The worst thing about U7 combat was your teammates ignored your directions most of the time. They'd run off into the woods towards 3-4 baddies lol. Shit but still, exciting shit.
Exactly, it was exciting. Sorry you can't telepathically control your teammates, deal with it. You can give them general instructions, but otherwise be prepared for a desperate and dynamic combat system. Explosions going off, new combatants running in from the sides, opportunities to set traps and cast spells, it's pretty fantastic.
If you don't like Ultima 7's rtwp combat, then you're a boring person and you have no appreciation for what is being simulated. Chess is great, and so is the way that Ultima 7 has thousands of mongbats streaming in from all directions when you cast conjuration.