Actually in defense of the OP I find photons difficult to use.
My favorite race are the kitty cats but I almost always play the Feds because no one else wants to.
They are a iconic race faction and everyone else like to pound on them.
Also, with regards to empirical evidence, I roll consistently below average. Not at 1000 photon shots yet, but getting there.
So my strategy with Feds has been the highly accurate and wide arc phasers, power to shields, rinse and repeat. Throw in a smattering of Kaufman Retrograde and I usually manage to hold my own. :mrgreen:
If I can line up someone in my forward arc, then yes by all means fire photons. I just do not rely on them.
I think Fed ships taken as a whole, factoring in terrain, scenarios (labs? :mrgreen: ), can hold their own. Even with the initiative penalty (though not as bad as the poor Gorn) the ships are solid enough to take the hits and stay in the fight.
In a straight up wide open space fight, it is a bit more difficult but not impossible.