#5
by Slash
This is an ACS universe- which means that a whole bunch of nasties could form together and take down just about any defense. But you do want to protect against the cargo attackers by building a combination of rocket launchers (as fodder that allows your bigger stuff to do the real damage), lasers, cannons, and of course, shield domes.
As a suggestion, you can ward off most casual attackers with something like this:
1000 Rocket Launchers
500 Light Lasers
50 Gauss Cannons
5 Plasma Turrets
1 Small and 1 Large Shield Domes.
As long as you keep it in the ratios listed above, smaller quantities work when you're starting out.
The very best defense is Fleet Saving. It's the only real way of keeping your resources safe while you're away.