This early shot was released by Hydra itself, presumably so that we would not accidentally fire upon the ships.
Things have changed a little since that release, and these were the first versions we saw on the field. Unsurprising, since old tactical reports suggest that ships were regularly upgraded or refitted, perhaps several times in one day if the situation called for it.
The weapons, dubbed "slicers", are, as with almost all of Hydra's weapons, merely heavily adapted mining tools. Whilst their roots are primitive, the firepower possessed by these mere mining beams is nothing to shrug off. Their combined output can easily rival some heavier beam platforms.
The Harbinger has yet to be seen in action yet, and we have not fully identified all it's subsystems. We expect there to be shielding and point defense systems integrated somehow. Stay tuned.
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The second ship in Hydra's armada has been identified as the Forerunner. Somewhere between a battle barge, a support ship and broadsider, the Forerunner packs four turrets capable of dispensing deadly phase torpedoes, as well as a number of defensive slicing beams and a pair of large beams for fire support. It can engage from a fairly respectable range as well.
The Forerunner is small, but fast and powerful. Do not underestimate it - phase torpedoes are initially quite weak, but heavy bombardment can shred even the most durable of ships. Adding insult to injury, the new phase torpedoes are even more powerful than before, and move faster.
The Forerunner is an oddity, but will no doubt prove it's worth in battles to come, where it's long-ranged support firepower will gradually weaken enemy ships to allow others to strike the finishing blow.
