Came home with 2 bombers tonight, and I'm not quite sure why...probably because my LGS was out of the Netrunner starter (now that's another dark road I'd rather not start on) I fully realize they aren't the most competitive things, but I want to run them just to slam 6 missiles/torps etc. into some poor fool's Falcon.

Any ideas? I'm lost

Extra Munitions. Also the shuttle( with title) that can pass off target locks so you can get a good opening salvo when the enemy reaches you.

run em naked

they're actually incredibly point efficient for a beefy 6 hull

the dial though, not so much

until wave 7, the only missile I could recommend is the ion pulse (20 for a missile + failsafe is not too horrible). It's not even about being competitive, it's just not fun to suck.

I like to run 2 with a decimator, I put prox mines and cluster missiles on them and build my decimator with kenkirk and some defense cards.. I can wreck some lists... and some days my dice hate me.. lol

Oicunn is fun on this build as well, as he gets to bump and grind... and extra points for more upgrades or initiative bid, but low PS isn't conducive to going first.. lol

Just some ideas

I LOVE bombers...they are an underrated dog fighter because of their dial. The dial is weird but once you get used to it, it can be quite fun. They also have a ton of hull but dont really care about crits (unless they are a named pilot). Ive run them with missiles and have done well. I have also loaded them out with prox mines, flew 4 of them side by side, joust with the opponent, kturn, then next turndrop mines. it sets up a wall of mines that forces the opponent to do manuvers that he doesnt really want to do, often times breaking his formation.

Jonus looks like he suffers from howlrunner syndrome, so I was gonna stick with 2 nobodies. Maybe concussion missiles with munitions failsafe? Or if I'm big ship hunting are cluster missiles better? I've only built competitive lists so just playing around is...wait for it...a whole new wooooooorld...for me

Jonus looks like he suffers from howlrunner syndrome, so I was gonna stick with 2 nobodies. Maybe concussion missiles with munitions failsafe? Or if I'm big ship hunting are cluster missiles better? I've only built competitive lists so just playing around is...wait for it...a whole new wooooooorld...for me

cluster missiles for big ships (low agility ships), no failsafe (both attacks have to miss for MFS to trigger)

Vessery likes Bombers. Throw some Fletcettes or IPMs on them and you have a decent squad.

No one suspects bombers! I believe in 2014 a player broke top 8 at a regional with a 3 bomber list. I also picked up two recently and I do plan to run them at some point. I might try a list based on the TIE Fighter you tube video just for grins.

this is the one:

================ Victory Is Mined ================

SG's worlds list 100 points

Pilots ------

(1) Omicron Group Pilot (24) Lambda-Class Shuttle (21), Darth Vader

(3) Scimitar Squadron Pilot (19) x 4 TIE Bomber (16), Proximity Mines (3)

Bombers aren't bad at all. They take a lot of time and experience to fly them well and I'm not sure about their tournament viability, but I'm already planning to play my third bomber (to be able to fly for of them with some help of my friends^^). That said, I don't have any tournament experience yet.

Check out this article for a LOT of good input.

If you're going for bombs or mines, 2-4 Scimitar Pilots are your best bet and pair well with a lot of stuff. Moving first is actually great for mines and bombs still work well, when flying in a loose formation and taking a scattershot approach.

If you're going for missiles or torpedoes, you're facing a little problem: low PS ships are having a hard time to get a range 3 target lock during the first joust. Imho, there are basically three options:

1. Colonol Jendon + Title allows you to supply your bombers with target locks. Unfortunately, you'll be telegraphing your plan and if you stack all locks on the same target, a smart opponent will just keep the ship out of range.
2. Squad Leader allows one of your bombers to move first and still receive a target lock by a different high PS ship (e.g. Vader). This works really well and is very flexible, but works only for one bomber.
3. Take a target lock at short range and k-turn during the next round. Try to move into range three when it's your bombers turn and take a target lock. If your opponent's ships are slowrolling, you might be able to shoot your ordnance, but it's more likely that they'll be moving into range 1 this turn. During the shooting phase, keep your target locks for the next turn, when you'll be k-turning into range 3 or even out of range again. Bombs can help in this case to force your opponent to move sideways, increasing the likelihood to end up in range 3. The big disadvantage of this approach is, that it's difficult to pull off and that you might lose one Bomber, before it's able to shoot his rockets/torpedoes.

I think the biggest trap with bombers is the strange and mystical need to run all, or mostly bombers, bomber lists. I don't know what the draw is, but every time I start thinking about bombers I want, er... need, to run multiples. If you can resist the urge, I think one of their current best roles is as a single threat to make your opponent change their flight plan. You may not get to land your bomb or ordnance, but you may get your opponent to use their actions to reposition or split their fire. Load them with something nasty, but keep them relatively cheap.

