[Ed Kolis]

Re: frigate/destroyer transition - I think moving medium-light hulls to level 2 of light hulls would be a good idea.

Re: boarding components - yes, exactly what SaberCherry said - they are either too strong starting out or too weak at the top level, so it's not really worth researching additional levels past the first!

Re: trade - isn't there something in the data files (TreatyElements.txt?) that lets you restrict the trade percentages available via a treaty across the board?

Re: sensors - actually I think the first few levels of sensors are too much of a no-brainer, given the ranges of the basic sensor component! Level 1 is a wimpy 3 hexes, but level 2 gives you another 2 hexes bringing you up to 5, and level 3 gives you another 2 hexes bringing you up to 7! So unless you research level 3 sensors early on, you are going to be spending a LOT of time surveying systems and you won't be able to see enemies that can easily see you... So how about starting basic sensors at range 4 or 5 and increasing them by 1 per level across the board?