Stealth Bombers

Stealth bombers are powerful, expensive (for their size) and extremely fragile. They can sneak up on targets using a Covert Ops Cloaking Device, then destroy it with torpedoes (a missile system designed for battleship sized ships) or use bombs, a weapon unique to stealth bombers, which travel a fixed distance and explode for massive damage. Since they are T2 frigates, they are often one of the earliest T2 ships that new pilots can fly. This page discusses the available bombers and suggests possible fits for use in Eve University fleets.

Which bomber?

Each race has one stealth bomber.

-bomb platforms: Amarr Purifier, Minmatar Hound
-torpedo platforms: Caldari Manticore, Gallente Nemesis
The Purifier and the Hound are arguably better at using bombs (they have a 3L-3M-5H slot layout), while the Manticore and the Nemesis are perhaps better torpedo platforms (with a 2L-4M-5H slot layout). You might think that the bombers with three lows would be better torpedo bombers because they could fit three Ballistic Control Systems (BCS), but you'll be hard pressed to find an effective fit with 120 CPU to spare for BCS IIs. Additionally, the Manticore and Nemesis can fit one more utility/EWar/etc module in their mids -- the ability to, for example, sensor damp the enemy may allow them to stay on the field for longer.

Other than the slot layout and preferred damage type there are few major differences between the bombers. The Nemesis is bonused for thermal damage, which is the least often resisted damage type in pvp. The Purifier also has a significantly larger cargo bay than the others, which allows it to carry 3 bombs. The Manticore has the highest CPU, making for easier fitting, and the Hound is the most agile.

=== Hound ===

The Minmatar Hound

The Hound is the Minmatar Stealth Bomber. It gets a bonus to explosive damage and uses Nova torpedoes. With the exception of the torpedo type, the fit is the same as the Purifier, though pilots may find it a touch easier to squeeze everything on due to a slight difference in CPU. It features a 5-3-3 layout, composing of three mid slots, and three low slots. It also has the fastest align time and highest scan resolution out of all of the bombers.

Manticore

The Caldari Manticore

The Manticore is the Caldari Stealth Bomber. It has the advantages of having ample CPU space and a slightly more ideal slot layout (5-4-2). It gets a bonus to kinetic damage and uses Scourge torpedoes.

Nemesis

The Nemesis is the Gallente Stealth Bomber. It shares the Manticore's slot layout. It has a bit less CPU, so it can't quite fit the same range of modules in its midslots. Pilots who wish to fit Tech 2 versions of the mid slot modules will find it difficult to fit as well. The Nemesis gets a bonus to thermal damage and uses Inferno torpedoes.

Purifier

The Amarr Purifier

The Purifier is the Amarr Stealth Bomber. It shares the same slot layout as the Hound (5-3-3). It has the least CPU of any of the Stealth Bombers, which makes fitting tight and not quite as varied as the other races. It gets a bonus to EM damage and uses Mjolnir torpedoes.

UniBombers

Update 171012. Eve University bomber pilots interested in bombing fleet roams may check into Bombers Bar or Spectre Fleet for available cloaking operations.
Update 170821. There is interest in EVE University bomber fleets, bomber roams and black ops fleets have been scheduled, please check on the forum calendar for updates.
Update 170718. The UniBombers group has disbanded and is no longer in service.
Veteran bomber pilots continue to support university operations.
Please check the Eve University forums for updates.

The UniBombers were a group of unistas who shared a collective interest in learning more about flying stealth bombers. UniBombers went on regular stealth bomber roams around low/nullsec, and occasionally venture into high security space to chase after war targets.

Fitting

All stealth bombers get a 15% bonus to racial torpedo damage:
Amarr = +15% EM damage
Caldari = +15% Kinetic damage
Gallente = +15% Thermal damage
Minmatar = +15% Explosive damage
as well as a 5% bonus to racial bomb damage per level of Covert-Ops trained. In addition, bombers get a flat 100% bonus to torpedo velocity and a 50% bonus to explosion velocity and torpedo flight time. Lastly, they receive a flat role bonus of a -99.65% reduction in Torpedo Launcher powergrid needs, -50% reduction in Cloak CPU Use, and -100% targeting delay after decloaking. These last three skills are to ensure the ship can equip battleship size missile launchers, and that the covert-ops cloak is used exclusively on covert-ops ships.

