Bombshell Analysis

[Katastrophe]

Given the Bombshell's apparent ease of use, and despite a recent trend of increased Adorable usage, how do you feel about the Bombshell in the current metagame?

Is it overpowered?
Is it balanced?

[pookywb]

It has 1 health until you shell it. At that point, it gains 2 points of "armor."


When buffed by a medic, the bombshell has 2 health plus those 2 points of "armor" for 4 health.

[Katastrophe]

(01-05-2013 10:16 AM)pookywb Wrote:  It has 1 health until you shell it. At that point, it gains 2 points of "armor."


When buffed by a medic, the bombshell has 2 health plus those 2 points of "armor" for 4 health.

Oh right, right. I forgot the armor bonus is a separate thing.

Still, has anything been mentioned about a possible nerf of the Bombshell? I understand it's the free army, which obviously accounts for a lot of Scallywag use, but there's a reason so many top players use Scallywags...

Tied for longest range in game.
Tied for most damage in game.
Only AoE unit in the game.
Second most Health (when shelled) in game.

[ImperialSun]

But it's not as mobile as the other specials. Especially with the +1 wit per kill, Adorables are much more viable now and quite a few top players use them (in fact the current top player is an Adorables player). Hit and run is now more cost efficient with the new rule. I do find well positioned bombshells a pain to deal with (I play Feedback), but they're by no means unstoppable. They're just good which is something that all specials should be. They do cost 7 wits after all. Not to mention that bombshells are the most expensive to use with the exception of the Bramble. Also, OML has been collecting stats and reported that balance between the teams is actually pretty even with the exception of one team (almost certainly the Veggienauts).

[Katastrophe]

(01-05-2013 10:58 AM)ImperialSun Wrote:  But it's not as mobile as the other specials. Especially with the +1 wit per kill, Adorables are much more viable now and quite a few top players use them (in fact the current top player is an Adorables player). Hit and run is now more cost efficient with the new rule. I do find well positioned bombshells a pain to deal with (I play Feedback), but they're by no means unstoppable. They're just good which is something that all specials should be. They do cost 7 wits after all. Not to mention that bombshells are the most expensive to use with the exception of the Bramble. Also, OML has been collecting stats and reported that balance between the teams is actually pretty even with the exception of one team (almost certainly the Veggienauts).

I have noticed an increasing trend in Adorable usage. It's a great tactic but I find the army visually unappealing. Before Veggienauts, I played Feedback as well. I think the main issue seemed to be a sort of 'learning curve'. Scallywags have the simplest unit, then Adorables, then Feedback. Although I don't really think that ease of use is a substitute for balance, per say... unless there's a viable tactic for each special to beat another.

Bombshell strong arms everything, for example. Hell, it can outright kill all other specials, yes?

Mobi has it's hit and run tactic which isn't entirely evident. Again, learning curve. For any interested, check out this replay between burnodrod and awpertunity. It's fantastic.

Feedback can simply Scramble the Bombshell... it's getting it there safely that requires the curve.

I have yet to see any real "Bramble vs Bombshell" strategy that is viable, aside from using Thorns to prevent the Bombshell from seeing your actual units by walling off/surrounding... which, in my opinion, isn't very cost effective. In fact, 9/10, I end up just running away/around from the Bombshell, which is both risky but also not entirely viable on smaller maps. Scallywags is by far my worst matchup. Please see this (Outwitters) / this (OSN) game for how I deal with Bombshells. Eventually I realized that a frontal attack wasn't economical and said "Screw it, I'm going around."

Edit: I'd also venture to guess that the only reason Veggienauts are more played at the moment is because they're new. Every time Hero Academy releases a new army, it's the same thing. Eventually, it dies down and people pick their favorite.

[daHsu]

(01-05-2013 11:14 AM)Katastrophe Wrote:  Scallywags is by far my worst matchup. Please see this (Outwitters) / this (OSN) game for how I deal with Bombshells. Eventually I realized that a frontal attack wasn't economical and said "Screw it, I'm going around."

Exactly. I didn't go too in detail with the replay, but charging at a defended Bombshell with 2 soldiers is never going to accomplish anything besides killing your soldiers. Your opponent obviously focused too much on one side of the battle, so you going around was brilliant.

[Katastrophe]

(01-05-2013 11:39 AM)daHsu Wrote:  Exactly. I didn't go too in detail with the replay, but charging at a defended Bombshell with 2 soldiers is never going to accomplish anything besides killing your soldiers. Your opponent obviously focused too much on one side of the battle, so you going around was brilliant.

I was hoping that the Bombshell was overextended and that I could (albeit slowly) pick it off. The more that that became apparently impossible, I decided to go for his Wit. When that became a lost cause and I saw his spawn wasn't defended, I focused there.

My point is that Feedback and Adorables have a way, one way or another, to combat and deal with Bombshells in a fairly cost effective manner. Veggienauts don't seem to have that, especially on smaller maps where the Bombshell's range is obnoxious. The only real option I can see is using Thorns to block line of sight to avoid your units taking 3 damage directly and that's a lot, especially since a smart player could probably dismantle your entire operation with a few crucial blows, and next thing you know your 10 Wit Thorn investment is killed with 3 Soldiers that are hitting the right targets.

Boom boom, dead.

[garcia1000]

(01-05-2013 12:25 PM)Katastrophe Wrote:  My point is that Feedback and Adorables have a way, one way or another, to combat and deal with Bombshells in a fairly cost effective manner. Veggienauts don't seem to have that

Therefore you suggest nerf bombshell?

[Katastrophe]

(01-05-2013 02:43 PM)garcia1000 Wrote:  

(01-05-2013 12:25 PM)Katastrophe Wrote:  My point is that Feedback and Adorables have a way, one way or another, to combat and deal with Bombshells in a fairly cost effective manner. Veggienauts don't seem to have that

Therefore you suggest nerf bombshell?

4 HP on a unit that is, 9/10 guarded by other units with 4 HP is kind of excessive. Adorables have to make huge Wit investment for their slingshot technique, Feedback is arguably on par, if not the best counter. Veggienauts have a huge Wit investment that does no damage.

But there's no real way to buff the Bramble.

[garcia1000]

If bombshell is so good how come scallywags are so weak