Use your head not your fingers. ;) 

Get it ?  

It's an issue with how fighters are coded, and is not limited to bombers. The same problem can be seen with scouts. If they're not coming at them just right (and same altitude), they always try to get behind the enemy before firing. The best way to counter their poor interception and chasing habits is to engage the bombers as far out as possible. I usually position them to intercept near the enemy battle line, which means that, with the exception of some impressive microing, even massive swarms of TBs usually get wiped out before they can attack my team.

If using locals, you have a similar need despite the low range. Try and engage at least halfway between the battle lines.

Also, if you know bombers are coming, spread your fighters out so that no matter how they try and go, you can engage with at least one squadron quickly. For intercepting bombers, it's much better to use squadrons of 2-3 planes spread out over a wide area, even if you have low level fighters and it means you can't get all of them. I'd rather reliably get half before they drop than have an all-or-nothing chance.

@ErwinJA

thanks for the explanation, i'll do that

@soulseeker4

no, i don't get it

+++

Intercept bombers @ a 60 degree angle in front.

Spam click to keep them from engaging until they are 1inch or less on your screen from the enemy bombers.

Let them engage. They will turn behind the enemy planes about 15-30 pixels behind. Plenty close to deal damage to the planes.

Manage as nessasary to maintain contact til all are killed. 

might be important to ask what tier fighters you use? because the lower tier fighters are relatively slow compared to bombers.


i usually try to engage head on at an intercepted course, but just before they make contact start turning my FP into the same direction the bombers are moving. usually results in killing a couple while turning in & finishing most of the rest seconds after.

micro-ing this turning manouvre with your FP basicly skips the bad coding of intercepts from NF. 

If the player controlling the bombers knows fighters are intercepting sometimes they will turn away, engage in "circle of stupidity", or other defensive maneuver.

What I do to intercept is try to identify which ship is being targeted, then "escort" the ship with my fighters (redirecting to the intended target) and when the bombers reach, my fighters are on target too.  Otherwise you have to quickly determine an intercept point and direct your fighters there; also if they are TBs and already at sea level, you are wise to drop altitude on your fighters.  If your fighters are at high altitude (100), it takes a few seconds for them to drop down and close in, where if you were already at sea level altitude (0) you can shoot some of them head-on, then turn and intercept the remaining squadron.  But, as said earlier, if you are running T1s you will have a lot more difficulty intercepting them and you could also lose your fighters to the bombers shooting them too.  Also...if your settings call for return to ship on low fuel, you can lose fighter engagement at just the wrong time.