In fitting a bomber it is ideal to maximize potential damage. This is done largely with the use of target painters, and ballistic control systems. These greatly increase the DPS torpedoes do to non-battleship size targets. Newer players will have trouble fitting three launchers as well as a bomb launcher without perfect fitting skills. The purifier, in particular, is difficult to fit.

A standard general fitting is as follows. Work your way down the list to gauge how much CPU you have left to fit the next module down the list.

High Slots:
1 Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
3 Torpedo Launcher II or Prototype 'Arbalest' Torpedo Launcher
1 Bomb Launcher (focus void bombs) or Probe Launcher (core or combat scanner probes) **

Mid Slots:
1 Propulsion Module
1 Target Painter
1 Remote Sensor Dampener
1 Optional module (warp disruptor 20km, warp scrambler 10km) *

Low Slots:
1 Ballistic Control System (increased rate of fire) or
1 Optional module (a second Ballistic Control System, auxiliary power core, co-processor) *

• =Adding extra modules depends on your ship's remaining CPU
  
  • =The Bomb Launcher is largely very difficult to fit in addition to the three 'Arbalest' launchers. It is often found that bombers have to alter the standard fit to include 1 bomb launcher and less torpedo damage modules, or they fit for only torpedo damage.

The choice of what meta level module to fit into the mid and low slots is largely user choice, however it is recommended that you fit the highest (up to meta 5/Tech II) module that you can. If CPU usage is a problem with the Arbalest launchers, the meta 1 variants (Malkuth) offer less performance but less CPU usage. Alternatively, if the DPS difference is smaller, altering the rigs used on the bomber may allow for better fits.

The sensor dampener is used to increase the bomber's lifespan. Dampeners are used to reduce enemy ships targeting range and scan resolution. It is recommended that all ships carry both scripts in their hull so switching can be done on the fly. However, in multiple bomber gangs, it is usually advised to run the targeting range script.

All bombers should be carrying Faction torpedoes due to smaller explosion radius.
Dread Guristas variant torpedoes deal the biggest damage/are the most expensive.
Caldari variant torpedoes deal big damage/standard ammo for stealth bombers.

Alternative low slots

The remaining low slot should be filled with a module of the player's choice, however it should still play to the strengths of the ship. This means that the final low should be a nano-fiber internal structure, or perhaps an overdrive injector system. Alternatively to agility mods, a Damage Control or Adaptive Nano Plating if possible to fit can work as well.

Modules that are not recommended

Often it is suggested that fittings equip sensor boosters, or tracking disruptors. While these can be beneficial, they are also very situational. Tracking disruptors are flat out useless against enemy missile ships (for now), thus limiting the types of engagements one can be useful in. Sensor boosters, while good for locking quickly, is somewhat counter-productive to the whole idea behind bombers. Targeting anything that can warp off quickly, or has a small signature radius means torpedo damage is going to be negligible. Meanwhile, bombs require no lock to fire, and are thus preferred for engaging smaller targets, but bomber cargo bay capacity limits the number of bombs onboard to less than 10, including the bombs loaded inside the bomb launcher.

Additionally, it is sometimes suggested bombers fit shield extenders to increase their survivability. This is not recommended as shield modules generally increase the signature radius, and thus make the bomber easier to lock and easier to hit. This runs counter to the idea and tactics employed with the bomber. The argument for survivability also is largely irrelevant. The bomber is a glass cannon, trying to increase survivability is trying to mitigate the ship's weaknesses instead of playing to its strengths. Bombers are ideally fit for speed and as much damage-per-second as possible. In this same fashion, Inertia Stabilizers also increase the signature radius and should not be used. In contrast, should a bomber enter a system and uncloak inside a surprise gate camp warp bubble, the bomber has a higher chance of survival if it is equipped with more shield capacity, re-approaches the gate, overloads the afterburner and spams the jump button to escape through the gate.

