So the idea is to add plasterboard directly on the wall without a structure to hold the boards?
Hmm, i ilve in Europe, and we have a completely flat glasfiber which you just glue on the wall like galsspaper, well not exactly, you add the glue on the wall, than stick the fiberglaspaper on the wall.
Specifically made for old crackled walls.
Directly pain tover the paper.
Very often used on old houses which keep on cracking.
If the wall is really that bad, i would still add a structure to hold the boards, even if it is only 3/8 of half an inch thick.