Gamma squadron veteran 19

Crack shot 1

Plasma torpedoes 3

Extra munitions 2

Guidance chips 0

Total 25

Times 4.

Go!

no mods on ordnance apart from G-chips?

setting yourself up for some major disappointment there, man

Crack shot. Means average dice is 3 hits, plus the crack to push one they if needed.

I was thinking along same lines...

Determination or deadeye could be interesting also. Determination to keep those pilot crits from stopping your shot. Deadeye with long range scanners

The problem - if there is a problem - is the classic issue with low PS bombers - getting the target lock in the first place.

You activate - ace is outside range 3 - ace activates and locks you.

Next round, you activate - lock ace - ace activates and moves into range 1, or out of your arc.

It's why Deadeye is so popular. Crack shot is awesome but pairs better with Long Range Scanners, so you can set up your lock 'on the way in'.

Thankfully, the bomber has a 1 forward maneuver, so by executing it you stay out of ranger on the first turn, then do another 1 forward the next turn to be at range three. If necessary, you can do a 2 forward at some point to guarantee a shot on the second turn, assuming the enemy ace is speeding towards you. This is why I run cluster missiles on my bombers in the following format:

3x Gamma Squadron Veteran (19)

Total: 99 points

You lose a ship, but gain a massive boost in offensive power in the long run, a range 1 attack that's worse than range 3 and a great deal of ammunition. If you need to use more than four missiles by the time the game ends you should get some new dice.

Doing the math on it: Long range scanners will average you 1 die of increased firepower (either through the target lock or focus gained on the second round) on average, assuming a four die attack. Guidance chips GUARANTEES an extra hit each round of firing, in addition to predator. Plus, long range scanners makes a bomber ship nearly useless in a dogfight. The splash damage from assault missiles is usually equivalent to or better than plasma torpedoes situational +1 shield damage.

If you're really trying for a four bomber squadron, I'd suggest using Captain Jonus and three fully loaded sigma squadron bombers, giving you the same dice modification power but with more ammunition.

The splash damage from assault missiles is usually equivalent to or better than plasma torpedoes situational +1 shield damage.

Agreed - but I guess that's why they cost more.

Thankfully, the bomber has a 1 forward maneuver, so by executing it you stay out of ranger on the first turn, then do another 1 forward the next turn to be at range three.

Fine in theory, but even a straight '4' well timed with no other actions can jump a lot further than people expect. If you're inside range 3, a straight 5 (from a higher PS pilot) puts them at range 1.

Not an issue for the build you're listing - the most important thing there is the Cluster Missiles. Cluster missiles, predator, guidance chips (or cluster missiles, guidance chips and Jonus on standby) are a good choice for generic bombers because having an effective range of 1-2 means you don't have to deal with sabre-dancing at the edge of range 3, or with a range 1 'blind spot' - just close in and use those cluster missiles as a starfighter-scale sawn-off.

You can easily pack in three bombers with clusters and jonus - either veterans with predator, or regular gammas and have jonus nearby in a shuttle with some supporting crew. The latter makes jonus a "vulnerable weak link" but on the other hand he's not that fragile, and if your opponent wants to blow him up instead of a boat with some missiles on it, you probably come out ahead on the deal.

I think the temptation with these things is sto stick extra munitions on as an autotake. Having played a 3 GSV plus 2 academy pilot list a few times now, I think its often assumed its easy to get that second torpedo shot off when actually it isnt necessarily because your opponent can close to range 1 quite easily the next turn and you don't habe a dial as good as a jumpmaster to joust with, as you have to clear stress after taking a k turn before you can fire torps again.

Once you leave the extra munitions off, you can take long range scanners over guidance chips and deadeye (the effect is fairly similar on the first torpedo shot, LRS before range 3 then take a focus to modify vs use the focus to fire and use GCs to modify), then crackshot is a good choice for the spare EPT slot to push through damage on the alpha strike.

That leaves 2 points spare. Potentially to upgrade the plasma torps to concussion missiles (which are better than proton torps in this case as you have a focus to modify anyway) or maybe even something like seismic charges (haven't tested that though...)

Thanks all for your advice. Must give thought to all of it.

These are the likely candidates to my squads:

Gamma Veteran

Crack Shot

Homing Missile

Extra Ammo

LRS

Total: 27

A massive punch for 27 points. Worries me how popular the Black One Title will be, fear that leads me to:

Gamma Veteran

Deadeye

Proton Torpedos

Extra Ammo

Guidance Chips

Total: 26

A reliable shot for 26 points, since the Torpedos cover a eye result and the GChips cover a blank. Finally:

Scimitar Squadron Pilot

Homing Missile

Extra Ammo

LRS

Total: 23

Still a decent punch, even without EPT.

Gamma Veteran

Deadeye

Proton Torpedos

Extra Ammo

Guidance Chips

Total: 26

A reliable shot for 26 points, since the Torpedos cover a eye result and the GChips cover a blanck.

For me, this is the best of the 3 builds. I'm not convinced how well LRS and EM work as a combination. LRS is good for the first shot, but you may struggle to get a second TL after that to make use of those EM

Gamma Veteran

Deadeye

Proton Torpedos

Extra Ammo

Guidance Chips

Total: 26

A reliable shot for 26 points, since the Torpedos cover a eye result and the GChips cover a blanck.

For me, this is the best of the 3 builds. I'm not convinced how well LRS and EM work as a combination. LRS is good for the first shot, but you may struggle to get a second TL after that to make use of those EM

My proxy tests revealed a good weapon (Homing, Crack, TL plus Focus puts fear in the heart of the most resolute ace), even if the target breaks away to avoid the strike, I still benefit from the early rout of his formation.

It is the Black One Title that worries me the most, a skilled player could render LRS useless until the first (and decisive) exchange.

How popular you guys think Black One is going to be?

You could always run a mix. Homing Missile shots for the aces, Deadeye for things like Black One.

Gamma Sqaudron Vet (19) x2

- Crack Shot (1)

- Homing Missiles (5)

- LRS (0)

Gamma Squadron Vet (19)

- Deadeye (1)

- Proton Torps (4)

- Chips (0)

- EM (2)

Gamma Squadron Vet (19)

- Deadeye (1)

- Proton Torps (4)

- Chips (0)