Random Ace Pilots too deadly

[Grail Quest]

Is anyone else getting these types of encounters:

(a) Playing SP campaign, currently a Pilot Level 5 using (the only) Heavy Fighter available
(b) They are seemingly random. I have had them in the Shadowlands as well as by trade link disruption.
They show up as an Ace plus wingmen
(d) In their first pass, they all but destroy my ship. I have to use up all my nanos and batteries, and even then they continue to whittle it down. I have of course tried turning, afterburner, and/or dodging and running, but I am invariably destroyed inside of 10 seconds. They haven't even finished their head-on yet and are maybe still 300+ meters away.

I don't remember anything like this happening to me in vanilla FL.

* * *

Another type of insta-kill encounter that I've been getting are Wolfhound packs near Texas D3, the Rogue jump gate. I get them on sensors while still at CRUISE SPEED, so I turn away, still at cruise speed. Suddenly I get "impact missile" warnings. Then I'm hit by missiles and red beams, and I'm destroyed in about 2 seconds. How are they targeting me at CRUISE SPEED with anything?