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Fire warriors - like the increase firepower, think its a mistake to drop markerlights, yet again the pathfinder has an advantage over them offensively! Instead though of pathfinders being a no brainer I feel its a tougher choice - unless I have a lot of gm, in which case pathfinders make far more sense, 50 points more for the same number of troops, but also an extra activation, markerlights and co-ord fire. Indeed if I were to take a firewarrior mechanised formation I would have to add pathfinder units to it to make the guided missiles on the transports worthwhile, giving a base cost of 400 for the formation.
Also more of a challenge between them and humans. 250 points of humans has similar firepower (3 2/3 hits, 7 on sustain) than 200 points of firewarriors (5 1/5 hits, 8 on sustain), leader, more numbers and the same armour if in cover. Considering I like infantry garrisons, one would lose out there.
Internal balance - Fighters, the Barracuda vs the Tigershark
3 Barracudas 250 points
Survivability
1 hit - 5/6 dead
2 hits - 25/36 of knocking two out (two chances at 5/6), on average 1 2/3 kills
3 hits - 125/216 (about 60%) of knocking all 3 out, on average 2 1/2 kills
Average Damage
Ground firepower
45cm - 1/2AT unguided, 1AT guided
30cm - 1 1/2 AT or 1 1/2AP
15cm - 1 1/2AP
Air firepower
30cm - 1 1/2
15cm - 1/2
With +1 rule
30cm - 2 1/2
15cm - 1
Is a fighter so more manoverable when ground attacking on approach move
50 points cheaper than two Tiger Sharks
2 Tiger Sharks 300 points
Survivability - the only jinking bomber!
Has WE squadron ability to 'minimise' damage (put a hit on an undamaged plane)
From 1 attack
1 hit - 1/9 dead
2 hits - 5/9 dead (the effect of criticals when two hits sustained somewhat overdone, but don't matter two much)
3 hits - 5/81 chance of knocking both out (5/9 for first and 1/9 for second)
Average Damage
Ground firepower
45cm - 2/6MW unguided, 2/3MW guided
30cm - 2AT or 2/3AT and 1 1/3AP
15cm - 1AP
Air firepower
30cm - 1 1/3
15cm - 1/3
With +1 rule
30cm - 2
15cm - 2/3
Can risk getting within 15cm more
Can transport drones for tactical flexibility
Needs on average 2-3 hits to lose 50% of firepower
With +1 to hit the new 'best' fighter in game in terms of firepower
Jinking less effective, but with 2 DC who cares? Stray shot has 1/12 chance of downing an undamaged bird.
Highly manoverable movement after ground attack.
Tiger sharks have better at ground attacks unless target completely undefended and barracudas can close to within 15cm, better at sustained operations due to survivability.Indeed no competition survivability wise. Barracudas better at AA if undamaged, loose a plane and Tiger Sharks have edge.... Unless the target has 15cm AA, here a barracuda shouldn't approach whereas the Tigershark can and the squadron then gets the AA edge. Tiger Sharks provide tactical options and the ability to attack defended targets due to survivability.
Given choice I would go for TigerSharks for the drone option, better survivability by far and normally better attack values.
Solution? 1-2
I would consider lower save to 6+.
The planes still the the WE assign damage boost and the ability to mostly ignore one hit, but where you take 2-3 hits in one go it becomes more dangerous - the ability to jink though makes it damn tough when leaving battlefield bomber wise. Values then become
From 1 attack
1 hit - 5/36 dead
2 hits - 5/6 dead (5/36 of critical, 25/36 of two failed saves)
3 hits - 25/216 (about 10%) chance of knocking both out (5/6 for first and 5/36 for second)
The difference in armour with the A-10? Either make them both 6+ and fiddle with the A-10 point value or say more armour and guns, less manoverability so A-10 a bomber.
And/Or
Make heavy interceptor missiles seeker missiles instead - ground firepower not effected (given up cert of 5+ to hit for extra range and GM means 5+ still possible), but squadron AA down from 1 2/3 hits unmodified to 1 hit - a 1/2 to 2/3s of a barracuda squadron.
Balance with other lists? Issue of being the powerful fighter background wise. Slightly improved survivability compared to before as bomber. Can't say without playing.
Of course you could just make it a bomber again - perhaps with the altered Heavy interceptor missile anyway for a stronger ground role definition (and fitting with AI apparently). In some ways it doesn't make sense that its just as good as a barracuda as thats a far lighter craft (1/3 of the armour and structure and less weaponsin our list) - if they are both fighters perhaps a F-14/F-15 comparision is called for?
Special rules
So you want to drop some? Follow the Eldars shining example of dropping 2? (And who would have agreed with that when those rules were being divised, well actualy I hope everyone!)
Edit - moved special rules stuff to seperate thread.
Question - a hero missile upgrade, what can it target, the core rules seem to suggest WE only, is that still the case?
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