Rigs

The choice of rigs used on the bomber is largely player preference. The most often used, the Warhead Calefaction Catalyst boosts torpedo damage, however other modules increase missile range (useful for staying outside targeting range {thanks to your sensor damps}) and velocity, or firing rate and thus DPS. Alternatively, there are rigs to decrease explosion radius (increased damage versus smaller sized ships) and explosion velocity (increased damage to faster moving ships). Most of the different missile launcher rigs are useful in someway on the stealth bomber. It largely depends on individual flying preferences and styles. The downside to these rigs is that they also increase the CPU usage of each launcher, making fitting even more difficult.

Astronautic rigs are also widely used, these are useful in increasing ship agility and speed. These are useful in situations in which the bomber needs to align quickly and warp off the grid. These situations are frequent with bombers and thus having a short align time is a must. The downside of these rigs is that they reduce armor amount, and thus make the bomber that much more fragile. Suggested astronautic rigs are Low Friction Nozzle Joints and Poly-Carbon Engine Housing.

Since the introduction of the Processor Overclocking Unit rigs with the Inferno expansion, these are useful on stealth bombers as well. Processor Overclocking Unit rigs increase the CPU output of your ship at the cost of a slower regeneration rate of the shields. Stealth bomber fits still remain tight but with these rigs, it is possible to mount tech 2 Torpedo launchers alongside the other standard modules including the Bomb Launcher.

The Bomber uses small sized rigs.

Skills

The Gallente Nemesis

Required skills

All bombers have the following skill requirements to operate:

• Racial Frigate V
• Spaceship Command III
• Covert Ops I
• CPU Management II
• Power Grid Management II
• Electronics Upgrades V

However, it is not recommended, and downright stupid, to fly a bomber in a PVP setting without a covert ops cloaking device, and Torpedo Launchers. The use of these modules, require the skills:

• Cloaking IV
• Torpedoes I
• Missile Launcher Operation IV
• Heavy Missiles III
• Light Missiles III

Suggested skills

The Minmatar Hound

Aside from these basic required skills, it is suggested that you have the following skills. These skills are designed to push the strengths of the bomber and minimize its chance of being destroyed. Many are simply fitting skills, that ease the use of more powerful modules.

• Navigation III
• Acceleration Control III
• Warp Drive Operation III
• Spaceship Command IV
• Evasive Maneuvering III
• CPU Management V
• Power Grid Management V
• Target Painting II
• Electronic Warfare II
• Sensor Linking II
• Long Range Targeting III
• Signature Analysis III
• Target Management III
• Shield Management III
• Shield Operation III
• Capacitor Management III
• Energy Grid Upgrades III
• Launcher Rigging II
• Astronautics Rigging II
• Jury Rigging III
• Mechanics IV

In addition, you will want to get missile launcher skills as high as possible, as well as Bomb Launching skills. These skills include:

• Missile Bombardment IV
• Missile Projection III
• Rapid Launch III
• Target Navigation Prediction III
• Warhead Upgrades III
• Bomb Deployment I
• Covert Ops IV

Presented from an export from EVEMon from a blank Caldari character:(No implants, etc.)

