Cruiser type ships should be in this game. One size class bigger then frigates. Nearly 3 times the size. They should have massive shields and armor but should be vulnerable to fast fighters. I think by adding a third kind of ship it becomes easier to make the “Rock paper scissors effect” that so many well balanced games have. At this point flying a frigate feels like flying a fat fighter with some cool features but otherwise bad at most game modes.
I think their should be some stipulation on cruisers such as they only appear at a certain higher teir… maybe 3? They move relatively slow and their turrets have slower tracking speed.
Then you can make frigates anti fighter machines and have have gun ships/tacklers fill their role as anti-fighter/frigates better when guarding cruisers.