TIE Bombers are cool, except as has been pointed out, they are just budget shuttles now. So, I see the TIE FO shuttle Bomber as the perfect way to get Imperials up to speed in the bomb game!

State line: 5 Hull, 2 Shield, 2 Attack, 2 Agility. Upgrades: Bomb, Crew, Torpedo, Missile, Tech, (Ept for some) Dial: Exactly the same, but add 3 tallon rolls or something.

Actions: Barrel Roll, Focus, Target Lock

The ship would come with some random cards, maybe new bombs, etc. and advanced optics.

And, finally, the Imperial Sabine! Well, not Sabine per se, but call it "Ordinance Technician (Imperial Only)" EDIT: Really more like Imperial Cad Bane, but same difference (kind of).

Ordinance Technician would read: "Your upgrade bar gains a (bomb slot). When an enemy ship rolls for bomb damage, you may spend a focus token assigned to your ship to change all (focus results) to (hit results)."

Or maybe, "When an enemy ship rolls for bomb damage, you spend a focus token assigned to your ship to change one (focus) to a (crit). Regardless of the bomb type being rolled for, this (crit) is dealt as a face up damage card."

I kind of like the second idea a little better, to be honest. Or instead of spending a focus, maybe have the effect triggered by "receiving a stress token if not stressed" or something.

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Ordinance Technician has built in synergy with advanced optics, or fleet officer or something. And adding the bomb slot would let the FO bomber take bomblet generator which would be nice.

<s> Yet, ironically, your "Ordnance Technician" will need a Bomber-shuttle (or such) to ride in.

- - -

That is, assuming you're intending that it be crew...

... and if that is the case, and using the "shuttle" title, you won't ever be able to make a TIE Bomber (FO or otherwise) have two bomb slots (for Bomblet). </s>

- - -

edit: I should read more closely

( that should be all struck out, but can't remember the tags )

30 minutes ago, ABXY said:

Yet, ironically, your "Ordnance Technician" will need a Bomber-shuttle (or such) to ride in.

- - -

That is, assuming you're intending that it be crew...

... and if that is the case, and using the "shuttle" title, you won't ever be able to make a TIE Bomber (FO or otherwise) have two bomb slots (for Bomblet).

A crew slot was included in the theoretical mockup.

I would prefere a fix I could use on the 5 tie bombers I already own to be honest. This alternate paint job First Order buisness ain't cutting it for me no more

1 hour ago, ABXY said:

Yet, ironically, your "Ordnance Technician" will need a Bomber-shuttle (or such) to ride in.

- - -

That is, assuming you're intending that it be crew...

... and if that is the case, and using the "shuttle" title, you won't ever be able to make a TIE Bomber (FO or otherwise) have two bomb slots (for Bomblet).

I was working on an Ordnance Tech as part of fiddling with a potential TIE Reaper expansion, and I had this realisation. It either needs to be a mod, or it needs to fit into a non-crew slot. So...

Ordnance Droid - Crew - when a ship at range 1-3 takes damage from one of your friendly [bomb], [missile], or [torpedo] upgrades, the ship being damaged chooses 1: take one extra damage, take one stress token, take one ion token. Friendly ships affected by this gain a focus token in addition.

If you do not have a crew slot, you may equip this in a [bomb], [missile], or [torpedo] slot. If you do, you may instead add one [bomb], [missile], or [torpedo] icon to your upgrade bar, if you already have at least one of that icon on your bar.

Yeah, it still doesn't let the TIE bomber get two bomb slots, but I'm honestly not convinced it should. And similarly, the fo bomber shouldn't either. THere's gotta be SOME good reason to use the Punisher.

I'm also pretty convinced that there needs to be an Imperial only mod that basically says 'you may equip any number of different mods, as long as you spend no more than 2 points in total on mods (maybe requiring an ordnance slot), so that Bombers, Punishers etc can actually equip ALL their fiixes instead of only one. THere are at least 3 cards that they all want.

Could we make Ordnance Tech a mod? This would actually make for an interesting choice for bombers: Do I want to bomb or do I want guidance chips?

And of course it would benefit the venerable TiE/sa.

If you want the Imperials to have an edge and make it something different to the TIE Bomber and other types, maybe the key is in the tech slot?