Skill plan for Manticore StealthBomber

• Skill Name (Time to complete; approximate cost of skill book)
  • Caldari Frigate III (7 hours, 19 minutes, 2 seconds
  • Caldari Frigate IV (1 day, 17 hours, 23 minutes, 40 seconds)
  • Caldari Frigate V (9 days, 18 hours, 9 minutes, 40 seconds)
  • Electronics Upgrades I (16 minutes, 40 seconds; 100,000 ISK)
  • Electronics Upgrades II (1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds)
  • Electronics Upgrades III (7 hours, 19 minutes, 2 seconds)
  • Electronics Upgrades IV (1 day, 17 hours, 23 minutes, 40 seconds)
  • Electronics Upgrades V (9 days, 18 hours, 9 minutes, 40 seconds)
  • Covert Ops I (33 minutes, 20 seconds; 4,000,000 ISK)
  • CPU Management IV (20 hours, 41 minutes, 50 seconds)
  • Cloaking I (50 minutes; 3,500,000 ISK)
  • Cloaking II (3 hours, 52 minutes, 52 seconds)
  • Cloaking III (21 hours, 57 minutes, 8 seconds)
  • Cloaking IV (5 days, 4 hours, 11 minutes)
  • Missile Launcher Operation I (8 minutes, 20 seconds; 20,000 ISK)
  • Missile Launcher Operation II (38 minutes, 50 seconds)
  • Missile Launcher Operation III (3 hours, 39 minutes, 30 seconds)
  • Missile Launcher Operation IV (20 hours, 41 minutes, 50 seconds)
  • Light Missiles I (16 minutes, 40 seconds; 20,000 ISK)
  • Light Missiles II (1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds)
  • Light Missiles III (7 hours, 19 minutes, 2 seconds)
  • Heavy Missiles I (25 minutes; 100,000 ISK)
  • Heavy Missiles II (1 hour, 56 minutes, 26 seconds)
  • Heavy Missiles III (10 hours, 58 minutes, 34 seconds)
  • Torpedoes I (33 minutes, 20 seconds; 400,000 ISK)
  • Torpedoes II (2 hours, 35 minutes, 14 seconds)
  • Torpedoes III (14 hours, 38 minutes, 6 seconds)
  • Torpedoes IV (3 days, 10 hours, 47 minutes, 20 seconds)
  • Acceleration Control I (33 minutes, 20 seconds; 40,000 ISK)
  • Acceleration Control II (2 hours, 35 minutes, 14 seconds)
  • Acceleration Control III (14 hours, 38 minutes, 6 seconds)
  • Warp Drive Operation I (8 minutes, 20 seconds; 30,000 ISK)
  • Warp Drive Operation II (38 minutes, 50 seconds)
  • Warp Drive Operation III (3 hours, 39 minutes, 30 seconds)
  • Spaceship Command IV (20 hours, 41 minutes, 50 seconds)
  • Evasive Maneuvering I (16 minutes, 40 seconds; 25,000 ISK)
  • Evasive Maneuvering II (1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds)
  • Evasive Maneuvering III (7 hours, 19 minutes, 2 seconds)
  • CPU Management V (4 days, 21 hours, 4 minutes, 50 seconds)
  • Power Grid Management IV (20 hours, 41 minutes, 50 seconds)
  • Power Grid Management V (4 days, 21 hours, 4 minutes, 50 seconds)
  • Target Painting I (25 minutes; 90,000 ISK)
  • Target Painting II (1 hour, 56 minutes, 26 seconds)
  • Electronic Warfare I (16 minutes, 40 seconds; 120,000 ISK)
  • Electronic Warfare II (1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds)
  • Sensor Linking I (25 minutes; 100,000 ISK)
  • Sensor Linking II (1 hour, 56 minutes, 26 seconds)
  • Long Range Targeting I (16 minutes, 40 seconds; 88,000 ISK)
  • Long Range Targeting II (1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds)
  • Long Range Targeting III (7 hours, 19 minutes, 2 seconds)
  • Signature Analysis I (8 minutes, 20 seconds; 75,000 ISK)
  • Signature Analysis II (38 minutes, 50 seconds)
  • Signature Analysis III (3 hours, 39 minutes, 30 seconds)
  • Target Management I (8 minutes, 20 seconds; 100,000 ISK)
  • Target Management II (38 minutes, 50 seconds)
  • Target Management III (3 hours, 39 minutes, 30 seconds)
  • Shield Management I (25 minutes; 170,000 ISK)
  • Shield Management II (1 hour, 56 minutes, 26 seconds)
  • Shield Management III (10 hours, 58 minutes, 34 seconds)
  • Shield Operation III (3 hours, 39 minutes, 30 seconds)
  • Capacitor Management I (25 minutes; 170,000 ISK)
  • Capacitor Management II (1 hour, 56 minutes, 26 seconds)
  • Capacitor Management III (10 hours, 58 minutes, 34 seconds)
  • Energy Grid Upgrades I (16 minutes, 40 seconds; 79,000 ISK)
  • Energy Grid Upgrades II (1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds)
  • Energy Grid Upgrades III (7 hours, 19 minutes, 2 seconds)
  • Mechanics III (3 hours, 39 minutes, 30 seconds)
  • Jury Rigging I (16 minutes, 40 seconds; 60,000 ISK)
  • Jury Rigging II (1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds)
  • Jury Rigging III (7 hours, 19 minutes, 2 seconds)
  • Launcher Rigging I (25 minutes; 100,000 ISK)
  • Launcher Rigging II (1 hour, 56 minutes, 26 seconds)
  • Astronautics Rigging I (25 minutes; 20,000 ISK)
  • Astronautics Rigging II (1 hour, 56 minutes, 26 seconds)
  • Mechanics IV (20 hours, 41 minutes, 50 seconds)
  • Missile Bombardment I (16 minutes, 40 seconds; 80,000 ISK)
  • Missile Bombardment II (1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds)
  • Missile Bombardment III (7 hours, 19 minutes, 2 seconds)
  • Missile Bombardment IV (1 day, 17 hours, 23 minutes, 40 seconds)
  • Missile Projection I (33 minutes, 20 seconds; 100,000 ISK)
  • Missile Projection II (2 hours, 35 minutes, 14 seconds)
  • Missile Projection III (14 hours, 38 minutes, 6 seconds)
  • Rapid Launch I (16 minutes, 40 seconds; 40,000 ISK)
  • Rapid Launch II (1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds)
  • Rapid Launch III (7 hours, 19 minutes, 2 seconds)
  • Target Navigation Prediction I (16 minutes, 40 seconds; 60,000 ISK)
  • Target Navigation Prediction II (1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds)
  • Target Navigation Prediction III (7 hours, 19 minutes, 2 seconds)
  • Warhead Upgrades I (41 minutes, 40 seconds; 1,000,000 ISK)
  • Warhead Upgrades II (3 hours, 14 minutes, 4 seconds)
  • Warhead Upgrades III (18 hours, 17 minutes, 36 seconds)
  • Bomb Deployment I (33 minutes, 20 seconds; 8,000,000 ISK)
  • Covert Ops II (2 hours, 35 minutes, 14 seconds)
  • Covert Ops III (14 hours, 38 minutes, 6 seconds)
  • Covert Ops IV (3 days, 10 hours, 47 minutes, 20 seconds)