A popular one is:

Sigma (16) + Prox Mine (3)

Similar but probably not as effective

SIgma (16) + Proton Bomb (5)

Fat Turret Hunter:

Sigma (16) + 1-2 Ion Pulse Missiles (3-6), 0-1 Failsafe (0-1)

Stressssszz

Sigma (16) + 1-2 Flechette Torp (2-4), 0-1 Failsafe (0-1)

Swiss army

Sigma (16) + Ion Pulse Missile (3) + 1 Flechette Torp (2), Failsafe (1)

Up Close and Personal (My favorite variety, need to run as a nuisance flanker to split enemy fire)

Sigma (16) + Stealth Device (3) + 1-2 Proton Rockets (3-6)

This was the one I saw first:

Captain Jonus + Squad Leader + Sesmic Charges; Scimitar Squadron Pilot + Advanced Proton Torpedoes + Proton Torpedoes; Scimitar Squadron Pilot + Concussion Missiles + Cluster Missiles; 2x Academy Pilot

The ordnance load out is a bit wonky to me but still looks like a fun starting point.

Bombers are AMAZING.

• Naked, they're the most survivable ship for their cost; 6 HP with 2 agility, for only 16 points, is insane. Better than ships weight-classes higher. (You can field 6 bombers, each of which is more survivable than an X-Wing, of whom you can only field 4. Often better than B-Wings as well.)
  
• They're the cheapest Bomb carrier in the game, which are themselves the cheapest way to add good damage to your fleet.
  
• They're the cheapest Torpedo carrier in the game. This doesn't mean much until Extra Ordnance comes out.
  
• You can't really call its dial "Bad" either. It has options at every speed, 4 green maneuvers, and a Barrel-Roll. Its only problem is that it's got a Red 2 turn.... which you can easily achieve with a 3 turn and barrel-roll without stressing yourself. It's not as mobile as a TIE Fighter, but is still doing better than the X-Wing, which had the most typical dial when I last calculated it.
  
• Captain Jonus is a thing that exists. Completely overpowered when flying near Cluster Missiles or Cannonry.

I'm currently fiddling with the following lists:

Seismic Swarm:

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (16) + Seismic Charges (2) + Extra Munitions (2) = 20pts x5 = 100

Proximity Swarm:

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (16) + Proximity Mine (3) = 19pts x5 = 95

Bomb sQuad:

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (16) + Extra Munitions (2) + Munitions Failsafe (1) + Concussion Missiles (4) + Seismic Charges (2) = 25pts x4 = 100

Ions and Seismics:

Captain Jonus (22) + Veteran Instincts (1) + Extra Munitions (2) + Concussion Missiles (4) + Seismic Charges (2) = 31

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (16) + Extra Munitions (2) + Ion Pulse Missiles (3) + Seismic Charges (2) = 23 x 3

I 'came up' with this concept called Swarm+. It's 72 points of swarm ship, so 6 TIEs or 6 Z's and then a 28 point 'power' ship. Like a generic Phantom or a Lambda or ORS or something. A Bomber with lots of ordnance be good for that point range.

Then there is the Jonus Brothers list. 2 Oynx Squadron Defenders with 2 HLCs and Captain Jonus to give the HLCs rerolls. Seems pretty good actually, I've seen rebel equivalents with 2 B Wings and Wedge or Biggs do well in a 2 ship meta, so I imagine that would be good.

7 Academies and a bomber instead of a 16 point TIE.

As far as any lists that use two of them... Hmmm. I'm sure you could make something decent out of 4 Academies or Obsidians and 2 Bombers with some ordnance.

If you want to go all in you could flat out just play 6 of them, or 5 with Howlrunner. Or a Doomshuttle/Yorr with 4 scimitars and 4 prox mines, heard that's decent.

Flechette torpedoes that have a munition failsafe and don't do any damage still give out stress, so that's a good way to get some use out of them. A decent meta play too, as IG's have 4 hull. 2 Flechettes and a munitions failsafe on a bomber as a stress boat. *shrugs*

I came up with this list, it's gimmicky but I like it and should be fun to fly. (Note it must stay in formation for it to work)

Omicron Group Pilot: (runs point)

Vader

Tactical Jammer

Ion Canon

Captain Jonus:

Wingman

Major Rhymer:

Marksmansip

Experimental Interface

Advanced Proton Torpedos

Extra Munitions

Cluster Missles x2

The idea is the shuttle runs blocker with Vader crit and ion support. Jonus is there for his special and to make sure Rhymer can attack stress free and Rhymer hits like a sack of hammers.

Depends a lot on Rhymer but I am totally building this after wave 7. I WILL use my bombers.

the main problem today in the current meta is that an 2 dice attack ship isn't worth it's points anymore, except it's just for blocking or you'll try to overhaul the enemy with a lot of them.

Actually i would only run one Bomber with an prox mine and maybe also flechette and failsafe in some list, the prox mine make him dangerous enough that it can't be ignored and probably that helps to safe the other ships.

But pre scum i think bomber's were just underrated i still play sometimes with four of them, just because its an beautiful picture.

And to come back to your initial question, how to use 2 bombers I liked these two lists, but i prefer the second (which has sadly just one bomber)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Black Squadron Pilot (14)
Draw Their Fire (1)

"Howlrunner" (18)
Swarm Tactics (2)
Stealth Device (3)

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (16)
Proximity Mines (3)

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (16)
Proximity Mines (3)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

or

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

"Howlrunner" (18)
Swarm Tactics (2)

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (16)
Flechette Torpedoes (2)
Proximity Mines (3)
Munitions Failsafe (1)

Soontir Fel (27)
Push the Limit (3)
Targeting Computer (2)
Autothrusters (2)
Royal Guard TIE (0)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder