Imp Version"Death Squad"

Quickdraw, +Expertise+Sensor Cluster +Homing Missile+Chips

Back draft +Chips+FCS+Homing+Sensor Cluster+Vet Instincts

Zeta Leader with a score to settle and comm relay

Rebel Version "Exhaust Vent"

Just a concept really, 3 T70's with plasma and chips, at least PS 4 to beat scouts.

A guy at the shop (JM5K enthusiast) attempted to convince me that JM5k were balanced, and that Ordnance is their hard counter

How do you guys these concepts work out? essentially the same list for both factions, is one better than the other? Is there a better version? Does the central concept IE=Ordnance Alpha on High PS midrange fighters=the sweet spot?

OK, so you hit them with two homing missiles and Zeta Leader. On average, you still don't kill one (you hit it with 11 dice in 3 attacks, of which you'll average 9 or 10 hits and they'll average between two and 3 evades), then they shoot you with their torps and on average you lose a ship. If you can handle your range control well enough to avoid getting locked by them in the opening engagement you'll be in a much better position of course.

Seems a touch questionable.

Ordnance is a good answer to them, but it's hardly a hard counter.

And FWIW, Targetting Synchroniser makes the homing missile barrage just SO much better.

That's not to say ordnance can't be the answer though. If I was building purely to take out torpscouts I'd probably look at something like this:

"Backdraft" (27)
Adaptability (0)
Fire-Control System (2)
Homing Missiles (5)
Targeting Synchronizer (3)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Special Ops Training (0)

"Deathfire" (17)
Extra Munitions (2)
Homing Missiles (5)
Conner Net (4)
Guidance Chips (0)

Tomax Bren (24)
Crack Shot (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Homing Missiles (5)
Guidance Chips (0)

Total: 99

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

3 homing missiles, especially when two of them are being fired with focus tokens as well, and the first can be happily rerolled because the firer has FCS, should PS kill a Scout, and then you've got another big volley to down the second, plus Conners to give them action trouble. But I wouldn't run this normally - I'd run this instead, it's more balanced overall I think:

"Quickdraw" (29)
Draw Their Fire (1)
Fire-Control System (2)
Targeting Synchronizer (3)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Special Ops Training (0)

"Deathfire" (17)
Extra Munitions (2)
Homing Missiles (5)
Conner Net (4)
Guidance Chips (0)

Tomax Bren (24)
Crack Shot (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Homing Missiles (5)
Ion Bombs (2)
Guidance Chips (0)

Total: 99

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

Versus triple jumps? Yeah, ordnance is good, but not precisely a hard counter. You need more ordnance.

For example, try four Talas with Homing Missiles & Guidance Chips, plus a Grey Squadron Stresshog (or Red Vet StressX). That's enough firepower that if you get the alpha strike off, you'll kill one jump and cripple another that will be shut down from stress. The counter is to close with you to bump, but since the entire list is PS 4 that's harder to do, and if you do get bumped you focus fire on the two trailing ships.

On the Imp side, four Gamma Vets with Deadeye, EM, Plasma Torps, and guidance chips can work.

Oh I was hoping for someone to literally take a hard counter to the JMK and smash it on their granite countertop.