I've spent the time, and I think I'm comfortable with the Naval Organization tab and with the operation of Task Forces. I have a lot more to learn, but I think I have the basics down.
However, the whole reason I started to do this hasn't panned out: I'd like to split task groups and automatically set up default orders for them.
For example, I have four jump scout groups (that I've set up under the Exploration Corps Task Force) - branches Alpha, Beta, Charlie, and Delta. They each have - in separate geosurvey, gravsurvey, and logi branches - two geosurvey ships, one gravsurvey ship, and one jump tender/supply ship/tanker
I know about 'transit and divide fleet', but what I'd like to do is be able to use that order (or something similar) and already have my default and conditional orders properly set up on the sub-task-groups created, instead of having to go through each by hand every time I jump into a new system.
Further questions! I've noticed that with the 'picket' order, if you're picketing jump points, the 'orbit distance' section in the TG window is greyed out. Makes sense; it's not a body you can orbit. However, is there any way to set a desired distance from a jump point? I don't want to be right on top of it with these missile ships when the enemy beam ships pop in at 50k. . .
Task force training. What does it do? Is it just a way to increase the crew training rating based on the crew training ratings of the staff officers of the task force? Or does it mean something else; e. g. coordinated fleet exercises, formation, or whatever? Further, is there any way to cancel task force training once you've begun?
Finally, my task force training button seems to have disappeared after my Naval Organization . . . re-organization. I made sure that my new Task Force has a commander under the staff officers portion of the Commanders window, but the game hasn't auto-assigned any underlings for him - is this why? Specifically, he doesn't have an Operations attache yet. Which leads to my next question.
Why hasn't the game auto-assigned any staff officers for this command yet? I've checked; there are enough unassigned personnel cooling their heels in the fleet officers' mess, and I have checked the automated assignments tickbox. Is it because I've set tour length to 60 months and it just hasn't ticked over yet, or might I need to do something more? I've advanced time by 2 days.
Edit to add, for posterity: figured out what was wrong with my commander auto-assignments. The commander assignments tick every 5 days, like production. This is also what was wrong with my Task Force Training.