You don't manually control the ships like a sim or Wing Commander, though that would be awesome. You do have control over your ship though, and can maneuver manually, set certain ranges from your target, etc. for optimal damage.
Actual PvP is pretty rare though, especially in our region. It's usually a fleet vs. fleet lag battle, which is a little disappointing. I have had a few 1 vs. 1's though, and they are awesome strategic battles.