I agree, more control over your pirates on offense, and more options for defense to make it even.. You say "this would make it a 3 star win every tine" well, no, if they simply play with the abilities of attackers and balance it correctly with a little nerfing or up the defensive accuracy. There are many ways to adjust the way the mechanic works, that's the joy of programming! Rolling the dice with this current system is great when you have advanced pirates and lots of unlocks, but if you're a lowly newb like me, then it's frustrating to try and win a few matches. Love the game though! The little pirate guys are so fraking cute!
Well Boom beach has flares and the Ship which I use to control the tides of the battle. CoC has the heros and their abilities to add a layer of control and Plunder Pirates use individual pirate skills to add a layer of control to the battle. You need to learn how to best place your troops in order to give them the best shot at winning. I think the AI is fine as is, you might struggle in the beginning, but upgrade those troops and you will see your attacks improve. In the beginning just use gunners to hit the loot and who cares if you lose. Go for wins once you get stronger. One thing that I might agree could be added is firing cannons and flares from your pirate ship to help direct the battle (like Boom Beach does), but personally I like the approach that Midoki took.