Plasma Bomber is a robot archetype that uses aerofoils, rudders, and plasma launchers.
Overview[]
A Plasma Bomber is any robot that uses rudders or wings, and has plasma launchers on them. They can also be considered "Thruster Sticks" (robots that are narrow and use Thrusters to move forward rapidly).
A flying plasma brick, while technically a bomber and technically a dispenser of plasma, doesn't necessarily deserve the title of bomber, as this is usually reserved for proper aircraft.
Strategy[]
The strategy used by plasma bombers is usually a hit-and-run strategy. Due to attacking early game in TDM it is considered suicide, most plasma bombers will hang out around the edges of the sky box Where they are the hardest to spot. Staying put at the base for a bit and waiting for the other team to be worn down a bit will help you maintain flight.
Pros[]
- Good for weapons removal of ground targets.
- Very good view for aiming.
- Allows for more spread on plasma.
- Resistance against ground plasma.
Cons[]
- Slow plasma reload.
- Weak against ground SMG, rail guns, and flack.
- Only really effective in groups*.
- Needs an interceptor partner to protect it against other interceptors*.
Estimated Full T10 cost: 6-7 million 
*
*May be inaccurate
Building a plasma bomber[]
- Start with a chassis
- expand its mounts for your thrusters, optional electro-plates, under-wing armor, and most importantly, wings.
- here is where you decide what you want for your plane. You can now mount your guns anywhere you want. Bottom mounting is recommended as your enemies will generally be below you.
- Balance is what you want for a plane to reduce piloting time and increase bombing time.
- Testing takes time, Try doing a few rolls, turns, dives and steep ascents in the air.
- Ask yourself, "Is this as speedy/maneuverable/etc.. as I wanted?"
In The Fight[]
Early tiers (4-6)[]
As a Plasma bomber in early tiers, It is mandatory to look out for rails. When you are first starting out it is best to make 5 winged bombers, through time adding more wings does increase the time you can continue to glide around the map but in an early tier, the element of surprise is your greatest ally. A 5 winged bomber (2 aerofoils in front, 2 rudders in back, and 1 stabilizer rudder in the tail) is faster and allows for quick maneuvering and In air intercepting. In order to earn RP as a Plasma bomber through early tiers, you will have to be a scavenger. Go out in the beginning of the battle as a scout to show the general maneuvering of enemy ground units to your base. Circle around the edge and wait for other ground units to brawl, sneak in and cap disabled bots and SMG climbers along cliffs. These are usually either tanks or wounded hovers. Your main prey will be other plasmas on the ground as it is very difficult for them to hit moving targets with plasma volleys. Through early tiers, Plasma bombers rule the end of the game.
Example of a high tier 5 winger
Summary
- Vulture wounded enemy units
- don't just line up and slow aim, practice trick shots with early tiers.
- Barrel Roll shots, Quick Scoping, Tank Sniping, (5-6) Anti air to Helicopters.
- the more the plasmas, the more the fun, and the more practice with aiming.
- avoid rails and Interceptors, you are their prey.
- E - LEC - TRO - PLATES. they will be your savior, armor your belly.
Late Tiers (7-10)[]
A word of advice, if you're a bored Mega who has never made a flyer and decide to see what a plasma bomber can do, Make a T10 one first. You have the hardware and the RP to supply it, Use it. For those of you who have been flyers since tier 4, 5, or 6, Welcome to multi winged bombers, or the devourers of pFlops. All items on flyers create drag, this means additional wings, basic rundown:
- More wings =
- greater stability, reduced agility (slower)
- ability to lose some wings and continue flying with needed skill.
- less pFlops available = weaker chassis
- need less thrusters
- Less wings =
- Needed skill in order for maneuvering and dodging attacks
- Availability of pFlops for more weapons, jammers, radar, armor cubes, electroplates
- faster, need more thrusters for proper lift.
- lose a wing, lose all control
Additional Strategies[]
These strategies are advanced maneuvers for aircraft, which are the following:
Lateral Roll[]
- Practical - An Interceptor attacking from above and you rotate to expose your usually heavily armored belly to take the hit.
- Experimental - Allows you to feel the overall maneuverability, Ex. time it takes to turn left or right.
- Visual - Makes you feel cool, Its been scientifically proven.
Barrel Roll[]
- Practical - An attacking plane behind you that you can avoid by circling vertically to place yourself behind the attacking bot.
- Experimental - Testing the speed of lift and drop
- Visual - Again, makes you feel cool, science and everything.
Spinning Dive[]
- Practical - You are injured, your balance is thrown off from a loss of Thrusters, weapons, Electroplates whatever, there is a medic on the other side of a cliff. A spinning dive allows you to get to the medic faster and in a more linear path.
- Experimental - Quick maneuvering test for both Yaw and Lift/Drop. Practical practice for in battle maneuvering.
- Visual - Tells others on your team that you were in combat and signals to medics you are injured. It also tells the opposing team you are injured so be weary.
Rotary Twist Turn[]
- Practical - The fastest and safest way to preform a 180 turn, Simply flip your bot on its head via Aileron roll then complete by doing a half Barrel roll placing your belly back towards the ground.
- Experimental - Vultureing an injured bot, but it has fast movements, use this turn for possibly quick direction changes.
- Visual - The coolest to see, Its scientifically proven. There is also a 45% chance that every time you perform this, you will feel better about yourself both physically and socially.
Circle strafing[]
- Practical - Circle strafing is the technique of moving around an opponent in a circle while facing them. Circle strafing allows a player to fire continuously at an opponent while dodging counterattacks. By rapidly circling the opponent, the player evades the opponent's sights. Circle strafing is most useful in close-quarters combat, where the apparent motion of the attacking player is the greatest, and thus the chance of disorienting the opponent by making him lose track of the attacker is higher.
- Experimental - Test both the speed and turning point of your bot.
- Visual - Makes you look very fast to your target, as their shots sail through empty air.
CONGRATULATIONS, because of rails being weaker than electroplates, you can now attack 100% health Rails (be careful if you are a 5 winger) and actually one shot spider leg designed T7 walkers, also
welcome to the magical land of Scarabs. The surface of the map is the limit (pFlops count) when it comes to designs and combinations for a bomber. Welcome, and have fun