I picked up a single aggressor because reasons, and have been trying to figure out a spot in which it's not just filler with a turret. I got to thinking about bombers, and how the combination of bombs/mines with a turret could make a list of three slow ships a little less vulnerable to the many, many faster ships out there. Also, Jonus+secondary weapons is fun and comparatively easy to remember as far as handshakes go.

The first version I came up with was this:

Lieutenant Kestal (22)
Adaptability (0)
Twin Laser Turret (6)
Cluster Missiles (4)
Lightweight Frame (2)

Captain Jonus (22)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Systems Officer (2)
Operations Specialist (3)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE Shuttle (0)

Tomax Bren (24)
Crack Shot (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Proton Torpedoes (4)
Cluster Mines (4)
Lightweight Frame (2)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

Everybody's at PS8 so that Jonus can move last to trigger Systems Officer. I flew it against an Imp Ace list and won through a mix of luck, my opponent's mistakes, and the power of running away with a TLT pointed backwards. Even with this version of the list, I'm feeling fuzzy about the ordnance.

I was tinkering with it and came up with a different version that makes Tomax the shuttle:

Lieutenant Kestal (22)
Adaptability (0)
Twin Laser Turret (6)
Cluster Missiles (4)
Lightweight Frame (2)

Captain Jonus (22)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Proton Torpedoes (4)
Cluster Mines (4)
Lightweight Frame (2)

Tomax Bren (24)
Cool Hand (1)
Systems Officer (2)
Fleet Officer (3)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE Shuttle (0)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

The Tomax shuttle gets to hand out more goodies, and the chain of fleet officer/cool hand adds some of the survivability that goes missing when LWD is swapped for Mk II engines. It's a nice support shuttle. Since Jonus only affects "another friendly ship" with his pilot ability, though, he's not doing much here beyond buffing Kestal (whose TLT shots aren't generally going to care about the rerolls anyway). And I'm still fuzzy on the ordnance.

I'm hoping, broadly, for suggestions about
1. ordnance choices for bombers in a list like this and
2. what to do about the shuttle support. Tomax? Jonus? Swap in a different pilot or ship with either version?

I'm a bit of a fan of running a deadeye list for Kestal to get the most use out of her pilot ability. You ideally want one big hit instead of just the TLT, since it's much less efficient on canceling those green dice. If you're set on using bombers instead of a lambda or upsilon as a support shuttle, you've definitely got the right standard set ups using either Tomax or Jonus. Ordinance you might have to adjust to the meta around where you play, so there isn't really a "best list" for that. My area has a lot of 5-8 PS large ships with shields for days and occasionally 1 or 2 dodgy little buggers. You're running 3 PS7's with this list, and your shuttle isn't the best combatant, so you really have to make your ordinance count. So, I'd run something like...

Captain Jonus (22)
TIE Mk. II (1)
TIE Shuttle (0)
Adaptability (Increase) (0)
Fleet Officer (3)
Operations Specialist (3)

Lieutenant Kestal (22)
LWF (2)
Deadeye (1)
Synced Turret (4)
Homing Missiles (5)

Major Rhymer (26)
LWF (2)
Deadeye (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Plasma Torpedoes (3)
Cruise Missiles (3)

Total: 100

It's not a standard bomber shuttle, and that crew lets you use Tomax with LWF and Cool hand if you drop a missile. There is lots of room to shuffle things around to get some extra mileage. Kestal works well with the one homing missile to erase that one dodgy ship, but throw it on Rhymer if they have 2. If you are running into swarms or unshielded ships, I'd drop plasmas for ion torps or assault missiles, and drop the homing down to an ion missile or a bomb on Rhymer if you think you can set up a nasty trap. You'd always want to shoot with Jonus first and hopefully miss to get an extra focus token on one of your other ships, and at range 1-3 instead of just 1-2. That let's you fly Kestal a bit farther away from the group without missing anything. Against double large base ships or a small, tanky squad, I'd replace both missiles with cluster's for Rhymer. Try to give him double focus's each round and with the soft reroll from Jonus, you're practically guaranteed 5 or 6 hits before evade dice.

Conversely, if you're just looking for a build using an aggressor effectively, I like pairing one with a Decimator. Give them an Ion turret and stay close to RAC, try to tag any ships that are starting to get away from him and let him catch up and blast holes in everything.

