This guide covers the best strategies for killing Bombardiers in ARC Raiders, including the most effective grenade tactics rated by effort, time, and cost. Whether you are playing solo or with a squad, you will learn how to take down Bombardiers quickly without dying to their precision mortar strikes or close-range shockwave attacks.
By the end of this guide, you will know exactly where to find Bombardiers, which grenades work best, how to kill the Bombardier with varying tactics, and tips to make the process easier.
How to Kill Bombardier
The Bombardier is the most annoying ground ARC to fight, as it has two fairly powerful attacks: A shockwave attack similar to the Leaper‘s that punishes anyone who stays close for too long, and a Mortar rocket attack that is very accurate and deadly. As well as having at least 2 Spotters that can help it aim at Raiders hiding in cover, making this often an outnumbered fight.
Deadline Mine and Photoelectric Cloak Method
My favourite way to deal with Bombardiers is to first equip and use a Photoelectric Cloak to approach the Bombardier, avoiding agro, then place a Deadline Mine down at its feet before using the photoelectric cloak again to retreat. This should be a one-shot tactic.
Photoelectric Cloaks is a gadget that allows the user to conceal themselves from ARC, and Deadline Mines deal massive amounts of damage after a set amount of time.
For other methods, keep reading this section – otherwise, skip to see tips relevant to this method as well as spawn locations, weak points, and common mistakes.
Kill The Spotters First
If you know the fight will be slightly longer, and you don’t intend to use a Deadline Mine, before engaging the Bombardier directly, you must eliminate its Spotter drones. The Bombardier is always accompanied by Spotters who feed targeting information to it, enabling it to make precise mortar strikes on your position regardless of line of sight. Killing the Spotters makes it harder for the Bombardier to track you accurately.
Shoot the Thruster at almost the bottom of the drone, as this seems to explode them the fastest. Bring an Anvil or Ferro with Heavy Ammo to deal with Spotters throughout the fight.
Be aware that Spotters will respawn after being destroyed. Use the window after killing them to deal damage to the Bombardier aggressively before new Spotters arrive and restore its targeting capability.
Positioning And Cover
The Bombardier fires mortar rounds that travel in an arc toward your position. These mortars are precise, and the Bombardier can adjust the trajectory to hit where you are moving to or even thread rounds through window slits for precision kills. However, the arc travel time gives you ample opportunity to dodge if you watch when and where it is firing.
Find a building or structure with a doorway or cubby you can hide in. Close doors when needed to block incoming fire, then open them to throw grenades or take shots. The mortar’s arc trajectory makes traditional cover less effective than against other enemies, so always be ready to reposition. Do step away from doors as they fire, as the mortar strikes may still deal damage.
Throwing grenades at the Bombardier’s back deals significantly more damage than hitting the front. Whenever possible, position yourself to land grenades on the rear weak spot for faster kills, meaning if in a duo, try fighting from opposite sides to ensure at least 1 of you has a clear shot at the weak spot (a yellow canister found on the backside of the Bombardier).
Open Field
Some players can still combat Bombardiers in open areas without relying on buildings for cover. The key to this tactic is keeping your eyes on the Bombardier at all times and watching its attack animation closely.
When you see the Bombardier fire its mortar, move immediately in a perpendicular direction. The mortar travels in an arc and takes time to reach your position, giving you a window to sidestep the impact zone. Do not run in a straight line away from the Bombardier as the predictive targeting will land mortars ahead of you.
This tactic requires constant attention and quick reflexes. If you look away or get distracted, you will likely take a direct hit. Open field combat is riskier than using buildings, but it is viable for experienced players who don’t mind aggressive engagements.
Best Grenades For Killing Bombardiers
Grenades are the most effective tools for killing Bombardiers. Each grenade type has different trade-offs in effort, time, and cost. The rankings below are in order from best to worst based on overall effectiveness.
Wolfpack Grenades (Best Overall)
Wolfpack Grenades are the best option if you have them. Two Wolfpack Grenades will kill the Bombardier in about 10 seconds with minimal effort. Throw both at the Bombardier, and it dies.
