Inspired by an Alpha-Strike list I shared on another post.

The core of that build is Captain Jonus with two fellow bombers, each with a Homing Missile and an Adv. Proton Torpedo. Pity that 3 other bombers with that combo would be 103 points...

As it is, I had 18 points left over to burn, and Cluster Missiles are insane with a Jonus Bonus, and Proton Bombs are always nice.

The original build had Major Rhymer as one of the spare bombers, who gets extra distance on the Adv. Protons and the Clusters.

Captain Jonus
+ Adrenaline Rush

+ Proton Bomb

[28]

Scimitar Squadron Pilot

+ Homing Missiles

+ Cluster Missiles

+ Advanced Proton Torpedoes

+ Proton Bomb

[36]

Scimitar Squadron Pilot

+ Homing Missiles

+ Cluster Missiles

+ Advanced Proton Torpedoes

+ Proton Bomb

[36]

The alpha strike is as follows: The Scimitar Squaddies plant their Homing Missiles, and use the Jonus Bonus in lieu of spending the target lock to eke more damage out of the missiles.

The next turn, they focus, and use the Advanced Proton Torpedoes with the left-over Target Lock from the Homing Missiles, again using the Jonus Bonus to get rid of up to two Blanks.

The next turn, all 3 drop their Bombs before doing a Koiogran, to put them in position to spend the Cluster Missiles on turn 4, which is devastating with the Jonus Bonus. If a maneuver can be spotted that lets them Cluster Missile on turn 3, it is preferable.

I like the setup. I feel like it would be tough to pull off against interceptors though. The proton bombs could devastate them, but if I saw that coming and had an a wing or two, I would send all of my missiles after the captain pretty quick.

Have you considered paring Jonus with a Firespray sporting a hlc? Free rerolls on that bad boy sounds painful.

Have you considered paring Jonus with a Firespray sporting a hlc? Free rerolls on that bad boy sounds painful.

How about

Krassis Trellix

+ Heavy Laser Cannon

+ Recon Specialist

[46]

Captain Jonus

+ Adrenaline Rush

[23]

Scimitar Squadron Pilot

+ Homing Missiles

+ Advanced Proton Torpedoes

+ Cluster Missiles

[31]

[100]

I'm not sure how to put this but I look at the list and I see two fat cows with lots of points on them that can be killed before they ever get the chance to use them. I mean you're taking two 16 point ships and adding 20 points of extras onto them. Even if you get two missiles off and successfully drop the bomb you've still got "wasted" points on those bombers. This also ignores the chance of a critical hit knocking off your ordinance before it even gets a chance to be used.

With Jonus you don't really need to spend your target lock or even have focus on top of the target lock.

I would trade out the Homming Missiles for Concussion Missiles or Assault Missiles.

What I really like are the cluser missiles, since between the two shots, Jonus lets you re-roll 4 dice

You are going to want to keep Jonus back. He is a really tempting target for your opponent.

Hopefully he will stay alive 3 turns. Long enough to fire all three salvos.

I think this squadron can put out tons of hate. And Three TIE bombers should actually last longer than three X-wings. Try it tell us how it plays

I like the second one. Jonus gives everyone a solid bonus, but alone he is your least expensive ship. Your opponent has to decide to go for the cheap, bonus giver first, or one of the two heavy hitters. Let me know if you get to play this one. I may try something similar weekend (I only have 1 bomber right now, and I don't think anybody else I play has one yet either). I'll put out a report in any case.

im agreeing with stevo on this one, ur scimitars r very tempting target for any ships with pilots skill 3+, they r most likely going to gang rush one of them and aim to kill it b4 it can unload even its second missile/torp. 6 hull seems decent, but when they target one of ur ships with everything its going to take a beating and very possibly get taken down early.

the trick i think with bomber squads is to balance ur secondaries between all ur ships and keep ur total squad points per ship less that 28pts. if u load up ur ships ur going to find it hard to recover that many points in a tournament. if ur playing just for fun then thats a different matter tho.

i favour a bomber squad something like...

