Are there any counter-units in Sins? I've been playing since yesterday but I can't really figure out the benefit of making cruisers or other types of frigates. I tend to just spam carriers and whatever frigate does the same damage type as bombers, or spam battleships and whatever frigate does the same type of damage as them, then upgrade that damage type.
Do LRMs counter cobalts? Do beam cruisers counter LRMs? I'm just trying to get across what I mean, i'm not actually asking about those units.

It seems to me it is just more DPS = the winner, not unit mixes or micro. This is my biggest concern with the game, because i'd really like to see tactics play a bigger role. Do I just not know what i'm doing?
Another question. Upgrades. When do you get them? I usually get them fairly early to buff my disciples + battleships, then after i've gotten the first few laser upgrades I switch to shields. Am I WAY off? Without doing the math, it would seem like it is a better investment to just build more ships. If so, then are the upgrades ever useful? Seems like even the maximum of 25% isn't that much because for that money you could just build MORE ships. I wish upgrades had a bigger effect. Am I wrong?