Stealth bomber

When you attack a planet with defenses, your stealth bombers strike before the actual battle: in the first strike only the bombers fire, and only at the defense installations. Then the battle starts as usual – against a defense that is already weakened.

The first strike weakens the defense but cannot wipe it out on its own. Your fleet finishes the job in the normal rounds. The battle report shows what the first strike achieved.

Stealth

Your opponent only spots incoming bombers late – how early depends on their Spy technology. The stealth only works while flying. With the Synth network your bombers can also stay hidden from scans (Synth: espionage).

When are they worth it?

Stealth bombers are expensive and need a lot of kryptonite. They pay off if you regularly attack heavily defended planets. Against planets without defenses the first strike does nothing – only their normal combat stats count there. It also cannot hit guns that are dug in (digging in defense).