A while back the system switched to automatic battles. I know this saves the knuckles of the big money players, in that they just hit the button and go make a cup of tea, but it took all the fun out of the combat system for at least one long-term player (moi) who stopped playing for several months as the game had become a bore.
I had been told there was a way to switch to manual mode, but it doesn't work for COs (or any other battle, apparently).
Please bring back the old system where we chose our weaps and shot each round manually, or at least give us that option with an easy-to-use "manual battling" button.