I don't like battlecruisers much in-game IMO. BrotherMunro is right that the battlecruiser is an odd child. They have big guns, but are absolute ass when facing battleships, yet are vulnerable to destroyers like battleships. If a convoy is escorted by a single somewhat modern BB, like a modernized WW1 BB, then the only good option for battlecruisers (or any ship heavier than light cruisers by extension when convoy raiding) is fleeing, lest being sunk or crippled and hunted down later down the line. If a convoy only has a light escort, heavy cruisers and light cruisers in support are more than enough. Throw a single BB along with lighter escorting ships, you'll need a friendly battleships, and battlecruisers just won't cut it.

@@ilikepie2376 The thing is with battlecruisers (BC) is that speed is their armour. Get in, shoot the transports and run away before the much slower battleship (BB) can do anything significant. Against lighter ships the BC can easily keep them at arm's length while their much bigger guns cut the enemy ship to pieces. Even destroyers (DD) with their BB killing torpedoes have to get within range to build a firing solution. With both the DD and the BC doing around 35knts, and both being very manoeuvrable, the DD is at the disadvantage. And if the DD is part of a DD squadron escorting a convoy, it isn't going to be able to go after the BC without leaving the convoy vulnerable. Used in the right way a BC can be deadly. Even its presence in an area means the enemy has to divert huge resources in time, men and material to deal with her. I once ran an alternative reality scenario where the presence of the two infamous super-light 'battlecruisers' Courageous and Glorious had the Japanese navy chasing its own tail for months. Eventually, the Japanese misidentified the Russian cruiser Rurik is being British (British designed and built) and attacked it, bringing Tsarist Russia into the conflict on the side of the Anglo/French alliance... Great fun :) but shows how effective a BC or two can be when used well.

@@TukikoTroy Unfortunatly, UAD isn't the best simulating that. By the time the BC sinks a few transports, the battleship will likely have scored some hits, slowing it down and making it easy prey for the slow BB. Also BCs turn like ass, so they're probably even more vurnerable to torps than slow BBs that can actually dodge.

I actually treat my battlecruisers as faster armored cruisers. I use smaller displacement and guns to bridge the gap till I unlock a modern heavy cruiser hull.

yep, below standard amount of bulkheads, your ship won't last long.

That would be a pretty short video though 😂

Yeah the late game heavy cruisers really begin to displace battlecruisers

Stealth also made this kind of video.

No idea on timeframe for Alpha 9 any more than anyone else. I'd guess October - but thats a total guess.