Rather than simply apply Lanchester's Square Law of Combat, I encourage everyone to directly simulate a battle between one Wolfen armed with the former vs. ten armed with the latter. The results are quite interesting!
There are factors you did not take into account here. The first is logistical. A fleet of ships will not be able to reliably mass itself against the single gunship, and will present higher refueling and maintenance costs over the long term. Further, unless the faction fielding them is the Luminous or the Ares, the average pilot quality will be greater if fewer gunships are being fielded. The second factor is the fact that the stock ships that the player encounters are not always in armies, with many appearing as station guards or freelance escorts for Korolov. These people are individuals with salaries that presumable care about self preservation, and thus have an incentive to upgrade their ships if it is possible for them to do so. The third factor is that many ships seen in game are cargo vessels, which by nature do not attack in groups, and carry the vast majority of their value as cargo(For example, an EI700 typically carries cargo worth significantly more than its equipment). Were it possible for everyone to easily refit their ships like the player, the light armament of so many of these freighters would, at the very least, be replaced with some salvaged turbolasers.
Consider the alternatives:
A) Continue (losing) the war of attrition with the Ares, hoping that the Lamplighter & Britannia change that. (Decker Plan A)
B) Mass the entire fleet for a suicide nuking run at Ares Prime. (Decker Plan B)
Where did you get your plan B from? I see it nowhere in game.
I don't think it's strange at all. The fleet would want all of its resources to be mobile so it can strike quickly before the enemy has time to respond or so it can rush to the defense of a station under siege. If used correctly, carriers could probably completely replace the need for stations.
That still leaves the question of how the stations got built.
One still wonders about ship manufacture though. It would likely be a lot more efficient in a stationary location.
I think that's explained in CC.
And speaking of that, would the America have ship-building capabilities? New recruits might join if they hear about the America's successful runs in Ares space, and they'll need something to fly.
How would they get there in the first place?
A ship that can only win by running away will never accomplish its objectives if its enemies choose not to chase it.
A ship that can outrange its enemies will not have to run away unless its enemies chase it, sacrificing their own ability to complete objectives. The worst case scenario is a stalemate.
You seriously overestimate the ICX. Given ten, or just four, ships firing missiles at you you'll get hit with at least half the missiles. And Stilettos are still dangerous to Gusoku.
The ICX is ineffective due to a programming error with target acquisition.
Also guerrilla warfare is a defensive strategy. An attacking force cannot employ it with success.
Did you miss the whole ISIS shebang?
