Even if you are playing without House Rules or Guidance C. to boost ordnance, in my experience Cluster misiles are optimal tools to cripple Agi 1/0 targets from range 2.

I know it is obvious, but I see more often on the table Impact or Proton ordnance, and if you can position at range 2 vs Agi 1 targets,better of if you are a tank PS 2 ship firing last after tokens are expended, that hurts.

Z 95, as blockers, very often can shoot before they die,.and a Z Bandit plus clusters are only 16 pts. I like them, not the most powerful weapon, but a handy one.

Try them on FCS Redline Guidance Chips for added hilarity.

I imagine they will be fun on Juking TAPs too

They're also fun on Accuracy Corrector TIE Advanceds. Guaranteed minimum of 4 hits across the two attacks (Guidance Chips will give them a decent shot at 6).

I imagine they will be fun on Juking TAPs too

if only the TAPs weren't such fugly, unimaginative minis, i'd be off to the drawing board (builder) right now..

Well, depends on situation.

Many 1-evaders are boosting token-stacking sons of ewoks. so you'll have more hard time catching them and TLing them. and not dying first...

so I guess simple TLT spam will do it more reliably.

But yes, GC FCS Redline will OMNOMNOM anything caught in the salvo, just as Lone Wolf Chimp N'Dru Suhlak will bring a world of PAIN towards most foes (especially if you give him the Glitters)

yet he costs a bit MORE than you'd expect

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/199828-rolling-thunder/?p=2003978

Just remember Chimps only work for one of the two CM attacks.

And that it doesn't combo with Accuracy Corrector.

I've ruined a few days with a 4x AC Tempest w/ Cluster list. It's terrifying to a two ship list of any type. The one-turn-kill on a heavily loaded Bossk was especially fun, as was taking out both Y's in a stresshog list in one pass. Chimps and thread tracers will only make it more interesting.

I flew Redline with cluster missiles, he basically killed Boba Fett by himself over two turns of shooting, and that was without guidance chips. With guidance chips, Redline is going to be so nasty...

Try them on FCS Redline Guidance Chips for added hilarity.

I just did the math and the average damage would 2.83 (2.828125 to be exact) for the first attack and 2.25 for the 2nd attack. For a total of 5.08 average damage.

Compared to another punisher with FCS damage would be 1.5 for the first attack and 2.83 for the 2nd attack. For a total of 4.33 average damage. So Redline ability gives to Cluster Missiles a boost of 0.75 damage.

Compared to a bomber, would be 1.5 for the first attack and 2.375 for the 2nd attack. For a total of 3.875 average damage. So FCS gives to Cluster Missiles a boost of 0.455 damage.

It is not obvious actually. Unless you have a way to modify both attacks (and these days we have more ways to do that than ever before), Clusters Missiles are worse than Concussion Missiles against agility 1 targets in virtually every situation (they win against agility 1 with an evade by an insignificant amount). They come out ahead against agility 0, but of course with no guarantee what your opponent will bring that edge is extremely unreliable.

http://teamcovenant.com/vorpalsword/2013/02/02/cluster-missiles/

I'd rather run Concussion Missiles with Guidance Chips on a Tie Advanced.

It is not obvious actually. Unless you have a way to modify both attacks (and these days we have more ways to do that than ever before), Clusters Missiles are worse than Concussion Missiles against agility 1 targets in virtually every situation (they win against agility 1 with an evade by an insignificant amount). They come out ahead against agility 0, but of course with no guarantee what your opponent will bring that edge is extremely unreliable.

http://teamcovenant.com/vorpalsword/2013/02/02/cluster-missiles/

The guy in the article is wrong.

Without modification to dice:

Concusion Missile average 2.43875 damage.

Against a 1 agility ship, it will be reduced by 0.375 on average, for a total of 2.06375 average damage (I don't know how that guy in the teamcovenant article got his 2.3).

Cluster Missiles average 1.5 damage per attack, for a total of 3 damage.

Against a 1 agility ship, it will be reduced by 0.75 (2x 0.375) on average, for a total so 2.25 damage total.

Cluster Missiles is better than Concusion Missiles vs a 1 agility ship.

Concusion Missile average 2.43875 damage.

Against a 2 agility ship, it will be reduced by 0.75 on average, for a total of 1.68875 average damage.

Cluster Missiles average 1.5 damage per attack, for a total of 3 damage.

Against a 2 agility ship, it will be reduced by 1.5 (2x 0.75) on average, for a total so 1.5 damage total.

Concusion Missiles is better than Cluster Missiles vs a 2 agility ship.

I would say the main utility of one or the other depends on the range that you think you'll get an attack at.

It is not obvious actually. Unless you have a way to modify both attacks (and these days we have more ways to do that than ever before), Clusters Missiles are worse than Concussion Missiles against agility 1 targets in virtually every situation (they win against agility 1 with an evade by an insignificant amount). They come out ahead against agility 0, but of course with no guarantee what your opponent will bring that edge is extremely unreliable.

http://teamcovenant.com/vorpalsword/2013/02/02/cluster-missiles/

The guy in the article is wrong.

Without modification to dice:

Concusion Missile average 2.43875 damage.

