The 5 points for them always makes me cringe.

Good cast guys. I would like to talk a little bit about bombs. It seems like most of you guys don't like them which I can understand, but I would like you to reconsider them. One thing about bombs in this game is that it's a 100% skill based. Knowing how and when to drop bombs is all skill. Emon at PS 6 is in what I think is the perfect spot for his PS. For all the PS 7 + ships they are Prox mine targets. I've killed multiple Soontirs with prox mines and those 3 points have always been well spent. His PS 6 is also going to beat out all the support ships that you are seeing so the Charges/Proton bombs are pretty much always going to hit. I think the reason you don't see this as much is because it's so Skill intensive. If you don't practice this skill you will fail with it and then you will lose interest. Bombs take practice and a good sense of distance for accurate placement.

If only there was another podcast where you and other assorted guests could discuss this alternate view of bombs! But I haven't seen such a thing in so long...

Sable Gryphon's Regional winning PS10 Boba + PS8 IG88 with Proton Bomb on Boba is downright terrifying for a PS6 BroBot player like myself.

Proton bombs are game changers.

Which is funny, considering in his store champs list he said that if the list was changed, it would be the first thing changed.

He didn't really say in the regionals report whether he still felt that way as far as I could tell but the proton bomb seemed quite important to some of his wins there.

Proton Bomb is a high variance tool. I could definitely see a lot of games where it would be dead weight, as well as games where it was a bargain.

Proton Bomb is a high variance tool. I could definitely see a lot of games where it would be dead weight, as well as games where it was a bargain.

With PS10, it should be, if nothing else, a threat. If you forget your opponent has it, it will hurt you. If you pay attention to it, and avoid it, you maybe don't get to take the most optimal moves in some situations.

Outlaw tech - you neglected one cool use,

Blaster turret Hwk

Outlaw tech - you neglected one cool use,

Blaster turret Hwk

It's an interesting option if you're running multiple HWKs with Blaster.

But Recon Spec is so good, especially with Moldy Crow.

Outlaw tech - you neglected one cool use,

Blaster turret Hwk

I was thinking Boba plus Stay On Target when they went over him/her (i have no idea how to tell the gender of a Jawa.

Outlaw tech - you neglected one cool use,

Blaster turret Hwk

I was thinking Boba plus Stay On Target when they went over him/her (i have no idea how to tell the gender of a Jawa.

Huh. That does work. Never thought of that.

Of the few times I have flown "Opportunity Hawkz" I have found Mux draws all of the initial hate allowing palob to survive to mid/late game where he is a beast.

HWK-290: · Palob Godalhi (20)

Opportunist (4)

Blaster Turret (4)

Hull Upgrade (3)

Recon Specialist (3)

· Moldy Crow (3)

HWK-290: · Torkil Mux (19)

Ion Cannon Turret (5)

K4 Security Droid (3)

Z-95 HEADHUNTER: Binayre Pirate (12)

Z-95 HEADHUNTER: Binayre Pirate (12)

Z-95 HEADHUNTER: Binayre Pirate (12)

what's really cool - is you can replace the 3 z-s in that list you just put up, for an IG-88 , Naked D is pretty good.

One thing about bombs in this game is that it's a 100% skill based.

But MrFroggies, Prox Mines are dice-based. I do love the mental challenge of playing against a list that has bombs, it really requires you to think several turns ahead. The prospect of getting nothing for my 3 points because of a bad roll (which statistically has to happen eventually) is off-putting. Not saying Prox mines aren't good, I know they are, but I know that they're the type of thing that will always seem good against me and then blow up in my face when I try to use them.

But MrFroggies, Prox Mines are dice-based. I do love the mental challenge of playing against a list that has bombs, it really requires you to think several turns ahead. The prospect of getting nothing for my 3 points because of a bad roll (which statistically has to happen eventually) is off-putting. Not saying Prox mines aren't good, I know they are, but I know that they're the type of thing that will always seem good against me and then blow up in my face when I try to use them.

I agree with you on Prox Mines; they can be both fun and irritating all at the same time. In two games with Sable's "Victory is Mined" list last weekend, I dropped a total of 7 mines: all 4 in a game against Brobots (7 hits out of 12 dice) and 3 in a game against Fel/Kenkirk (6 hits out of 9 dice, the saving grace being that the last one rolled 3 hits and blew up a full health Fel). Statistically that's a little above average.

There's certainly some luck involved with Prox Mines, but the payoff is that there's no possibility to evade any damage that comes up on the dice. I have had opponents roll all blanks for my Prox Mines before. It happens.

One thing about bombs in this game is that it's a 100% skill based.

But MrFroggies, Prox Mines are dice-based. I do love the mental challenge of playing against a list that has bombs, it really requires you to think several turns ahead. The prospect of getting nothing for my 3 points because of a bad roll (which statistically has to happen eventually) is off-putting. Not saying Prox mines aren't good, I know they are, but I know that they're the type of thing that will always seem good against me and then blow up in my face when I try to use them.

The timing and Placement of mines and bombs are 100% skill. Prox mines can fizzle on you and they will do that on you at some point, but that doesn't take anything away from the skill aspect. Mines/bombs do change how your opponents approach you and in those cases you may not drop your bomb but you are getting a maneuvering advantage that's very hard to quantify.

