That was a popular and tactically interesting suggestion. The most common number suggested was the number of flights you get at the purchase pl regardless of actual origin.
The answer in Arm. is not balanced or it would have affected the races equally. It did not. Races who were by no means weak were strengthened by virtue of the numerous ship board flights now getting free shots and/or by having very strong dogfighters virtually ensuring fighter superiority. Races that depended on anti-fighter systems and/or with weak or few dogfighters that they did not have to give up ships for were weakened.
This rule is easy, quick and not fairly clear. It does not drastically affect the central races of the game. It does drastically affect the operation of certain league races. We will not see the results of this change until someone sits down and tries to break it. Much like folks were saying that earth force was not a competative fleet until follks sat down and figured out you needed to take enough of any one thing to make it work. Or as we found out the first time fighters shot first, someone figured out the best way to make the fighters pay for themselves.
It may turn out to be more balanced than I fear, but it is certainly not balanced in regards to some races right now, and I think we have yet to see the impact.
Ripple