34 unique skills, 95 skill levels; Total time: 62 days, 15 hours, 52 minutes, 54 seconds; Cost: 18,687,000 N.B. Skill costs are based on CCP's database and are indicative only

Recommended skills

The Recommended skill plan essentially pushes the previously listed skills as high as possible. You want to maximize the ship's DPS by getting all the missile support skills to IV or V. As well as the Covert Ops skill itself to V, however, it is a very long train at around 18 Days. Additionally, you want to maximize the ship's agility and speed, by pumping navigation skills as high as possible, as well as the fitting and tanking skills found in Electronics, Engineering, and Mechanic. Lastly, you will want to get Bomb Deployment to IV for the ability to use the Void and Lockbreaker Bombs.

The different roles of stealth bombers

Black Ops gang

Bombers can be very effective in gangs of all cloaky ships. Usually, a recon will find and tackle a good target and then call in the rest of the gang, either from the neighboring system, wormhole or by lighting a cyno for a black ops battleship's covert jump portal. In this role, bombers tend to be optimised for torpedoes rather than bombing.

Bombing wing

A large fleet can be accompanied by a force of bombers. The bomber force acts mostly independently of the main fleet, often with their own FC and as a separate in-game fleet. The bomber wing will try to get bombing runs in on the enemy fleet to destroy, soften up or simply distract them as support for the main fleet. Bombers in this role will be bomb fit.

Bombing squadron

In general usage, a Bombing Squadron is composed of 7 bombers. It is required that all bombers in the squadron have the same type of bomb. Ideally, the squadron is homogenous as far as the type of bomber hull.

Fleet DD

A bomber attached to a fleet that's not part of a bombing wing (either because there are too few bombers or you are fighting in high or low sec where bombs aren't available) can deal damage with torpedoes. In this role a bomber acts a little like an EWAR ship, warping in at range, fighting aligned at maximum range and warping out when targeted. If left alone a bomber's torpedoes will do impressive damage to battlecruiser and battleship sized targets, however if a bomber is frequently targeted its continual warping out and it will reduce its DPS considerably compared to a more durable battleship or battlecruiser. Bombers can be used in frigate gangs to bring a "big punch" for use against large targets, but this is rare. Remember, you're made of glass, so don't decloak until:

• You're in position at range.
• You're aligned out.
• You're ready to fire, at a ship you can properly damage with torpedoes.
• There's nothing around that can tackle you (hint: Lachesis or interceptors).

