TIE Bombers too fast

[Perakkir 108]

You know....the REAL ones...  lol

[megamen 332]

Honestly, given the high hull and low cost on the bombers, I don't think it is worth escorting them. I would rather escort tie Ints, given their higher price and lower hull.

I mean, you can take more bombers than the rebels can take in fighters (11 bombers vs 9 awings). If the rebels go for a mixed flight to include bombers, then you can really overwhelm the opponent with numbers. It will take an awing 3-4 turns to kill a bomber, which means you have neutralized an enemy squadron for the game, and dice willing, not lost the fighter.

[ficklegreendice 34,362]

high health means very little when bombers will be outfought by almost anything

 

and they will. maximum of 1 damage against squadrons means that even ys will slap them around (though the real problem is being engaged)

I don't know if you need the Escort ability with that health, but you definitely need to engage enemy fighters somehow

[JimmyMethod 74]

Thinking back to the X-Wing sims (Alliance and X-Wing, in particular), TIE Bombers were always the number one priority to take down. They could make mincemeat of any rebel ship and it took a concerted effort to knock them down. They may be a little inexpensive, but that's balanced by their single attack die.

 

FFG always had done a great job of playtesting in beta before they release something and I doubt they would release this without make sure it was fairly well balanced.

[Madaghmire 7,278]

Even though I agree "realistically" in-universe the bombers should be no faster than the Y-Wings, I also agree the slight extra speed is probably good for gameplay. As mentioned, it does make them more able to chase down fast Rebel ships thinking they can zoom by and flank a Star Destroyer with little resistance.

 

I also think it helps them thematically.. though probably not intended. They may usually be slow, but they have a habit of dropping in unexpectedly in the things I've watched/played.

It reminds me of missions like in Rogue Squadron II during the Battle of Endor level, when all of a sudden a huge mob of TIE Bombers pops up by surprise and bears down on the Rebel ships.

 

"Those bombers are going after the medical frigate!"

Exactly this. Sure they were about as fast as Ywings in the games and books, but it would be just as wrong for rebel caps to be straight up outrunning them. Still think the bwings could have used one more speed tho, same reason. But balance must take precedence.

[Takeda 257]

Speed 4. and 5 hit points?

 

Granted only 1 black.  but this makes it as durable as an X-wing, and faster then all the rebel fighters but the A-wing.   Put Rhymer surrounded by TIE Advanced (with escort) and you got plenty of black dice to rip through most rebel ships after a squadron command

 

Really hating this, and it is only wave 1

 

The rebels really have nothing to counter this.

All rebels must die.

[Hrathen 1,463]

TIE Bombers can't hold other fighters in an engagement or keep them from attacking you ships.  That is a huge weakness for them.

 

Rhymer's ability only works for attacking ships (not squadrons) and getting my fighters into attack range against enemy ships hasn't ever really been a problem for me, so though his ability is good it isn't super great.

[Geressen 824]

oh, and since I am in the process of unboxing.  The VSD unique "Corrupter" exasperates this problem.  Now they can move and attack at speed 5 when activated by a command dial.  only way i see to counter this is to use an A-wing to engage them to prevent  them from moving

you know you don't have to race them in a circle, just intercept and engage them right?  the bombers are going to target your ships. so you know where they want to go.

[Spiralface 0]

TIE Bombers can't hold other fighters in an engagement or keep them from attacking you ships.  That is a huge weakness for them.

 

Rhymer's ability only works for attacking ships (not squadrons) and getting my fighters into attack range against enemy ships hasn't ever really been a problem for me, so though his ability is good it isn't super great.

 

This is where I think players are going to have to learn to "Screen" their ships with fighters. Medium range is not that large, its simple enough to set up a screening line of fighters to prevent the bombers from getting that medium range without being at distance 1 from your fighters (as they would have to find a "sweat spot" that doesn't put them at range 1 of your fighters to get their medium range shots off with Rhymer.)

 

Bombers are basically giant bricks once engaged.  Sure they can take some hits, but with only 1 black attack dice, they would have to outnumber an X-wing 5-1 to EVER hope to even shoot them down in combat.  1v1 an xwing can pretty much permanently tie down bombers due to their high health. 

[TallGiraffe 3,447]

 

oh, and since I am in the process of unboxing.  The VSD unique "Corrupter" exasperates this problem.  Now they can move and attack at speed 5 when activated by a command dial.  only way i see to counter this is to use an A-wing to engage them to prevent  them from moving

you know you don't have to race them in a circle, just intercept and engage them right?  the bombers are going to target your ships. so you know where they want to go.

 

Not if you use Major Rhymer and attack from medium range.

[ficklegreendice 34,362]

 

 

oh, and since I am in the process of unboxing.  The VSD unique "Corrupter" exasperates this problem.  Now they can move and attack at speed 5 when activated by a command dial.  only way i see to counter this is to use an A-wing to engage them to prevent  them from moving

you know you don't have to race them in a circle, just intercept and engage them right?  the bombers are going to target your ships. so you know where they want to go.

