Something to think about regarding the PPD rule.
When I was originally putting PBR together, there was not PPD rule. I was more focused on restricting the command ships and getting carriers and escorts properly handled.
Now, using the Feds as the standard, it seemed perfectly normal to see a CC, CA, CA squadron. Very historical.
Then as I went through the other races, the ISC caught my eye. They also had a CC, CA, CA combo, but as refits move along that combo becomes incredibly powerful. Relative to a CC+, CA+, CA+, the ISC CCZ, CAZ, CAZ is just too powerful, and is well equipped to overpower most other races combinations at similar BPV.
I had half a mind to put the CA's in the command bucket for the ISC as well, but I didn't like that as it was artificial.
But then the PPD rule came along and neatly corrected the issue. Both the original PPD rule - which limited an ISC squadron of 3 ships to only the PPD's on the 'Lead' ship and one additional PPD on another ship (which is how I interpret the actual SFB rule) and the follow up rule which simply limited them to a single PPD armed ship neatly dealt with this unbalancing issue - and it wasn't contrived or made up. It was like everything else in PBR - a translation of what was standard in SFB for ship formations.
The '4 PPD' rule however - which is made up - essentially eliminates any truly palpable PPD restriction. I am unable to really analyze what this means across the spectrum, but the bottom line for me is that when the CCZ, CAZ, CAZ combo became legal again, I KNEW crap was going to break down.
Considering the the old rule seemed to have virtually no ill effect on the overall competetive performance on the ISC using fleets (which if they were truly any good, it shouldn't have anyway), the fact that it was changed strikes me as being changed for no good reason. I'll take the blame for simply allowing people to vote on that one.
I recommend that it be taken back to the original rule for next cycle.
On a side note: the ISC are always going to be a bit of a pain, as they just don't fit the way the other races do. SFC is enough of SFB that the ISC's ship designs, which were supposed to be better than anything the rest of the galactic powers could muster, has been translated well.
While a CC of the other races would be fairly well suited to leading a squadron as small as 3 ships, an ISC CC would more likely be leading an middle weight fleet of 5 - 8 ships. When you get down to 3 ship formations, a CA would probably be the biggest ship you'd find in a formation that size. More likely, it would be a CL or CS.
Hell, if you recall that scenario I wrote up, the SFB scenario clearly defines a Patrol Echelon (aka a 3 ship squadron) as a CS, DD, FF. What's the TBPV of that, 370?
I guess what I am basically trying to say, is that ISC are an odd bunch to balance, even with PBR, unless you all want to make the TBPV cap around 400, then you'll start getting some realistic, balanced ISC squadrons to fight against. If you don't want to do that, then look to see what other tools you have....