With the buffing of the Proximity mine, it got me thinking that maybe the expensive and hardly used Proton bomb should be buffed. It can deal a killing blow to 4 ships currently, but you need quite a bit of luck to pull it off. Usually I find the 5 points taken for it hardly payoff.

One potentially easy and not to OP buff would be to allow the player to decide what activiation phase he wants it to go off at the end. It would essentially be a remote detonator. So you can use it like a Prox Mine for area denial. Or use it to plan an escape with your ship by flying through it.

Is it the ultimate gamble card in the game? Should it be buffed?

It is getting a considerable buff for the Scum faction by way of the Genius Astromech. I expect to see a lot of Scum Y-Wings running around with Proton Bombs.

With the buffing of the Proximity mine, it got me thinking that maybe the expensive and hardly used Proton bomb should be buffed. It can deal a killing blow to 4 ships currently, but you need quite a bit of luck to pull it off. Usually I find the 5 points taken for it hardly payoff.

One potentially easy and not to OP buff would be to allow the player to decide what activiation phase he wants it to go off at the end. It would essentially be a remote detonator. So you can use it like a Prox Mine for area denial. Or use it to plan an escape with your ship by flying through it.

Is it the ultimate gamble card in the game? Should it be buffed?

Bombs - like most other ordnance - are not really effective enough to justify the points sink. Yeah, should be buffed a bit.

Kavil with VI, Engine Upgrade, Genius, Bomb Loadout, Proton Bombs will be 34 points ( you'll probably want to spend some points on a turret) but that will let you poop out a Proton Bomb at PS9 and boost away once a game.

I'd hope that a buff for something wouldn't be faction specific. Still, I'm not sure the Proton Bomb needs a buff - guaranteed critical hits that bypass shields is a powerful mechanic that could easily become broken if tinkered with. A-Wings just got reworked, and reliable bombs that have a decent chance of popping them in one shot might drive them out again (While the Phantom still has the tools to work around them).

Kavil with VI, Engine Upgrade, Genius, Bomb Loadout, Proton Bombs will be 34 points ( you'll probably want to spend some points on a turret) but that will let you poop out a Proton Bomb at PS9 and boost away once a game.

Well that helps one faction, sort of (expensive as heck for a turret-less Y-wing). Still have two others factions with no buff.

I'm not saying there needs to be a huge buff, but as of now the Proton Bomb is hard to justify at the cost.

Not really since there is a chance in can instagib a 35 point pilot in a 5 hit-point ship.

But that is what you pay for. An off chance that you can 1 hit kill A-wings, E-wings, Headhunters, Phantoms, and the Skyks. Heck if you get them together there is a chance you can get more than one of those.

However at a tactical stand point you won't use proton bombs as just a 1-hit kill. You would use it to put critical hits on high shielded ships like Firespray or B-wings so that they suffer some negative effects of the damage. The sooner you can put on a critical hit the more effective it will be as the more turns it will likely to be in effect. It is sort of early game control.

With the buffing of the Proximity mine, it got me thinking that maybe the expensive and hardly used Proton bomb should be buffed. It can deal a killing blow to 4 ships currently, but you need quite a bit of luck to pull it off. Usually I find the 5 points taken for it hardly payoff.

One potentially easy and not to OP buff would be to allow the player to decide what activiation phase he wants it to go off at the end. It would essentially be a remote detonator. So you can use it like a Prox Mine for area denial. Or use it to plan an escape with your ship by flying through it.

Is it the ultimate gamble card in the game? Should it be buffed?

I would leave it as it. We need rules for advanced proton bombs, cluster proton bombs, and space bombs.

Kavil with VI, Engine Upgrade, Genius, Bomb Loadout, Proton Bombs will be 34 points ( you'll probably want to spend some points on a turret) but that will let you poop out a Proton Bomb at PS9 and boost away once a game.

You don't even need Kavil. His ability really begs for a turret. Instead, throw a Proton Bomb and an Ion Turret on some PS2 Syndicate Thugs. At 28 points, they'll be able to Ion their targets in place and will know exactly where to go to drop their payloads next turn.

