Ork Burna-Bommer Tactica

This is the second tactica in the new Ork flyer tactica series. You can find "Part 1: The Dakkajet" right here.In this episode I'll look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Ork Burna-Bommer.


The Burna-Bommer:
This plane has some potential in theory but I think the price and manoeuvrability are a problem.Here's why..

Basics:
Unfortunately you can only take 1 plane per fast attack slot so that means you could have 3 planes max. This is ok but I hoped you could take them as squadrons of three leaving you with 2 more fast attack slots. Further more it is a Skimmer and it's Fast and follows those universal rules but there's nothing wrong with that for now but we'll probably see some major changes for flyers when 6th edition hits the shelves.

Special rules:
The Burna-Bommer has a few special rules.
Aerial Assault: When you move at cruising speed(12") you can still fire all of your weapons.Grot Gunner: You can select 1 of your guns and have a grot aiming that gun for you so it has BS3 instead of the basic BS2 for the plane. You have to choose if you want your big shoota or supa shoota before the game starts and it needs to be noted on your army list. It's a bit of a no-brainer that you put the grot at the trigger of the supa shoota because it's the better gun. I think you can also let him fire the Burna Bombs or Rokkits but since those are template weapons it would mean the only benefit is scattering 1" less. (it doesn't say you cant use this on the bombs and rokkits)
Supersonic: You can boost about on the battlefield moving a whopping 36" to get in or out of action.Waaagh!plane: This special rule is great for a dakkajet because you can now fire all your weapons twice on the turn your Waaagh! is called but for the burna-bommer it's not so hot. The Burna Rokkits and Burna Bombs are "one use only" so you have the big shoota and supa shoota left. It's a nice bonus but it's just not that big a deal.

Weapons and options:
The Burna-Bommer comes with 1 TL Supa Shoota's and Big Shoota as standard. To make it a Burna bommer it also has 2 Burna Bombs that you can drop on your opponent when you fly over a unit. (you can only drop 1 per turn and you can not drop any if you move flat out). These bombs are using the large blast template and only scatter 1D6 at Strength 5 AP4. You can also buy up to 6 Burna Rokkits at 10 points each. These are also ST5 AP4 and have a range of 24" but use the small blast template.The good thing about these Burna weapons is that they ignore cover. I think 4 Rokkits should work but your plane is then a whopping 165 points at least.

Like the other Ork planes you can buy a red paint job for 5 points to move them an extra 1".

Deployment Tactica:
I think you'll always want your Burna-Bommer to come from reserves. You don't want your opponent shooting at it if he goes first or steals the initiative and also normally you won't be able to maximise it's firepower first round by calling a Waaagh!. The Burna-Bommer only has an Armour Value of 10 so there's a lot of guns out there able to glance it or even penetrate it's fragile armour.A plane is very hard to hide so you won't get a cover save and since you don't want your new toy to go down in a raging ball of fire in the first round you keep it in reserve and you'll be able to shoot something with it at least once.

Attacking Tactica:
When you come from reserve and move on the table you should pick a target and fire all your Burna Rokkits at it so you might get some points back for all those points you invested. There's a big chance that your opponent will make your bommer a target priority if he has seen the effect of the burna rokkits and you still have some left to fire in the next turn.
The Burna Bombs require quite a bit of planning, luck and skill so if you successfully manage to drop 1 on the enemy you should call yourself a true master of the skies! the problem is that you have to fly over a unit with a 12" move, A good player will see this coming and will make sure you can't get over in your turn or makes you end your move in terrain so that you have to take a terrain test.

Target tactica:
When you Burna-Bommer is on the battlefield you must try to fly over something as soon as possible but that's unlikely to happen in the first turn it's on the table so try to fire off all your Burna Rokkits so you at least get some hits.No use in going for (light) armoured vehicles so focus on infantry. Preferably Units that are in cover because the burna rokkits ignore cover and your other units can fire at or assault  units that might not be in cover.

Defensive Tactica:
Like all the other Ork Planes and in true ork Spirit the Burna Bommer is really meant to be used.You better make sure you get some points back for it because it probably won't last until the end of the game but if it does you can make use of the Skimmer rule and contest an objective. The only way to protect it is target saturation. You should have a lot of things on the board and make your opponent choose what he's going to shoot. If you keep moving at least 12" all the time your opponent might have some difficulty hitting you and opt to shoot at something else instead but if he does manage to shoot it at least your mob of greenskins is one turn closer to the enemy and getting closer to assault range. The Burna-Bommer is so expensive that you want to fire with it at least once so you better know what range your opponents weapons have and stay well clear of them only to move in when you are sure your own weapons can hurt him.

The verdict:
This is a pure anti-infantry plane and it will be hard to keep your plane in the air long enough to be able to drop the Burna Bombs and your opponent can see it coming and anticipate on it. A good player will spread out his forces so you can not fly over them with your 12" move or he will move so you'll have to take a difficult or dangerous terrain test when your skimmer ends it's move in terrain. The Burna Rokkits will be more effective because you can fire them from a distance but they are pretty pricey. We'll have to see what rule changes of 6th edition will benefit this plane but in my opinion it's to fragile and expensive and the Orks have other options that are cheaper and more reliable.

Cheers,
Seb