[Taera]

Back in SE3 i made a huge mod with lots of weapons. I once read one book about humans mastering annihilation technology and using it on their ships, and i inserted the thing to SE3:
"Annihilator Engine" - nice thing with +9 speed bonus; "Annihilating Engine" - large (2) engine with high cost and a lowly +4 speed bonus (highest one was +10) but with 40 damage (keep in mind that Doom of SE3, WMG had only 20 damage). OK, maybe it was once-per-combat damage, but 40*6 (number of engines) could easily wipe out any enemy out there. Just keep a tractor handy and thats it.
Another one was Annihilation Module, engine with no movenment bonuses but a nasty "destroy planet" ability.

Made for realy interesting variety of engines.
And so on, i used the weapon-component-ability combinations quite a lot.

Also i've seen a mod for SE4 using a component as sun,storm,WP,planet destroyer + a weapon, more powerful than WMG.