This isn't another rage or CL bashing thread, I'm being serious here. The way they were designed and perform is completely baffling and I honestly have no idea why this ship was ever added in the game in the first place other than being filler. Consider the following:

-They are ships who's main "job" is AA, yet despite this and being a larger ship than the DD, it carries way less ammo and takes longer to reload its guns.

-Its supposed to be anti sub but beside carrying sonar, has no real means of actually hunting subs and thus poses no real threat for ss unless there's a vigilant DD.

-Regardless of its stats on the tech tree, its real speed is roughly equivalent to that of a CA and can barely outrun some BBs, even with boiler ship support and no armor.

-Horrendous at base capping.

-They are long and next to BBs are probably the next ship likely to be done in by quick torp rush or full BB broadside. Unlike the BB, it'll probably die in 1 salvo or be left as a flaming hulk left to make a feeble attempt at escape.

-It may have stronger AA than the DD but thanks to manual dive on DB and its larger size, its easier to take out with higher tier DB than a CA.

-More than three quarters of the time a DD can take it out in a 1v1 fight.

My heart sinks every time I start a game and see so many CLs on my team, so much so that it makes me want to forfeit especially if the other team has less that were replaced by CAs and DDs. Lets be honest here. Has anyone actually considered the notion that it would be better if these ships be removed from the game? Or at least make it a brief "footnote" class branching out of the CA or DD tree?