Re: beam class sizes - smaller is better?

Glen replied to my _Celerity_ class BC's:

>I would think having a high thrust factor would mean you want
>more little weapons.  You can get in close and stay close
>(a "knife" fight).  I'd rather have 8 class 1s, 360 degree
>arcs for free, than 1 class 4 with 1 arc; then stick onto
>the enemy like glue.

Thrust 8, however, means you have less space in your hull for armor,
weapons, and, er, hull!
Therefore you don't want to get in a knife fight.  You want to stay out
of
his range and chip away.
(I should mention that a) the usual opponent is an Islamic raiding
force,
with 24" range weapons, usually; b) the BC's are accompanied by fast
CL's in
"escort" configuration to swat fighters and the odd SLM-ER; and c) the
Beam-4's are mounted in the usual Alarishi position, ie F/FP/AP, to help
keep the enemy in arc while you keep the range open).