An upsized Shepard? The Gemini is pretty dang close. Drones, cargo space, omni shield, ballistic turret(s), and you probably had a missile in that universal slot. Just add a flight deck for more of that power-projection.
Myself? I'd like to see a Shepard Mk.II that has its weapon systems stripped, the cargo bay gutted, and the drone bay converted into a flight deck. Basically the cheapest piece-of-junk carrier option ever made.
Eh, the gemini's drones feel more supportive to me. They are pd drones. I guess the borer drones are as well, so maybe I'm nitpicking. :p They are very similar, though, I'll give you that.
I do like the pocket carrier idea. It would be nice to be able to support fighters earlier somehow. Back when there was just hangar space I used to rock a hound/talon combo. I guess you still can do it exactly the same way. Maybe I should play with that more.
Maybe there could be a pocket carrier that didn't do full refit in battle like the real carriers, but instead offered some kind of bonus to fighter wings? Like a repair gantry but just for fighters? That might be interesting.
worse firepower without Tactical Lasers
Tac lasers are the solution to all problems. I used to love hammerhead with ir pulses up front, too. I think now that I can do he guns, though that has been subsumed. I think I am one of the few that values the hammerheads speed and manueveravility. Yes you have burn drive on the enforcer, but it's not quite the same.
I do think the enforcer beats the hammerhead in terms of face wreckage, though, in basically every case.