It is probably true that cruisers are the least purchased unit in the game. Capital ships and I are separated and heading for divorce. So I have looked at cruisers and found things I like. I am calling this strategic tool the 4-4-7.
Why are cruisers worth a second look? Bombardment and mobility. Bombardment at a 3 means that four of them have the likelihood of taking out two units for free. They are also a decent defense against fighters 1v1. What do I mean by mobility? I mean that two ships can be in two different places. It can act as a more expensive blocker. It can convoy. Two can protect two transports in two different territories when doing a shotgun approach. They give you a more sporting chance against the lone bomber sent to 91.
Another part of the debate I would say is hit points vs die rolls. I am currently favoring die rolls. Two destroyers get two dice defending. A carrier gets only one to roll. Perhaps most important is attachment. Cruisers are expendable. CVs and BBs are too dear to us and can be rendered useless.
4-4-7
So the German army is off trying to surround Stalin and so a solid player might drop 10 troops onto W Germany. My goal is to create a situation where I am meat-grinding more effectively than he is defending. A flotillais formed of the original CV and one more, BB, 2 dds, and 4 cruisers. Three aircraft are in London and four on the CVs. You also have just two transports with four infantry or two infantry and 2 artillery. For the spendthrifts among us, four tanks. You are only staying in the battle for one round of combat. Your goal is not to capture, but to kill. The amph team will be abandoned if they survive round one.
The goal is to assist the KGF player in economically savaging the coastal holdings of the Hun, forcing him to retreat. And to make landing in Europe less dependent on the purchase of transports, which often are only used once.
In this scenario, British transports or transporting British soldiers on used American transports would provide the defensive strength to eventually create a foothold on the continent.
How is the cruiser better in this scenerio ? Need to explain a bit better your idea.
@gen-manstein I amended the original post. Thanks.
@crockett36 Cruisers always move 3 spaces, and if they roll a one and the enemy has a plane, it must be selected as a hit…ok balanced
@imperious-leader said in The rehabilitation of cruisers and the 4-4-7:
@crockett36 Cruisers always move 3 spaces, and if they roll a one and the enemy has a plane, it must be selected as a hit…ok balanced
Bingo bango bongo !
@imperious-leader said in The rehabilitation of cruisers and the 4-4-7:
@crockett36 Cruisers always move 3 spaces, and if they roll a one and the enemy has a plane, it must be selected as a hit…ok balanced
Umm, this should be under house rules if that’s what this is about.
Marsh
@marshmallowofwar Not at all. That’s ILs idea not mine. I’m trying to use them as is.
@crockett36 Hi, I was thinking about the same thing:
36 IPC: ONE carrier + TWO fighters in offense: 2 dices on a 3 with the possibility to take a hit on the carrier (in the case you have a place for fighters to land
36 IPC: THREE cruisers in offense: 3 dices on 3.
==> on offense the cruisers fare better
On defense of course the carrier and fighters fare better but you have to be on your guard for landing space when the carriers take a hit.
And off course the cruisers provide the bombards as well.
Bottom line is i think there is potential for cruiser use.
@cornwallis Here’s to us being the only players using this!
@crockett36 Haha cheers:p I have never used it though. Did you and with what succes?
@cornwallis ive tested it against the engine. It’s ready to go live.
I read through this a few times and I still don’t understand the 4-4-7 part
@freh 4 cr 4 grounders and 7 planes. It is designed to kill twice as many defenders in 1 round of combat as it loses in an amphibious assault
@crockett36 gotcha. thanks for clarifying, I wasn’t smart enough to figure that out for myself
@crockett36 said in The rehabilitation of cruisers and the 4-4-7:
@freh 4 cr 4 grounders and 7 planes. It is designed to kill twice as many defenders in 1 round of combat as it loses in an amphibious assault
Doesn’t that depend on the number of defenders?
@andrewaagamer yes. Base 10 from w Germany
I am not understanding this response. 10 ground units located in West Germany? Assuming all infantry?
If correct then UK is attacking with BB, 4 CA, 7 Ftr and 4 Inf? Total OFP = 41 or 6.83 hits
Axis is defending with 10 Inf? DFP = 20 or 3.33 hits
Thus, based on your theory, twice as many defenders are dying as attackers. This is your justification to buy cruisers?
@andrewaagamer Yes. Not attempting to take the territory, but meat grinding on the Atlantic wall.
OK, thanks for confirming. BTW only 3 of the cruisers can bombard since only 4 ground units are landing. That makes it 38 OFP or 6.33 vs 3.33. Since the retreat comes after round 1 that last infantry is going to die however why not throw in a bomber too to make it 7 dead defenders for 4 dead attackers. That is good money; a bonus of +9 every Turn.
So this will definitely work as long as you can get your opponent to only stack 10 infantry in West Germany every Turn so you can kill 7 of them while losing just 4.
@andrewaagamer excellent! Thanks for giving the idea some time and consideration. Will try.
