.. in the last game I played on, resistance fighters were trumped by the Dyson sphere (and since it was pre-gatling nerf... Back when they were reclaimable) which happened to be on the same planet. Annoying.. but meh. Was late in the game anyway..
Anyway, read the story in my sig for the full version, but it basically involved me throwing everything I had at the Sphere to capture its spawn. Damn things mustve cost me near 10k metal and crystal apiece..
