I've been aurauraless for a while thought I'd pick one up to try in 2.6 see what they've done with the hull and shields.
Hey it's a great starter ship - you can fit a big store box to haul some cargo (soon), it's got 2 x S2 2 x S1 guns all nice and close(ish) together and its got a size 4 (?!!!) missile launcher so you can either mini torpedo with a S4 missile (hahaha bye bye connie) or you can do what I do and run 2 x S3 missiles only the bigger ships can survive a hit and even then they can be in trouble from it. or if fighting smaller ships you can fit 4 x S2 missiles which are great for damaging small-medium fighters etc.
I am impressed! I got to Wave10 on vandul swarm without my favourite S3 missiles, gonna try again with my s3s and see if I can make wave 15.
Compared to the avenger which has had its manoeuvrability nerfed - it's competitive now especially when you consider you can put whatever guns and missiles, you want on the aurora whereas the avenger is very inflexible with the unmovable tigershreik and only a pair of s2 missiles.