I would recommend against removing the flag bridge. Having a Task Force commander in system provides the +survey bonuses from his staff. I thought that was the point of including it
I would agree about removing some of the sensors. It makes sense for this ship to be a command vessel, with its hangar bays and support fleet. It needn't be spending time surveying.
Final suggestion: Design a jump capable FAC for probing jump points if desired. It can also serve as a lifeboat in unfortunate circumstances.
The ship was initially supposed to be a self-sufficient deep space science vessel. I feel like I'm moving farther away from that, and that's not a good thing.
At the same time, I am considering a few possible redesigns involving gravsurvey skiffs and a lot more hanger space. Internal ships are much more in theme with the "lone science vessel out exploring the universe" vibe...I'd hate to think that this thing couldn't get its job done without a support fleet.
So, suggestions I have accepted:
- the Kircher has been converted into a geo-survey only ship.
- The Aurora has had its geosensors removed and relies on seers to perform planetary surveys. This didn't free up quite so much space as I thought, but it does allow for the third sheet of armor to go back on...it also might allow for the addition of a boat bay or flag bridge. The flag bridge would allow for the survey multiplier suggested by the deadly shoe, the boat bay could house a scout craft.
It's also possible to lose the power plant, the moonrakers, and the fire control, which should in total free up enough to fit in a hanger bay which could fit two Viking class patrol boats (heavily armored gunboats armed with 12cm railguns) or 3 luchador class strikefighters (which are blazing fast and mount an impressive array of missiles, though that would require resupply) these might be better able to protect the ship...I feel like once something's within moonraker range, this ship's gonna be toast anyway.