Self-Destruct is Irrational Component

[Baron Munchausen]

Yep, there ought to be Collateral Damage in SE IV combat. Not just when ships self-destruct but when they blow up from any cause. Just check all the adjacent squares and distribute damage as if they were hit with a weapon. This would make it more dangerous to cram your ships as close together as possible for PDC massing and to gang up on an out-numbered enemy. If there were a percentage setting in SETTINGS.TXT for this you could control it or just turn it off if you didn't want it.