by Ceraus
I read this thread before getting the game, so I asked the other players and we agreed to try the house rule.First game, my Exiles got good interceptors early on through discoveries, so I put TWO interceptor bays and a second engine on my cruisers, which were then able to move my forces scarily efficiently. In the end, my interceptors had Ion Turrets and Plasma Missiles and won battles by rolling sixes. And I won the game by a large margin, although it was mostly due to political play (the interaction between alliances and diplomatic relations can get intense!).
Second game, the Mechanema predictably made carrier-cruisers, albeit with only one bay each. Still, it made for the first game in which the Mechanema's massive numbers were really noticed. On round 8, they pulled a nice move, replacing the interceptor bay with a triple-hull after movement. Still, a decisive loss had them come last out of three, although the point tallies came out really close.
So it's all positive, and I recommend this house rule.