Of the few times I have flown "Opportunity Hawkz" I have found Mux draws all of the initial hate allowing palob to survive to mid/late game where he is a beast.

HWK-290: · Palob Godalhi (20)

Opportunist (4)

Blaster Turret (4)

Hull Upgrade (3)

Recon Specialist (3)

· Moldy Crow (3)

HWK-290: · Torkil Mux (19)

Ion Cannon Turret (5)

K4 Security Droid (3)

Z-95 HEADHUNTER: Binayre Pirate (12)

Z-95 HEADHUNTER: Binayre Pirate (12)

Z-95 HEADHUNTER: Binayre Pirate (12)

Really? There is no way I'd shoot Mux first. Palob is the greater threat by a large margin and not to mention obscenely expensive.

Thanks for another episode fellas! Keep it up!

Congrats Dr. MJ!

Thanks for another episode fellas! Keep it up!

Congrats Dr. MJ!

Thanks! I finally got the dissertation dropped off yesterday, so it's in the queue to get bound. Just waiting for the certification and diploma now. should be in the mail in a couple months.

Too bad the research topic didn't have anything to do with X-wing.

Thanks for another episode fellas! Keep it up!

Congrats Dr. MJ!

First thing I thought of when they called him Dr. Bob:

I very much like Godalhi. I've run this squad a few times now and it's done well for me. I haven't really tested it against heavy hitters in the Meta right now but it's fun.

Waiting for Godalhi:

Serissu + VI + HvyS title + Flechette Cannon (25)

Palob + Opportunist + Blaster Turret + K4 + MC (34)

Guri + Opportunist + Virago + Sensor Jammer + Autothrusters (41)

I run Serissu with Palob to help with his defense and keep him in the game. Opportunist in this list has been a lot of fun to play. Palob guarantees it and Sensor Jammer, helps it along. Everyone wants to go for Palob but the more you make that a difficult prospect the better things will go for you.

I don't mean to harp on and on about statistics, but I'm wondering if there is a better way of statistically viewing the regional data. In developing statistical models we're looking at 3 main things:

1) What specific question (or hypothesis) are we asking?

2) Does that statistical model accurately represent that question?

3) What answer do we get and how significant is it? (this is where the mathematics come in)

I guess I can't comment on 3) so much but am wondering about 1) and 2). So firstly, what are we trying to measure and does the model actually represent that?

The Regionals summary was really just that, just reporting. There is no "model" like there is for ship values. The only "statistics" presented involving math more complicated than simply counting squads was to get a general sense of how well each archetype advances through the top 8.

If you have some ideas on how the data can be sliced then by all means feel free to make suggestions! :-) I will eventually do some more detailed analysis.

It's too bad we don't have data on all entries. It would be interesting to see how certain squads did compared to their total number of entries. It would also be neat to see what squads beat others during Swiss.

Good cast guys. I would like to talk a little bit about bombs. It seems like most of you guys don't like them which I can understand, but I would like you to reconsider them. One thing about bombs in this game is that it's a 100% skill based. Knowing how and when to drop bombs is all skill. Emon at PS 6 is in what I think is the perfect spot for his PS. For all the PS 7 + ships they are Prox mine targets. I've killed multiple Soontirs with prox mines and those 3 points have always been well spent. His PS 6 is also going to beat out all the support ships that you are seeing so the Charges/Proton bombs are pretty much always going to hit. I think the reason you don't see this as much is because it's so Skill intensive. If you don't practice this skill you will fail with it and then you will lose interest. Bombs take practice and a good sense of distance for accurate placement.

If only there was another podcast where you and other assorted guests could discuss this alternate view of bombs! But I haven't seen such a thing in so long...

Sable Gryphon's Regional winning PS10 Boba + PS8 IG88 with Proton Bomb on Boba is downright terrifying for a PS6 BroBot player like myself.

Proton bombs are game changers.

Which is funny, considering in his store champs list he said that if the list was changed, it would be the first thing changed.

He didn't really say in the regionals report whether he still felt that way as far as I could tell but the proton bomb seemed quite important to some of his wins there.

I still feel the same way. I've tried other combinations (Autoblaster, 2x Seismics + Inertial dampers, and others) and wasn't as happy with them but every time I sit down and look where I can save points to get something new, it's only the Proton Bomb that's ever in doubt. The rest of the cards are too core to the list.

An important distinction is that these points are NOT wasted with the Proton Bomb. It's a great, viable option that materially contributed to my Regional win. But if you have to cut something because those points are needed for some other nasty option, that's where you cut the points, but you only do so if the points have a greater impact on the game. For instance, if they came out with a Firespray Test Pilot title, I am dropping Proton in a heartbeat (probably for Outmaneuver). Same with a Firespray Advanced x1 title.

The Proton Bomb is some of the best 5 points you can spend on a PS10 ship right now. I keep trying to find better options (Ion Pulse Missile + Flechette Torpedo, Ion Cannon + Seismic, SECRET PROJECT OF SECRETNESS ... Initiative bid?), but until I do, Proton Bombs are the default answer.