Random battle generator would have similar parameters to the challenge mode, but random ships of the selected race would be deployed. Also allow selection of specific deployments.
might be difficult to implement correctly but it would certainly bring a lot of gratuitous explosions 
/signed with a silver pen
Interesting…
Interesting. I do like the idea.
Could throw together random ships of the race you select. You select the map background, number of pilots and budget, and what race you go against, and then you get a random selection of all ship designs, premade and even your own ship designs you may have made for that race, tosses them onto the map, and you go at it. You’d of course not know what formation the enemy ships are in. As for orders, if they have saved orders then go with the saved orders, if not just the default orders.
The random fleet would not be an optimized fleet by any means, but it would be so entirely random that your fleet can’t be optimized either. And by potentially mixing in your own designs with that fleet you’re not just going to end up with a bunch of federation tutorial cruisers. You could end up fighting against that deathmachine battleship with 40 weapon hardpoints that you just modded in.
Missiles? Cruiser lasers? Plasma? Fighters? Frigates? Who knows!?
Could be fun!