Spoiler
Please comment on the balance of the ships, and post your loadouts for variants :D Thanks!
Midline frigate: Sparrow
(http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/3051/tgsparrow.png)
The Sparrow in an anti-fighter frigate designed in the late middle era (will have to look up name) in response to the growing threat of fighters to Eagle cruisers and Conquest Battlecruisers. It sports four small energy turrets, the rear two on elevated platforms affording them larger than usual fields of fire. Combined with a frontal 300 degree shield and powerful engines, the original Sparrow prototype was found devastating to fighters but incapable of dealing with larger craft. The production model had a medium ballistic hardpoint added to the front of the ship to give it support capabilities but downgraded the engines. The resulting ship cannot chase down fighters but can effectively protect larger craft while assisting against larger threats.
Speed: 100
Suggested loadout: 2 tacs forward, 2 burst pd's back, 1 heavy autocannon.
Strengths: Anti fighter abilities, point defense, medium range support. Decent armor and shield.
Weaknesses: Complete lack of strike weapons, low flux dissipation means that it cannot operate the main gun and turrets at the same time for very long.
Low tech frigate: Thug
(http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/2060/tgthug.png)
The Thug is a missile frigate manufactured long ago, and since retrofitted with a weak shield. It has impressive strike weaponry - 4 small forward facing missile hardpoints - and 3 small ballistic turrets for protection. While deadly in the right circumstance, the Thug is ineffective against ships with strong point defense systems. Some variants attempt to overcome this deficiency by arming all three turrets with long range kinetic weapons; while effective, it leave the Thug vulnerable to missiles itself and strains its limited flux reserves. Extremely effective in a strike role and highly reconfigurable.
Speed: 95
Suggested loadout: lots. 4 Torpedoes, 2 harpoons 2 sabbots, 4 rockets...
Strengths: Strike capabilities make it an excellent cap killer and sheer volume of missiles can overwhelm frigates in small fights.
Weaknesses: Ammo! Combat ability drops to almost nothing after firing off its missile complement.
High tech frigate: Wolf Mk. II
(http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/9629/tgwolf2.png)
Favored by special ops teams and mercenaries, the Wolf Mk. II is visually similar (but not identical) to the standard Wolf frigate. Its hull has been substantially rearranged however. The engine assembly has been removed and replaced with Mk X motivators, the missile racks and forward medium hardpoint have been converted into small universals, and the forward facing small energy turret has been removed entirely. While some consider it undergunned, its heightened speed and extreme customization are well worth the loss of 5 OP (from 50 to 45) to those who want the right ship for a specific job. The ship is however harder to maintain (6 FP rather than 5).
Speed: 150
Suggested loadouts: 3 atropos, extended missile racks, 2 ir pulse. or 2 railguns, 2 burst pd's, 1 reaper torpedo, etc...
Strengths: Speed, extreme customization.
Weaknesses: Low OP, higher FP, less overall firepower.
Stingray Destroyer
(http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/9976/tgstingray.png)
The Stingray lives by the motto: hit hard, hit fast. Very small for a destroyer, it is nevertheless extremely well armed and has powerful engines. Three forward mounted medium guns allow it to shred enemies who wander away from the pack. The Stingray has a poor record against multiple opponents and fighter swarms: it cannot maintain fire for very long and its weak armor can be quickly ruined.
Speed: 100
Strengths: Lots of forward firepower. Speed and maneuverability make it a dire threat to slower ships.
Weaknesses: Curious lack of strike weaponry. Weak armor/hull.
Ion Heavy Destroyer
(http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/7379/tgion.png)
The Ion is strange for a Late Epoch ship; it is designed primarily for defending stationary installations and escorting capital ships. It is heavily armored, slow, and boasts an impressive variant of the Hyperion shield (200 degree frontal, .6). Its weapons package comprises two light energy turrets for defense, 2 medium energy turrets, 2 medium missile hardpoints (inboard), and 2 small universal hardpoints. It has a deep flux pool but its armor interferes with venting so it has subpar dissipation. Captains love the Ion for its durability, but many are turned off by the gaping hole in its rear defenses (only the two small energy turrets can fire behind).
Speed: 60
Advantages: Tough - a true tank. Good firepower.
Disadvantages: Slow, subpar venting, very poor rear defense.