So now that we have veterans, I've reached a quandry. I can't decide which bomber is a stronger platform for the points.

Gamma squadron pilot 18

-extra munitions 2

-homing missile 5

-long range scanners 0

Or

Gamma squadron veteran 19

-deadeye 1

-extra munitions 2

-plasma torpedo 3

-guidance chips 0

Or

Gamma vet 19

-crack shot 1

-homing missile 5

-long range scanners 0

What do you guys think?

Depends on whether or not Black One ever becomes a thing

Not likely due to jm5ks

Either way, it's prolly the vet. PS 5 gives you a few niche advantages (over crackswarm and tying with Biggs/ryand), deadeye makes ordnance VASTLY more easy to apply and crackshot can win games

Might end up flying a mix of the two epts. Too many LRS get really clunky really quickly

That makes sense. Given that the lrs bombers can't re-acquire locks till after they disengage. I do like the idea of 2 homing missiles though, which is the whole reason for the not-vet, I can see where they could be difficult to pull off though.

An attempt at an all bombers ordnance list may be fun to fly with 2 and 2 of the crackshot and deadeye veterans. Don't know how well it will do as previously I've only flown bombers at most as 3 of in a list. They are beefy though and should take a couple hits before they burn. Of course if the magic happens and a crackshot bomber gets soontir in arc it has a good chance of making him go pop. Plasmas should cackle at jump masters all that alpha potential.

I've used this build that helped greatly against a Dengaroo build. The push for Vader and the additional stress helped mitigate Manaroo's shenanigans with actions being pushed over to Dengar. Once Manaroo went down, Dengar wasn't so bad without all the actions.

There's a cool build in "imp vets half dud" thread

Involving juke relay omega, two homing extra 1-point-ept gamma vets and a Vader Tie Shuttle

I like the shuttle with 2 defenders build. I just have trouble with putting vader on anything with 6 hp. I'm used to flying a patrol leader with vader and when you are used to 43points of 8 360 degree vader uses.. Accept no substitutes.

I also like anything with omega leader, but I would even consider dropping ol and the shuttle to bring in a loaded tie/D vessery in that list fickle. Line up shots for your bombers with tractor beam or ion cannon and things should be pretty sweet.

yeah im really not a Doomshuttle fan. Truth it can sneak some crits because it basically is only there for Vader so people will largely ignore it and go for the nastier defenders or aces, but its literally twice you can do it assuming you didnt get whacked pretty hard at some point. Third time would kill you, and i would be shocked to see it survive long enough to attack 3 times. Shoot at it once, very very likely to cause 2 damage or a bad crit.

Tomax on the other hand can abuse Cool Hand to be pretty annoying to take out ive noticed. I ran him + 2 defenders a few times and he was almost as hard to remove as the defenders (keyword, almost). But he isnt using vader, and did way more than 2 MAYBE 3 vader crits could ever do because he solidified BOTH my defenders 3-4die attacks every round lol.