Shuttlepods are not escape pods, they're more like shuttlecraft. They are armed in one episode with what looked like plasma cannon and then in another with what looked like phase cannon.
So it can go either way. After the strike on Earth, with the weapon upgrades that the NX-01 got, the shuttlepods might all have phase cannon now, maybe even some spatial rockets or mini-missiles. Depending how military your campaign will go.
"Retreat?! Hell, we just got here!", annonymous American Marine, WWI
"Gravity is a harsh mistress....", The Tick