What if the direct controls were more a way to control the character''s intentions? You have a variable from 1 to 10, and your commands move that number up or down. If it''s high, then your character will flip out and kill people, even letting a few enemy attacks land in order to get another one of his own in, but if it''s low, then he''ll keep his distance and only take the shots that are guaranteed. It kills the real-time fight feel, and makes the player more of a coach than a controller, but it could work.

I''m reminded of the "Battle Strategy" in Ogre Battle. Your guys are going to do what they can to win the fight, and all you can do is tell them basically what you want done, but that little decision can be the difference between victory and defeat.