@Donovan: True, they have different purposes but the VT-49 simply fails at that.

To stick to your comparison: If the YT-1300 is the van then the VT-49 is the Humvee.

In a straight-up fight the YT loses big time as it should be.

But when he runs away he will get away.

Simply due to the VTs abyssmal handling.

The launchers on the VT-49 are worth zero in a chase.

Should the smugglers uprade to a YT-2400 it gets even worse for the Imperials.

The YT-2400 equals the VT-49 in armor and flatout dances around it with that 3-point difference in handling.

Modified freighters, maybe to get equal shields and more speed than the Decimator are still cheaper.

Long-range reconnaissance? That better be open space since that handling again will make every obstacle that much harder.

So, except for hitting hard with those launchers and being able to take a little bit more punishment than those freighters is does not do it's job well. Not even averagely.

The VT-40 Decimator IMHO fails at half its jobs.

That is bad design.

Edited for clarity.

I think that the areas I felt dissatisfied with were the Sensor Range and the Passengers. I would have liked Medium-ranged sensors for a ship meant to hunt other light starships, and enough passenger space for at least a full squad of Stormtroopers. The 4R3 gives me both of those and is, IMO, a much superior assault ship.

The VT-49 does exactly the job it was designed to do.

Fly in a square around the asteroids and shoot anyone at range 3 or closer. Oh, and try not to take 16 hits.