Here's the problem with bombers, it's mostly bug fixes, but it's also imbalances that need to be worked out:

 

Bug: Their mines/drones do not respect LoS. You can have an asteroid/satellite between you and it, it will still hit you.

Imbalance: Missile turrets have a blaster cannon on top of the missiles they fire. Too much damage for one weapon imo.

Imbalance: Missile turrets require zero time to lock on and fire. Soon as you're in range, you've got a missile headed towards you.

Imbalance: Rail gun turrets NEVER miss, no matter if you've maxed out your evasion, and pop distortion field to boot.

Imbalance: Turrets have WAY too much HP for something as small as they are. True the mines get one-shot, but so should the drones. They're tiny just how armored/shielded could they possibly be?

 

So yeah, they need a little work.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Korithras

Yup. I've got nothing against the idea of bombers or even many of the aspects of ion cannon. The problem is that they're just not balanced right now for what they can do. Scouts and Distortion Field are looking much more balanced at the moment, so hopefully they can do the same soon for the others.

 

Oh and just a tip, switching to reinforced armor helps a good bit against the bomber's mines/drones. It helps but unfortunately it's still the 'avoid the drone-field/minefield game.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Lugaidh

Me, by myself, in a brand new, non-upgraded at all warcarrier, held a satellite for an entire game, never died, once, and finished with top damage and top kills. All I did was circle the node dropping seismic mines, repair drones, and missile drones.

 

Bombers are, in fact, ridiculously overpowered.

Yeah, I've given up on GSF. I loved my fully topped out Blackbolt, even if it was a wasp, but at least I got some kills. Now the bombers galump over a spot and seed it with close range mines and drones and the Gunships stand off and kill from the edge of nowhere. I could deal with the Gunships, you can evade them. But gone were the days of zipping in to take out a turret or two, or dogfighting; a Scout class flies into a seeded area and its like going into a bugzapper. Was bad enough when the Gunships could tap you once and then destroy you...now with the mines they don't even have to tap you; you get pretapped. Flew one mission where every Pub was flying a Gunship or a Bomber. We had experienced pilots, 2 gunships, 3 scouts and the rest were in SF's...we got 112 points. Usually I get at least 2-4 kills and half a dozen turrets. I got none, and only 1 turret kill. Got killed nine times. Nine. Usually I may get killed once or twice, but with the lethal mix of bombers and Gunships, was impossible. Gunships I have no problem with; they can be evaded or you can zip up to them and do them damage. Add the bombers and its just ridiculous to fly a scout. Was gearing up a Cartel SF, but just too bored with it now to bother.

Here's the problem with bombers, it's mostly bug fixes, but it's also imbalances that need to be worked out:

 

Bug: Their mines/drones do not respect LoS. You can have an asteroid/satellite between you and it, it will still hit you.

Imbalance: Missile turrets have a blaster cannon on top of the missiles they fire. Too much damage for one weapon imo.

Imbalance: Missile turrets require zero time to lock on and fire. Soon as you're in range, you've got a missile headed towards you.

Imbalance: Rail gun turrets NEVER miss, no matter if you've maxed out your evasion, and pop distortion field to boot.

Imbalance: Turrets have WAY too much HP for something as small as they are. True the mines get one-shot, but so should the drones. They're tiny just how armored/shielded could they possibly be?

 

So yeah, they need a little work.

 

I'll agree that drone LOS, missile drone zero time to lock on and fire, and rail gun accuracy are all issues that should be balanced with bombers. In my last post, I hope I didn't come off sounding as though I thought bombers were just right as they are. But all the ships can probably use some balancing, and with bombers being newest to be released to the masses, they've had the least amount of time to get fixed. I'm not trying to excuse it, just stating what I see as the facts.

 

I have mastered a scout, strike, and bomber, and am one tier 5 box from a mastered gunship. Having played all of these against both total newbies as well as experienced pilots, I can say that I've struggled against good pilots in all the ships as well as owned lesser pilots in all the ships. While the ship (as well as its upgrades) do make a difference, it's more about skill and teamwork. In my bomber, I've had the most trouble with gunships and scouts. In my scout, I have the most trouble with gunships and strikes. In my strike, I'm the most comfortable and I can't say there's any ship type that gives me more trouble, just good opponents. In my gunship, I have trouble with everyone since sniping's just not my thing, I doubt I'll ever be as good with it. But in all of them, a good pilot in any ship is more of a concern to me than what ship they're flying. I've abused my share of inexperienced pilots in bombers using any of my ships.

