My best strategy so far:
Take Harbinger, load up with Bolter Fighters...you can cram 3 of them. Update # of fighters on each by 1.
OR Take Valiant and load with 2 bolter fighters, get an energy cannon and projectile cannon ASAP, and upgrade # bolter fighters.
It seems that the maligned bolter fighters are the most cost-effective weapon you can buy, particularly early on. They tend to get in the way and block a lot of damage, plus are fairly decent on their own. The strategy is that you jump right on top of the enemy. Their point defense will shoot YOU, and your fighters which have balanced shield/hull damage will shred them pretty fast.
A few fighters are useless but when you have a swarm of 6 of them (or more) they are quite deadly.
From there, transition to whatever arrangement you want. Typically thats an energy cannon + several projectile cannons, until you find better.
I also tend to REROLL the first station quest till I get the Under Siege. I then go defend and usually the space station is a decent one with weapons. (occasionally not). This lets you kill any enemies already there, any that you dragged along with you on the way, and the quest spawn. Thats a good amount of scrap+wpn drops possibility, and you dont even need to contribute all that much. And station heals you during the fight.
