Re: Starting from the ground up...

Better leave the design system more or less alone.  It works very well
as
is.  I've experimented with mass costs for class 1 and 2 beams, but it
is
not really worth it.  Small ships actually do have the right feel.
Remember that most small ships in the FB are convoy escorts.  As for
making them more manueverable, drop the hull rating and add more
engines...

IAS