I wrote a little bit about how I fly you're bombers. My thoughts and understanding of how to fly the imperial A-10.
Tie Bomber tactics
I wrote a little bit about how I fly you're bombers. My thoughts and understanding of how to fly the imperial A-10.
This is a superb article!
Needs more firepower to compensate. =D
As we get better and better ordnance, the bomber will always improve.
Now, I've also noticed two more things: Bombers fly well naked as a swarm-mate, and 5x Gammas + Seismics is incredible.
You went over the dial of the bomber fairly well, but the thing I like about it is that it's incredibly squirrely. If your bomber is getting chased, you can usually outfox your opponent with this dial.
Similarly, a Naked Bomber in a Swarm WILL get chased, simply due to being more expensive than the TIE Fighters.
Ironically, folks seem to forget it's substantially tankier, and they've left their flanks open to chase the money guys.
Just throw some TIE Deltas on the wing and run with Jonas. Instant firepower!!!
Great article! What's your take on the Bomber with modifications?
I wrote a little bit about how I fly you're bombers. My thoughts and understanding of how to fly the imperial A-10.
Great write up! Really makes me want to try more T'Bombers.
I'm not a huge fan of modifications on bombers but if I were going to put any on them, I like stealth device on Rhymer and I can see the argument for engine upgrade, but that's not a surprise, what ship isn't better with an EU (outside of those ships that already have boost)
I do totally agree that the Bomber can be hard to follow and I think in mixed squads they're awesome as they can break off in really different ways from the pack. People will want to follow the more "predictable" bomber and that can allow your other ships to set up.
I'm also a big TIE Bomber fan.
I'm not a huge fan of modifications on bombers but if I were going to put any on them, I like stealth device on Rhymer and I can see the argument for engine upgrade, but that's not a surprise, what ship isn't better with an EU (outside of those ships that already have boost)
I also just read your article on Rhymer. ... I don't know. I feel pretty iffy about putting Stealth Device on a 2-Ag ship. I like them on TIEs because of the 4 greens, which makes losing the Stealth Device less likely.
I do really like what you say about flying the bombers aggressively, allowing them to TL and then use ordnance on the second pass. I'm just always nervous about getting focus-fired on and then losing my expensive ordnance before it has the chance to launch.
I wrote a little bit about how I fly you're bombers. My thoughts and understanding of how to fly the imperial A-10.
AWESOME article!! Thank you! 
My favorite ship from the movies has always been the Tie Bomber! I've wanted to run them more in X-Wing but haven't experimented enough to get into them. This article has given me the boost I need to get them on the table! Now I just need to get out and buy 2-3 more so I have enough!
Great Article! Also as a fellow Winnipeger(sort of) getting back into the game, is GK still the place to play?
GK runs a league that is about to wrap up but they host a number of events each year and are awesome people. There are other stores that Cary and run events also like imagine games and hobbies. Gotta rep Winnipeg and all.
Thanks for the support guys. The tie bomber and I fell into each other by chance and it's been a lot of fun. I love bringing things that aren't the meta and throwing people for a loop.
The bomber is a tank and I'd love to see it hit the table more often.
Lately in mixed lists I've been playing with taking a bomber with a bomb as my blocker. As it will hit something with its bomb and most likely survive the fly by.
Lately in mixed lists I've been playing with taking a bomber with a bomb as my blocker. As it will hit something with its bomb and most likely survive the fly by.
Your article doesn't touch on the post-FAQ Proximity Mines much. The FAQ really put the Proximity mine on my radar, and I've been having fun with it.
Tomorrow I think I'll try out your Bomb Run list in a 150pnt tournament.
Great artcile!
There was this rumor there would be bomber-imorovements in a next wave?
I hope there is a bomber with a different paint scheme too.
I would like like to try out two bomber with two (improved) advanceds :-)
Great article. I tend to like underappreciated ships and like you I picked up four bombers the moment I started playing the game.
Bombers were the bread and butter of my squad, though often paired with a Lambda, right up until Wave 4 came out. Back then the Phantom was all the rage, but I immediately adopted the Defender instead, underappreciated as it was, making for a very potent combo with the bombers.
