Player Features and Ideas Discussion

While I see your intended point of view, I also have to disagree with this reasoning. What you linked are, with the exception of the Providence, combat ships who attack in the same plane as the enemy ships, which results in attacks from the front or side and therefore the armor is necessary in these parts of the ships. This makes the design choice for the Oracle all the more reasonable because it is a full frontal assault boat.
The Crucifier/Sentinel, however, are not assault boats. They, as said, keep at range and need to protect their sensible electronics from attacks from the battlefield, which they orbit. That's an entirely different way of positioning the ship in a combat compared to your listed pure combat vessels.

The Providence is an oddball; however, only on the first glimpse. If you look closer, the armor layers on top protect not only the ship from assaults from above and the sides, they also function as a shield for small freighter vessels and personnel. who carry out the loading and clearing of freight on the ground and in space. Moreover, the freight bays and hatches are best accessible the way the Providence hull is designed.

Have I missed something?