Re: docking escorts
This also sounds like the Andromedans from Star Fleet Battles. And one of the Starfire expansion packs had a similar concept as well.
You could even expand this to use "Fast Patrol" boats (PFs) and PF Tenders as an interim step. PFs in Star Fleet Battles were between fighters and escorts, and needed to be "carried" (actually attached via mech-links) to larger ships, which then deployed them for battle. For SEIV, PFs should be able to operate like fighters, (no warp capability, etc.) only with more supply storage and "medium" weapons (again, somewhere between "small" weapons and ship weapons). Of course, PF's are something that could possibly be modded in (except that I'm not certain they should be susceptible to Point-Defense).
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