 

Not if you use Major Rhymer and attack from medium range.

 

 

pretty sure engaged squadrons can only fire at squadrons they're engaged with

 

would have to account for rhymer, but you can engage them before they shoot your ships

[Marinealver 8,073]

I am very fine with speed 4 for the TIE-Bomber. The TIEs are meant to be fast and agile. And even a TIE-Bomber is as agile as an X-Wing.

 

However Hull 5 is a bit much for my taste. 4 or even 3 would have fit better.

 

I still dont see or understand how FFG reflects the Agility of a fightercraft at all....

That is the thing, there is no agility for fighters. They completely remove dice for damage reduction and replace it with defense tokens. However when it comes to squadrons only hero squadrons have defense tokens such as scatter which is well broken if only there were good only on fighter squadrons. Also squadrons have no damage recovery.

 

IMHO all Ties should have had an evade token and all shielded rebel ships should have had a brace token to represent the shields and agility of those ships. However with all the damage reduction in Armada making it so that removing a capital ship almost takes 2 whole games (12 turns) I can see why they needed the fighters to be fragile.

Edited May 15, 2015 by Marinealver

[nekomatafuyu 1,080]

For the most part, the removal of agility stats for fighters is to simplify them - they are ultimately a side act for the main stars of the game after all.

That said, they have included the Heavy rule to represent that some fighters aren't particularly maneuverable: a TIE Bomber's lack of maneuverability is the reason why it has no say in the matter of whether or not an engaged enemy gets to fly off or not.

[Versch 689]

If anyone is quitting over the alleged OPness of Rhymer and Imperial Bombers, can I buy your stuff on the cheap?  

 

All kidding aside, without the inclusion of Major Rhymer I wouldn't/won't buy a Bomber for an Imperial list cuz (1) I'm bad and (2) its just my opinion that I can get more out of a TIE. 

[Azorius16 10]

Tie Bombers have two sets of Twin Ion Engines, but a bulky body filled with ordnance. To me, they would probably go fast when getting from point A to point B with no resistance, but in a dogfight they are heavy and don't shoot much. This is contrary to the B-Wing. Overall it is a slow ship when going full speed and straight ahead, but in a dog fight the rotating cockpit and various armament makes it better. So to sum things up, the TIE bomber is fast, but not maneuverable. Although frankly I was surprised that paired with corrupter they are the fastest fighter possible.

[Ophion 932]

I wonder how TIE Adv combined with Soontir would go as an escort?

[ficklegreendice 34,362]

I wonder how TIE Adv combined with Soontir would go as an escort?

 

honestly, I think that combo could be fine without the bombers

 

if taken with duo Victories (which can't do **** v squadrons) and a flight controller, you get fast X-wings with some nice extra damage v squadrons and 75% chance of damage per advance squadron to support the vics against faster ships like corvettes

It's not as specialized, but it is a nice well-rounded little group

[Kaldriss 2]

Speed 4. and 5 hit points?

 

Granted only 1 black.  but this makes it as durable as an X-wing, and faster then all the rebel fighters but the A-wing.   Put Rhymer surrounded by TIE Advanced (with escort) and you got plenty of black dice to rip through most rebel ships after a squadron command

 

Really hating this, and it is only wave 1

 

The rebels really have nothing to counter this.

Can't tell if serious....

[felforlife 151]

Speed 4. and 5 hit points?

 

Granted only 1 black.  but this makes it as durable as an X-wing, and faster then all the rebel fighters but the A-wing.   Put Rhymer surrounded by TIE Advanced (with escort) and you got plenty of black dice to rip through most rebel ships after a squadron command

 

Really hating this, and it is only wave 1

 

The rebels really have nothing to counter this.

 

I know others have already said it, but perhaps play some games before jumping to conclusions?

My play group and I proxied Wave 1 for close to a month before it was released, and TRUST ME, it's fine.  Rebels have multi purpose fighters like the X-Wing and the B-Wing, while all of the Imperial fighters are extremely specialized and have less health.  All it takes is ONE of your squadrons to tie the TIE's up for several turns, since the bombers SUCK at dealing with enemy fighters.  Rhymer honestly isn't that scary either, he's good but not unbeatable or broken.

 

 

It's the B-wings I don't really get.

B-Wings are absolutely disgustingly good. I played a tourney game against a 4B 4A list with Gallant Haven today and good lord that build is terrifying.  Barely eked out a win with 40pt margin.

[Goknights12 123]

Look the rebel ships are much faster and more agile than the imperial ships, if the bomber only had a speed of 2 or 3 it would never be able to predict or attack a 3 speed maneuver by the rebels. Unlike the b-wing against a slow predictable star destroyer, the bombers have really one shot at the range 4 or 5 attack, and then they are dead to rights because they are out of range of a command and swarmed by fighters at this point. I think he bombers are fine, it was either this or they would be completely useless.