[X] Start work on a light cruiser in the one to two hundred thousand ton range. (2 Industry)
I'm inclined to go with this - given the size of the NX-class, we could essentially start with that design and just trim the exploratory fat off of it, or make something similar to the canon NX-class (with the option to later convert it into a multi-role vessel with a refit, potentially). Not to mention, if the pulsed phase cannons have to be forward facing, Defiant style, then something this small will be able to implement them better just because it'll be more maneuverable than the other options.
[X] Start work on a medium to heavy cruiser in the two to three hundred thousand ton range. (4 Industry)
That said, I also wouldn't be opposed to a medium cruiser design - something trending a little slimmer than the NX-class, but rigged up for even greater combat potential, would be excellent. Obvious points for modification would be deleting the shuttle-bay in the aft of the saucer section for an additional torpedo launcher, swapping the science labs or workshop for troop capacity or greater capacity for armaments, and updating the phase cannons to the pulsed model (if they're turreted). After the war, these ships will be either able to be converted into multi-role designs by cutting down on extraneous armaments (if potentially less capable than the NX-class), or scrapped and rebuilt as multi-role NX-class ships (possibly a NX Refit design, leveraging the more advanced tech to improve capability for more than just tactical operations).
I'm not 100% against the Dreadnought concept if it does win, but I'm dubious that it will be able to be built in enough numbers to actually be super useful - and I'm also dubious about how easy they will be to refit, considering how heavily their hulls will need to be built, and the fact that there's no benefit to building them from the keel up with refit headroom. Thus, any future "multi-role" refit for the dreadnoughts would likely have to cut-back on armaments to avoid problems similar to the Constellation class (ie., "I can give you hull polarization or Warp 4, but not both").
EDIT:
Is it just me, or are people missing the essence of Star Trek and looking at it too much like a war simulator?
Well, part of the rationale for that is that, Trek or no, the United Earth
is at war at the moment. And this is a war where-in the opponents have decided to open the war with a cobalt-jacketed nuclear first strike - which means that operating under the assumption the war has to be fought, potentially all the way to Romulus' front door if necessary, makes a lot of sense.
Do I really hope everyone chills out and goes back to "lets make cool multi-role or exploratory starships now that we aren't at risk of getting glassed by the Romulans" after the war? Yeah. Do I think we can afford to relax while the Romulans might have a second go at Earth's defenses at any time - and will likely be going after colonies or other members of the Coalition of Planets? No, not really.
