Ship Types

Star Bomber

The lightest type of interstellar warship available. The star bomber was originally designed for bombing runs on planetary surfaces. It still does this, but can also make deadly attacks on other warships. The primary weapon is the highly volatile plasma torpedo salvo. In ground attacks the torpedo salvos can be switched out for ground attack ordnance. Star bombers can also use their plasma torpedoes against ground targets with devastating results. The star bomber has little armor and few systems boxes or critical hit points, making them very easy to destroy. They often work in pairs or larger groups to better the chance that at least one star bomber makes its run.

Armored Pursuit Ship

Commonly a little larger than star bombers, the armored pursuit ship is a light-weight ship. It's designed to fight enemy fighters, and generally has a fair number of L.P.B.s for its size. APSs often mount M.P.B.s to fight against larger targets. Armored pursuit ships mount more armor than star bombers, but otherwise are fragile.

Destroyer

Designed in response to star bombers and other light ships. The destroyer usually has several M.P.B.s to fight star bombers and other light ships at medium range, before they can launch torpedoes. It is the smallest ship type capable of mounting sensors. Some destroyers mount plasma torpedo salvos, greatly increasing their firepower.

Destroyer Leader

Larger and more powerful than ordinary destroyers.  The T.T.F Navy tacticians, disappointed in the mediocre ability of destroyers to eliminate star bombers, developed the destroyer leader ship type. It can mount a heavy particle beam battery, and many other batteries, as well as missiles and sensors. Some navies classify this ship type as a light cruiser.

Cruiser

A medium-sized ship used for a variety of different task forces. In larger fleets cruisers escort the capital ships, while in small fleets they are the flagships. Cruisers are the smallest human ships capable of mounting double-layered shielding, and usually the smallest ones to carry missiles. Several heavy particle beam batteries can be mounted on a cruiser in addition to smaller batteries.

Battlecruiser

Essentially a larger and tougher cruiser. Smaller navies generally consider battlecruiser to be capital ships, While the Terran Navy considers them escorts. Battlecruisers are the smallest ships that can carry fighters. BCs can have more H.P.B.s than smaller classes, as well as missiles and other beam batteries. Some battecruisers act as escort carriers, reducing beam weaponry to make room for more fighters. Human battlecruisers usually mount E.C.M.s to lower their profile.

Transport

Dreadnought

A full battleship capable of immense firepower and defense systems. Dreadnoughts do not usually carry fighters but they are capable of doing so.  Their weaponary is made up of the same systems as battlecruisers, yet they can mount many more H.P.B.s and usually more missile systems.

Attack Carrier

The only ship type specifically dedicated to transporting fighters into battle. Most have very limited beam weaponry.  Carriers can transport up to 48 fighters.

Galactic Dreadnought

 A much larger version of the Dreadnought.  Galactic Dreadnoughts are capable of mounting plasma laser beam batteries, the most powerful beam weapons in the human arsenal. They can also carry more fighters, more missiles, than ordinary dreadnoughts. The galactic designation signifies a ship that can sustain 40 or more star jumps before overhaul.

Super Galactic Dreadnought

The king of the battlefield. SGDNs are more like mobile space stations than ships. They can carry vast numbers of fighters, missiles, and heavy beam weapons. They are the only ships that can use triple-layered shields.

source:  Terran & Avarian Fleet Book