 

So yeah, balancing is needed. Not just with bombers, but perhaps a little more so with them. Mainly though, two things are more important than the ship you're flying or the ship you're flying against -- you and your opponent's skill with whatever ship it may be, and that of the folks flying with and against you.

Here's the problem with bombers, it's mostly bug fixes, but it's also imbalances that need to be worked out:

 

Bug: Their mines/drones do not respect LoS. You can have an asteroid/satellite between you and it, it will still hit you.

Imbalance: Missile turrets have a blaster cannon on top of the missiles they fire. Too much damage for one weapon imo.

Imbalance: Missile turrets require zero time to lock on and fire. Soon as you're in range, you've got a missile headed towards you.

Imbalance: Rail gun turrets NEVER miss, no matter if you've maxed out your evasion, and pop distortion field to boot.

Imbalance: Turrets have WAY too much HP for something as small as they are. True the mines get one-shot, but so should the drones. They're tiny just how armored/shielded could they possibly be?

 

So yeah, they need a little work.

 

LOS is a bug, and should get fixed. I am confident that they will.

Missile damage on top of laser damage! Oh the horror... wait they ... tickle compared to any other weapon out there.

Turret lasers CAN and DO miss. Learn to evade (hint, do not fly straight at, or away from).

The missile lock on time of zero is a pain, but you can use that information to know that this is a "missile drone" missile or seeker mine... and not a player's sabotage probe. Not sure if this is intended, but I like knowing the difference.

Drone HP feels about right to me. If you cannot hit a small stationary object... practice some more. (I really don't mean that in a negative way) Target the drone/mine/whatever with "e" and put your cursor on it, takes like 1-2 seconds to kill one and the bomber (IF UPGRADED) has to wait 60 seconds between drones... mines are 15 seconds each. So they should NOT get 1 shot if they take 60 seconds to replace.

 

Try adjusting your ship builds/play style to what works (and there are multiple ways). Don't try to change the game when most of us can be successful as a bomber and flying against a bomber... (that tends to indicate balance)

Me, by myself, in a brand new, non-upgraded at all warcarrier, held a satellite for an entire game, never died, once, and finished with top damage and top kills. All I did was circle the node dropping seismic mines, repair drones, and missile drones.

 

Bombers are, in fact, ridiculously overpowered.

 

I would love to know how you contrived to get sesmic mines on a dronecarrier.

Missile damage on top of laser damage! Oh the horror... wait they ... tickle compared to any other weapon out there.

 

That "tickle" prevents your shields from regenerating, leaving you vulnerable to any incoming damage.

Bombers are very easy to take out, they are weak without the Drones , mines. Take out the drones and mines 1st and they are very easy after that. Bombers are a support / tank class in a way, if you want to survive as a bomber you need shields on full strength, so that caps the damage the bomber / player can do them self when firing you main gun.

 

People are silly as well, never stay to close to a bomber while chasing them, you know how many times i put mines in peoples faces because they like to follow me right up my behind. Also you can see mines and drones from miles away, make a b-line for them and fast, drones / mines only take a few hits. Gunships are very annoying against a bomber due to the fact they can sit far away and take out the mines and drones then start to give the bomber it self a beating.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Britzer

That "tickle" prevents your shields from regenerating, leaving you vulnerable to any incoming damage.

 

So the value of quick-charge shields went up... but seriously 1 vs 1 name a pilot that actually fears any drones... name 1.

 

Imbalance: Missile turrets have a blaster cannon on top of the missiles they fire. Too much damage for one weapon imo..

 

Er what? So it has two weapon types, big deal. The damage from missile turrets isn't that impressive, particularly against upgraded ships.

 

Even a fully upgraded missile turret isn't that powerful.

 

 

Imbalance: Missile turrets require zero time to lock on and fire. Soon as you're in range, you've got a missile headed towards you..

 

Right, so you wan to take away one of the few things it has going for it? Missile turrets are easy to kill, like the other turrets, and don't hit any where near as hard as player ships. The auto lock on feature is what makes them viable.

 

Imbalance: Rail gun turrets NEVER miss, no matter if you've maxed out your evasion, and pop distortion field to boot..

 

Considering the long lock on time they have, that's hardly an imbalance.

 

Imbalance: Turrets have WAY too much HP for something as small as they are. .

 

Lol, ok now I know you've got to be joking

 

Even an upgraded turret with the extra hit points and armour doesn't take much to kill. The reality is they are very easy to destroy, maybe even a little too easy, especially given the cool down timer before they can be deployed again.

 

So yeah, they need a little work.

 

So yeah, basically you just want them to be lumbering piles of junk that can't actually do anything.