So, in my attempts to catch up on all the stuff I've missed, I've seen a lot of stuff on Cluster Mines. All the articles talk about them like they're awesome, game changing. Like the ability to deploy them is some kind of devastating godsend. So I look them up, and they're… 2 attack dice that might wiff, for 4 squad points? Meanwhile, Rebels get a turreted ship with 9 HP that costs 14 points less than a Defender at PS 8? And why did FFG listen to players complaining so much about the Phantom's movement to the point that they nerfed it, only to make something like SLAM? I guess you can call this a variation on the classic "Sky is falling" threads, in that it's more of a "did the sky fall" thread. Obviously, many of you have been playing with these ships for months. Cause right now, I'm kinda getting this feeling that a few months ago, a massive pile of cocaine went missing and a lot of FFG employees got really energetic all of a sudden.

SLAM is very different to cloaking, costing you your attack after repositioning.

A K-Wing can get expensive very quickly, while a Defender basically needs only one more point invested to be very nimble.

Position the cluster mines correctly and your opponent will fly through all three of them, or at least he has to take that into account and plan accordingly.

SLAM is very different to cloaking, costing you your attack after repositioning.

A K-Wing can get expensive very quickly, while a Defender basically needs only one more point invested to be very nimble.

Position the cluster mines correctly and your opponent will fly through all three of them, or at least he has to take that into account and plan accordingly.

Yeah, I later found the thing that shows the template is actually three templates together. i didn't know each one counted as its own bomb. So that actually is cool. Also, I see your SLAM argument and raise you the Ghost, a nimble ship for its size with 4 dice in multiple directions. But we'll just have to see how that one plays out.

The Ghost only has four dice in multiple arcs only if you invest a whole lot of points in a docked shuttle.

And as I expect Tractor Beams to have an impact on the dial, I'm not too worried.

So, how many gripes can we work into one topic!

Cluster Bombs, er, Mines, are awesome for one good reason, Deathrain. That dude can drop the whole thing on some Huge ship right in front of him while he just BR to the side (and maybe uses EI to boost as well). Actual I would love to sees a HWK drop a set of clusters just to see the reaction.

So, how many gripes can we work into one topic!

Nah, actually we're about good now. At the time of posting, I didn't know they were three separate bombs. I just thought the template was really big, so people would hit it more often. I'm actually cool with it the way it is now, it just took me a long while to find a picture of it partially separated.

Also, c'mon, it's been a year. I haven't gotten to do any "RUBBLS AR SOOO MURCH BURTER THERN THE IMPURLS NOW. FFG PURLS NURF, KTHNX" in a year! I gotta catch up!

The thing about SLAM is that they put in a LOT of restrictions on it.

The K-Wing still only has one green die and its pretty predictable when they'll try to use Slam. Set up a block or a wide no-go-zone and you're fine.

Who has been praising cluster mines? Most of the time I see comments that CMs are duds. Conner Nets are where it's at.

Cluster Mines can cause a lot of fear, both for the mine user and his opponent.

My "favorite" Cluster Mine story is still the very first time I used them in a game. Loaded some on Deathrain with Enhanced Scopes, and then managed to drop all six (CM+EM) on a Firespray.

...

I did one damage.

Oh man, cluster mines. Cluster mines, cluster mines, how I love thee.

So i bought a TIE Punisher today and got to try it out. Good lord.

Squad Name: Truckballs

"Readline" + tie mk II + fire control + extra munitions + cluster mines + advanced homing + plasma torpedoes

Royal Guard + shield upgrade + outmaneuver

Royal Guard + shield upgrade + outmaneuver

I flew very well, managed to put them in front of the shuttle, dealing it 2 damage and a crit. Then I made poor Soontir Fel pay dearly for tailing me, obliterating him in a single shot (1 shield upgrade, 2 damage and 1 Direct Hit). My two escorting Royal Guards made anyone who went after Readline pay severely for ignoring them, more than half the shots they took made use of Outmaneuver. I lost one RGT. I closed out the game by eliminating his remaining two TIE/fo, Epsilon Leader and Zeta Ace. EL made a run for it, undamaged, thinking I wouldn't charge through an asteroid to get to him, but i took the 3 bank to follow, because i already had two TLs on him. I managed to score 4 hits with the double TL that is Readline's ability, and he totally wiffed his evades. 4 HP gone in a flash. My RGT cleaned up the remaining Ace who had only 1 HP left. It was glorious.

