Toast
Space Marshal
Really, the gameplay balance isn't so much that the Scimitar is slow as it is that the Raptor, which has stronger shields and armor and weapons, is FASTER than the Scimitar. If the Raptor had a speed of 320/1000 instead of 400/1200, then the Scimitar would have been marginally faster and felt more balanced on the light/medium/heavy scale.
Well, by WC1 standards, the Raptor is crazy fast for a heavy fighter. Amazingly fast compared to the Gratha and Jalthi. The only Kilrathi fighter that the Raptor is slower than is the Salthi. The Raptor deserves a fan thread of its own.
I never got the sense that the Confed fighters of WC1 made any real attempt at balancing on the light/medium/heavy scale. The Rapier and Raptor were "reward" ships and as such, being assigned to either was a near-total upgrade compared to flying a Scimitar or Hornet.