takes a deep breath
and copy-pastes from other posts
I've been looking forward to the Blue since it was sold with a stun stick. The Carrack and the Cutty Blue have been the ships I've wanted most since each was announced. No pilot-controlled weapons on the Carrack really sucks. Not looking forward to being disappointed again. After updates to smaller ships gave them size 4 hardpoints (Avenger, 325a, SO many guns and missiles on the Tana, etc.), all Cutlasses should have size 4 hardpoints now but the Cutlass Blue especially should have size 4 hardpoints... at least two of its four: the two on the hull. It should not be outgunned by a dedicated cargo hauler (the Freelancer).
The Freelancer is not the Cutlass's 'evil twin.'
Per the original concept, the Cutlass Blue, for +50% from the Black (or more when Flight Ready) should already have:
Greater hull strength (hull HP until physicalized armor/components)
Greater maneuverability and greater top speed in SCM and CRU/AFB
More missiles (and not just by replacing two 423s with two 442s, CIG.)
Things everyone expected that were not explicitly described by CIG:
Room for a ground vehicle or cargo instead of _12_ prisoner pods -- 6 is enough.
Black's jump seats at the rear ramp for troop deployment
Things about all Cutlasses that don't make sense:
Freelancer is a heavier cargo hauler with more SCU, more beds, more crew seats, a shower and toilet, and more bulkheads... yet it has more offensive potential thanks to its specialized 'turrets' which are effectively 4 S3 gimbals. It has two S2 shield generators. The base Freelancer is arguably a better combat ship than all Cutlasses, and the Cutlass was originally pitched as 'the Freelancer's evil twin' and 'up-gunned' and 'hits above its weight class.' Now all of that is a joke for CIG.
Worse, many smaller ships received in the past few years a firepower upgrade and now nearly match all three Cutlasses while the Cutlass is still stuck with size 2 weapons (when on gimbals) and rarely is someone in its turret.
Just a few things that would make sense (for Blue, or for all Cutlasses):
Change two weapons hardpoints -- the two on the hull, ideally -- to S4. This makes sense for all Cutlasses, but especially for the Blue specifically as a ship intended for direct and probably quite-heavy combat situations (where even the Black is intended for stealth operation, the Blue is meant to fly in readily-detected and weapons-firing).
If the Cutlass will not have redundant shields (as it should, as again, it is meant to be more combat-focused than the Freelancer), the Blue should come stock with the FR-76 at the very least. Certainly it should be more difficult to destroy the main engines; this glaring and well-known weakness should be reinforced as a pursuit vehicle.
Remove the second set of 6 prisoner pods and leave room for a cargo grid or a ground vehicle. Replace that side's airlock/docking collar with a Cutlass Black-style large door.
Widen the two missile bays on the top of the ship to allow for 1 more missile rack in each. It would still have fewer missiles than the Freelancer MIS. This is one of the things I care the least about, honestly, but it was part of the original pitch for the Blue.
Make the turret remote, operable by the copilot. Replace the turret seat with the Red's toilet. Stakeouts and pursuits don't often include potty breaks at an R&R.
The Cutlass was pitched from the perspective of a very different (older) components system design that had more granularity, but the PTU Cutlass Blue's components do not reflect those original advantages.
If what has been seen in the PTU is 'final'... and hopefully it is not... if whoever made these decisions thinks a never-promised 'quantum interdiction device' makes up for lacking the promised-for-9-years heavier armor, more powerful main engines and maneuverability, larger power plant, and stronger shields for likely more than a +50% premium ($100 Black, $150+ Blue)... they're mistaken. Backers can do a lot with $50-$150 store credit. Almost no one will keep their Cutlass Blue. Most will likely favor the Avenger Stalker whose pilot's firepower is near-equal, cargo capacity is near-equal, maneuverability is superior, and whose cost is significantly less at $60.
If these fixes can't be made immediately, CIG should certainly take them into consideration for a not-too-distant future pre-release update.