I have an idea which I would like you graphics designers to give a try:
Design a ship and then make it look damaged !
For example custom sprites could be used to make some tiles look damaged.
The tiles themselfes could be modified to look damaged...
Or special damaged tiles could be created which could be layed on top of them...
Also perhaps special effects tiles/graphics like electricity or sparks going off in a gif animation or so could be nice/helpfull.
Perhaps these tiles could later be integrated into the game as a special "damage feature/functionality/tiles" (just like weapon tiles and doodads).
To create the illusion of holes the programmer of the game could later do special processing to the tiles... the tiles underneath would be cleared where there are holes in the upper tiles... such operation could be difficult but not impossible
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Bye,
Skybuck.