I've been very successful with the following list:

5x Gamma Squadron Pilot + Seismic Charges

It's a very intimidating list, as they don't want to get behind you. The bombers move at PS4, so you get to choose to drop a bomb after their lower PS ships have moved. That's really nice to know whether you can drop a bomb or three on them when you know it'll hit. Further, they have 6 hull, so they are tough to kill. They still get the 2 Attack Dice, which isn't bad when massed fire, especially on B-Wings or Y-Wings.

I won a Store Championship with this list and it's gone 8-0 in my league.

I've been very successful with the following list:

5x Gamma Squadron Pilot + Seismic Charges

It's a very intimidating list, as they don't want to get behind you. The bombers move at PS4, so you get to choose to drop a bomb after their lower PS ships have moved. That's really nice to know whether you can drop a bomb or three on them when you know it'll hit. Further, they have 6 hull, so they are tough to kill. They still get the 2 Attack Dice, which isn't bad when massed fire, especially on B-Wings or Y-Wings.

I won a Store Championship with this list and it's gone 8-0 in my league.

nice work sable. good to see the bombers finally getting some love. im waiting for munitians failsafe for them to truely reach their potential with ordinance. im testing a few squads out that use proton bombs - still tweeking the tactics but so far things look promising. yeah i can see how multiple mines could cause some serious hurt. is ur squad just as effective versus squads like han shoots first? i guess once u take out the support ships the falcon can be quickly overwhelmed?

i was thinking that 3 bombers plus doom shuttle (or other cheap loadout) with intel agent might be another way to ensure u see where the high PS pilots r moving to so u can set a trap with ur bombs or mines

i might give something like this a run at my next club day...

Omicron + Vader + Intel Agent (25)

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Homing Missiles + Seismic Charges (25)

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Homing Missiles + Seismic Charges (25)

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Homing Missiles + Seismic Charges (25)

as mentioned in above post - intel agent lets u see where their top PS pilot is going, making the seismics a threat to every ship they have. 3 homing missiles to the face should soften up even a durable large ship.

I haven't run into a HSF list, but I have torn apart BBXX and other such lists. The problem with fighting the list is that, unlike a standard TIE swarm where you can kill 1, maybe two TIEs in a round, the 6 hull means you have to be quite lucky to take down a single one during the initial firing phase. They just soak up fire. And they still have 2 attack dice standard, so against B-Wings or Y-Wings, that is quite telling. Further, small, nimble craft can't use their maneuverability to advantage without risking being obliterated by a cluster of bombs. The end result is that most ships choose to remain in firing arc rather than risk getting behind the craft.

Indeed, one of the issues my opponent runs into is that the craft has such a weird maneuver dial and barrel roll, that they aren't quite sure where I'm going to end up. Most of their maneuvers are long distance ones, meaning they excel at jousting or getting out of arcs.

I haven't run into a HSF list, but I have torn apart BBXX and other such lists.

How does it fare against, say, 3x Shuttles, or 3x ORS with Anti-Pursuit Lasers?

I've been running a lot of Bombers recently.

The most recent list has been:

Captain Jonus - TIE Bomber

Scimitar Squadron Pilot - TIE Bomber

+ Assault Missiles

+ Cluster Missiles

Scimitar Squadron Pilot - TIE Bomber

+ Assault Missiles

+ Cluster Missiles

Turr Phennir - TIE Interceptor

+ Push the Limit / Stealth Device

I ran this with the PTL on Turr first but then swapped for the Stealth Device and I don't think I'd go back. This works well against swarms and the ever-popular B-Wings and Falcons (thanks to clusters).

I've also run:

Captain Jonus - TIE Bomber

+ Squad Leader

Scimitar Squadron Pilot - TIE Bomber

+ Assault Missiles

+ Cluster Missiles

Scimitar Squadron Pilot - TIE Bomber

+ Assault Missiles

+ Cluster Missiles

Scimitar Squadron Pilot - TIE Bomber

+ Assault Missiles

+ Cluster Missiles

This is devastating in the early game, but weaker in the late game (and I have to borrow a bomber to run it). Still, it forces opponents to alter what they are doing, running in formation is NOT an option when you have 3 assault missiles pointed at you.

