The heavy mount of Light Carriers isn't so much of an asset (if memory serves, it deals 12.5% more damage per kt than the Large Mount, but is bigger and can be more easily damaged), but the hull itself is sturdy enough: compared to a Light Cruiser, it has 420 more hitpoints, all the cargo you will ever need, but is slightly more expensive and lacks the 10% defence bonus of the Light Cruiser.
Light Carriers also make impressive minelayers due to their high basic cargo space: you can focus on the minelayers components themselves, since your fighter bays can carry 42 small mines already. Add the Stealth Armour, and you have a nice vessel able to lay twenty mines a turn or so, while carrying 60 and able to avoid detection. Of course, the problem is to avoid running into enemy minefields... but that's what scouts are for, or fighters.
Re: Jumping in at the deep end
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