Wow. That’s a pretty sweet deal for the battleship pilot. I am pretty open to new Ideas, but I would have opposed that. Not real keen on the idea of having won a fight, my shield and armor are shot, and now I may get tackled and have to face the same person’s frigate?
I agree with you that consistency should have been maintained. You want that frigate? Well you get to launch it first, eject into a pod, then board it. Could you do it in a fight just before your ship blows up? If you are real fast and real lucky. Automatic? Bullox if you ask me. Your ship blows up, well, if your frigate survives should be random just like any other loot drop.
It may not be officially an exploit but as it departs so far from previous game mechanics I understand why you say it SEEMS like one.