But one of the lists I've most enjoyed has been:

Captain Jonus - TIE Bomber

+ Seismic Charges

Scimitar Squadron Pilot - TIE Bomber

+ Assault Missiles

+ Seismic Charges

Krassis Trelix - Firespray-31

+ Heavy Laser Cannon

+ Assault Missiles

+ Seismic Charges

But this is not so effective against B-Wings and YT-1300's (lacking the cluster missiles which are so devastating against them) and I don't think it'd work as well in my local meta at the moment.

I've got to be honest, I think failsafe munitions are going to be good, but if you are running Jonus then actually missing isn't often an issue!

I've got to be honest, I think failsafe munitions are going to be good, but if you are running Jonus then actually missing isn't often an issue!

munitions failsafe will eliminate the need to run Jonus at all imo. now u get an alpha strike and a backup alpha strike if it misses. u could even run a combo of 2 bombers with mines/bombs and 2 bombers with missiles/torps. Gamma Squadrons are almost always better than scimitars because they can fire BEFORE and ship with ps1-3 and even some PS4 ships (if u have initiative versus rebels).

in my area ive noticed a large number of falcon squads. bombers r the best counter for them with their ability to punch hard early in the game to get thru that thick shielding and hull.

sample squad with munitions failsafe:

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Munitions Failsafe + Seismic Charges + Assault Missiles (26)

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Munitions Failsafe + Seismic Charges + Assault Missiles (26)

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Seismic Charges + Homing Missiles (25)

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Homing Missiles (23)

You don't often get more than one chance to fire assault missiles against a halfway decent opponent.

Jonus is more valuable to get those lethal early hits.

You don't often get more than one chance to fire assault missiles against a halfway decent opponent.

Jonus is more valuable to get those lethal early hits.

This is why you need to fire 4 missiles in the opening salvo, if you got 4 bombers.

Jonus' PS6 is too valuable to not arm him with a torp or a missile. It's a gamble, but you'll need his shot (e.g. vs Biggs)

Using Bombers is all about gambling.

I had some success with:

Jonus + PT + Swarm Tactics

Gamma + PT + Seismic

Gamma + PT + Seismic

Gamma + PT + Seismic

ST helped somewhat against those PS4 ships, like Daggers and Reds. Give PS6 to the bomber that is doomed (indicated by multible enemy target locks) to get its torp off before you enter simultanious fire mode.

I've been contemplating something like this:

http://geordanr.github.io/xwing/?f=Galactic%20Empire&d=v2!51:-1,-1,1,-1,-1,-1:-1:-1:;50:1,-1,14,-1,24:-1:-1:;50:1,-1,14,-1,24:-1:-1:;18:-1:-1:-1:

When I run Jonus I'll give him either a bomb, or homing. I try not to give him something that needs "two" actions to be successful.

But then again, I like to give Jonus squad leader so another bomber can TL & focus in the same round to increase odds of maximum hits on attack dice.

u can run an effective bomber squad wout Jonus if u want to. this also has the benefit of making ur ships not reliant on tight formation flying and they can roam a bit more freely. Jonus helps with rerolls but u can alter ur squad so that it doesnt need him - by running all seismics for example or homing missiles which dont use ur target lock when fire them

That's also true.

I guess I just like throwing missiles around...or torpedoes...

How about something like this:

Jonus

Gamma - Seismic - Cluster Missiles

Gamma - Seismic - Cluster Missiles

Omicron Group - HLC

How about something like this:

Jonus

Gamma - Seismic - Cluster Missiles

Gamma - Seismic - Cluster Missiles

Omicron Group - HLC

not bad. u want engine upgrade on that shuttle tho, otherwise that HLC will get 1-2 shots then be unusable.

Jonus with Squad Leader is certainly effective.
It just feels like such a waste to put ordinance on Jonus when you miss out on the 2-dice re-roll by doing so.

Now, bombs or charges on Jonus... that's a different story!