Cruisers?

[leddux]

@critmonster:

Great point about deterring an air attack on your small task forces. +1
If each cruiser got one AA shot @1 (not for each plane, but one per cruiser) that would be cool and valuable while keeping with the spirit and cost structures discussed.

That was the AA structure I was thinking about.  Something similar was used in Xeno’s World At War (one AA could fire at Either up to 3 aircraft or 3 armor). It seemed to give a nice balance and FORCED you to spend more on AA.  To me it would make the cruiser a more viable unit and justify its cost.

[RJL518]

i always thought that the use of cruisers could be very useful for amphib operations…so far…in the games we have played…they have worked out well

[spectre_04]

Cruisers need some type of bonus when attacking SURFACE shipping, perhaps being able to pass through anything but other cruisers, reflecting their speed in that only another cruiser can catch them and not destroyers or BB which are slower.

[Vareel]

I still think let them raid 2 IPCs a turn and let them move 3 movement regardless of a naval base presence (meaning they will not move 4 from a naval base, still just 3).

[Variable]

@Vareel:

I still think let them raid 2 IPCs a turn and let them move 3 movement regardless of a naval base presence (meaning they will not move 4 from a naval base, still just 3).

Although I agree with most of the reasons cruisers should be left alone the way they are, I could see future rules including something along these lines. As we’ve mentioned, some under utilized units tend to go through minor changes until they are used more. The tank is the best example of this.

[spectre_04]

In house rules you could always have two seperate units, light cruisers and heavy cruisers or battlecruisers. 
Light cruisers could be 3/2 move 3 and cost 10 where battlecruisers could be 4/3 move 3 and cost 12.  no double hit though since in reality battlecruisers had battleship firepower but sacrificed armor for speed.

[xzorn]

Just let each cruiser roll a single AA die in opening fire and I’d throw quite a few in to deter massed air strikes, which still seem to be the bane of a fleet.

[dinosaur]

I would rather consider them as an AA gun in that approach.  If you have one or more cruisers, you get one AA roll, but you don’t get extra rolls for extra cruisers.  This will insure that almost every fleet gets one cruiser.  If you give each cruiser an AA roll, they will need to cost more or we will have to do something with planes.

[democratic leader]

Things we can do-

Give them AA (mabey 2 rolls per crusier)
Give them extra movment (3)
Let them kill convoys (Ddisrupt 2 IPCs)
Let them be held back for SB
Let them carry 1 infantry

or

Stop sub-stalling buy-when a fleet with a crusier can move though a space with 1 units stalling by letting the fleet have 1 round of combat with the unit. If the unit is destoryed, the fleet can move its extra spaces. Anyone follow me.

[Richter von Manthofen]

I do like to buy Cruisers - especially for Italy (AA50) - BBs are too expensive. DDs are here to soak up damage - a BB would do it too, but they are a heavy investment. If the MEd runs good for Italy I usually sortie into the Atlantic splitting up into separate groups - one north to challenge (delay) the UK/US fleets one south to take Brazil…

[Variable]

Here’s something that occurred to me in the middle of the night…

How about choosing how a cruiser will fight in a battle. Either as an AA gun ( 1 die at each aircraft no matter how many CC) OR fight as normal 3/3. That way if you had a fleet with 2 CCs, you could designate a max of 1 CC to air cover and the other would fight as normal. The CC on air cover could still be designated as a casualty of course.

I know this is not necessarily historical but I would like to see something done about the air vs. navy battles and using the CC for this gives it a very important niche. However, due to this important niche, the price should remain 12 ( 2 x an AA gun ).

[valthonis]

Can’t believe everything you see on TV, but the History Channel maybe.

It did say that a Cruiser’s role has become more of an anti-aircraft ship over the years, although it did hint that role change has been more post-WWII, but that WWII still had use of AA cruisers.

Maybe allow cruisers to defend on 4 when attacked by aircraft?
Sorta like the other combo rules with tac bombers, but this is when combined with enemy aircraft.

So a 1:1 ratio.
Enemy attacks with 3 fighters and 2 destroyers.  You have 4 cruisers.
First round you’d roll 3 dice at 4 and the 4th dice at 3 as there are only three fighters.

If the fighters die before the destroyers, then you’re obviously back at 3s.

Hope that makes sense.

[critmonster]

Another way to reflect their speed and relative firepower would be to give them first strike. Every round might be a bit much, but initial round would still be nasty!

I still think my original post of one die per cruiser @1 against air would be my vote. It is simple to implement and remember while maintaining the cruiser role.

Additional movement tends to not really be that wonderful because your fast ships end up without support. (remember the wonderful fast carriers NA from revised?)

[Variable]

@critmonster:

Another way to reflect their speed and relative firepower would be to give them first strike. Every round might be a bit much, but initial round would still be nasty!

I like this! Fire like a sub, still needs a destroyer to negate a sub strike, and the ability could be negated 1:1 by enemy cruisers.