Redline + 2 bombers

By Victor42, in X-Wing Squad Lists

I'm trying this list on the weekend. I'm going in with the mentality of blowing my load quickly (ahem) and if the enemy is still there I've lost. And I like the way a Punisher flanked by two bombers looks...


33 points - Major Rhymer TIE Bomber (mostly for his pilot skill to match redline so I can choose who fires or moves first. But his ability is nice on prockets)

Extra Munitions (obv)

Proton Rockets (I feel it makes the post of his pilot ability, but I'm not sold, since it doesn't get as much value as a 3 agility ship)

Crack Shot (I like this card, and I wanted a cheap elite talent. Not really any offensive options in the 2 point range)

Munitions Failsafe (not needed but had a point spare)


40 points - “Redline” TIE Punisher

Fire-Control System (obv)

Extra Munitions (obv)

Cluster Missiles (obv)

Homing Missiles (not sure about these)


27 points - Captain Jonus TIE Bomber (to support the other two)

Opportunist (I figure when he fires the other two will have striped tokens)

Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (to shed stress better from above)


Any last tweaks anyone would make? Or any flaws in my thinking?

When Redline acquires a target lock, he uses two pairs of TL tokens. That means one spent to fire missiles and one left to spend on modifying dice results. With that in mind, Jonus is useless for him. Homing missiles are also useless for him.

Major Rhymer's favourite ordnance is advanced homing missiles. That's not to say other ordnance isn't useable on him, its just not taking full advantage of his pilot ability. Advanced Homing missiles (and even homing missiles) do not spend the TL (you just need to have it there), so again, their presence makes Jonus unnecessary. For that reason, I would look at replacing Jonus with something else and perhaps rethinking what ordnance Rhymer is bringing. Keep in mind that deadeye is very useful on Rhymer, since otherwise he cannot get target locks on higher PS ships...

Edited by blade_mercurial

Jonus doesn't do much for Redline, who will have an extra Target Lock. Proton Rockets are OK on Rhymer since he can stretch them to Range 2 and can fire it with Focus (rather than Target Lock) making higher PS targets easier to get a shot at. However, there are better options. I threw this together:

"Redline" (27)

+ Cluster Missiles (4)

+ Extra Munitions (2)

+ Fire-Control Systems (2)

Major Rhymer (26)

+ Advanced Homing Missiles (3)

+ Push the Limit (3)

+ Extra Munitions (2)

+ Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)

Omnicron Group Pilot (21)

+ Advanced Sensors (3)

+ Fleet Officer (3)

+ Ion Cannon (3)

Both these aces cost 35 points, meaning there's not necessarily a clear priority target for the opponent. "Redline" will have plenty of Target Locks for his Cluster Missiles thanks to Fire-Control System, and he has 2 of thanks to Extra Munitions.

Rhymer's best missile is probably AHM. He can hit someone at any range thanks to his ability. With PtL, he can make sure the shot is fully modified with TL and Focus both. Again, EM gives him a second, discounted copy. The improved Engine helps him get around after PtL.

With just 30 points left, I added a shuttle. The Advanced Sensors/Fleet Officer combos lets you pass out Foci and immediately do a green move to clear the stress. That helps Redline get better modified Clusters, and Rhymer is free to use Barrel Roll for one of his actions but still have both Focus and TL for his shot. The Ion Cannon can make enemies predictable for your ordnance deliveries.

that list is a lot of squish. It's going to go down in flames very quickly unless you trust your dice (and you shouldn't)

Redline and rhymer are both hilariously fragile and expensive glass-cannons that don't really stack well with one another. They hit hard (with the proper ordnance), but that means little when there are so many things out there that'll shoot before they do (higher PS)

here, they don't have anything to protect themselves (usually, a blocking mini-swarm does the trick) and they're also anemic with their ordnance (rhymer being all but worthless with only two a-homing missiles; making redline a very clear priority)

I don't think it's a type of list that'll end up working out reliably.

Edited by ficklegreendice
Thanks for all of the feedback. Had a bit of a brain blunder with Jonus there.
As much as I'd like to keep the list as 2 bombers plus Redline, I can see how it's greatly improved with a cheap hit point cow.
With all of your points taken on board, is the below list an improvement? Im not sure Kagi is worth it, but I thought it may keep some heat off of the fragile other two. I chose not to include PTL Rhymer, since in theory he can TL as his action, and get the Focus from Fleet Officer. But if I decide to downgrade Kagi, PTL is where the spare points would go, cause barrel is always nice without sacrificing atk modifiers.
33 points
Captain Kagi Lambda-Class Shuttle
Advanced Sensors
Fleet Officer
32 points
Major Rhymer TIE Bomber
Extra Munitions
Advanced Homing Missiles
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II
35 points
“Redline” TIE Punisher
Fire-Control System
Extra Munitions
Cluster Missiles
Alternatively, does Vader here add a 'priority target' for the enemy to focus and give the big guys a chance blow things up?

33 points
Darth Vader TIE Advanced
TIE/x1
Predator
Advanced Targeting Computer
31 points
Major Rhymer TIE Bomber
Extra Munitions
Advanced Homing Missiles
35 points
“Redline” TIE Punisher
Fire-Control System
Extra Munitions
Cluster Missiles