Thanks for the ideas (and explanations). I'm stuck with a TIE shuttle if I want an Imperial support ship at the moment, as I've got neither of the "traditional" shuttles. I like the deadeye idea, though; I'd never thought of it with synced turret.

On 08/09/2017 at 3:35 AM, Naechtweard said:

Lieutenant Kestal (22)
Adaptability (0)
Twin Laser Turret (6)
Cluster Missiles (4)
Lightweight Frame (2)

Captain Jonus (22)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Systems Officer (2)
Operations Specialist (3)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE Shuttle (0)

Tomax Bren (24)
Crack Shot (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Proton Torpedoes (4)
Cluster Mines (4)
Lightweight Frame (2)

Total: 100

If you can keep Tomax and Kestal at Range 1 of Jonus the Proton Torps, TLT and Cluster Missiles will all benefit from the re-rolls - TLT and the Clusters also get to use the re-rolls on each attack which is very potent. I would question the inclusion of the Ops Spec - how often would you miss with all those re-rolls and how often would Jonus miss? Fleet Officer seems like a better fit to dish out Focus tokens with regularity. Also consider getting rid of the System Officer. Do you really need targets locks when you have Jonus re-rolls? Lightweight Frame on the Shuttle might help or you might want to consider a initiative bid of 2 points. Your danger with the list is being jousted even with LWF these ships - and particularly Kestal - will melt against any sustained fire.

On 09/09/2017 at 7:17 PM, Jimbawa said:

Captain Jonus (22)
TIE Mk. II (1)
TIE Shuttle (0)
Adaptability (Increase) (0)
Fleet Officer (3)
Operations Specialist (3)

Lieutenant Kestal (22)
LWF (2)
Deadeye (1)
Synced Turret (4)
Homing Missiles (5)

Major Rhymer (26)
LWF (2)
Deadeye (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Plasma Torpedoes (3)
Cruise Missiles (3)

Personally I don't see a Deadeye/Synced Turret Kestal working with Jonus. Don't get me wrong in that configuration she's really great but the only time Jonus could be used is when she fires the turret out of arc and for the one use Homing Missiles. He's far too costly for the ability to be used on just Rhymer.

I'd definitely agree it's not an optimal set up, but Naechweard doesn't have any of the more traditional shuttles and seems to be set on using the TIE bomber running it's title while having the aggressor be more than just a filler with a turret. A Tomax shuttle, Kestal and another ace are probably going to be the best you can find, but it's hard to give everyone a useful role. You could fit in a Defender or TIE/SF pretty safely, or double down on aggressors and run another turret, but that makes them both less unique feeling. Naech, are you hard set on using an ordinance ship or do you have any aces we could toss around?

Not really any Impy player but I do like the Bomber.... perhaps make Ketsal self sufficient and two hsrder hitting ordance bombers? I think Expertise is really good on ketsal because she doesn't need to spend her focus on modifying the attack.

TIE Bomber: •Tomax Bren (34)
Guidance Chips (0)
Crack Shot (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Homing Missiles (5)
Seismic Charges (2)

TIE Aggressor: •Lieutenant Kestal (33)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Expertise (4)
Ion Cannon Turret (5)

TIE Bomber: •Captain Jonus (32)
Guidance Chips (0)
Deadeye (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Homing Missiles (5)
Seismic Charges (2)

Total: 99/100

Right now Ion Turret is good because control, but TLT is always great of course and you have a point to switch that in.

I've got other aces kicking around, and had considered a TIE/D defender or the Inquisitor to go into Tomax's spot in the original version of the list. Either would give more options, though the prototype's dial plays better with bombers. My primary goal is to get better with support ships and find something for the Aggressor to do. I'm appreciating the discussion so far!

If your local meta has a good bit of Mindlink or PtL aces, Kestal with an ICT is brutal, as it becomes a range 1-2 bubble of nope for them. Her ability allows her to deprive them of Autothrusters and Defensive Focus, so if an ace like Fenn Rau or Procket Jake comes in to range to do their thing, and is stressed due to Mindlink or PtL, getting Ion'd is pretty much a death sentence since they won't be able to clear stress to take reposition actions or tokens (except ML gifted Focus) next round and the rest of your list can splatter them.

I've been running Intensity on Kestal to get the barrel roll to help her area denial while getting the needed Focus token for her ability. Expertise is also really good on her if you have the points, or can Crack Shot to get a clutch Ionization if points are tight.

