I've played the game, and it's playable with no shields, engines, or secondary weapons. It's just a superlaser, although it hypers out of Kuat at the end. No, it does not permit you to get a true SSD vs. SSD fight. it's SSD and support fleet vs. zann fleet.
Ultimately, it can be said that Tyber Zann isn't exactly the grand enemy to both the Rebellion and the Empire, but rather a powerful regional crimelord who branched into warlordism. He's a bit like the second coming of Iaco Stark.