It is getting a considerable buff for the Scum faction by way of the Genius Astromech. I expect to see a lot of Scum Y-Wings running around with Proton Bombs.

Let me rephrase this for you: Bombs are getting a considerable buff if you want play in a third faction with the ASTROMECH and SALVAGED ASTROMECH upgrades that IMPERIALS CANT USE.

Also anyway, regardless. The bomb itself should probably count focuses as hits too. =)

Bombs just never quite took off. I still consider them on Firesprays since they end up in "chases" a lot. I've used them recently on bombers as Vessery support but only the seismics... good damage boost to the lackluster bomber. Flechette and seismic is a nice 4pt combo for a 22pt gamma squadron pilot.

It is getting a considerable buff for the Scum faction by way of the Genius Astromech. I expect to see a lot of Scum Y-Wings running around with Proton Bombs.

Let me rephrase this for you: Bombs are getting a considerable buff if you want play in a third faction with the ASTROMECH and SALVAGED ASTROMECH upgrades that IMPERIALS CANT USE.

Also anyway, regardless. The bomb itself should probably count focuses as hits too. =)

Also anyway, regardless. The bomb itself should probably count focuses as hits too. =)

You mean a ship with a focus token runs it over, they get a second damage? Interesting idea...kinda like the pilot has tunnel vision, so if they're dumb enough to hit it, it hits 'em hard.

I managed to proton bomb a Phantom the other day (no direct hit/minor explosion tho), the thing's fine

Kavil with VI, Engine Upgrade, Genius, Bomb Loadout, Proton Bombs will be 34 points ( you'll probably want to spend some points on a turret) but that will let you poop out a Proton Bomb at PS9 and boost away once a game.

You don't even need Kavil. His ability really begs for a turret. Instead, throw a Proton Bomb and an Ion Turret on some PS2 Syndicate Thugs. At 28 points, they'll be able to Ion their targets in place and will know exactly where to go to drop their payloads next turn.

I wouldn't run him without a turret but adding the Proton Bomb as well makes him really scary. At PS9 there wouldn't be much guess work in using the bomb. He does get a bit pricey though. Between his high price, the threat from the bomb and the threat from a high PS turret, he's got a giant target painted on him.

It is getting a considerable buff for the Scum faction by way of the Genius Astromech. I expect to see a lot of Scum Y-Wings running around with Proton Bombs.

Let me rephrase this for you: Bombs are getting a considerable buff if you want play in a third faction with the ASTROMECH and SALVAGED ASTROMECH upgrades that IMPERIALS CANT USE.

Also anyway, regardless. The bomb itself should probably count focuses as hits too. =)

But the imperials make up with having 3 different ships that can equip bombs.

Another thing is that proton bombs don't roll dice. The only bomb that rolls attack dice is proximity mines and they roll 3 dice that get no defense dice roll. So they already count focus and even blanks as critical hits that can't be canceled. Heck they ignore everything and just give a face up damage card to all at range 1.

But the imperials make up with having 3 different ships that can equip bombs.

So, let me get this straight. Bombs are kind of underpowered in general. S&V are getting upgrades that make them a little bit more useful. But imperials have 3 ships that have the points for being able to take the underpowered bombs unavoidably included in their ship point cost and this is supposed to be compensation for them not getting the buff to bombs?

But the imperials make up with having 3 different ships that can equip bombs.

So, let me get this straight. Bombs are kind of underpowered in general. S&V are getting upgrades that make them a little bit more useful. But imperials have 3 ships that have the points for being able to take the underpowered bombs unavoidably included in their ship point cost and this is supposed to be compensation for them not getting the buff to bombs?

Bombs depend on your squadron build and how you employ them. I have seen a Decimator that has made good use of a under-powered Seismic Charge and dealt out 3 damage along with their range 1 attack out of arc dealing another 3 for a total of 6 in a single turn.

The S&V has only 1 thing that upgrades their bombs and that is an idiot droid that throws the remote but drops the thermal detonator. In order to make use of it without blowing your engines off is to spend 3 on an engine upgrade too throwing away your salvagemech and your modification slot for a one time use ability for a single ship as slightly better option than other ships with bombs.

