Aeronautica Imperialis - How did you arm your aircraft?

[Burni]

Finally made a decision about what ordnance to hang on my starter set aircraft (plus a box of Destroyers).

 

For the Orks, I decided it was vital to ensure every wing station was full, to do it any other way was un-Orky.

 

Orks

Fighta-Bomber 1 (ground attack - da Orkhog) 1 set of big bombs and 2 sets of wing bombs

Fighta-Bomber 2 (air superiority - da Raptork) 2 sets of rokkits and 1 set of extra shootas

DakkaJet 1 (air superiority - da Vipork) 1 set of rokkits and 1 set of extra shootas

DakkaJet 2 (air superiority - da Fantork) 2 sets of rokkits

DakkaJet 3 (multi-role - da Orkvark) 1 set of rokkits and 1 set of wing bombs

 

Imperial

Thunderbolt (air superiority) nothing on wing stations

Thunderbolt Fury (air superiority) 1 set of skystrike missiles

Marauder 1 (bomber) 2 sets of hellstrike missiles

Marauder 2 (bomber) 1 set of hellstrike missiles and 1 set of wing bombs

Marauder Destroyer 1 (bomber) 2 sets of skystrike missiles

Marauder Destroyer 2 (bomber) 1 set of skystrike missiles

 

The rokkits are pretty damn small to attach!

 

So now I can get them painted, so hopefully I get a decent break in the weather to do so in the next few days.

[MithrilForge]

Thanks for your list Burni,

I didn’t realise you could put extra shoota’s on DakkaJet’s ... don’t have my rules on me, is it simply extra shots?!..

I’d better think more about arming my planes other than rule of cool !...

 

Cheers, Mithril

[klisof]

I've gone with rule of cool for assembling my planes so far, I'll use the cards to actually show what missiles/bombs they have.

Having said that many of them will be the same on cards and model.

 

Also it looks cool on the model, but it sounds like you are planning on playing WYSIWYG? If that's right I though you could not mix big bombs with rokkits/small bombs?

The rules say a fighter bomber may be equipped with 3 weapons from the Wing bomb/rokkit list or 2 from the second list which just has big bombs?

If you're playing like me so list trump's models ignore that question :)

 

 

So far I've assembled:

Orks

Fighter bomber with 2 sets of big bombs (ground attack)

Fighter bomber with kustom big shooters and 2 sets of rokkits (air superiority)

Dakka jet with kustom big shooters and 1 set of rokkits (air superiority)

Dakka jet with 2 sets of rokkits (air superiority)

Dakka jet with 1 set of rokkits and 1 set of wing bombs (multirole)

Basically the same as your except the fighter bomber with more big bombs

 

Imperial

2 thunderbolts each with 1 set of hellstrike and 1 set of skystrike missiles (multirole, assembled so I can change them between fury and autocannon loadouts)

2 Marauder bombers each with 2 sets of hellstrike and 2 sets of wing bombs (ground attack)

1 marauder destroyer with 2 sets of skystrike and 2 sets of hellstrike missiles (multirole)

1 Marauder destroyer - not decided what to give this one yet, I'm waiting for more thunderhawk to be delivered so I have spare missiles

 

On order - 4 more thunderbolts, not decided what they are going to have yet.

 

I'm drawn towards more multirole aircraft at the moment so the loss of one plane does not deminish my capacity in one area too much.

[Burni]

So the thing to know about me is that I’m terrible at interpreting rules...

 

I thought the big bombs were in a separate table as they are more expensive but what you say makes sense.

 

It’s not a big problem, as I am just a causal beer and pretzel gamer and was going for defined role but with rule of cool anyway, but my FLGS might run a campaign so I did want to be somewhat wisiwyg.

 

And yeah Mithril, they are a bit pricey (3pts) but its extra shots. And you only get 2 sets which are on the fighta-bomber sprue.

[MithrilForge]

So the thing to know about me is that I’m terrible at interpreting rules...

 

I thought the big bombs were in a separate table as they are more expensive but what you say makes sense.

 

It’s not a big problem, as I am just a causal beer and pretzel gamer and was going for defined role but with rule of cool anyway, but my FLGS might run a campaign so I did want to be somewhat wisiwyg.

 

And yeah Mithril, they are a bit pricey (3pts) but its extra shots. And you only get 2 sets which are on the fighta-bomber sprue.

