Are Cruisers for Losers? (Axis&Allies)

Are Cruisers for losers? In this video I try to answer that question.


House Rule Ideas for Cruisers:

1) Cruisers have an "onboard AA Gun" which fires up to one shot per cruiser at the start of the first round of combat (but only ever one shot per enemy air unit). This ability works on both attack and defense. There aren’t any rules in Axis&Allies to account for air vs navy. Maybe cruisers can fill this void giving them a new unique role in naval battles.


2) Cruisers can move 3 spaces during non combat. Cruisers can also treat hostile sea zones as friendly, unless that sea zone contains at least one enemy cruiser. Cruisers were built for speed and could probably evade most other types of sea units, except other cruisers.


3) Cruisers can make surprise strikes similar to submarines except it fires only in the first round of combat. This ability can be negated by the presence of enemy cruisers on a 1:1 basis. Again, this would give cruisers a new role and might encourage players to buy them, if not for the attack bonus then for the defensive one.

4) Cruisers take 2 hits to destroy (only recommend in G40)

5) The attack value of cruisers is boosted to 4 when paired with a fighter or tactical bomber, on a 1:1 basis.

6) Cruisers that roll a 1 can target select any enemy surface ship as a casualty. This accounts for the presence of battle cruisers which were really fast and with big guns. (Thanks to Admiral Sea Bass for this idea)

What house rules do you use for cruisers?