v5.0 Patch notes by Fab

[Adam_Spire]

What use, in this game, do cloaks even provide any more?

cloaks should be able to act as countermeasures so you get the ability to cloak and use countermeasures, but I don't think this feature is working or implemented right now.

cloaks can still allow you to move undetected, albeit at longer ranges. I think if you cruise you still get a good amount of cloak time.

getting outside of CD range (5k) and cloaking is an almost guaranteed escape given that you don't fly in a straight line

Most gun fights are well within 5k range. There is no way to evade a determined pirate. Once a transport is stopped by a pirate, that's it, it's over.
Once a gunboat is flanked by a bomber or pair of fighters, there is no escape. Once two gunboats go head to head, there is no getting out of 5 k range unless one allows the other gb to get away.

Cloaks cant at as countermeasures as it is very very difficult to avoid gun fire, avoid a 5k CD and or activate a cloak when the battle rangers hover between 2k and 100m.

You're making it sound like all a gunboat needs to do is turn a corner and cloak, in space.

Getting away with a cruise is virtually impossible if you're a gunboat against anything more nimble.