I don't think asteroids affect marines. They behave more like a ship than a Dogi or fighter. If they bounce on the planet three times they die, though.

You can find a downloadable version of SC I by looking on google, original software, but on my computer it was really choppy and hard to use. I don't remember if the original was, but...

The Jugger will stop shielding even when it's running through the flames. This way is quicker, if you fly it right.

You wanted favorite ships, huh?
I have to go split between ZFP and Thraddash. I won't go into great detail as they've both been done already.

Zoq-Fot-Pik
General Tactics:
Get up to speed, then turn around and strafe. Firing while flying backwards increases range.
Gravity whip like crazy. It is the best tactic for escaping/closing with the enemy.
Tongueing!!! To be used in conjunction with the gravity whip! If you are good, you can tongue by strafing. Fly sideways at the maximum tongue range and LICK that sucker.

Special Tactics:
I will only list my favorites here:
Ur-Quan: Strafe the fighters, then gravity whip and tongue broadside.
Utwig: Rush them. For some reason, they turn away as if they want to run. It only takes two tongues to kill a jugger. If you wait until the very last second, they won't shield.
Kohr-Ah: Dart in, evade the F.R.I.E.D., and tongue.
Thraddash: Just kill it, okay?
Arilou: You can head straight at it and tongue at the last second. You may lose half your crew, but it usually works.

Thraddash:

General Tactics:
AFTERBURNERS!!!
Don't waste too much time on your gun. It uses more energy than is practical, leaving you without a quick escape.
If you can't wait for a recharge, just hold down the burners and they will accelerate you to the same speed as otherwise, it just takes longer.
If you want to turn on burners, kick in your regular engines, make the turn, and burn again. For some reason the normal engine acts like a brake.
This can be used offensively, too. Just drain your battery and use burners and engines at the same time, moving in a zig zag pattern. Put this between you and your enemy and they will often run into it. Great for small, fast ships.
Laying fire around planets when the opponent gravity whips is good too. Not unlike NECRO's gaurdian tactics.
Special Tactics:
Ur-Quan: Wait till the fighters get close, then fire burners and lay an arc facing them. Bye-Bye fighters. Then use the afterburner to kill the big ship, it is too massive to avoid it.

Androsynth: Wait till it blazers, and try to make it run into your burners. It dies fast, if you hit it.

Utwig: It only shields sometimes with burners. Self evident. Same with the Yehat.

Chmmr: Let it get close, then burn off the sats. Fun.

Those are the really fun battles with those, in my opinion.

 :'(You people should stop making fun of my list .
It would be impossible (or nearly so) to pilot a ship at faster than normal speed. It would be cool however to have a 10X version of melee for tactical research.
It would be interesting to see which fights better in reality: good cyborg or awesome cyborg. The strategies don't seem to vary much...

I've heard something about a frenzy mode for super melee, that makes it really crazy and stuff.
1: does it exist?
2: has it been included in UQM?

Love the game, but the newest version is all but unplayable because of those new blur/glow effects you added. They take up like half the screen with neon green.

Yes, there is something you can do there. You can blast an Ur-Quan into little tiny cosmic bits. That's almost ALWAYS worth doing.