The time and effort required are the lowest of any method, making Wolfpacks the clear winner for speed. The cost is moderate to high, depending on whether you have the blueprint. If you have the Wolfpack blueprint, these are easy to craft and become the best option across the board.
Without the blueprint, you can find Wolfpack Grenades in high-tier areas, nighttime raids, PvP loot, Matriarch or Harvester events, and Security Breaches. Wolfpacks can occasionally be bought from the Traders District for 15,000 coins each.
Deadline Mines (My favourite method)
You can place the Deadline Mine at its feet, rather than on the body, but risk it walking away from the placement.
While cheap at 15,000 coins from Apollo, the Bombardier’s janky movement makes mine placement extremely frustrating as the Bombardier moves around constantly, causing the mine placement to reset repeatedly. So try placing the mine at the Bombardiers’ feet, this should 1-shot it, though bring extras in case it walks away from the impact point.
If you want to attempt this method but don’t have spares, you can lower the chance that it walks away from the Deadline Mine by first damaging a leg so the Bombardier drops to its knees, then try to place the mine.
You can also use a Photoelectric Cloak to approach safely, but as soon as you stop cloaking to put the mine, the Bombardier could agro to you, meaning you’ll need to use it twice. If doing this, ensure you have enough stamina for both walking to it and walking away.
Snap Blast Grenades
Snap Blast Grenades are surprisingly effective and the third-best option. Nine Snap Blast Grenades can kill a Bombardier in about 1.5 minutes with relatively simple execution. These require 2 Crude Explosives and 1 Magnet to craft. Bring extra in case you miss.
The time and effort are moderate, taking longer than Wolfpacks but still reasonable. The cost is lower than Wolfpacks and comparable to Trigger’nades, making them a solid middle-ground choice.
Snap Blast Grenades are better than Trigger’nades because they can be crafted as soon as you unlock the Explosives Bench, while Trigger’nades require finding the blueprint. Landing one on the Bombardier’s back deals significantly more damage. Magnets can be obtained by searching for technological parts or breaking down blue Augments.
Trigger’nades
Trigger’nades are a solid mid-tier option that deal 90 damage per grenade. These require 2 Crude Explosives and 1 Processor to craft, costing roughly 4,000 coins when available. Kills take approximately 3 minutes. Potentially requires 20 Trigger Nades.
The time and effort are similar to Snap Blast Grenades, though slightly higher due to the longer kill time. The cost is comparable to Snap Blasts, but the blueprint requirement makes them less accessible early on.
Crude Explosives can be refined at the Refinery, and Processors can be found by breaching computer servers. Much of the fight is spent hiding to avoid aggro, then emerging to throw grenades during safe windows. You can also get the blueprint by completing quests.
Light Impact Grenades + Ferro (Budget)
Light Impact Grenades are the cheapest option, requiring only 3 Chemicals and 2 Plastic Parts. However, this is the longest and most difficult kill method on the grenade list. Using the Ferro on the Spotters.
The time and effort required are the highest of any grenade type, taking significantly longer than all other options. However, the cost is the lowest by far, making them ideal for players on a tight budget who have the patience and skill for it.
What Is The Bombardier?
The Bombardier is a mid-sized ARC unit that functions as a mobile artillery platform. With 2,670 health and devastating mortar attacks, this enemy poses a critical threat to Raiders at all skill levels.
The Bombardier relies on Spotter drones for reconnaissance and can adjust its mortar trajectory mid-flight to hit where you are moving. It can thread mortars through window slits for precision kills against Raiders hiding in buildings. Additionally, it has a close-range shockwave attack that releases, punishing anyone who gets too close.
Bombardiers tend to stay stationary or reposition slowly, making them predictable but no less dangerous. The combination of long-range precision mortars and close-range shockwave makes the Bombardier uniquely challenging compared to other ground-based mini-boss ARCs.
Attacks
The Primary attack of the Bombardier is its mortar strikes, which the spotters help triangulate Raiders (and you).
Shockwave is an attack the Bombardier can employ when Raiders are very close. As this is uncommon, this would be considered its secondary attack.
It can run Raiders over, so generally steer clear of its legs and approach from behind.
