I have been coming up against bombers with cluster missiles and it is really tricky to combat anyone have any thoughts as to what rebels would combat this well?

List:

Jonus

2 bombers with multiple cluster missiles

Howlrunner

The clusters really smash up low agility ships and with jonus and howlrunner ability there are lots of rerolls almost guaranteeing that the cluster missiles get 4-6 hits out of there 2 rolls.

I have had some success with BBXX but it is close and really can see you getting smoked if you have a poor initial contact.

Holwrunner doesn't work on secondary weapons.

With no shields and starting engagement at range 3, you should be able to take at least one bomber down before it fires.its second missile. You could also go fro crits on jonus if you can generate some reliably.

In my personal experience, I've found Biggs is a really nice counter to missile alpha strike lists. Biggs forces your opponent to gamble on the target locks since he has to either shoot everything at Biggs first, and probably waste some target locks, or he has to think ahead a few turn and spread around the target locks. Against your list, unless you use some of your missiles you might not have enough firepower to drop Biggs in one pass.

I don't really like X-Wings (I'm weird) but Biggs is my boy. Saves me from missiles and ion cannons.

Howlrunner's ability only works on primary weapon attacks. So if your opponent is using them on the Cluster missiles, they are wrong.

Only thing you can do on that list is hopefully kill Jonus before they get to let lose with the Missiles. A higher PS list would help. Once Jonus is gone, their missiles won't have as much punch (hopefully). Without the missiles, two bombers even buffed by Howl, can't put out a whole lot of damage.

_{The other question to ask, is what else does the Bomber list have for the 8-12 missing points? Based on your description, that is only 88-92 points, depending on which non-unique bombers your opponent is flying.}

_{The other question to ask, is what else does the Bomber list have for the 8-12 missing points? Based on your description, that is only 88-92 points, depending on which non-unique bombers your opponent is flying.}

Stealth device on howlie and bombs for the balance

Howlrunner's ability only works on primary weapon attacks. So if your opponent is using them on the Cluster missiles, they are wrong.

Only thing you can do on that list is hopefully kill Jonus before they get to let lose with the Missiles. A higher PS list would help. Once Jonus is gone, their missiles won't have as much punch (hopefully). Without the missiles, two bombers even buffed by Howl, can't put out a whole lot of damage.

Yes just finding it difficult to one shot or damage jonus as he run at the back and the cluster missiles do major damage to 1 evade ships like bwing and yt-1300

Guess will have to start using Biggs as a definite in my list

Astriod placement kills bombers.

Astriod placement kills bombers.

Care to explain how you place Asteroids to do this?

The Rebel Triple Threat:

Wes w/ VI and R5-P9

Wedge w/ Opportunist and R2

Ibtisam w/ Opportunist

You gain initiative, refuse flank and melt a bomber per turn (all the while taking away TL's). Try to break up his formation and only give him shots at the Bwing by leaving Wes out on the far flank of your formation. With range 2 mikes, its going to be tough for him not to endure two rounds of face melting firepower. I played against three of these lists with MORE bombers during AIA and absolutely hammered them. By the third round my strategy was almost on auto pilot.

Asteroids can be placed to favor your opening move and force a bomber formation to break up. Normally, I always recommend placing asteroids on your side of the board first, because that is where the enemy will have to reform in order to re-engage (I've NEVER seen anyone do this even though it can be debilitating for the enemy). In this instance, though, it can be beneficial to follow standard form and place asteroids through the center and on his side. Then, with my list in mind, you can deploy to the opposing corner with Wes always on the outside and Ibtisam closest to the center.

I run bombers, and they're **** tricky to use. That means that countering them shouldn't be that hard.

For starters, if they have low PS scores, then you need to figure out how to stay out of target lock range for a bit, and once they've got you target locked, you plan to move into their range 1, or into their baffles. If they spend their target locks without having focus tokens, the missiles may hurt, but they won't be devastating. Chances are they'll be a waste of points for him.

If they have high PS scores and are loaded with missiles, then that's where your opponent has invested the bulk of their points. At that point ignore anything else they've got and gun for the bombers before they have a chance to optimally fire their ordnance. If they fire prematurely, they're taking a big risk on firing them ineffectively. If they wait, you have the chance to blow them up before they fire them off.

Blocking, action denial, and asteroids hurt Bombers. They need their action to TL or they can't use their missiles.

Also if they are loading up on Cluster Missiles, try staying at range three. they can't fire their missiles at range three and their 2 attack dice are pretty worthless at range three.

TIE Bombers like this need to fly in formation and they don't have as good of a dial as other TIEs. If you can get behind the formation, you should be able to do some real damage.

I am also liking wes against them as he gets to remove a target lock from someone so this should be a blow to this list and then have wedge and maybe Biggs to mop up if flown together. Might try this. Need to see what obitsam does and maybe use him for Biggs.

Another good one is Biggs in general. He makes it very difficult for your opponent to shoot the Bomber has target locked, especially because the PS 4 Gammas won't easily be able to TL the PS 5 Biggs. Just keep Biggs at far range before engagement, such that his Bombers cant use a 4 fwd to TL Biggs, then rush Biggs into range. Your opponent will be quite frustrated.

So if you get a TL on another ship, i.e. not Biggs, you still have to fire at Biggs with your secondary weapons, even though you can't without a TL?

I don't have Biggs' card in front of me, and I don't have the exact wording memorized. Can someone clarify this for me?

So if you get a TL on another ship, i.e. not Biggs, you still have to fire at Biggs with your secondary weapons, even though you can't without a TL?

You can only not shoot at Biggs if you can fire at him with neither your primary or secondary weapons. In other words, he has to be out of range and out of arc. If you have a turret.... he'd better be out of range.

Yeah, Biggs is a jerk. Just get rid of him ASAP.

So if you get a TL on another ship, i.e. not Biggs, you still have to fire at Biggs with your secondary weapons, even though you can't without a TL?

I don't have Biggs' card in front of me, and I don't have the exact wording memorized. Can someone clarify this for me?

Basically, you choose the target of your attack before you chose with what you are attacking.

This means that you have to shoot at Biggs, even if you can't shoot at him with your secondary.

At its most annoying, You're flying a HWK, and Biggs is in Range 3 and in your arc. Go Go Gadget 1 attack die!