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.
