It is a matter of luck(and patience). And the right augments, you cannot plan for, but rather have to adopt when you find them.
For example a drone recovery arm will make me buy it, even if I do not have a drone control system yet.
Hull repair is also a must buy(if you can save up drones), and so is weapon preigniter.
With them, it becomes managable, even on hard - with luck. If I don't have any luck, I can also die on easy.
but also valuation of spending and damage. Apparently, good players can win about 70% or so of the time on hard, because the game is designed such that the amount of leeway/mistakes you're allowed to make is near zero (but not zero).
Or a moment of not paying attention and then suddenly your shields are all down and destroyed and before you know it that was it. But I haven't played easy in a while ..
With them, it becomes managable, even on hard - with luck. If I don't have any luck, I can also die on easy.