Four additional advice based on my own experience not covered in your otherwise excellent walkthrough:
A) You touched upon this, but bears stressing: Bombers only get stronger the larger the battle, and while strong in 100 pts they shine even better in larger battles such as the escalation or epic formats.
B) Proximity Mines are too often overlooked for area control only, but they can be used as a very direct strike that targets high PS enemies rather than low PS vessels. They are a great way of flipping the PS benefit upside down. Your scimitars will move before most other enemies, so you have a high degree of predictability with how the table looks when you start moving - and you will be moving in very different patterns than most enemies are familiar with. You can either move past your enemy line with a longer move dropping the Proximity Mine right under them, or you can make a sharp 3 or various banking moves, and it is surprising how many areas you can hit with those mines. Yes the dice roll is random, but there is no defence and that will hurt high agility / high value enemies in particular.
I started using these early on, before the recent FAQ boost to the Proximity Mine. Back then I was already reasonably adapt at hitting my mark with the mines, but I had to take into account to place them so that the maneuver template of the targeted ship would hit it; it has, as Mikael mentioned, only gotten easier with FAQ boost. And as with the bombs, it seems to take people by surprise because they are so rarely used.
Unfortunately making a bomber squad with several Proximity Mines is restrictive so far, with the mines only coming with the Firespray. It will change, though, when the S&V brings more ships with mines to the stores. Vassal is a great place to work up some experience with multiple mines if you otherwise lack the physical components. I had a game the other night were I could have dropped all my three Proximity Mines on a fat Han opponent through a combination of 4-straigt, 3-turn and 3-bank with my three bombers, showing that even one of the strongest builds in the current meta can be vulnerable to damage that by-pass its usual defenses, tossing a horde of unmitigated attack dice at it. Granted it was a combination of luck, good flying, and my opponent being unfamiliar with the mines, but even someone familiar with them will be put under pressure by them, because as a fat Han you cannot just do you usual arc-dodging, you also have to be aware of where you are in relations to the wide flight paths of the enemy bombers at the start of the next round, when they will be moving before you with mines in the tray.
C) Col. Jendon. in the Lambda makes for a brilliant partner with the bombers if you want to beef up your alpha strike, by equipping ordonance-loaded bombers with TL in advance, assuring they have the TL in the first round of firing even moving in first with low PS, and allows them to pick up focus or barrelroll for advantage. Jendon, can be enhanced by the Lambda-title (for early TLs), the weapons engineer (for multiple TLs), a cannon (a cheap Ion for instance for controlling the path of a valuable target and with the synergy of Jonus if you are using him), FCS (to allow him to keep picking up TLs for distribution while using him as a blocker / loosing actions).
D) Rhymer's ability to reduce the range on his ordonance is as important as the one to increase it, avoiding that enemies slip in under his optimal firing range.
Nice article I'm also a fan of bombers, though I've never really managed to get them to work - there are some great new ideal in there that I'll try out. I only have three, so perhaps another one is on the cards...
One thing I've tried with some success is leaving the secondary weapons off Jonus entirely, and instead giving him squad leader. Without ordnance he doesn't need his action as much, but giving a wingman a TL + Focus can dramatically increase the effectiveness of their attack, especially when combined with his special ability. Having to fire most torps and missiles without a focus, and having spent your TL, is a key weakness of ordnance.
It's interesting you haven't mentioned the Lambda in the article. The Jendon + ST-321 combo has obvious synergies for an ordnance-heavy list, but at 29 points without upgrades is it too expensive to use? That's a bomber plus down already, and a lot of the shuttle's upgrade bar wasted... One thing that is worth considering on a shuttle supporting a bomber swarm though is a couple of Intel Agents, as they have great synergy with bombs!
Also note that B-wings are affected by flechette torps - it's Y-wings that are immune 
The HWK-290 is interesting here - it's the only 4-hull ship in the game, and thus the only one it's possible to make safe against a flechette torp's stress by adding a hull upgrade.
I get why people like the Proximity mine, but with it being a rarity and only able to effect one ship I really find that the Proton and Seismic charges are much more effective in taking on another squadron.
Jendon is a beast for sure and can bring a lot to the table, granting a slow play gambit the target locks it wants. This is good but does have some drawbacks. I wrote about this but at some point had to stop and cut the article down as it was, well, a bit to encyclopedic. I find lists with Jendon are the natural place people go with ordinance. He gets you the target lock you want to you can get that alpha strike.
