"enginges that let me cross the voids without worm holes"
-<
FTL propulsion map>- (ships can travel FTL StarTrek/B5/StarWars style)
Be sure to turn off warppoint manipulation tech, and be aware that AIs cannot play this map. Can be used in any mod.
"I have heard snibits of new armor and shields."
- Try P&N (on the CD). Features gobs of new defenses, including defenses for the super-special "skips shields and armor" weapons.
"Destroyer sized ships that can take out a Battle ship with super secret weapons?"
- Null-space cannons, plus a hint of luck
"Please tell me that I am in for a dense package of endless data to study, and devise an infanite amount of strategies"
- You get the first CD full, then have to download the rest. Plus, there are more mods out there than you can shake a Sergetti at.