Where To Find Bombardiers
Below is a map of all spawn locations in all maps, except Stella Montis, which does not spawn any Bombardiers.
Bombardier Spawn Locations
You can find them easier if you look in the sky and ping the ‘Snitches’ you see, they could be spotters and spotters are only found near Bombardiers!
Personally, I’ve had most success finding Bombardiers on the Bluegate Map, as three spawns cover a good portion of the map / relatively close to most spawn points, and there’s ample cover across the Map in general (buildings).
Why Kill The Bombardier?
Loot And Rewards
Killing a Bombardier yields significant rewards. Each Bombardier drops between 3 and 6 Bombardier Cells, with each cell selling for 5,000 coins at traders. Bombardier Cells can also be dismantled into Advanced Electrical Components, making them valuable even if you do not need coins.
The destroyed Bombardier drops additional crafting materials, including ARC Alloy, ARC Powercell, ARC Performance Steel, Advanced ARC Powercell, Mechanical Components, Heavy Gun Parts, and Launcher Ammo.
Make sure to loot all debris piles from the destroyed Bombardier, as cells can appear in both the main chassis and the smaller debris blown off during the fight.
Refiner Upgrade
The primary reason to farm Bombardiers is to upgrade the Refiner from Level 2 to Level 3. This upgrade requires exactly 6 Bombardier Cells, 3 Motors, and 10 ARC Circuitry.
Since one Bombardier drops 3 to 6 cells, you may need to kill 2 Bombardiers to gather enough cells for the upgrade. If sharing loot with other Raiders in your squad, you may need additional kills.
Bombardier Weak Spots
The Bombardier has two primary weak spot areas. Shooting the armored body wastes ammunition and deals minimal damage.
Rear Cylinder
The yellow cylinder on the rear of the Bombardier has the highest damage multiplier. Grenades and shots that land on the back deal significantly more damage than those that hit the front. Whenever possible, position yourself to hit this weak spot.
Once the rear cylinder is destroyed, an inner mechanism is exposed that takes even more damage. Focus all fire on this exposed section to finish the Bombardier quickly.
This makes grouping up / Duos much more worthwhile, as if you’re positioned on opposite sides, at least 1 person can fire at the rear cylinder weak spot at all times.
Leg Joints
The yellow kneecaps on all four leg joints are easier to hit than the rear cylinder. Shooting the kneecaps impairs the Bombardier’s mobility and exposes unarmored inner sections for increased damage.
Destroying leg joints causes the Bombardier to drop to its knees temporarily. If attempting the Deadline Mine method, damage a leg first to immobilize the Bombardier before trying to place the mine.
Tips
Photoelectric Cloak
The Photoelectric Cloak makes you completely invisible to all ARCs, allowing you to approach the Bombardier safely. However, getting close to a place where a mine or grenade is set is still risky because the Bombardier’s shockwave attack punishes anyone who stays nearby for too long.
If using the Photoelectric Cloak, your best approach is to place the mine at its feet or use it to move to other cover away from Spotters. The Cloak can be crafted at Utility Station Level 3 using 2 Advanced Electrical Components and 4 Speaker Components, though the epic requirements make it pricey.
Smoke Grenades
Other methods of getting close are even riskier. Smoke Grenades clear quickly, and the Bombardier can walk out of the smoke. Using a Snap Hook to grapple close will alert the Bombardier immediately. Any missed grenade throw while close typically results in getting hit by the Bombardier’s gun or shockwave attack.
Trying to land on its head – Don’t
A common mistake is trying to drop onto the Bombardier from above like you would with a Bastion.
Do not drop from above onto the Bombardier. Unlike the Bastion, the Bombardier has a shockwave attack that will damage or kill you if you land on or near it. The drop strategy that works on Bastions does not work here.
Showstopper Grenades – Don’t
Using Showstoppers on Bombardiers wastes expensive equipment since they are immune to the stun effect. Save Showstoppers for other enemies where they actually work.
Kill Spotter Drones immediately
Ignoring the Spotter drones allows the Bombardier to track your position with deadly accuracy. Always prioritize killing Spotters before and during the fight. Shoot their bottom Thrusters to disable them fastest.
Other Arc Raiders Items 40
