I always have a 'lazy bastard' pilotfile squirreled away somewhere...so, take for example New Horizons. I start the game with 2.4 B credits. I buy myself an old, outdated rebel destroyer, and equipp it with my preferenced equipment. In this case:
3 Energy Lances.
4 Atomic Blasters.
35 C-Missiles with two launchers.
Engine upgrades.
Missile Jammer.
NOTE: This is all civilian stuff. Available at the beginning.
With that equipment, I always win, even against a ship 20 times my size with 40 fighters. Hell, I even modified the dreadnought to have 10k shields and 10k life and 14 proton turrets, and it still dies 1:1. The TNY carriers are even easier. Aliens? Bah. They Ph33r me.
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American beer is like sex in a lifeboat. It's f*cking close to water.