(1) If a stationary target is at Range 2 of an AI ship, should it be treated as "closing" (so Range 1) or "fleeing" (Range 3) No matter which way you treat it, it can lead to some wacky results.

(2) If a scenario (e.g., Imperial Entanglement, p. 56-57) specifies the loadout of a TIE Bomber and specifically says not to draw an Imperial Pilot card, does that mean the Bomber is a basic PS 2 Bomber with that loadout and nothing else?

(3) Same question, but what if the missions does not say not to draw an Imperial Pilot card ("Care Package, p. 58-59, which says "instead of the standard setup" the TIE Bombers have a Proton Torpedo)? Do you draw a card and just replace the missile or torp on the card?

Not a question, but an observation: It's great that Bombers get a TL before moving, but if they move and can take an action, if the ship they have a TL on is not at that point a valid target, and can't become one with a BR, the Bomber really should acquire a new TL, prioritized over Focus. The Bombers are really easy to manipulate into never being able to fire their ordnance.

1) The AI does give some strange results occasionally. I use the location of the target ship's base in relation to the AI base for that determination. There's a diagram explaining it. I don't have the book at hand for the page number. Sometimes a problem arises when the target straddles two sectors. The rule there is use the sector the target is moving towards. Doesn't help with a stationary target.

2) Yes

3) Yes.

Regarding the observation. Make sure you're using the right mission "profile" for the bombers. The transport in the minefield is the one that comes to mind. They use the transport for movement planning and targeting and will only attack another target if it's in R1 and in arc. I think that's the case. I'll have to re-read that section to be sure but their attack is pretty focused. Run in to taget, fire torps then haul tuckuss off the map.

Heroes is such a nice departure from the 100 pt death match it's not funny. Nothing against standard play but this is a nice change.

The chart you refer to is on p. 20, and I'm aware of it. The problem is that it causes wacky results when the target is stationary.

Consider the GR-75 in Imperial Entanglement. If the GR-75 is at Range 2, by the chart on p. 20 the Bomber will treat it as Fleeing, and use the Range 3 chart. The problem with that is that the Range 3 chart will often make a Bomber at Range 2 crash into its target.

That's not a problem when the other ship has moved or is yet to move. (In the former case, the target ship just pulled off a good block. In the latter case, the ship will move away, and unless it arc-dodges it will become a target again.)

It doesn't help to use the Range 1 chart, because then the Bomber often K-turns or turns away from its stationary target ...

I think the Bomber AI needs the change I mentioned (grabbing a new TL as needed, instead of taking Focus), and I also think it needs a special note: "If the target is stationary, at Range 2-3, and in-arc, the Bomber will do a 1-speed bank or straight maneuver that keeps the target in-arc."

We're in agreement on the answers to the two "special Bombers" questions I had, but I wish it were clear in the rules.

As a related aside, our group barely won Imperial Entanglement last night. The Bombers were a joke, but PS 10 Interceptors (especially the Stealth/AT/Elusiveness/Whisper/Dark Curse one) are unreal. Oh, speaking of: Technically, the Interceptor with Dark Curse can't also get any use out of Elusiveness! (We ignored that technicality, but it exists!)

We're definitely in agreement on HotAC in general. If it weren't for HotAC renewing my love for the game, I may well have quit by now. As it is, I can now scratch either the casual co-op itch or the competition itch, and it's awesome.

I'll have to take another look at Entanglements. I don't recall having the trouble you're having but a lot of my grey cells have turned to brown sludge lately. Doctors call it SFB technically. Anyhow I have another round of Heroes today and I'll poll the guys on their opinion and suggested fix.