Instead of just fighters and capital ships, add a new class: frigates.
That was the whole point I was trying to get across some pages back.... but figured they might as well through the whole navy in there and do the same thing, each ship has bonuses and penalties. You can select No Class if you wish when designing a ship. This would introduce actual tactics into the game, which I think Stardock DOES NOT want to do, from various interviews/articles I've read. Quite Utterly Unfortunate!
Classes (from smallest to largest)
Interceptor Craft
Multirole Craft
Fighter Craft
Light Bomber Craft
Strike Craft
Medium Bomber Craft
Defense Craft
Cloaked Ship
Heavy Bomber Craft
Corvettes
Frigates
Destroyer Escorts
Light Cruiser
Cruiser
Destroyer
Heavy Cruiser
Battlecruiser
Dreadnought Cruiser
Battleship
Dreadnought
Interceptor Craft are specially designed to intercept and destroy enemy bombers, and rely on their great speed.
Multirole Craft can equally perform both fighter combat and bomber attacks, although less effective than their fighter or bomber counterparts.
Fighter Craft are designed primarly for space combat with other fighters.
Strike Craft are capable Fighters but with emphasis on heavier weaponry against larger ships.
Bomber Craft are small craft with main role of employing heavy weaponry against larger ships.
Defense Craft are small craft designed for star system defense duties.
Cloaked Ships would be as Submarines are, and only available on small/tiny hulls. Only ships of class Frigate, Destroyer Escort, and Destroyer have Anti-Cloak Warfare abilities (and in that order, they have more advanced ACW abilities).
Corvettes and Frigates are used for various patrol duties, escort, and to protect smaller ships, Corvettes are also fast attack craft, and Frigates engage in Anti-Cloak Warfare (ACW).
Destroyer Escorts and Destroyers are long-endurance ships designed to escort any type of vessels of a fleet, convoy, or battle group and defend them. They are the 'Jack of all Trades'.
Cruisers and Light Cruisers are designed to operate independent of the fleet, and are used for long-range force projection.
Heavy Cruisers, Battlecruisers, and Dreadnought Cruisers are fleet ships, designed with large amount of firepower but traded defense for speed. Thus ships of this type could inflict much more punishment than they could absorb.
Battleships and Dreadnoughts are the 'All Big-Gun' boys. Both are crucial symbols of galactic power, and are designed to take out larger-hulled ships with ease. Both are vulnerable to smaller ships.