If your like me, you quickly settle in to your favorite ship, grow used to the pilot's seat, the familiar rust on her bulkheads, give her a name etc. And if your like me you want her to be a little better than the rest, imagining the ability to say "she's the ship that did the Kessle run in less than..she's fast enough for ya old man" All the mods one uses adjusts the base speed of all ships. Fine, I can cruise at 600 etc. But I don't want the other slackers to go that fast too...wanna run the blockade...here's how..and with just INI editing...
Take your ship, I use the Cylon from Hostile Universe, love the model(thanks creators!! ) Also it makes for easier editing as you can easily single out the ship from all the others. You can adjust the weapon class and type for the supplied hardpoints as listed in all the other forums. INI editing them.(which the INI notepad edit, txt save, then rename to INI works great) Post if you need help. Take note of the nickname of the ship your using. Then for the fun part. Open up loadouts.ini and goods.ini. The goods.ini is what comes with your ship when you buy it, and what entries it's calling up for power generators engines etc. The loadouts.ini shows series of loadouts for your ship type and what the NPC generated ships will have, see what files they are calling up for stats..example for cylon:
[Good
nickname = rscylon_package
category = ship
hull = rscylon_hull
addon = ge_gf5_engine_01, internal, 1
addon = ge_fighter5_power01, internal, 1
addon = ge_s_scanner_01, internal, 1
addon = ge_s_tractor_01, internal, 1
addon = shield01_mark04_hf, HpShield01, 1
equip = ge_s_thruster_03, HpThruster01
equip = ge_gf5_engine_01
AND FOR THE LOADOUTS:
[Loadout
nickname = rscylon5_loadout
archetype = rs_cylonfighter
category = ship
hull = rscylon_hull
equip = infinite_power
equip = ge_s_thruster_03, HpThruster01
equip = ge_gf5_engine_01
equip = ge_s_scanner_01
equip = ge_s_tractor_01
equip = armor_scale_3
equip = shield01_mark03_hf, HpShield01
equip = ge_s_cm_01, HpCM01
cargo = ge_s_cm_01_ammo, 20
equip = fc_or_gun02_mark03, HpWeapon01
equip = fc_or_gun02_mark03, HpWeapon02
equip = fc_ou_turret02_mark03, HpTurret01
equip = fc_ou_turret02_mark03, HpTurret02

Open up engine_equip.ini it will be:
[Engine
nickname = ge_gf5_engine_01
ids_name = 263675
ids_info = 264675
volume = 0.000000
mass = 10
max_force = 120200 this is your time to AMP up your normal speed max
linear_drag = 599
power_usage = 0
reverse_fraction = 0.200000
flame_effect = gf_li_smallengine01_fire
trail_effect = gf_li_smallengine01_trail
trail_effect_player = gf_li_smallengine01_playtrail
cruise_charge_time = 3
cruise_power_usage = 20
character_start_sound = engine_ci_freighter_start
character_loop_sound = engine_ci_freighter_loop
character_pitch_range = -30, 40
rumble_sound = rumble_freighter
rumble_atten_range = -5, 0
rumble_pitch_range = -25, 25
engine_kill_sound = engine_ci_freighter_kill
cruise_start_sound = engine_ci_cruise_start
cruise_loop_sound = engine_ci_cruise_loop
cruise_stop_sound = engine_ci_cruise_stop
cruise_disrupt_sound = cruise_disrupt
cruise_backfire_sound = cruise_backfire
indestructible = false
outside_cone_attenuation = -3
inside_sound_cone = 60
outside_sound_cone = 180

st-equip.ini is were you'll find the trhusters. The advanced thruster, buyable by me but not the NPC's, reads as follows....you'll have to obviously buy it...
[Thruster
nickname = ge_s_thruster_03
ids_name = 263739
ids_info = 264739
DA_archetype = equipment\models\st\ku_thruster.3db
material_library = equipment\models\ku_equip.mat
HP_child = HpConnect
hit_pts = 4000
explosion_resistance = 0.500000
debris_type = debris_normal
parent_impulse = 20
child_impulse = 80
volume = 0.000000
mass = 10
max_force = 172000 (THIS PUTS YOU AT 300 ms on a burn...)
particles = gf_ge_s_thruster_01
hp_particles = hpthrust
power_usage = 133
lootable = true
separation_explosion = sever_debris
LODranges = 0, 20

Again, by editing the engine entry called up by your ship type, you can adjust your base speed,(however the base will be the same for all NPC's of that ship) editing the advanced trhuster,(called .ge_s_thruster_03 by the game).you hedge out the rest...as its the part that most won't have. The advanced thruster is not normal for most NPC units, and so if you edit it, you can RAMP up your boost speed, burn time and energy usage...make it fun and realistic...I ramp up the output but keep the energy usage. Also find the power unit enrty and track it down in the equipment ini's. (the game actually calls it a fusion generator..must be nice)It will allow you to use the heavy hitters on a small little ship without sucking up your power, of course you can always just scramp some Nomads for no energy using weapons, or make your own. If the universe your in uses advanced thrusters on a lot of the NPC's your up against ie if your high level, just go and drop the NPC loadouts in loadouts.ini to lower thruster entries, they won't be able to touch you....The Lady Nemo Cylon Light Stock Freighter I'm using has a max regular engine out of 200, thruster boost of 400, and cruise at 600, with upped strafing power, larger cargo of 1200(the model is really big to the people in the bases...I'm trying to simulate the old Galaxy class from Privateer) All the NPC's are cranking around at 80,200,600 respectively. HEHEHE...Blockade running made easier...To all you smugglers out there, I suggest only fragging the factions in ceratin areas, minding who they care about..as smuggling won't work if you can't land on half the bases. Plus I love the planets, so have to keep IMG, Planetform, Cryer etc on my side,(ones near to Outcast areas) while keeping friends with Corasirs and Outcasts..pretty easy though..JUST KILL A LOT OF THE NAVY and POLICE...to neutral you to the pirates, then wait till a bribe comes up and get in good. Navies and police will hate ya, but everyone else will work with ya. I guess it all comes from HATING CARGO SCANS!!! Submit to this $%$##@@@!!! THEN CATCH ME>>>