Wow! This wave is really bringing new things to the table - a weapon that totally ignores shields! In the latest FFG article ( http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=4284 ), notice this about Proton Bombs:

"In fact, the only thing that you may feel matches that sort of bargain is the bargain you score when your five-point Proton Bombs successfully land some meaningful critical damage on opposing starships. How about an Injured Pilot on Wedge Antilles ? Or a Munitions Failure on a loaded B-wing? Better yet, what if that critical damage is a Direct Hit that bypasses an A-wing’s shields to obliterate it one blast? The more your opponent relies upon shields to give him time to utilize his unique pilot abilities, talents, and other upgrades, the greater the chance your Proton Bombs have of radically altering the course of the game."

Wow! Ignores shields and dumps an automatic critical hit on all targets at range 1!

That is pretty crazy. One shotting Rebel ships is kinda OP in my opinion. The shields is really all they have going for themselves.

Pretty sure only the "direct hit" card ignores shields. Dont see anywhere in the article that says the bomb's damage ignores shields, just the "direct hit" card.

Pretty sure only the "direct hit" card ignores shields. Dont see anywhere in the article that says the bomb's damage ignores shields, just the "direct hit" card.

If a ship had shields up when it took damage, there would be no opportunity to get a damage card (face up or face down).

I've not seen the 'detonate' wording for proton bombs yet, but I wonder if they're just a faceup damage card assigned to the ships in range. (so it avoids shields, etc)

Pretty sure only the "direct hit" card ignores shields. Dont see anywhere in the article that says the bomb's damage ignores shields, just the "direct hit" card.

The only reason the Direct Hit is applied is because the wording of the card is "deal one face-up damage card to each ship in range 1" NOT "deal one critical damage" and the FFG article mentioned confirms this. I posted the Proton Bomb cards in the OP to clarify. Trust me, it bypasses shields.

And why would that be frost? There's nothing in the "Direct Hit" card to suggest it bypasses shields, and there is no reason to believe that the Proton Bomb will have text that says "Deal a face-up damage card, and if it is a Direct Hit , Bypass their shields". If this bomb doesn't bypass shields, then it is only a Seismic Charge, and nothing else. Certainly not worth the 3 more points on the off chance you get a direct hit.

I have no doubt that the proton bomb will bypass all shields, every time. Still, only the A-wing is in danger of an instant death, and if it bypasses a B-wing's shields and puts a "Direct Hit" on it, you still have 5 shields to shoot through. It's a very cool bomb, but won't be that game-changing.

Pretty sure only the "direct hit" card ignores shields. Dont see anywhere in the article that says the bomb's damage ignores shields, just the "direct hit" card.

What they are saying is that the proton bomb ignores shields to deal a critical hit so if you’re at full shields in an A WING and your hit by a proton bomb, if the critical card you pull is a direct hit you are dead.

wow if thats the case then thats crazy>.<

so then the direct hit still takes out 2 shields if applied "normally" not just goes straight to your hull.

i probably just got confused by the "direct hit" wording that Boomer just posted

wow if thats the case then thats crazy>.<

so then the direct hit still takes out 2 shields if applied "normally" not just goes straight to your hull.

i probably just got confused by the "direct hit" wording that Boomer just posted

no, the shields still remain, but the hull damage is applied.. if the ship that is hit survives, the opponent must chew through the remaining shields to damage the last bit of hull to finish the ship off

no where does the card state that it destroys all shields and damages the hull.. just that it ignores/penetrates through the shields

Proton bombs are not affected by shields. In the above mentioned scenario with the A Wing the bomb would destroy your ship and then the shields would give out because your shield generator and power system would have been destroyed along with the ship. If you ever watched the Clone Wars show think of the episode that the thermal detonators where used against the droideka. I hope I’m not over explaining?

So am I hearing correctly that the Direct Hit critical card bypasses shields?

If so Ive never known that. Game changing card right there if it does.

Yea what executor said.

Wow, Direct Hit is about 1/4 the deck too.

No the proton bomb bypasses shields to give a critical hit (face up damage card). If the face up damage card happens to be the direct hit card you lose 2 points to your hull

So the Direct Hit card does not bypass shields?

So the Direct Hit card does not bypass shields?

If it's generated via the Proton Bomb it does bypass shields.

My rulebook shows that a ship is destroyed when the number of damage cards dealt to it equals or exceeds its hull points. A Proton Bomb deals the ship a face up card. This isn't a "hit" in the normal manner that a shield will negate but rather something that goes right through. If you get dealt card equal to your hull it doesn't matter how much shields you have left.

Reading the "Direct Hit" card I can see why there may be problems as it says it counts as "2 damage" against the hull when it probably should say it counts as "2 damage CARDS" against the hull. I mean in theory having it deal "2 damage" doesn't mean a thing when you're just counting card vs. hull as damage is not part of the destruction equation.

I think too much is being put into "bypassing shields". Proton bombs are a fairly unique ability to just place a damage card face up. (thanks to the op for the 'helper card' link, been looking for that )

No the direct hit card does not bypass shields it’s the proton bomb that does allowing you to get a critical hit (face up damage card) that may happen to be the direct hit card, injured pilot or munitions failure or any other critical hit (face up damage card). Regardless of the amount of shields you have. Your shields will be at the same strength after the bomb blast as before the bomb blast.

i have tried bombs a couple of times. for me there are hard to hit with. but the tie bomber might be easier that a firespray

I'm guessing Chewbacca (pilot) is immune to the proton bomb.

For Chewbacca it would just be one hull damage since he would immediately flip it over from critical hit (face up) to just hit (face down).

That's gonna leave a mark and not buff out.

An interesting thought, I wonder what happen if Chewie (crewman) get rid of the card while the ship has its full shield up.

So am I hearing correctly that the Direct Hit critical card bypasses shields?

If so Ive never known that. Game changing card right there if it does.

Normally, no Damage card bypasses shields. From the rulebook, pg. 13:

"For each damage or critical damage suffered, the ship must lose one shield token. If it has no shield tokens, it muse receive one Damage card instead."

So, before Proton Bomb, you would only ever get a Direct Hit card, or any Damage card, if you had no shields remaining.

Proton Bomb's exciting because its Damage cards (all of them) do bypass shields. That's the game-changer.