I love the Imperials and I love Fighters, for purely thematic reasons, but I have been experimenting with Rhymer and three more bombers. It is fun, but it basically just comes down to 4 black dice at medium range. It's good, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't seem to be game changing.

I keep wondering if I just need more bombers in my "ball". But I am reluctant to buy another Imperial fighter pack just to use one or two more bombers.

I am also considering puting some of the wave 2 fighers with Rhymer instead of TIE Bombers. Firesprays seem like they may be a good idea, but again if I want a lot of them I end up buying a new pack for each additional firepray I need.

Maybe the answer is just add a couple of firesprays to my 4 TIE Bombers.

Firesprays are pretty great. The Fireball is something that we're all learning to cope with. However, you're getting 2 Bombers for the price of one Firespray. Not saying that's a bad thing. It's just something to keep in mind. There are strengths and weaknesses to both.

It depends but here is one I ran recently against a 6 Firespray/ Rhymer ball and I killed all of his squadrons in two turns. I break them up into two different fur balls one is for antisquadron and the second is antiship. I have the option of moving Dengar between them as need to free up fighters. And this is a build that anyone with a Core set, two Imperial Fighter Squadron packs and one Rogues and Villains pack can run.

Firesprays are pretty great. The Fireball is something that we're all learning to cope with. However, you're getting 2 Bombers for the price of one Firespray. Not saying that's a bad thing. It's just something to keep in mind. There are strengths and weaknesses to both.

Here is another answer I have to the Fireball build. It will utterly annihilate the Fireball in no time. Again I think I killed all of squadrons of a fireball build in two turns with this. Most smart players are putting Dengar and an Advanced in the mix and with IG-2000 and some support from Mauler you can usually kill Dengar in 1-2 turns at most. And the rest of your named squadrons just eat up rest of the build.

1x Sontir Fel Tie Interceptor Squadron (18 pts)

I have 6, Rhymer Included... I have 3 Packs of Imperial Squadrons. To that, I add a Firespray. I consider both reducing to 4 bombers and adding a second firespray, and replacing the original firespray with 2 more bombers for a total of 8 when/if I get another pack. That'll depend on commissions.

I personally feel that TIE Bombers = Harder for Squadrons to Kill. Firesprays = Harder for Ships to kill.

Find a balance that you feel comfortable with. Its a blessing they are interchangeable on a 2:1 basis, not a curse.

Firesprays are pretty great. The Fireball is something that we're all learning to cope with. However, you're getting 2 Bombers for the price of one Firespray. Not saying that's a bad thing. It's just something to keep in mind. There are strengths and weaknesses to both.

Here is another answer I have to the Fireball build. It will utterly annihilate the Fireball in no time. Again I think I killed all of squadrons of a fireball build in two turns with this. Most smart players are putting Dengar and an Advanced in the mix and with IG-2000 and some support from Mauler you can usually kill Dengar in 1-2 turns at most. And the rest of your named squadrons just eat up rest of the build.

Squadrons (111 of 134 pts):

1x Major Rhymer Tie Bomber Squadron (16 pts)

1x Mauler Mithel Tie Fighter Squadron (15 pts)

1x Punishing One - Dengar (20 pts)

1x Darth Vader Tie Advanced Squadron (21 pts)

1x IG-2000 - IG-88 (21 pts)

1x Sontir Fel Tie Interceptor Squadron (18 pts)

How good is the anti-ship fire off that?

i see

1 crit black

1 vader-hit black

2 no crit blue

2 no crit black

lets say you lose vader...

1 black, 2nc blue, 2nc black. meh. thats a little meh.

I kind of wish i had a few more dice. 2 more tie bombers?

I've been goofing off with what I'll go ahead and call "Rhymer's Reach"

7 bombers plus rhymer: 79

Jump master: 12

2 TIE/adv: 24

ISD I + tractor + boosted comms: 120

ISD I + tractor + boosted comms: 120

<insert admiral of choice/other upgrades>

Medium range plus long range plus distance 4 = a REAAAAAAALLLY long range 8 black dice face punch. The tractor beams are there to play keep away. An alternate name for this list: Rhymer Ackbarsbane

Firesprays are pretty great. The Fireball is something that we're all learning to cope with. However, you're getting 2 Bombers for the price of one Firespray. Not saying that's a bad thing. It's just something to keep in mind. There are strengths and weaknesses to both.

Here is another answer I have to the Fireball build. It will utterly annihilate the Fireball in no time. Again I think I killed all of squadrons of a fireball build in two turns with this. Most smart players are putting Dengar and an Advanced in the mix and with IG-2000 and some support from Mauler you can usually kill Dengar in 1-2 turns at most. And the rest of your named squadrons just eat up rest of the build.

Squadrons (111 of 134 pts):

1x Major Rhymer Tie Bomber Squadron (16 pts)

1x Mauler Mithel Tie Fighter Squadron (15 pts)

1x Punishing One - Dengar (20 pts)

1x Darth Vader Tie Advanced Squadron (21 pts)

1x IG-2000 - IG-88 (21 pts)

1x Sontir Fel Tie Interceptor Squadron (18 pts)

How good is the anti-ship fire off that?

i see

1 crit black

1 vader-hit black

2 no crit blue

2 no crit black

lets say you lose vader...

1 black, 2nc blue, 2nc black. meh. thats a little meh.

I kind of wish i had a few more dice. 2 more tie bombers?

I will admit its not the best at antiship but I have 2 ISDs in this build so they do just fine. Like anything in Armada its rock paper scissors so against a fast moving Ackbar/CR90 build it will get dusted.

That I'm a muppetfluffer for Firesprays is no secret, but Rhymer makes anyone at the least really, really annoying. I simply prefer the Firesprays because they are aesthetically pleasing, as well as amazingly useful and durable.