@Viktor good to know there is something to do for the mission, what you've said gives me an idea so I'll try something out.
As regards combat, there are a few little things i've discovered, especially after buying my gekko.
Firstly, the laser fires continuously, this indeed was one mistake I made before, holding the button down. While asteroids and cargo crates and other stuff can be destroyed in one shot, other ships need a concentrated blast to take their armour, so destroying ships is generally a matter of centering them, listening for the foe indicator then blasting away, actually its a rather similar process to centering the ore from an asteroid and chasing it down. I'd also highly recommend as good a laser as possible, preferably the military laser.
Second, turning speed is key, since combat is all about centering the enemy. If you hear the sound of a foe behind yo, the best thing you can do is slow down or even stop, then turn to face the enemy before speeding up and blast away, indeed getting how to change your speed and angle fluidly is the answer to winning lots of fights, though also bare in mind many ships will eject cargo to try and put you off when you shoot them, which is another good reason to fly fast when you have a ship in your sights so you can snag the stuff they drop, as well as practice your fast tracking skills.
Third, as regards enemy aggression. The thing that causes bounty hunters to show up is floating cargo, this is why I was having the issue previously where I would shoot one ship and get swamped. The higher the danger rating of the system, the more likely bad guys are to turn up after either you or the cargo.
This is why with my Gecko I'm currently camped out in a danger 8 system basically blasting away for cargo and bounties .
As to armour, its essentially an extra 100 hp right there which can come in handy sometimes, especially when your hull is already damaged and you have made it to a or zokalo but not to a freeport.
the hull regeneration system is of course preferable, but that costs literally as much as your ship so you won't have it for a while.
Actually, one basic upgrade which would be nice is the way to buy permenant armour, the way you can currently buy permanent fuel expantions.
hth.
With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)