 

In regards to that...if your allowed to..Would it be Cunning and or Brutal   to put the extra shooters onto an Ork Ace...

 

Cheers, Mithril

[Andy Tea]

I've gone with the following but I doubt I'll be playing them as WYSIWYG, especially as things get really expensive if you go heavy on the ordinance

 

Orks

Dakajets - all have 4 rockets for air superioty

Fighta Bommer - both have extra big shootas and then 2 sets of bombs, its not a fighta bommer if it doesn't have bombs is it?

 

Imperials

Thunderbolts - multirole fighter so 1 pair of skystrikes and a paid of hell strikes each

Marauder bombers - brining the rain, 2 sets of helstrikes and 2 sets of wing bombs each

Marauder destroyers - I've not built yet but the plan is for full hellstrikes

 

when I get some more thunderbolts 2 will be built as furies which will get full skystrikes and the other 2 thunderbolts might get wing bombs but I've not decided on that yet

 

Oh and when the Grot bommer comes out that will obviously be all grot bombs

[Burni]

I've been viewing the Destroyer as a heavy anti aircraft platform but everyone seems to be making them multirole with hellstrikes. What am I missing?

[Marshal Rohr]

I'm a sucker for dedicated roles, so when the Lightning comes out, they'll be loaded to the gills Hellstrikes, while my Thunderbolts will be totally dedicated to Air-to-Air Combat with Skystrikes. Probably not the most well rounded option, but Marauders with nothing but Bombs is probably how I'm going to go. The Destroyer I'm waffling on, because I like the idea of a heavy ground attack craft but I see a lot of people making them heavy air-to-air, like Burni said. 

Edited September 12, 2019 by Marshal Rohr

[klisof]

For me at least it's so the loadout matches the fluff for the destroyer, it's described as a low lever ground attack aircraft that makes high speed staffing runs with guns/missiles when closing, drops its Bombs and then hits them with the twin assault common as it leaves as a wave goodbye.

 

For the crunch in games a destroyer with hellstrike's should be good for eliminating flak guns. A bomber with all wing bombs can only hit a target when it's in the same hex or the target is in its rear arc, flak will be a danger when you manoeuvre into position. Hellstrike's can hit the AA at long range when it's a lot less dangerous.

 

Having said that, this is all theory hammer at the moment. When the community has more experience dealing with ground assets there might be better strategies

Edited September 12, 2019 by klisof

[Andy Tea]

I've been viewing the Destroyer as a heavy anti aircraft platform but everyone seems to be making them multirole with hellstrikes. What am I missing?

 

in my head its because off the jump troops, the destroyer flies in low and slow pounding the ground defences and then drops the jump troops to secure the area

 

but the idea of an air superiority version is a cool idea

[Beaky Brigade]

Re multi role, I'm wondering if it's a good idea to mix bombing run weapons and strafing run weapons on the same aircraft, especially bombers.

The reason being aircraft can't target anything else when doing a strafing run, but they can with a bombing run.

So if you strafe a ground target with a Marauder the turret guns fall silent for a turn. I guess if you are going slow enough you can maybe bomb the same ground target when you pass over it the following turn?

[Arendious]

The reason being aircraft can't target anything else when doing a strafing run, but they can with a bombing run.

 

 

This really punishes attack aircraft like the Fighta-Bomba and the Destroyer (And the Avenger, eventually). It seems like a rules failure that aircraft with self-defense armament can't use them while in the regime that necessitates that armament. Particularly since in the case of all of these aircraft, including the baseline Marauder, there's a gunner manning the turrets who should be doing his job, not padlocked to what the pilot is doing. 

[klisof]

That's a good point about the loss of firepower during strafing runs but the effect can be reduced I think for some planes.

 

With the destroyer at least you can launch the missiles at long range without loosing firepower.

If I am reading the rules right you can declare a bombing run at long range to launch missiles while shooting guns at other targets, the bombing run rules just specify a weapon with the ground attack rule, not bombs or range.

Then if the target is still alive drop altitude to strafe at medium range of wanted and then when you overfly the target declare a bombing run to drop bombs and shoot it with the assault cannon.

You should only need to declare the strafing run if the hellstrike's did not kill the AA.

