Of course, the point of many of them is not to display my capabilities at putting together varying sized triangles of different colours (I'm no good at that), but to try out the extremes of turn, steath, radar and missile tubes. After all, what's it all about if not going to the extreme?
Rather philosophical maybe... but that's how getting trounced at Critical Mass makes me feel... as well as angry... and disappointed, frustrated, suicidal... and, well, generally abused.
You will get the idea that I prefer Daycorns to most missiles... I'm a kind of fire and forget Commander. Anyway, without further ado...
Starter Craft
Turns on a sixpence but slow to get going sometimes. Three shots do OK with Daycorns.

Starter Craft II
With version II of Starter Craft, we get some more thrust and a bit of stealth to boot. Good wingman even on later missions.

Starter Craft III
Version III provides more shields and a couple of repair bots, you will take damage in this ship, accept it and prepare for it.

Starter Craft IV
You get Plectrons in version IV, to aid in those messy situations when you're face to face with hell.

Starter Craft VII
Starter Craft is all about steady improvement while keeping the familar. At version VII, the Starter Craft is 'fully loaded' - impressive ship at this level. Four missile tubes to give 'em what for. Can also take a beating itself, if it's in the mood!

Beefy
The overall design decision behind this ship is to hide and fire, hide and fire, get the idea? I like Beefy, I like to upgrade him as with the Starter Craft, loads of shields, four missile tubes and a mixture of Daycorns and Yataris for taking out the fast, and the feeble.

Durus Particeps
Tough and resilient little bleeder - often a good wingman. Often not.

Durus Erasum
He sees, he bombs - you might need to lead him to the target though. He's a little toughie and often hangs around until the end of the mission.

Rotototus
You spin me right round, baby, right round - like a record player. Baby!

Rotoperfectus
If you complain once more, you'll meet an army of me...

Optimus Vigilo
Watches all that moves, it searches - from all angles - then you destroy. Big turn, OK thrust. A bit of a dirty sniper, long-distance assassin.

Furtim Eximius
He hides, then he shoots - he fires and he forgets... he holds no grudges.

Barrage - Class A
Barrage likes to fire and move on, assuming the target is wiped out with his first bit of tender attention.

Barrage - Class H
Yup, it's Barrage - Class A, but more fully-loaded... and protected for when things go wrong and that Dreadnought is looking straight down the barrel at your nose. He's got turn, he's got stealth, he's got eyesight, he's got missiles, he's got protection and he still only costs a measly 200 Credits. Yes, Barrage - Class H was designed to a budget.

Infecundus
Infecundus ably demonstrates that the best defence is nearly always a good offence. Salvo fire extreme!

And, that's all she wrote!