Ship vs Ship
Usually who got fighter bay 3 or less are not combat vessels. Like empire super star destroyer cant handle even LCC (lizard class cruiser, if LCC got good torps)
Best variation of fighter ships are found (my humble oppinium) from Cylons/robots. Instru/automa/golem they are bad news. But they need awfull lot of Dur/Fuel. And that why i think they are the best carrier race there is. Some player will say otherwise :)
So like you see, there is not just one unit what can kill all the rest. That why this game have lived 20 years :)
that why this is awsome strategy game, with diplomacy and luck. Most of races dont got more than few ship battleships what they need to build. and freighters as needed. small ones can be good scouts or money runners. While Colonists dont need medium or smaller freighters at all cos they got Cobol.
Best ships in game should be. fighters carriers Gorbie/Biocide. (EE, borg) Rush/Virgo/Golem (Rebel, Colonial, Cylon) Automa(Cylon) Instru(Cylon)
From torp ANNI (borg) NOVA (fed) Darkwing (bird, free cloak) Victorious/T-Rex/Diamond Flame (klingon/lizzard/crystall) Missouri(fed)
http://www.cygan.com/vgap/ships.html
Low/mid level good ships are.. not in particual order ILLwind, Super Star Carrier, Lizard Class Cruiser, Emerald class. Empires Super Star Cruiser is bad, if it got high beams agaist torp race. But its tech 9 hull.
But like klingon coldpain 4 beam and 2 tube should not be ignored. Cos they come in cloak, and pillage. Same goes Birdmen ships, and they steal your fuel and beam up all money.
I think games overrated ships is EE's Super Star Destroyer, what can take planets with 10 clan. That is so hard to do, and that ship cant fight. 3 fighter bays and low mass... Its perhaps end game ship, when fight is moved away. And it come and take all what is left :) Perhaps then it show its power.