So what has these things brought into the game? I see people jousting me like flipping idiots, only to have a Sunny smashed into their face, they don't even dodge flippin' codenames!
REBEL!
REVOLUSHON!
Down with armour upgrades!
Return to the time where you flew your executioner or crow or scimi like every hit by your enemy could mean instant death! Dodge, learn how to fly!
I dare you, guys, to fly a month without your armour upgrades (stick them on your trader or something) and feel that voulnerability, I am telling you.
Though I can't quite conceive of a manner in which to do so, I feel space combat should return to a faster sequence of a events. In the case of two expert pilots, a fight might be expected to be prolonged, but when I see a pair of newcomers duking it out for half an hour because they both stocked up on bats/bots, I cringe.
anyhow, just my $.02
EDIT: This relates to the topic in that armor upgrades prolong fights.
Maybe if they go with a few alternate types of upgrade - or Ordnance Cargo, then people might start thinking about whether armour upgrades are worthwhile.
But as Armour Upgrade is the only combat entity that takes cargo space - it is the only thing people use...