I look at it in much the same way as I do the M2A3 Bradley being used by reconnaissance troops in the US Army. It's a big, ugly, bulky hunk of shit that makes a lot of noise and belches smoke when you turn it. On the other hand, you have observation and offensive/defensive capabilities that far outweigh those found in say, a HMMWV. The lack of guided munitions is a little saddening, but the size 5 gun is sure to do some damage. As for the different capabilities, it'll make an outstanding dropship in a pinch given how sturdy it's supposed to be, great for SAR and CSAR operations, scouting new jump-points and general exploration for two.
She might not seem like much on the surface, but she's one of the first true purpose-built reconnaissance ships we've seeing. I'm sure there will be other ships that will have similar capabilities, but from what I've seen so far, none of the other ships fill the Terrapin's niche. That, coupled with the age of the design in the lore means that it'll likely be a fairly cheap option when compared to some of the other exploration ships like the Constellation Aquila or the Carrack.
It's also a straight purpose-built ship rather than a variant like the Constellation Aquila, the Freelancer DUR, or the 315P. This tells me that it's going to be a less well-rounded craft and focused more on doing its one or two jobs.
But to each their own. I'm happy with mine. $15 bucks plus some store credit for a CCU from the Buccaneer I was never going to fly. No complaints on my end.