 

Also if you use a bombing run to launch missiles at altitude 1 you would get +1 to hit

 

Edit - not going to work with fighter bombers, rokkits don't have the ground attack rule

Edited September 12, 2019 by klisof

[Marshal Rohr]

I wonder if the intent was to make them feel vulnerable during the run. 

[Fajita Fan]

I wonder if Destoyers are good Wild Weasels to take out AA batteries.

[Beaky Brigade]

Some good points and strategies there, I hadn't remembered you could 'bomb' with missiles (and actually you can't strafe with Hellstrikes at all?). I guess the pro of rokkits is you can use them air to air and strafe with with them.

To be fair if you are playing on a big enough map you may not always have someone within turret range when making a strafing run, and if you start the turn with someone on your tail you may have gotten a 'tail gunner' bonus shot anyway.



 

[Exilyth]

Don't have any planes yet and will probably leave off wing ordnance until I've got some games in, but loadouts I was considering to try out are:

1. Maraudeur w/2 bombs and rest in hellstrikes to destroy ground targets (fire missiles while closing in and drop bombs once over the target).
2. Maraudeur w/all skyfire missiles as a makeshift AA platform.

 

That 1/2 skyfire + 1/2 hellfire loadout for Thunderbolts mentioned above sounds interesting too.

 

 

As for Orks... no idea yet.

[Arendious]

Given the amount of, let's call it 'fixed armament' on Imperial platforms, I don't really see the need for mixed A-A/A-G ordnance. Your various cannon are sufficient self-protection armament. A flight of A-A loaded escorts, in addition, should let the strikers focus on their actual mission - putting warheads on greenskin foreheads.

 

Of course, that's the theoretical. The practical is: what looks coolest.

[Black Knight]

Has a consensus been made on if the Thunderbolt Fury is worth the extra 3 points?

[Reyner]

Has a consensus been made on if the Thunderbolt Fury is worth the extra 3 points?

Hell yeah it is. That chance of doing 2 damage with the avenger is great and I am always going to put miniguns on stuff so win-win for me :P also more dice to throw at enemies. My two Thunderbolts are built as Furies with a pair of Hellstrike and a pair of Skystrike missiles each but that was only because it looks cool and my wing weapons are going to be whatever I have on my cards.

[Dosjetka]

Has a consensus been made on if the Thunderbolt Fury is worth the extra 3 points?

*2 extra points.

 

I'd say they're mostly worth it, aye. Unless you're in a situation where taking a regular Thunderbolt would allow you to slip under the full 10 points limit which gives your opponent the initiative in the first (?) turn.

[Gorthaur]

A thunderbolt with a pair of missiles costs the same as a thunderbolt fury, I wonder if taking missiles on the regular ones might make them more worth it. I guess its a risk/reward thing, assuming the missiles roll lucky and get a kill.

Edited September 20, 2019 by Gorthaur

[duz_]

I've mentioned in my thread but given the size of the weapon options and the likelihood of actually identifying them on the table as such I'm going to go with Rule of Cool

Put what ever visually /thematically seems the best. I doubt I'll be playing against any one who would care that much.

[MithrilForge]

I've mentioned in my thread but given the size of the weapon options and the likelihood of actually identifying them on the table as such I'm going to go with Rule of Cool

Put what ever visually /thematically seems the best. I doubt I'll be playing against any one who would care that much.

 

I think a lot of people are going down that path, i am, for instance i put 2 sets of huge bombs on one of my ork fighta bomma's just for looks   but i will place cards next to the unit card saying what extra weapons it has...i did relent and bought the cards, Imperial & Ork ( from my FLGS at a nicely discounted price) 

although this thread is helpful in suggesting what to actually choose 

 

Cheers, Mithril

[Exilyth]

Overkill: A marauder bomber with the full four pairs of wing bombs can drop a total of 24 dice on one target (8 from the bomb bay + 4x 4 from the wing bombs) or 12 dice on up to 4 targets.

 

I'm leaning towards skyfires for thunderbolts due to the strong short range firepower present on ork vessels - if the 2 dice on medium/long range can down a dakkajet before it gets into range, they already paid for the cost to take them.

 

 

For orks, the only vessel with build in bombs is the eavy bommer.

The kustom big shootas seem usefull as an all around upgrade, but I'm not yet sure whether more planes isn't a better choice over more upgrades for orks.

E.g. 5 dakkajets with big shootas are one point less than 6 dakkajets without.