It's looking pretty awesome, Don!
1. Gun emplacements instead of details.
I'd say work the gun emplacements in with the details. No reason why one would necessarily exclude the other.
2. Uniformity-meaning symetrical. What's on one side of the ship should be in all common sense on the other?
It doesn't need to be, but it would generally make sense on a symmetrical ship.
3. Landing bays themselves-artistic license? Build it how i think it would be layed out or ask for options from the masses as to what it should be like?
I'd recommend making what you can see from the exterior looking in the same as it is in the show, and use your artistic license for the rest.
p.s. long time no see! Of course that more applies to me than to you.
