Ship balance should only be for ships of similar sizes. An A rated Python vs An A rated corvette or cutter should lose. piloting skill not included.
Corvette, sure, the Python should lose and it usually does. There's just not enough firepower or shield strength for a Python to take down a Corvette in the current meta and the Corvette is a relatively short-range combat specialist ship. The Python is a heavily armed multirole but shouldn't be able to take down a Corvette on its own. The issue here is that on top of that already massive imbalance, we're giving the Corvette fighters as well. Python gets to just sit in the corner.
Against a Cutter, the Python will have even more trouble getting past the shields and SCBs but the Python should be able to outmaneuver the Cutter fairly easily, so closer to a stalemate, but it's not taking the Cutter down either.
Python on an anaconda however favors the Python simply because the anacondas maneuverability. I suspect with fighters that's going to change.
Against Anacondas, the balance doesn't really doesn't need to change. The Anaconda is better at doing almost everything else the Python does, i.e., more jump range and more cargo capacity, plus against large ships the Anaconda is considerably better in terms of firepower and shield strength. The Anaconda's only real weakness is maneuverability and it should stay that way, otherwise the Python will become more of a stepping stone to the Anaconda. I expect to get my Anaconda this week so maybe my view will change after flying it but I think limiting fighters to the large ships will make them too powerful relative to the mid-large ship choices (Python, Clipper and Dropship variants). Keep in mind that you will be interdicted by Anacondas carrying fighters as well so that will be another game balance factor to consider.
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