You will get Vector as your next companion on Alderaan. After that you will get Dr.Lokin on Taris(don't remember all that well could be another planet too). Ensign Temple on Hoth. SCORPIO on Belsavis. The levels are dependend on your level when you finish required quests. As to liking your companions i love Temple the most. With good gear you won't need any tank in my opinion since she smokes most elites while you can medpack+dps too or heal yourself/her. My opinion might also be affected because we are married. After Temple i like Kaliyo=SCORPIO>Dr.Lokin>Vector>2V-R8

Got all pieces except the boots on the GTN for around 12-45k a piece. The bracers and belt were especially cheaper than the TD-07A Panther ones. Had to pay 60k for bracers and 75k for belt for that set which i have bought completely of the GTN too(except chest and pants ofc).

I started playing an Op as my alt for the stealth ability he has and because i grew tired of spamming tracer missile with my mercenary all the time in a wz or a hm raid. He's currently a concealment specced lv44 with valor rank 41(saying this to show how much i'm pvping) and most of the times in a warzone i will have the most amount of medals among being at least in the top 3 for damage, having at least 30-35 kills with around 5-12 solo kills and with the possibility of not dieng at all in the civil war map being 1/3 of a chance or dieng less then 5 times in all warzones being 2/3 while doing so. If you can use your Shield Probe and Evasion skills good, use Acid Blade before Hidden Strikes or Backstabs and use your Cloaking Screen with some skill you can wreak havoc and become the focused target after half the time in the warzone because of it. The only problem i have so far with an Op is that if i have to kill a sorc/cons usually can out heal my first energy bar and i have to use adrenaline probe and my stuns and interrupt skill with some finesse and they die eventually too.