I strongly recommend a Behemoth. Its a great ship. You can compensate the forward gun thing by loot some transport turrets from a wreck. That particular model of turret can be mounted to any hardpoint.
Also I once equipped some RM Gunboat forward guns onto the Behemoth gun hardpoints. It looked pretty cool and it could even shoot one of them.
Known as on Discovery RP 24/7: Thomas_Hill - Train [KNF]TakajiKimura - Chimera
You may also know me elsewhere as I'll Begin or something including "Volbeat"