21 hours ago, Axiverse said:

Ive been looking at some boids steering code and it seems like often the orientation is dependent on velocity.

Really angular velocity is integration of applied torque impulses. So to get a required orientation it required to apply at least 2 consequtive impulses - one to start rotation and other to stop it. On most use-cases it require a proportinal navigation , so PID regulation is  better (intendent for its kind of tasks)and simpliest way to implement it.

22 hours ago, Axiverse said:

Doing this also leads to some spinning out of control so I haven’t figured out how to try to go to the nearest target and then be able to stop

Find a normalized vector from your object to target. Find projection of its vector to coordinate planes of object's local coordinate system. Now calculate angles betwin of its projections and forward axe .  Use a PIDs to turn on orientation trust proportionally to its angles (or ever proportionally to just a projections of target dir vector to other local axes for simplified but much faster approach). It will follow a target point ever in case target point is moving. Say more if you will use a differences of angles calculated on 2 consequtive steps as input of PIDs it will follow a interseption point for moving targets.

6 hours ago, Axiverse said:

For example, we have both the turning mechanism as well as the acceleration - both affecting how we arrive at our goal but independent on each other.

Real-world autopilots use separate channel for each axe.    Each PID converts input  volume (that usually is a input from sensors) to output volume (that is a power delivered by drives)  only. If we drive a some feedback (that usually sensors do) to PID input it able to keep/follow target value of sensed signal with some dT kown as regulation delay. Linked to chains it able to keep a orientation using angular speed as intermediate (PID regulated by chained regulator) value for example.  But it works separately for each deegry of freedom and able to drive system from current state to target state only. So if you need sequence of moves you have to set a sequence of targets to channels that can be followed sequentaly or simulateousely. For example you can setup required to acceleration impulse orientation to orientation channels, await until it reach required orientation, then setup a target velocity vector to main thrust channel, avait while it reach it velocity, and then setup other orientation (for example that match velocity direction). It what you logic have to do - to setup targets for regulators, wich drive system from current state to target state by shortest possible way. Really PIDs level of system  work like a cerebellum, while higher level logic works as brain that set sequential goals to cerebellum

4 hours ago, Axiverse said:

however I don't know what the field is called or what to look for

Dont sure how it exactly called by English, but litherally translated from Russian it sounds like "theory of automative control".