Canopus is another periphery nation whose military bugs me. They (in 3025) make a total of 50 locusts, stingers and wasps, 10 shadow hawks, manticores, sabre ASF and later the pike.
So much could be done with that.
They have a240 fusion engine from the manticore. Convert a bug line to build a hermes II knock off. Call it the Calliope and give it a srm 4, lrm 5 and large laser. (yah, almost like the real one)
Then produce a 75 ton 3/5/3 mech called the Penthesilea with a large laser, PPC, ac 10 and 3 medium lasers.
Use that 180 ICE engine to build knock off goblin tanks and galleon tanks. Pull the small lasers and put in either a srm4 in the turret or a 3 ton infantry bay.
Seriously so much better.