Bomber Swarm (100pts)

Howlrunner + Push the Limit + Shield Upgrade

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Seismic Charges

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Seismic Charges

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Seismic Charges

Black Squadron Pilot + Draw Their Fire

BSP is howlrunners bodyguard. 4 pilots with PS4. PTL lets howlrunner take focus + evade every turn and BSP takes any crits for her.

what do you think?

I like the inclusion of the Black Squadron in a lot of lists, and am excited for when wingman is also an option. Anyway, I think it works well here as a bodyguard to Howlrunner, where you might have otherwise been served better by simply taking another Gamma with a seismic. The difference in your black squadron and mine is that I give the extra shield to him because he will be taking the crits and it keeps him effective for longer. On the other hand, I don't run Howlrunner, so I could see keeping the shield there.

My final thought is that there is probably a threshold in the number of seismic bombs that will alter an opponent's flying to the degree they become effective. Three may still do that, but maybe not to the extent of four or five, and that seems to be the key part of the Gamma+Seismic (x5) list. On the other hand, your primary attacks will be much improved and that might make seismics more effective.

Alex - than for ur feedback. i actually misposted the list - shield upgrade WAS on BSP, i agree its better placed there, it also spreads ur pts a little better so if u do lose howlrunner irs only going to be 21pts, not 25 - which is easier to recover in a timed match.

Bomber Swarm (100pts)

Howlrunner + Push the Limit (21)

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Seismic Charges (20)

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Seismic Charges (20)

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Seismic Charges (20)

Black Squadron Pilot + Draw Their Fire + Shield Upgrade (19)

With all this bomber discussion, what are your thoughts on this...

Bounty Hunter /w Ion Cannon, seismic, rebel captive.

Gamma /w flechette torp, seismic x2

Black squadron /w draw their fire

Obviously the idea is to try to keep them stressed and ionized, let bombs do what they do, while the TIE eats the crits. Even if flechette misses, they still are stressed...provided the hull is < = 4.

I suppose the BSP /w DtF could be anything 15 points or less...

Ill add this to the drawing board:

Gamma + Proton Bomb

Gamma + Proton Bomb

Alpha Squadron Pilot

Alpha Squadron Pilot

Alpha Squadron Pilot

100pts

An idea i had today. Lots of threats, decent point spread. Gotta make good use of the bombs, however.

Ill add this to the drawing board:

Gamma + Proton Bomb

Gamma + Proton Bomb

Alpha Squadron Pilot

Alpha Squadron Pilot

Alpha Squadron Pilot

100pts

An idea i had today. Lots of threats, decent point spread. Gotta make good use of the bombs, however.

I just did a test game against my wife, and I had plenty of fun with this against a PS4 XXBB squad. Winning the dice roll for initiative choice helped a ton. The interceptors are great for when your opponent is likely going to turn away from the bombs, their speed lets you get them into the position you think the enemy will use to dodge the bombs. That way, if they DO dodge the bombs, they get some nice interceptor shots, or if they stay...obviously a crit. I'm not convinced it is a "top tier" list, but it's another fun use of Proton Bombs!

Also, another variation of the list:

Scimitar + Seismic Charge 18

Scimitar + Seismic Charge 18

Alpha + Hull Upgrade 21

Alpha + Hull Upgrade 21

Alpha + Hull Upgrade 21

98pts

Could use the last 2 points for shield upgrades, 1 gamma, proximity mines, 1 PS3 int, or save for initiative bid. These are sort of like 5 interceptor lists, except 2 interceptors transformed into bombers.

The latest variation of a bomber swarm...

Bomber Swarm (100pts)

Howlrunner + Push the Limit + Hull Upgrade (24)

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Seismic Charges (20)

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Seismic Charges (20)

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Seismic Charges (20)

Backstabber (16)

Well, I took my first loss with my list (see above). It was against Kath, Carnor, and Backstabber. I still got 80% of my missiles off but not at ideal targets and it wasn't as effective because of the speed, agility and PS of the opposing list. The game was closer than it could have been with a lot of luck on my side.

I'd say this is a case where the seismics would have been a big improvement in changing how an opponent might fly over the missiles.

Made my first purchase of my own ship! (I'm mooching off a friend for now). Got a bomber to go with his 2 bombers and a cow.

This was my list vs 3 Squints and Howl, not flown very well.

Colonel Jendon — Lambda-Class Shuttle26Heavy Laser Cannon7ST-3213

Captain Jonus — TIE Bomber22Seismic Charges2

Scimitar Squadron Pilot — TIE Bomber16Proton Torpedoes4

Scimitar Squadron Pilot — TIE Bomber16Concussion Missiles4

Won the match, and even scored the last kill with my own bomber, didn't lose a single ship! Very happy.

Sadly, I feel my friend did not play very well last game and he had moderately worse die than I did.

Slow moved in formation, giving TLs to everyone on his closest target and his most likely flanker, Soontir. He made two egregious mistakes: 1. did not get all of his ships to the first attacks step all at once (and thus no target firing) 2. Wandered slowly into Range3, where all the missiles and HLC had full effect. I got all four ships attacking for two full rounds.

Soontir and an Int died in two rounds to an incredible double missile barrage with rerolls and focus. Howlrunner evaded multiple attacks by luck.

I start getting maneuvered out by him. Dropped the bomb, did 1 damage to another Int.

Eventually 5 K-turned back into the fray with each bomber and cow coming from a different angle and guessed the last move so that my newly purchased bomber was R1 right behind a lonely, unthreatening Howlrunner.

The bombers WERE very tanky. The total damage output was superb with the alpha strike of 2 focused double rerolls over two missiles. Also got 2 or 3 shots off the HLC. Dropped a bomb.

If he had flown better, he probably would have been able to snipe out a bomber on the first turn with some good focus firing, so additional playtesting is probably needed.

Deployed in pinwheel and learned through multiple test games that the side bomber seems to be the one to take the most damage. the cow can be deployed along the inside or the outside. Interestingly, the front bomber only get mediocre damage due to now the formation ends up.

After the first strike, turning back into the flight is really annoying, but the 5 K-turns are to your advantage here to get clear of the mess and green back in.

I just tried a new one with the flechettes but didn't get to actually use them. It worked really well against a 3 ship Rebel build, but I think it just won't go against a 4-ship.

Jonus + Seismic + Squad Leader

Gamma + Flechette + Seismic

Gamma + Assault + Flechette + Seismic

Gamma + Assault + Seismic

Still a lot of fun! Really need to get over this desire to use a single ship type in these builds, but individual Tie fighters often feel like such a waste.