As the only active exclusively Cargo pirating faction in the game that flies in without bombers/ bomber support when traders come we'd like to chime in.
The state of the Barge is excellent. Lower cargo modules means Barges need to fill the bases more often,with ore.
That means I know where you are more often, I know what you are doing and where more often. You are a fat target with lotsa juicy cargo that has to sit in a place to get it. The proportion of cargo you lose relative to your hold is also a lot lower than when you fly a 5ker - making an incentive not to F1 or cruise away from cargo demanders without pirate lines (but with kill lines they only use when you don't cooperate)
5Kers can just cruise away from our cd transports when we don't have expensive cloak. Increase cargo module sizes and I have less opportunities to get you (can't be in game 24/7. If you'd mine in one sitting for a week we'd miss all that). Remove Ore possibility and I won't know what you are up to, you don't have to sit in a place.
- From our perspective, the state of the Barge is now ideal.