Tech: 1 point
Imperial Only
High Yield Ordnance
Your reveal {bomb} upgrade cards affect ships within range 1 - 2.

FFG don't like repeating upgrades. Since we already have add damage (Sabine) and re-roll damage (Cad Bane), it makes sense that Imperials get increased range. Then, just because:

Torp/missile: 0 point
Immeasurable Resources
Imperial Only
You may equip {Torp}, {Missile} and {Bomb} upgrade cards at -1 cost.

Missile: 4 points
Mag Pulse Missiles
Attack 4
Attack {Target Lock}
You may have the defender re-roll a number of defense dice equal to your primary weapon value.

2 hours ago, RampancyTW said:

A crew slot was included in the theoretical mockup.

My apologies to @thespaceinvader ! - I didn't spot that.

3 hours ago, Dwing said:

I would prefere a fix I could use on the 5 tie bombers I already own to be honest. This alternate paint job First Order buisness ain't cutting it for me no more

How about the FO-TIE-Bomber expansion coming with a normal Bomber (in FO Paint Sheme) and a "TIE-Bomber Refit" Title (two, better three copys) as a fix. That way the exiting Bombers could be used too.

47 minutes ago, Hannes Solo said:

How about the FO-TIE-Bomber expansion coming with a normal Bomber (in FO Paint Sheme) and a "TIE-Bomber Refit" Title (two, better three copys) as a fix. That way the exiting Bombers could be used too.

Something like that could work. Personally I am getting tired of all the fix titles and extra buys. Having 2-3 cards extra per ship just to keep them functioning. Another cool thing they could do is make more vehicle specific secondaries. So for example, bombs that can only be used by certain types of ships. An Imperial bomb that would be great on its own but elliminate the need for the Empire to also get a crew like Cad Bane or Sabine. I don't know what, but something to shake it up a bit.

Ordnance

Not ordinance. Please just get it right.

2 hours ago, Viktus106 said:

FFG don't like repeating upgrades.

Source? Because they have in the past? Many times?

FFG repeats upgrade all the time...just not 1:1 dupes - Expertise and Marksmanship are good examples. They are effectively the same dang thing, except one is an Action and has a Crit bonus while the other is passive, no crit, and 1pt more.

I really dont want the FO bomber to be a thing though. What would it do that would set it apart from the regular Bomber and the Punisher? Its doomed to either pushing both out the window, never used because the regular Bomber is uber cheap for what it does, or suffer the same fate of the Punisher where it just...cant do anything the Bomber doesnt do for like 10pts less.

Following typical FO treatments, +1shield, Tech, and a slightly improved dial. Tech would be the make or break point, as in is the tech valuable enough for the inevitable 5pt increase from the basic bomber on average? My gut would be no because bombers really only claim to fame is their cheap cost compared to the moderate durability and amount of dakka they can equip. Which is also being contested by the Gunboat these days btw.

Improved dial would probably remove the red turns...maybe give it green 1banks...maybe...

2 hours ago, RufusDaMan said:

Source? Because they have in the past? Many times?

Just meant that you don't get like for like.

Neither Scum nor Imperial have access to a card that adds a hit result when a bomb explodes. (Sabine)

Neither Rebel nor Imperial have access to a crew card that enables actionless re-rolls (Dengar)

Neither Rebel nor Imperial have access to a crew that enables them to acquire a free actionless target lock for moving. (K4 Sec)

They come close, but not the same. That sort of thing.

Sure, Predator is shared and so is VI but not faction specific, which tend to be the better cards.

3 hours ago, Viktus106 said:

Just meant that you don't get like for like.

Neither Scum nor Imperial have access to a card that adds a hit result when a bomb explodes. (Sabine)

Neither Rebel nor Imperial have access to a crew card that enables actionless re-rolls (Dengar)

Neither Rebel nor Imperial have access to a crew that enables them to acquire a free actionless target lock for moving. (K4 Sec)

They come close, but not the same. That sort of thing.

Sure, Predator is shared and so is VI but not faction specific, which tend to be the better cards.

No, but they can still make imperial bombs set results instead of adding or re-rolling. Why would it have to be range?