Glad you're not breaking my balls over a single point of space. Anyways I'm posting my introductory post now.
I did a few practice rolls last night, and concluded a single broadside from a ship like yours has the potential to wreck anything smaller than you instantly with a bit of luck. With that in mind, a few extra lasers on a different arc won't matter much. Depending on how this all goes, the Illiad might be eligable for a mid-game armour upgrade as well.