Fleet Scout

A bomber attached to a fleet may perform the role of scout.
-Scout ahead of the main body
-Evade gate camps and fleets
-Remain cloaked at safe distance from stargates and battle sites to report target movement and intel
-Position behind target ships undetected to provide a tactical fleet warp-in<br /

Fitting exceptions

• Probe Launcher
  • A bomber may be requested to fit an expanded probe launcher to find further targets in the system. The extreme CPU requirements of this module require it to be kept offline or to use a modified fit that will seriously reduce the bomber's effectiveness at its main role. As such, if the fleet needs a prober a covert ops ship is very much preferred.
• Warp Disruptor
  • If recon ships are not in fleet during Black ops operations then a Manticore or Nemesis stealth bomber may also need to fit a warp disruptor (Point) in the extra mid slot, and act as a tackle. This should only be used as a last resort because a bomber has low hp and usually cannot hold a tackled target for long.

Tips

The five "R's"

Bombing runs are the ultimate purpose of Stealth Bombers. To throw bombs at some unsuspecting group of ships defines the concept of gank. However, if in the throwing of bombs you find yourself on the wrong side of the killmail you may be forgetting the Five "R's".

• RUN AWAY: As soon as your bomb is released, warp away. With few exceptions, the Stealth Bomber never remains on grid post bomb release. Uncloak - Bombs Away! - RUN AWAY!"
• REMOVE YOURSELF: After running away, you will likely be heading in warp to a pre-planned escape point. Upon landing at that escape point, REMOVE YOURSELF from the place you just landed. Other members of your squadron may be landing there in short order and SB's in close proximity post-attack is a mistake. Your aim is to be at least 2,500 meters away from your landing point so decloaking is less likely to happen.
• RELOAD: As soon as practical after launching your bomb RELOAD your bomb launcher. Many escape points are far enough away that you ought to be able to complete a 10 second reload prior to landing. A fully loaded stealth bomber has more utility than a half empty launcher. Plus, it frees up space in cargo for more bombs or even loot if your run was wildly successful.
• RECLOAK: An SB that is not cloaked is a glass pigeon waiting to get popped. RECLOAK as soon as you have reloaded.
• RESET: After reaching your escape point the bomber leader may have you RESET at an observation point. Being ready to go on command or even anticipating the reset may give your squadron the opportunity to restrike a target... Be ready, immediately.

Pre-fleet

• Bookmarks, bookmarks, bookmarks, BOOKMARKS! Spend some time in a fast frigate (fitted with a cloaking device and Overdrive injectors) before the operation creating bookmarks around the system gates of interest. Create, at the least, two perches, and eight tacticals (bookmarks at ~200km, ~800km at each cardinal direction, bookmarks at ~200km, ~800km above and below) at each gate.
• More BOOKMARKS! Revisit the systems and expand your bookmark database. A near-perfect 78-bookmark tactical grid above and below every gate in every system your fleet roams through qualifies you for the "Bomber Grid Master" and "Hero of the Fleet" decoration medals. See your corporation about decorations and accomplishments.
• Tactical bookmarks, that is, bookmarks on a gate or station placed 250-350km away from the gate are your life blood and savior in bombers. They allow you to warp into a gate at range, to check the gate for potential targets, without the worry of being decloaked by enemy ships. Additionally, bookmarks provide a great close-to-the-fight bounce spot if you need to warp out of an engagement. Warping to a bookmark 200km away from the fight is a much faster way to break a lock, cloak back up, then warping to a celestial. Additionally, tactical bookmarks around warpgates and stations will save your ship countless times in null security space where bubbles abound on gates and stations.
• Know the optimal range of your launchers and what range you need to warp in at. At your ship's optimal range, it may take up to 10-12 seconds for the first volley of torpedoes to hit the target. It is not uncommon to have up to 3 volleys in space before the first torpedo hits the target.

Basic fleet tactics

• Make sure your SC and FC know they have a/some bombers. Do this before the fleet undocks.
  

"This is Joe Spaceman checking in. I have a Purifier with Dread Gurista Mjolnir torpedoes and 4 Focus Void Bombs. Where do you want me?" Check that the FC is happy to have bombers along, and find out if they want to use you in a specific way.

