Assuming normal techs you can get and not the ones that a bit RNG or require you to mine parts of crisis or FE/AFE. Note that these design are for SP in MP it probably depends on what your opponent is using but generally you can have a counter or good vs everything generic design. Early on in MP I probably would use a 2/3rds energy 1/3rd kinetic design with maybe a few ships in the fleet containing missiles or at least a missile design that can be spammed if the opponent is not using PD.
Radiant Class BB.
Spinal Mount Bow
X1 Focused Arc Emitter
Hanger Core
X4 Medium Disruptors
X1 Hanger Slot lvl 3 strike craft
Broadside Stern
X2 Medium Disruptors (lvl III)
X4 Hyper ShieldsShields
X2 Neutronium Armor
X1 Regenerative Hull Tissue
X1 Auxiliery Fire Control
The Strike Craft basically don't matter they are only there for the 4 M slots. The advanced version requires cloud lightning and replaces the M disruptors with L ones of them. Any advanced tech can also go on them (psionic shields, black matter power plants etc)
I find the radiant good enough vs the crap AI fleets, and good vs stuff that matters such as 2/3 of the crisis and FE/AFE/Grey Tempest.
I'm not a fan of the Giga cannon+KA+neutron launchers. Its good vs the random AI trash but so much weaker than the radiant class vs stuff that matters. If you need to fight that type of AI stuff even Cruisers will get the job done.
So what about if you are in the late game and have just researched Battleships. I like a Battlecruiser design. In combat ships don't tend to stand off at range and they close in and duke it out.
Battlecruisers
Broadside Bow, core and stern,
3L slots (2 or 3 kinetics maybe 1 energy)
5 M slots (5 energy)
2 S slots (2 autocannons)
4/2 or 3/3 split on shields/armor
You might have lvl III and IV tech at this point or for energy weapons have plasmas. I use this design early IDK iof its the best one but its good enough and seems to get the job done regardless of the composition of the AI forces. Not a good design for things that the radiance class can deal with though but its usually a lot earlier in the game.
Strike Cruiser
This is basically my default ship from around 2250-2350 and they usually get phased out late game. I like cruisers a lot as they are good at taking down smaller ships and a decent cruiser design seems to be able to massacre early AI BB designs. You basically get 2-1 in terms of price with BBs but have more HP and more guns to point at the enemy. Rather than do a poor job at being a pcket BB I equip cruisers with smaller weapons and more of them. Throw on some afterburners.
Strike Cruiser 1.0
Broadside Bow
Broadside Stern
Gunship Stern
50/50 spit on shields and armor or 5/3 shields/armor
+2 afterburners
This gives you a rapid response force of light cruisers. Armament is usually X2 autocannons, 1 kinetic or null void beam and 4 energy weapons. Early on mining lasers are good or you can use plasma/normal lasers depending on what you have. For the late game I tend to build this.
Strike Cruiser 2.0
Missile Core, bow, gunship stern
This gives you 3 missile slots and 6 S slots. The AI does tend to invest in PD, I don't use it even vs missile stuff on the theory that killing stuff faster is the best anti PD tactic. Exception might be vs the Prethoryn Scourge.
X3 Marauder Missiles
X6 Disruptors
This is essentially the same theory as the Radiant BB. You avoid the enemies shields and armor for the most part.
Destroyers
Destroyers seem to be mostly trash IMHO and I do not use them. Early on its build more corvettes, and then I switch to cruisers.
Corvettes
Not much to say about them. Late game I put torpedos/missiles+ disruptor on them and this design is good vs the Grey Tempest. Early on its often Autocannon/kinetic+ 2 energy weapons. Corvettes seem to offer the most bang for you buck but you will take losses and suck up WE or chew through your alloys. Missiles+ autocannon or autocannon+ energy is what I like using.
Radiant Class BB.
Spinal Mount Bow
X1 Focused Arc Emitter
Hanger Core
X4 Medium Disruptors
X1 Hanger Slot lvl 3 strike craft
Broadside Stern
X2 Medium Disruptors (lvl III)
X4 Hyper ShieldsShields
X2 Neutronium Armor
X1 Regenerative Hull Tissue
X1 Auxiliery Fire Control
The Strike Craft basically don't matter they are only there for the 4 M slots. The advanced version requires cloud lightning and replaces the M disruptors with L ones of them. Any advanced tech can also go on them (psionic shields, black matter power plants etc)
I find the radiant good enough vs the crap AI fleets, and good vs stuff that matters such as 2/3 of the crisis and FE/AFE/Grey Tempest.
I'm not a fan of the Giga cannon+KA+neutron launchers. Its good vs the random AI trash but so much weaker than the radiant class vs stuff that matters. If you need to fight that type of AI stuff even Cruisers will get the job done.
So what about if you are in the late game and have just researched Battleships. I like a Battlecruiser design. In combat ships don't tend to stand off at range and they close in and duke it out.
Battlecruisers
Broadside Bow, core and stern,
3L slots (2 or 3 kinetics maybe 1 energy)
5 M slots (5 energy)
2 S slots (2 autocannons)
4/2 or 3/3 split on shields/armor
You might have lvl III and IV tech at this point or for energy weapons have plasmas. I use this design early IDK iof its the best one but its good enough and seems to get the job done regardless of the composition of the AI forces. Not a good design for things that the radiance class can deal with though but its usually a lot earlier in the game.
Strike Cruiser
This is basically my default ship from around 2250-2350 and they usually get phased out late game. I like cruisers a lot as they are good at taking down smaller ships and a decent cruiser design seems to be able to massacre early AI BB designs. You basically get 2-1 in terms of price with BBs but have more HP and more guns to point at the enemy. Rather than do a poor job at being a pcket BB I equip cruisers with smaller weapons and more of them. Throw on some afterburners.
Strike Cruiser 1.0
Broadside Bow
Broadside Stern
Gunship Stern
50/50 spit on shields and armor or 5/3 shields/armor
+2 afterburners
This gives you a rapid response force of light cruisers. Armament is usually X2 autocannons, 1 kinetic or null void beam and 4 energy weapons. Early on mining lasers are good or you can use plasma/normal lasers depending on what you have. For the late game I tend to build this.
Strike Cruiser 2.0
Missile Core, bow, gunship stern
This gives you 3 missile slots and 6 S slots. The AI does tend to invest in PD, I don't use it even vs missile stuff on the theory that killing stuff faster is the best anti PD tactic. Exception might be vs the Prethoryn Scourge.
X3 Marauder Missiles
X6 Disruptors
This is essentially the same theory as the Radiant BB. You avoid the enemies shields and armor for the most part.
Destroyers
Destroyers seem to be mostly trash IMHO and I do not use them. Early on its build more corvettes, and then I switch to cruisers.
Corvettes
Not much to say about them. Late game I put torpedos/missiles+ disruptor on them and this design is good vs the Grey Tempest. Early on its often Autocannon/kinetic+ 2 energy weapons. Corvettes seem to offer the most bang for you buck but you will take losses and suck up WE or chew through your alloys. Missiles+ autocannon or autocannon+ energy is what I like using.