Oh man, cluster mines. Cluster mines, cluster mines, how I love thee.

So i bought a TIE Punisher today and got to try it out. Good lord.

Squad Name: Truckballs

"Readline" + tie mk II + fire control + extra munitions + cluster mines + advanced homing + plasma torpedoes

Royal Guard + shield upgrade + outmaneuver

Royal Guard + shield upgrade + outmaneuver

I flew very well, managed to put them in front of the shuttle, dealing it 2 damage and a crit. Then I made poor Soontir Fel pay dearly for tailing me, obliterating him in a single shot (1 shield upgrade, 2 damage and 1 Direct Hit). My two escorting Royal Guards made anyone who went after Readline pay severely for ignoring them, more than half the shots they took made use of Outmaneuver. I lost one RGT. I closed out the game by eliminating his remaining two TIE/fo, Epsilon Leader and Zeta Ace. EL made a run for it, undamaged, thinking I wouldn't charge through an asteroid to get to him, but i took the 3 bank to follow, because i already had two TLs on him. I managed to score 4 hits with the double TL that is Readline's ability, and he totally wiffed his evades. 4 HP gone in a flash. My RGT cleaned up the remaining Ace who had only 1 HP left. It was glorious.

Cluster Mines can't crit.

So, how many gripes can we work into one topic!

...

Probably could be summed up in "Wasn't Wave 8 supposed to fix bombs and munitions?" Short answer is apparently not.

As for Cluster mines yup they are worthless except on a nich Deathrain while is good for taking out phantoms won't be able to touch Soontir or Darth Vader and they will chew him up before it reaches the palpmobile. Deathrain won't be seeing top meta plays for a while.

Fortunately there is some optimism for cluster mines. You see the detonation is not printed on the upgrade card it is printed on a rules supplement card and looking at the phantom that card can be changed as in rewritten. Now if in Eratta such as suffers normal damage for each hit and critical hit OR deal 1 face down damage for each hit that would make cluster mines viable.

But as for now just stick to proxy mines. They are your best bet for area denial by mines. To be fair your best bet for area denial is obstacle placement. So pick your obstacles carefully and practice your turn 0 strategy.

Cluster Mines can cause a lot of fear, both for the mine user and his opponent.

My "favorite" Cluster Mine story is still the very first time I used them in a game. Loaded some on Deathrain with Enhanced Scopes, and then managed to drop all six (CM+EM) on a Firespray.

...

I did one damage.

Once played with two Punishers. Both had Clusters and munitions. Drop bombs on Falcon 3 times, each time 3 tokens detonated. Same result 1 dmg total. So I completely understand you.

The thing about SLAM is that they put in a LOT of restrictions on it.

Yeah like not having the ship that SLAM was made for....

MISSILE BOAT!

Honestly, I don't get why they don't just FAQ it so a "crit" result gets turned into a hit. That alone would make Clusters worth a real look.

The Punisher build you're looking for usually starts with...

Redline + FCS + Cluster Missiles x2 + Extra Munitions for 39 points

Double target lock the target. Then every CM attack gets a reroll thanks to FCS. Laugh manically.

I don't remember clusters being the big thing pretty sure that's conner nets, the even if they run through all three that's six unmodified dice so on average three hits not that scary really.

I don't remember clusters being the big thing pretty sure that's conner nets, the even if they run through all three that's six unmodified dice so on average three hits not that scary really.

Sabine helps a little. If they all go off in the same round it's just one extra damage, but if they go boom over two or three rounds it would be boomtastic.