• Travel ahead or behind the fleet. Do your best to travel just behind or in front of the fleet (sort of a -1 or -0.5). Showing up after the battle is in full swing for a surgical strike is where bombers really shine. Your goal isn't to be the first thing they see, but the last.
• Land on grid and move to the side. After landing at the battle grid, double click in space in a direction perpendicular to the direction you approached from before realigning. This will keep fleetmates who show up a few moments after you from decloaking you if they arrive on grid on the same line.
• Move into optimal firing range and align out. Be on the field as close to the beginning of the battle as possible, in comfortable torpedo optimal range (around 40-50km) and aligned to a celestial (for advanced pilots, align to a bookmark ~200km from the fight, if at a gate). Wait for the battle to start. Waiting gives the target time to lock its maximum number of attacking ships.
• Decloak, lock target, launch torpedoes. Decloak after the battle starts and targets are otherwise occupied. Attack whatever ship your FC calls primary. Only decloak if you are ready to lock and attack immediately. Once you get a lock, activate all of your torpedo modules and wait for impact.
• Launch two salvos, wait for impact, cloak. You cannot re-cloak immediately. Generally firing around 2 salvos while getting ready to either re-cloak or warp out is ideal. However, if there is an abundance of blue force ewar on the field, you may consider staying to unleash the pain. When your second salvo launches, wait for impact. If your ship cloaks during any torpedo flight time, those torpedoes will not impact the target. Re-cloak and wait for your launcher cycle to finish. You can cloak while your modules are active; they will automatically shut off.
• Warp to the close-to-the-fight bookmark or celestial if you are targeted and taking damage.
• Decloak and repeat. Your torpedoes will NOT hit if you re-cloak within 3 seconds of them hitting the target.

Ships to watch out for

• Interceptors/Fast Tackle: Atron, Condor. They can close the 50km gap between you and the battle in a matter of seconds. They will do this, and they will kill you. Keep your overview sorted by range, and when you see someone moving up the list quickly, it's time to bounce, cloak, and then return to the fray from a different angle.
• Sniper ships: Tornado, Naga, Oracle, Apocalypse, or Zealot, or ships fitted for ranged attack. They only have to hit you once, and your sensor dampener will not be effective enough against them to keep you safe from their attack.
• Drones: A target's drones will continue to attack you after they have been jammed and their locks on you will prevent you from cloaking. Even after the target has been destroyed its drones can keep you locked and prevent you from cloaking. The point here is to not get locked. At all.
• Heavy Assault Cruiser (HAC) / Factional Cruiser: Vagabond, Dramiels, Cynabals, are frigate killers. These ships have speed, distance, Drones, and a punch. If these are on the field then keep cloaked until they are destroyed, or watch them like a hawk for signs they are coming for you.

Rookie mistakes

New Stealth Bomber pilots will probably do one or two of these at least once.

• Warp to 0 on a battle.
• Warp to 0 at a warp gate.
• Warp to 0 at a Gallente Novice Outpost with a flashing yellow Stilleto and Griffin waiting outside the acceleration gate.
• Uncloak friendly bombers at a wormhole.
• Linger on a gate and end up getting smartbombed.
• Forget to pre-align before decloaking.
• Fail to move off the landing area, uncloaking fleetmates as they land.
• Fail to warp off within three seconds of being yellow-boxed by the enemy
• Get locked by an enemy and tell themselves "I'm good for another salvo."

Targets

• Good targets for bombers: Battlecruiser, battleships. You will be most effective against larger targets like battlecruisers and battleships. At no point should a bomber ever consider engaging any cruiser or frigate by itself. Cynabals and Dramiels are bomber eating machines.
• Medium targets for bombers: cruisers, a ship with active microwarpdrive. Target painters will help against cruiser hulls, but what you really want is for them to activate their MWD.
• Bad targets for bombers: frigates. Frigate hulls can shrug off a lot of torpedoes. You can whore on the mail if you really must, but if you haven't yet uncloaked and there's some intel value in not revealing your presence to anything in d-scan range, you may want to consider holding off.
  

The torpedo explosion radius will be too large to apply full damage to the small signature radius of a frigate, unless:

• the frigate is locked (no warp, no velocity) and still in space, and
• the frigate is affected by ten or more target painters, and
• your fleetmates have some kind of fleet booster that will shrink your torpedo explosion radius down to 40m to match the target frigate's signature radius (no way possible), but

even under the above conditions, the target frigate will absorb only a fraction of the torpedo damage. Save your expensive torpedoes, practice launching cheaper torpedoes.

