Game Settings for Starfighter Assault

I tried to figure this out on my own, but I'm at a loss, and I'd be remiss if I continued to play the game while at a disadvantage of my own making.

In Starfighter Assault, I've become painfully aware that I'm missing valuable information, perhaps to do with some game-setting, which is causing all three classes of spacecraft to fire with weapons strength lower than what it should be. At first, I believed this to be a star card issue, and so I dutifully attended to the grind of earning credits to get crafting items to upgrade cards, and have managed almost all cards to the rare level, but still I'd have to shoot most craft significantly longer than the one/two shoots it takes to down me, and I'm not referring to missile hits, mind you. So, I beefed up all defense instead, figuring maybe that's where I was going wrong. Fortified hull, all defense-buffing cards, and still I'm downed with one/two hits by players who aren't even using weapon-buffing cards, and can't down others who aren't even using defense-buffing cards. So, I've arrived at the conclusion that this must have something to do with an in-game setting I missed that will put me back on a level-playing field with everyone else. May someone please point me in the direction of this missing information?

I feel pretty stupid, wasting all of those hours, missing out on precious battle points and credits because I missed something. I'm normally quite observant. 

For your help, I thank you.