Some Freighter/Transport Questions

[alance]

I'm working on a spreadsheet of all freighters and transports, hoping to spark some interest in changing the way some of these ships are used. I'm a firm believer in spreading the utility ships around evenly amongst the houses. A player should not have to think "which faction must I align to so that I can fly a freighter that's worth buying". He should have a couple of interesting and useful freighter choices in any house.

In my work on improving the freighter and better defining its role, I've come up with questions that will help me move forward if answered by someone (Igiss:)) with inside knowledge.

1) Why are pirate/unlawful factions restricted from using tranports? I just want to understand the logic behind a pirate not being able to fly a transport if so desired. I realize they are not supposed to be traders, but is that the sole reason for keeping them out of transports or is there something more?

2) Why is the definition of a Freighter being reduced by half to "less than 500-unit hold"? Again, I'm trying to understand why the ability to collect/pirate/move cargo is so heavily restricted for many IDs. Smaller/fewer freighters means less opportunity to try things like piracy beyond "2mil or die!".

Why do I ask these questions?
- Because only a small subset of the current freighters see any use in Disco; they are, generally, too small in cargo space.
- Because I see very useful and fun roles for freighters as smugglers and pirate vessels, but those roles are hindered by many freighters' newbie-only nature, or by strange stats on the freighters making them close-but-not-good-enough for use.

If you could enlighten me I'd put you on my christmas card list!;)

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"To gain a hundred victories in a hundred battles is not the highest excellence;
to subjugate the enemy's army without doing battle is the highest of excellence."