The problem comes at what you lose. You lose a bomber for sure. Some people like that trade, as it gives a natural target in Jendon, but a beefy one with ten combined hull and shields. He's the fish you serve the sharks while you try and take out the rest of the sharks. But going down to three bombers I find the bomb run is a lot less effective as you again may lose one on the first pass and be down to two and he only real synergy is giving the first pass target locks, if that before you're either separated or dead. Your millage may vary, but I've found an additional bomber with Jonus to be more enough after you practice rolling in.
Jonus also brings a really great opportunity for Veteran Instincts, where he can then shoot at Phantoms on occasion. I've one shoted a Phanton with him and it's pretty amazing. The look you get, priceless. But this is also really useful against other higher pilot skill builds. His homing missile is amazing for stripping shields before a proton torpedo goes in to finish the job.
A) You touched upon this, but bears stressing: Bombers only get stronger the larger the battle, and while strong in 100 pts they shine even better in larger battles such as the escalation or epic formats.
What is your theory on why this is so?
Ditto on B.
C) Col. Jendon. in the Lambda makes for a brilliant partner with the bombers if you want to beef up your alpha strike, by equipping ordonance-loaded bombers with TL in advance, assuring they have the TL in the first round of firing even moving in first with low PS, and allows them to pick up focus or barrelroll for advantage. Jendon, can be enhanced by the Lambda-title (for early TLs), the weapons engineer (for multiple TLs), a cannon (a cheap Ion for instance for controlling the path of a valuable target and with the synergy of Jonus if you are using him), FCS (to allow him to keep picking up TLs for distribution while using him as a blocker / loosing actions).
JENDON
C) Col. Jendon. in the Lambda makes for a brilliant partner with the bombers if you want to beef up your alpha strike, by equipping ordonance-loaded bombers with TL in advance, assuring they have the TL in the first round of firing even moving in first with low PS, and allows them to pick up focus or barrelroll for advantage. Jendon, can be enhanced by the Lambda-title (for early TLs), the weapons engineer (for multiple TLs), a cannon (a cheap Ion for instance for controlling the path of a valuable target and with the synergy of Jonus if you are using him), FCS (to allow him to keep picking up TLs for distribution while using him as a blocker / loosing actions).
D) Rhymer's ability to reduce the range on his ordonance is as important as the one to increase it, avoiding that enemies slip in under his optimal firing range.
It's interesting you haven't mentioned the Lambda in the article. The Jendon + ST-321 combo has obvious synergies for an ordnance-heavy list, but at 29 points without upgrades is it too expensive to use? That's a bomber plus down already, and a lot of the shuttle's upgrade bar wasted... One thing that is worth considering on a shuttle supporting a bomber swarm though is a couple of Intel Agents, as they have great synergy with bombs!
I tend to agree with Hedgehogmech here. While I also quickly saw the Jendon support potential for bombers, once you kit him out with what you need to make it work, it's a LOT of points. Is this, perhaps one of the reasons where Cremate's theory of increasing returns on battle size comes from? It really is nice to hang back and get all your bombers target-locked up before you go in for the kill, but in the 100 point battle, he almost eats up a third of your points.
JONUS
One thing I've tried with some success is leaving the secondary weapons off Jonus entirely, and instead giving him squad leader. Without ordnance he doesn't need his action as much, but giving a wingman a TL + Focus can dramatically increase the effectiveness of their attack, especially when combined with his special ability. Having to fire most torps and missiles without a focus, and having spent your TL, is a key weakness of ordnance.
I'm with Hedgehogmech when it comes to Jonus. I frequently run him with Squad Leader and Shield Upgrade only; no ordnance. I don't know if the shield upgrade is really worth it, but he does seem to draw my opponents initial focus fire. Given that his ability will only be very valuable during the alpha strike when everyone still has ordnance and is in formation, I'm not sure if that's a mistake on my opponents' part to focus on him. Maybe he's juicy as a higher PS piece in the late game, but I'm guessing they just think of him like Howlrunner because of the similar ability
RHYMER
D) Rhymer's ability to reduce the range on his ordonance is as important as the one to increase it, avoiding that enemies slip in under his optimal firing range.