Against a 1 agility ship, it will be reduced by 0.375 on average, for a total of 2.06375 average damage (I don't know how that guy in the teamcovenant article got his 2.3).

Cluster Missiles average 1.5 damage per attack, for a total of 3 damage.

Against a 1 agility ship, it will be reduced by 0.75 (2x 0.375) on average, for a total so 2.25 damage total.

Cluster Missiles is better than Concusion Missiles vs a 1 agility ship.

Concusion Missile average 2.43875 damage.

Against a 2 agility ship, it will be reduced by 0.75 on average, for a total of 1.68875 average damage.

Cluster Missiles average 1.5 damage per attack, for a total of 3 damage.

Against a 2 agility ship, it will be reduced by 1.5 (2x 0.75) on average, for a total so 1.5 damage total.

Concusion Missiles is better than Cluster Missiles vs a 2 agility ship.

While there is always the possibility of error, the fact you do not know how he calculated his numbers when it is clearly listed in the article does nothing for your case.

The fact that he calculated his numbers by using a computer to roll the dice a million times, rather than calculating the probabilities based on the possible dice results, means that his method is a lot more prone to errors and statistical outliers.

Cluster missiles are more effective against low agility (<3 Agi) targets than Concussion missiles at Range 2. Even with unmodified dice they are slightly better. When you consider that they are less "swingy" and that they are likely to strip tokens on the first attack, and that there are multiple ways to modify both attacks, they are clearly better.

On the other hand, that doesn't mean that they are actually GOOD. An extra TIE Fighter or Z-95 is much better than Cluster or Concussion missiles on three ships.

So for 35 points, I can get Redline, Extra Munitions, Cluster Missles, FCS, and Guidance Chips.

Is that better or worse than 3 Academies for 36?

Both can roll 6 dice per turn.

6 Hull + 3 Shield versus 9 Hull

I've been a big proponent of Cluster Missiles to deal with low agility targets for a good while now. Between fat turrets and TLT Y-Wings, they're just worth it. Scimitar Squadron Pilots escorted by Jonus, Scum Boba with extra munitions... they ruin days for low agility folks.

I imagine they will be fun on Juking TAPs too

if only the TAPs weren't such fugly, unimaginative minis, i'd be off to the drawing board (builder) right now..

Yeah, well, you know what? That's just YOUR opinion. Which you are completely entitled to, even though I want to personally go on the record and say I vehemently disagree.

Seriously, Rudor is challenging Lorrir for best art:

It's just so pretty to me... I want a dozen.

I have always loved this build,

N'dru

cluster missles

glitterstim

Add: predator, guidance chip to taste.

4 dice per attack as long as you are not within range 2 of a friendly ship, re-rolls, result change, and focus flips. Goodbye B-wing. And if they realize what is coming and shoot you with higher PS pilots, you have a good chance of staying around.

So for 35 points, I can get Redline, Extra Munitions, Cluster Missles, FCS, and Guidance Chips.

Is that better or worse than 3 Academies for 36?

Both can roll 6 dice per turn.

6 Hull + 3 Shield versus 9 Hull

It depends on the rest of your list, I guess. The Academy TIEs are harder to maneuver but harder to avoid. Doing more than 3 damage to an Academy TIE is wasted, but doing more than 3 damage to Redline means... well, doing more damage. Redline stays more-or-less at full power until he's dead, but every time someone pops an Academy TIE your list gets a little less firepower. Academy TIEs are better at blocking and have a better dial. Redline only gets 2 turns of shooting 6 dice per turn, while the Academy pilots can keep shooting as long as they're alive.

I'd rather take 3 Academy Pilots, but mostly because I think the Punisher looks ridiculous.

I lost Imperial Boba in 2 Cluster missile volleys from FCS Redline last game night, it was nuts. And it was without chimps being proxied.

You kill that thing ASAP.

So for 35 points, I can get Redline, Extra Munitions, Cluster Missles, FCS, and Guidance Chips.

Is that better or worse than 3 Academies for 36?

Both can roll 6 dice per turn.

6 Hull + 3 Shield versus 9 Hull

It depends on the rest of your list, I guess. The Academy TIEs are harder to maneuver but harder to avoid. Doing more than 3 damage to an Academy TIE is wasted, but doing more than 3 damage to Redline means... well, doing more damage. Redline stays more-or-less at full power until he's dead, but every time someone pops an Academy TIE your list gets a little less firepower. Academy TIEs are better at blocking and have a better dial. Redline only gets 2 turns of shooting 6 dice per turn, while the Academy pilots can keep shooting as long as they're alive.

I'd rather take 3 Academy Pilots, but mostly because I think the Punisher looks ridiculous.

This game isn't just a matter of maximizing the amount of attack dice you can throw at things. Wave 3 and before, or if you're facing nothing but double Decimator? Sure. But taking this to an extreme, a 79 point list with fully loaded Soontir and Whisper only has one more attack die than 6 HWKs yet it is in now way even close to a fair fight.

Two super modified attacks of 3 is much better against Acewing than 3 attacks of 2.

I lost Imperial Boba in 2 Cluster missile volleys from FCS Redline last game night, it was nuts. And it was without chimps being proxied.

You kill that thing ASAP.

except you don't, because it's FAT as hell