99pts

1x Capt. Jonus + squad leader (24pts)

1x scimitar sqdrn pilot + assault missiles + cluster missiles (25pts)

1x scimitar sqdrn pilot + assault missiles + cluster missiles (25pts)

1x scimitar sqdrn pilot + assault missiles + cluster missiles (25pts)

I also feel you will desperately need that 4th ship. That way all of them wouldbe cheaper and makingup a target priority would be a mess for your opponent. And the task does not get less complicated in the process. Do i shoot the bomber with oly 1 Hull left or the one that still has its missiles?

I run something rather similar to the Brown Bombers list sometimes. I just take different ordnance. I usually give one of my Bombers Advanced torps whenever i give Jonus Squad leader. I give everyone 2 ordnance, too, but sometimes i mix in a Bomb for good measure. Usually the cheap one with huge blast radius, just for the turn i want to drop it, then K-turn 5, so the enem has to think about something while maneuvering.

in a way i think the cluster missiles give u a close range option similar to using mines as u can use them in close if they rush you. If they use a rush tactic one option u have with cluster missiles is to target lock THEN k-turn, setting up a close range shot. yes i know its situational and in practice may well be difficult to pull off and keep capt. jonus at range 1 of the attacking bomber but it just might work (could take a bit of practice using this squad to get comfortable with this sort of manouvre)

in my mind, mines and bombs are just as tricky to pull off, especially on low pilot skill bombers where u will most of the time be moving early in the round and guessing where they will end up on their move. if i was gonna use a bomb id put it on jonus (but he is already a primary target!)

What about giving every Bomber one of the 2 points bombs. You still have plenty of points for ordnance left. So you go straight for the enemy, unload what you can, then the turn you rush past hin you plaster his way with tokens. Difficult to avoid, and who says you have to lay them down all at once. If you feel the enemy will avoid them, just lay one down, if you see one or more of his ships can't jet past, unleash hell. This will avoid tge enemy Koiograning through your fleet 100%. And after that you can still do it if you like. This would hugely disrupt enemy movement especially if he also needs to stay in formation, like Biggs or Howlrunner lists. Imperial Tie Lusts just cant affird to run into 2 or more such bombs. So they will need to be really careful.

I also never liked the idea of bombs on Firesprays, because they would only carry one, and anyway it has no big problems with enemies on its 6. But Tie Bombers can spam these things, and especially the cheap seismic charges on a small ship and en masse seem pretty scary. One mistake and the enemy puts 2-3 Tie Fighters or interceptors away. X-Wings still take a serious beating and have a harder time avoiding this stuff.

I admit i have played with one single seismic on Jonus only, not with 4 of them. But still it seems like a good idea and i will test it.

To talk about dracon's alpha list, I have been trying to make bombers work for awhile now and the problem is always getting the lock early enough.

I don't think you can roll them forward firing each set o missiles because the move first. By the time you have your first lock they are in your face.

On rhis note I much prefer Brown Bombers list, though it still suffers the ssme peoblem on two bombers if not all depending on opponents PS skill.

I see this is slightly compensated for by missiles at all ranges, i have also tried this.

Just as a thought... untested as yet..

I am leaning towards just the clusters and haven't decided yet, possibly a bomb each or howlrunner for that first round of shhoting.

Am going to put my mind to it today.

Tried my vader, Jonus, scimitar missile swarm tactics chain again last night and it can be very effective but getting a lock on the scimitar, sometmes Jonus is always the problem.

I'm not thrilled with list and i know there was a thread on whether howl an jonus should be in rhe same squad, but thought i might try a mini swarm with missiles.

3 x Scimitar w/ cluster

Jonus

Howlrunner

Or perhaps drop one scimitar for a black squad with draw thier fire and give howl stealth and jonus squad leader or bomb or something, perhaps swarm on howl instead of stealth.

Rambling now..... bye