Folks, thanks for all the replies. Based on my current situation (I am behind on direct fire weapon tech due to a lack of scientists), I decided to go with a missile boat for now. In preparing to present it here, I actually just realized I made a design mistake. Ideally, I am looking for a platform that can scoot in, fire while in the gap between high resolution ship search radars and low resolution missile active sensors. Looking at this now, my Light Attack Missile (LAM) has the same range as my counter missile systems, so this approach won't even work perfectly against my own forces, much less an alien race with better tech. I will need to update my missile and FC to about a 20m range, so as you look at this in mind, keep that in mind. Also, I will probably cut down endurance a bit. I want these to be able to do short term pickets as a secondary mission, but I think my range is still a little on the high side:
GB-M-2 class Gunboat 1 000 tons 19 Crew 146.34 BP TCS 20 TH 72 EM 0
3600 km/s Armour 2-8 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 4
Maint Life 4.48 Years MSP 23 AFR 32% IFR 0.4% 1YR 2 5YR 28 Max Repair 10 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months Spare Berths 1
Magazine 56
C-F-1 18 EP Ion Drive (4) Power 18 Fuel Use 190.97% Signature 18 Exp 15%
Fuel Capacity 150 000 Litres Range 14.1 billion km (45 days at full power)
MB-2L-B Size 2 Missile Launcher (50% Reduction) (4) Missile Size 2 Rate of Fire 150
C-MFC-AS-M-1 Missile Fire Control FC10-R20 (1) Range 10.3m km Resolution 20
LAM-2 (28) Speed: 12 600 km/s End: 12.1m Range: 9.1m km WH: 4 Size: 2 TH: 58/35/17
Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
BTW, these work with a recon variant that also doubles as a scout/AEW platform (A wing = 4 missile boats plus two recon birds, although I may shift to 1:5). These will need my longer range active sensor package, so a little fuel will be coming off as I tweak for the extended range attack option:
GB-R-2 class Gunboat 1 000 tons 19 Crew 176 BP TCS 20 TH 90 EM 0
4500 km/s Armour 1-8 Shields 0-0 Sensors 24/8/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 0
Maint Life 0 Years MSP 0 AFR 200% IFR 2.8% 1YR 19 5YR 282 Max Repair 29 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months Spare Berths 1
C-F-1 18 EP Ion Drive (5) Power 18 Fuel Use 190.97% Signature 18 Exp 15%
Fuel Capacity 265 000 Litres Range 25.0 billion km (64 days at full power)
C-ASR-M Active Search Sensor MR10-R20 (1) GPS 576 Range 10.3m km Resolution 20
B-PT-1-H Thermal Sensor TH4-24 (1) Sensitivity 24 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 24m km
C-PEM-M-1 EM Detection Sensor EM1-8 (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 8m km
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
Finally, you need a deck to fly these puppies from, so here is my CVE Ranger ship. I already have one built. This tech is about a generation old right now. I will be building the follow-on Ark Royal, and then probably refit this up to my most current tech. My take is this isn't optimal, but for a small, early game flagship, its good enough to start. I probably tried to cram too much in, so will be looking to simplify number of systems to get more magazine space expecially. At least it is good for ferrying gunboat squadrons to new bases for now. BTW, the missile loadout is a generation old. Its has been restocked with CM-3's and LAM-2's now.
Ranger class Escort Carrier 21 150 tons 323 Crew 2312.45 BP TCS 423 TH 480 EM 0
1134 km/s Armour 3-68 Shields 0-0 Sensors 6/6/0/0 Damage Control Rating 7 PPV 12
Maint Life 2.42 Years MSP 478 AFR 511% IFR 7.1% 1YR 112 5YR 1685 Max Repair 150 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 24 months Flight Crew Berths 1
Flag Bridge Hangar Deck Capacity 6000 tons Magazine 511
B-1-M 40 EP Nuclear Pulse Engine (12) Power 40 Fuel Use 85.5% Signature 40 Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 4 000 000 Litres Range 39.8 billion km (406 days at full power)
A-1 CIWS-50 (2x2) Range 1000 km TS: 5000 km/s ROF 5 Base 50% To Hit
MB-2L-A Size 2 Missile Launcher (75% Reduction) (8) Missile Size 2 Rate of Fire 60
B-MFC-PD-H Missile Fire Control FC8-R1 (2) Range 8.6m km Resolution 1
LAM-1 (162) Speed: 11 000 km/s End: 10.6m Range: 7m km WH: 2 Size: 2 TH: 47/28/14
CM-2 (94) Speed: 15 000 km/s End: 3.1m Range: 2.8m km WH: 1 Size: 2 TH: 60/36/18
B-ASR-H Active Search Sensor MR22-R60 (1) GPS 2880 Range 22.3m km Resolution 60
B-MDR-H Active Search Sensor MR2-R1 (1) GPS 48 Range 2.9m km MCR 314k km Resolution 1
B-PT-1-M Thermal Sensor TH1-6 (1) Sensitivity 6 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 6m km
B-PEM-M EM Detection Sensor EM1-6 (1) Sensitivity 6 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 6m km
Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes