FTFB class-4/5 beams anyone?

Okay, who was it that was saying that class-4+ beams were useless?  I'm 
not
sure about their practicality either, but I was playing around with
ideas 
of running a star wars style campaign.	So far, I've played a couple of 
games and they have been indecisive so far ( The Rebel ships go boom way

too often ), but
we decide to set up a scenerio similar to the Return of the Jedi 
battle... The Rebels have to fight to destroy the evil empire ... yada 
yada yada yada...

Anyway, here it is.......  If anyone gets a chance to play around with
it 
I'd
be curious to hear what you think of the class-4/5 beams in use on the 
freighters.  They have a lot of stand of firepower in the Rebel fleet, 
but to
acomplish that they give up a lot in durability and speed.  Anyway, just

some
thoughts.  Oh, experience with the fighter carriers has made us up most
of
them to carrier status, and even increase the fighter launch/recovery
rate
to give them some chance.  This gives them a fighting chance, but for
the 
most
part you need to have some serious durability for carriers to survive 
very
long.

"Rebel Scenerio's
------------------------

#1:	"He's At it again ..."

	Rebel Forces
	------------------------------------
	Think converted Civilian craft with a few ff's/dd types.
	lots of fighters and long range Armement.

	try:
	Bennington  - bulkcarrier var#1
	Ethan Allen - bulkcarrier var#2
	Rutland     - FleetAux var#3
		    - Hvy freighter var#2
		    - "
		    - Hvy Freighter var#1
		    - fleet Aux var#1
		    - fleet Aux var#2
		    - "
	3* (NSL) FF's
	2* (ESU) Warsaw DD
	(all fighters are normal or interceptors -> players decision)

	NAC Forces
	----------
	5000 pts worth of NAC/NSL ships

	Setup
	-----
	NAC forces at one end o'table, speed = 0, facing any
	(They're just sitting there picking their noses)

	Rebel forces at opposite end o'table, speed = 6, facing NAC
forces

	IDEA
	-----

	Think "Return of The Jedi".  Silly Rebels just Want to Anhilate 
the
	opposing forces.  Both sides will retreat if they lose more then
	50% of their forces.

	Victory Conditions
	------------------

	Okay Tough Guy..... The rebels want to kick ass, but lets face
it
	their ships suck.  They don't care about fighters and the 
freighters
	are not too big a deal, but still a pain to replace.  The bulk
	carrier warships and the military hulls are just a bad thing to 
lose.

	NAC
	---
	Decisive Victory     = Route the Rebel attacks, lose less 1/2 
forces
	Significant Victory  = Route Rebel's
	Draw		     = both sides lose 1/2 forces or more
	Oops		     = Rebels win.... your head is on the
platter

	Rebels
	------
	Decisive Victory     = All military hulls intact, route the NAC 
forces
	Significant Victory  = 1/2 military hulls intact, route the NAC 
forces
	Draw		     = loss 1/2 fleet, lose all military hulls,
			       route NAC forces
	You're In trouble    = lose more then 1/2 fleet, all military 
hulls,
			       flee system
	Execution time	     = lose entire fleet

	Historic Outcome
	----------------

	? Don't know yet.... Conjecture only

	Special Ships
	-------------
	(Replace Cargo/holds/passenger with weapons systems)
	Fleet Aux refits
	     ver#1 : 4 class-4 beams(fh),screen-1,+2 pdaf,+1 firecon
	     ver#2 : screen-2,+2 pdaf,+ adaf,+2 firecon,6*class-3 beams
		     (4*fh,rs,ls),p-torp(fh)
	     ver#3 : screen-2,+2 pdaf,+adaf,+firecon,+4 sml(2*fh,rs,ls),
		     4*8space mags(2ER,1ST /each)
	Hvy Freighter refits
	     ver#1 : screen-2,+3 pdaf,7 fighterbays,cargo 5 mass,
		     carrier status
	     ver#2 : screen-2,+2pdaf,6 sml (2*fh,2*rs,2*ls),6*8space
mags
		     (2 ER,1 STD/each),+3 firecons,2*class-1 beams
	BulkCarrier refits
	     ver#1 : screen-2,+3pdaf,+1 firecon,12 fighter bays,
		     2*class-3 beams(4arc/each),3*class-1 beams,
		     *Carrier status=> launch retrieve 4/turn
	     ver#2 : screen-2,+3pdaf,+2firecon,1*class-5 beam(f),
		     9*class-4 beams(5*fh,2*rs,2*ls)