If you wan't to make an argument on which faction is the weakest bombers then that would be the rebels. They only have one ship that they have to modify in order to carry a single bomb as well as sacrifice a torpedo slot. Tie Bombers can still carry 2 Ion Torpedoes and a bomb, a Y-wing will only have a torpedo and a bomb or double torpedoes. And the rebels don't have that idiot droid who can carry a bomb a little longer (they probably jettisoned that dumb droid after the first "genius" incident).

Aren't we being a little too focused on the raw damage and neglecting to pay attention to how bombs will affect our approach to certain tactical situations?

For example, if I'm chasing down an ICT Y-Wing with a couple of TIEs, I'm not too worried about the occasional ion hit - I can still shoot and take an action next turn and the 1 forward may even help me avoid overshooting the target. But if there's a bomb or a mine in the pipe, getting myself immobilised while looking at a Y's backside becomes a situation that I really don't want to find myself in.

Proton Bomb is just fine but should be 4 points.

All bombs should be buffed

Our group has it's own rules for bombs as follows:

Special Bomb Damage Rules: When a bomb or mine detonates, any ships or Asteroids with-in range 1 are affected and suffers a stress token. Further, Roll 1 attack die for each ship affected, on a critical hit the ship suffers 2 damage, on any other result suffer 1. Asteroids with-in range of a bomb are affected also, but don’t suffer stress tokens and if a critical hit is rolled they are destroyed and removed from the game

Big fonts are always more persuasive.

But the imperials make up with having 3 different ships that can equip bombs.

So, let me get this straight. Bombs are kind of underpowered in general. S&V are getting upgrades that make them a little bit more useful. But imperials have 3 ships that have the points for being able to take the underpowered bombs unavoidably included in their ship point cost and this is supposed to be compensation for them not getting the buff to bombs?

Bombs depend on your squadron build and how you employ them. I have seen a Decimator that has made good use of a under-powered Seismic Charge and dealt out 3 damage along with their range 1 attack out of arc dealing another 3 for a total of 6 in a single turn.

The S&V has only 1 thing that upgrades their bombs and that is an idiot droid that throws the remote but drops the thermal detonator. In order to make use of it without blowing your engines off is to spend 3 on an engine upgrade too throwing away your salvagemech and your modification slot for a one time use ability for a single ship as slightly better option than other ships with bombs.

If you wan't to make an argument on which faction is the weakest bombers then that would be the rebels. They only have one ship that they have to modify in order to carry a single bomb as well as sacrifice a torpedo slot. Tie Bombers can still carry 2 Ion Torpedoes and a bomb, a Y-wing will only have a torpedo and a bomb or double torpedoes. And the rebels don't have that idiot droid who can carry a bomb a little longer (they probably jettisoned that dumb droid after the first "genius" incident).

No one said the siesmic charge is underpowered, in fact it is quite good for the price. However, the proton bomb is more than twice(!) the price and it essentially does the same amount of damage unless you get the lucky direct hit card. Now the critical it can land can be a game changer, but is it worth 3 points more? On a Decimator I can take Gunner for the same points instead of a Proton Bomb.

Ironically the Y-wing with an ICT turrect will probably be the best bombing platform in the game. You can Ion a target that's on your flanks, then drop the bomb in their face during the next turn while they helplessly do a 1 forward. You can sort of do it now with an Ion cannon on a Firespray, but its really hard to pull off and you have to be essentially at point blank range of the target.

How about a 2-3 point Modification (so all factions can use) that allows the Bomb to be deployed in front of the ship instead of behind? You run the risk of hitting your own Bomb, especially in close-quarter combat, but you'd be able to turn to adjust for that. Something to think about at least.

How about a 2-3 point Modification (so all factions can use) that allows the Bomb to be deployed in front of the ship instead of behind? You run the risk of hitting your own Bomb, especially in close-quarter combat, but you'd be able to turn to adjust for that. Something to think about at least.

Why don't just let it explode while on your ship?