Care must be taken with making all the crosses. What are known as battle crosses are / were not random crosses. In most instances they were crosses between two true breeding lines that were previously compared to other crosses and pure stock in the pit. Most crosses are not crosses likely to be intentionally created by skilled breeders because they have not been vetted. The random crossing for looks is a faster way to devalue a group of games.
With no actual "performance review" or record, these birds are merely ornamental pieces. Couldn't agree more.