I once read a MajorJuggler mention of Rhymer as being very much overcosted for his ability. That's made me shy away from him. Should I rethink that assessment?
A bonus to people targeting Jonus in the initial pass is that they are ignoring your ships with ordinance left. If you are certain he's gonna eat it off the chin give him squad leader and save the ordinance for elsewhere, but with six hull and decent positioning I find he makes it through a lot. Most list with superior firepower lack numbers, and I'd they have numbers commonly go last. Both good situations for Jonus. I like him shooting off an early missile to help offset the return fire as well. He's knocked out a lot of ties and the like in the past, even Howlrunner once or twice, which increases everyone's survivability.
Rhymer is expensive. But really fun and a big surprise for people. When run well he's beefy and lasts and can dish out a lot of hurt. For four more points you can cap him for thorps and missiles with flechetes and watch as he adds a twist to the game.
Is he the most cost effective? Nope. Is he an awesome hunter of individual ships? Yup.
As for bombers in bigger games more bombs is always better for the popcorn effect. Love the popcorn effect.
A) You touched upon this, but bears stressing: Bombers only get stronger the larger the battle, and while strong in 100 pts they shine even better in larger battles such as the escalation or epic formats.
What is your theory on why this is so?
On the other hand you are more likely to get value for your money for the ordonances you brought along, as some of the ordonance is better suited against specific enemies and the likelihood of encountering will be higher with many times more enemy ships on the board. In a regular 100 pts tournament it is more of a luck of the draw whether you run into an enemy susceptible to your specific armament: assault missile (formation), flechettte torpedo (less than 4 hull), cluster missile (low agility enemy) and so on. Also with larger formation and the need to press more ships onto the line, the assault missile in particular seems to shine in large games.
RHYMER
D) Rhymer's ability to reduce the range on his ordonance is as important as the one to increase it, avoiding that enemies slip in under his optimal firing range.
I once read a MajorJuggler mention of Rhymer as being very much overcosted for his ability. That's made me shy away from him. Should I rethink that assessment?
(wanted to answer on Jonus and Jendon too but time ran short, will do it in another post)
Edited by CremateRhymer will be pretty sweet if TIE Bombers ever get an upgrade that lets them swap ordnance slots for cannons or turrets.
Tie bombers will never get cannons, that's the defenders role. I can see them filling other slots with bombs, or getting more utility out of ordinance.
What they need is mor utility from their ordinance.
If they do an aces box kind of deal I'd love to see a named pilot who when a ship at range one spends a target lock can give a target lock to another ship at range one. Networked targeting computer kind of deal. That and the 'tapped' ordinance idea where thorps and missiles are flipped over or turned on the first use and discarded on the second. At would see them back on the table in greater numbers.
The biggest loss or disadvantage Rhymer has is you don't get to yell out "I'm to close for missiles, switching to guns!"
If you want to go crazy with Rhymer:
Major Rhymer (39)
TIE Bomber (26), Proton Rockets (3), Proton Rockets (3), Opportunist (4), Stealth Device (3)
Add 5 Ties to block your enemy so you can make use of Opportunist.
Very Cool! And very informative! Thanks. I'm a bomber player.
I hope that there is going to be a bomber aces pack. I would love different version of the bomber
Just some examples.
Version A removes two torpedo slots and replaces them with second bomb slot and a crew slot. ( I would keep the missile slot just because of the variety of the ordinance.)
Version B removes two torpedo slots and replaces one with a cannon slot, and the other with a tail gunner, (In effect, having the same firing arcs as a Fire Spray, Forward and Aft)
Version C become and EW (Electronic Warfare) Version. Remove two torpedo slots and the bomb slot. Add two System upgrade slot and a crew slot. (With the ability to pass Target Locks! Because that is what EW Vessels do!)
Just my humble opinion!
What is your opinion of this bomber list:
26 pt = Jonus(22) + Squad Leader(2) + Seismic Charge(2)
25 pt = Gamma(18) + Flechette Torpedoes(2) + Proton Rockets(3)
25 pt = Gamma(18) + Flechette Torpedoes(2) + Proton Rockets(3)
12 pt = Academy Pilot(12)
12 pt = Academy Pilot (12)
100 pt total