From Vanilla Freelancer I always thought that Cruisers were anti-Battleship creations, with the added ability of being able to destroy most fighters with ease. As Battleships usually provide a bulky, slow-moving (usually stationary) target, the gun wouldn't really need the much off a refire rate. However, getting the gun lined up for a shot can be a real pain, especially if you're used to the freely-moving guns found on most ships, and indeed on the Cruiser itself.