You could always group shield blocks into \'plates\', WITH a ship core and power supply, and mount them on docking or turret plates on the outside of your ship. This has the advantage of allowing you to alter your positioning on nearly-exhausted plates to bring fresh plates to bear against enemy fire, makes an easily-repaired damage sponge, and takes advantage of the higher regen rates of small ship while also giving you a decent protection layer while maintaining ship maneuverability.
I have used this method (which has previously been suggested by others as well) to build several ships, all of which have been more combat-capable than their actual size would dictate. It also brings fresh tactics and building options into play, such as rotating ships to constantly bring fresh plates as well as fresh missile turrets into play, cancelling out some of the missile array\'s long recharge while taking advantage of it\'s superior handling characteristics versus large ships; mounting large, disposable \'ramming plates\' onto a ship to absorb some of the initial punishment while closing into broadsides position... making broadside volleys an actual legitimate tactic; and even creating \'hazard fields\' to punish or restrict capital ships that make long sweeping forward runs with big primary weapons and again, make broadsides attacks useful.
People get so ANGRY when they are chasing you, pounding away on that big bottom , only to have the newly-breached unit fall away to leave a completely undamaged and fresh ship\'s shield as a navigation hazard that stops them in their tracks... as well as the dozen or so mines you had hidden around the curve of that shield trashing their beloved primary as they try to maneuver their way around the sudden navigation hazard. And then you come back.
