The Pilot’s Book · Battle
Auto-battle and the order book
«Auto» lets the crew fight for you (one auto-battle scroll a battle); «Quick combat» is free against a clearly weaker ship. The book holds your orders.
The round «Auto» button on the left. While auto is on it reads «Take the helm» — tap it to fight by hand again. 
Its wheel: «Auto to the end», «Quick combat», cutting the grapples or falling back, a ransom, and «Strike the colours». Auto spends one scroll a battle (packs in the shop); quick combat against a ship one and a half times weaker costs nothing. 
The round book bottom right is the «Order book»: your officer's words and your path's orders, each with its cost. A gold dot on it means something is ready.
See also
The boarding battle: the basicsA turn-based fight on an 11×9 field, as in Heroes. Initiative sets the order; shots at up to 6 hexes do full damage; flank +15 %, rear +30 %; cover −25 %.4 steps
Morale, luck and the twenty roundsGood morale may give a stack another turn, bad morale may freeze it; luck doubles a blow. After round 20 the side with more of its strength left wins.3 steps