I love Captain Jonus support shuttles, but I would not use one with an ICT Kestal. You're list is going to lack punch with 1 support and 1 control ship taking up a majority of your points. If you go aggressive with her, like putting Deadeye, Cruise Missiles and Synched Turret, then the rerolls from Jonus and additional focus tokens will come in handy with the missiles and out of arc shots. Crack Shot Tomax lends a good deal of punch to the list with the right missiles or torps.

Many of the suggestions here are worth considering, so I'm going to focus solely on the ordnance itself.

Things to Have: Point-for-point, Plasma torpedoes are the most effecient torpedoes. Useful against everyone, you will always deal at least two points worth of shield (if you hit); don't have shields? You're still rolling as many dice as a ProTorp, and at a cheaper price. And with Jonus re-rolls, losing target locks ain't no thing.

Cluster missiles is a really good combo with Jonus too. Rerolls on both attacks... it's some dangerous knife fighting, if you can keep formation.

Those two are the most general of ordnance, and the two that both synergize well with Jonus, and put in work for their price.

Things to Consider: Cruise & Homing. Ordnance that doesn't require spending your target lock can let you keep it to keep shooting on followup rounds; just use Jonus for rerolls. It also means if Jonus goes down, you don't lose rerolls.

So I've fiddled around with different Aggressor+Support Shuttle+??? builds:

Quote

Lieutenant Kestal (22)
Deadeye (1)
Synced Turret (4)
Cluster Missiles (4)
Cruise Missiles (3)
Lightweight Frame (2)

Tomax Bren (24)
Crack Shot (1)
Operations Specialist (3)
Fleet Officer (3)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE Shuttle (0)

"Omega Leader" (21)
Juke (2)
Comm Relay (3)
Stealth Device (3)

Total: 97

Infini-crackshot Tomax shuttle is more dangerous as an individual than Jonus, while still having the ability to hand out focus tokens at a good clip for Synced Turret, missiles, and the two primary-weapons users. OL is the usual late game closer. Putting two different missiles on Kestal makes me a little nervous—I've had too many games where ships have died with unused ordnance—but there are points going spare.

Quote

Lieutenant Kestal (22)
Trick Shot (0)
Twin Laser Turret (6)
Cluster Missiles (4)
Lightweight Frame (2)

Captain Jonus (22)
Determination (1)
Intelligence Agent (1)
Fleet Officer (3)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE Shuttle (0)

"Backdraft" (27)
Calculation (1)
Advanced Sensors (3)
Cruise Missiles (3)
Primed Thrusters (1)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Special Ops Training (0)

Total: 99

I haven't flown my SF much at all (recent acquisition). The EPTs seem a little fuzzy to me, but without the Systems Officer there's not really any need to move Jonus late.

Squashing in a TIE/D is harder, but workable if I drop Kestal (could also drop Jonus to a scimitar, but that's getting far afield from the original intent):

Quote

"Double Edge" (19)
Twin Laser Turret (6)
Unguided Rockets (2)
Lightweight Frame (2)

Captain Jonus (22)
Systems Officer (2)
Fleet Officer (3)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE Shuttle (0)

Colonel Vessery (35)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Tractor Beam (1)
Cruise Missiles (3)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE/D (0)

Total: 98

Some wiggle room for cheap EPTs and ordnance swaps here. Maybe?

I think Double Edge might do well with Deadeye too; you can use the focus to fire your synced turret, get rerolls, and if you miss, then fire your unguided rockets and spend the focus to modify the attack. Kestal does much the same - fire the turret, use the free rerolls to modify the attack, then spend the focus to knock out anything but natural evades, omega leader fashion.

That then simplifies the 'support' responsibilities to 'must generate a bucketload of free focus tokens'.

• Double Edge - Deadeye, Synced Turret, Unguided Rockets, Lightweight Frame
• Lieutenant Kestal - Deadeye, Synced Turret, Cruise Missiles, Ion Pulse Missiles, Lightweight Frame
• Major Rhymer - TIE Shuttle, Snap Shot, Operations Specialist, Tactician, Lightweight Frame
• 2 Point Initiative Bid

That gives you a nice mix of control (ion pulse and stress from Rhymer), and potentially 2 free focus tokens to hand to the aggressors before they fire (meaning they can spend their own action to barrel roll and/or target lock if Kestal's planning to fire missiles.