Bombing techniques

The other thing that sets the bomber hull apart, besides the ability to fit torpedoes onto a frigate hull, is where it actually gets it name from - the ability to fit the Bomb Launcher I/II. From this module you fire the six flavors of bombs that exist. But what is a bomb actually?

• Bombs cannot be launched in high security space
  
• Bombs cannot be launched in low security space
  
• Bombs can be launched in wormspace and nullspace
  

The bomb

Bombs are in essence a missile that does Area of Effect damage of a certain type. It will shoot out from the front of your ship at 3km/s for 10 seconds and then blow up. However, unlike a missile, it doesn't require that you lock a target. It's essentially a 'dumbfire' rocket. Where your ship's nose is pointed at the time you cycle the bomb launcher module, is the direction it will go. This makes the bomb a weapon that takes a fair bit of experience and skill to use effectively. And when you factor in that you have six other bombers also shooting off a bomb, the complexity increases and the skill of the FC becomes a critical factor. Then imagine that you have multiple bomber wings making a run on the same target... it sounds impossible to coordinate and pull off, but it can be done.

Bombs can also be separated into two categories.

Damage Bombs: Straight forward big explosions of either EM, Explosive, Thermal or Kinetic damage.

Utility Bombs: They require higher levels of skill with Bomb Deployment, but are useful in niche situations. The Void Bomb will neutralize a certain amount of capacitor energy from any ship within its area of effect. The Lockbreaker Bomb is an ewar bomb in essence. It will cause any target locks that a ship is maintaining to fail within its area of effect.

Team technique

This is where each bomber is coordinated by the FC. The FC will call for each bomber to approach/align to a target/target zone/bookmark. They will warp to the point where they begin their attack run, approach and call out ranges to target for the FC. The FC then has to judge the best time to order the release of bombs, whereupon the wing will warp immediately to the escape point. Onus with this technique is on how well the bombers act as a team, and actual piloting skill. It's versatile, flexible and the FC can call abort at any point until the bombs are flying. It's also ideal for bombing single/small gang targets. Its weakness is that fleet management and FC-ing becomes impractical as soon as you grow beyond two wings of bombers. It also allows human error in aiming the bomb into the equation.

Quarterback/Flyhalf technique

This technique uses a cloaked scout to sneak to within 30km of the enemy fleet/target. The FC then warps the fleet of bombers to a point where he can draw a straight line from his fleet, through the scout, and straight into the enemy targets. He will then squad warp the bombers to the scout at zero. The bombers in midwarp, will keep a close eye on their 'Distance to target' reading and speed. The moment they begin to decelerate, they decloak, and spam the Bomb launcher button, until it turns red. The effect of this is you will exit warp, and the instant your warp field collapses, a bomb will shoot out of your launcher. Bombers can immediately warp off to the escape point/align to random celestial (in the case of an ad hoc bomb attack) to escape, reload bomb launcher and cloak up. The advantage of this is that it allows for minimum amount of time on a dangerous grid, the aiming has already been done for the whole bomber wing by the scout, and the mid-warp shuffle that the game does to arrange the ships, has the effect of nicely overlapping the AOE damage of each bomb.

The Flyhalf technique also allows for the coordination of multiple wings of bombers. When the bomber fleet gathers at the observation point, they are assigned ranges to warp at. (John warps at 0, Jill at 10, James at 20, Harmony at 30, Guile at 50, Titus at 70, Steven at 100). This will prevent a mass cascade decloak of the entire fleet if one person DCs/makes a mistake, or in the case of a spy/awoxer, only one bomber wing will die. The FC can then squad warp each bomber group at will at the enemy. Ensuring enough time between squad warps so that their bombs have enough time to detonate before the next wave of bombs goes off.

See Also

• Bombs
• Cloaking
• Covert Ships Skillset
• UniBombers

External links

• Hallan Turrek's stealth bomber guide discusses these ships from a non-University perspective.
• More recent guide by Lioso
• WingspanTT's Official Torpedo Delivery: Stealth Bomber Handbook for Enterprising Pilots