Will the Hull B have stronger shields than its Freelancer/Cutlass counterpart, or between the Hull A and the Hornet? It would be nice to be able to take a few hits before going down.

The current plan is for the Hull series to have efficient shields for their class as they will lack the maneuverability of other 'jack of all trades' ships. This may change during game balance, but the intended role is for the Hull series to be well protected transports... but also slow, easy to chase targets.