Originally posted by JDHMorgan
With these advantages, I can see why Starfleet doesn't build large warships. My question then, is why does everyone else.
P.S. What about battle cruisers, they only get the cost reduction on missile weapons. Do they also use the warship damage track, or just the regular damage track. If that's the case, heavy cruisers will rock.
Looking at it from a meta-gaming perspective, you're right...it's very easy to build a heavily-gunned warship for less cost (depending on the ship type...heavy cruiser is the most "versatile" in weapons costs). However, you can't look at this system from a meta-gaming perspective and have it work in a Trek setting.
Starfleet isn't about warships. Even in the most militant views (say, FASA Trek), Starfleet primarily focused on multi-purpose vessels as the mainstay of the fleet. Heavy Cruisers, while well armed and able to handle themselves against all but the heaviest threats, were still more explorer than warship.
Yes, there were destroyers (and the Excelsior was classified a battleship), but the frigate was the largest "warship" Starfleet kept in its arsenal.
If you're playing purely with the abstract value of points, then you're right...but if you take the ship design system and put into a Starfleet perspective (explorers first, diplomats second, soldiers third), then it's not appropriate for the fleet to build "battleships" and "battle cruisers." Leave that to the Klingons and Romulans.
Of course, this is just my opinion.
Davy Jones
"Frightened? My dear, you are looking at a man who has laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom, and chuckled at catastrophe! I was petrified."
-- The Wizard of Oz