That brings you to tactical systems. As you see it there are three major decisions to make, each relating to a different part of the ship. First is the main saucer, which is currently equipped with six Type-1 phaser emitters capable of covering all major firing arcs. Presently they have a strong presence to aft, but the forward arcs only have two emitters to cover them. Adding another two emplacements to bring the total to ten would further reinforce port and starboard, while also allowing three emitters to fire forward for each arc at the bow rather than just one.
Second is the torpedo systems. While the Copernicus has space for four forward photonic torpedo tubes and two aft at the warp regulator, an alternative to the standard payload is currently being developed. The photon torpedo intends to further enhance the standard payload with a larger antimatter charge and counter-defense systems. However this would require much more internal space for the extra preparation and launch systems, and you will at most be able to mount two forward torpedoes and one aft with the tighter space constraints. The technology is also yet to be proven, and you can't be sure it will live up to the hype.
Last are the phasers on the engineering section, with mounting points available along the ventral and dorsal surfaces. The two ventral hardpoints would provide extra firepower both forward and aft in the ventral plane, while the two hardpoints above the shuttlebay would add extra security aft in the dorsal plane. Given that every extra phaser and all the attendant power conduits and sophisticated technology increases the infrastructure needed to devote to the ship, you should probably consider carefully if you really want to push the ship to its maximal capabilities in exchange for a high cost.
Since cost score is by design stage, and not compared to a completed ship, I think we can assume that the dockyards are assuming we'll add more than the absolute minimum number of weapons to this ship. I expect if we take only infra+ options that'll keep our cost score, if we drop things that will improve it, and if we take infra++ options that will make it worse. That means we really have to limit our infra++ options, as we're already at a D.
Ok, let's go through the options here. Numbers are phasers that can fire in each arc fore/port/starboard/aft. Saucer phasers seem to fire in 2/4 arcs, and engineering in 3/4.
Current phasers: 2/4/4/4
Additional saucer phasers: +4/2/2/0 for a total of 6/6/6/4. Infra++.
Engineering ventral phasers: +2/1/1/2 for a total of 4/5/5/6 with just this option. Infra+.
Engineering quad phasers: +2/1/1/4 for a total of 4/5/5/8. Infra++. This option seems terrible, honestly. Very little return on investment unless we are supposing that our heaviest ship is going to spend all its time running away.
If we took both saucer and engineering phasers we'd have +8/7/7/6 phasers. This seems solid for a very heavy firepower design, but I think in that case we should only take photonics. I think we can probably afford at most one infra++, so I think the question is between something like:
Current+engineering phasers+2 photons fore, one aft. Phasers: 4/5/5/6. Torpedoes: 4*/0/0/2*, but the
Current+saucer+2 photonics fore, 1 photon aft. Phasers: 6/6/6/4. Torpedoes: 2/0/0/2*.
*I am counting each photon tube as being worth 2 photonic tubes, since that seems to be about the right conversion.
From this, I think we should go with the engineering phasers. We have lots of coverage on the sides for ships that get out of our torpedo alleys, and very heavy forward firepower even without phasers, thanks to our torpedo launchers.
