I've played both, I've sat down at my dining room table and tried to work with different angles and maneuvers in different scenarios and I just don't see how EH is a better substitute for EU. With navigator it seems that you can easily make sure that you are cutting your angles at the right speed to avoid collision and the extra boost helps you get behind your opponent or out of their firing arc. The other major point is that you aren't bogging yourself down with any kind of stress. Granted, it is double the cost, but at 2 extra points I would argue that dropping an EPT from someone the like Han isn't going to hurt you that much because his ability is like a free TL with some stipulations. The other drawback I can see is a degree of predictability, but that's where navigator comes in handy! I am a firm believer in rookie X-wings and at 58pts for a EU Han with Gunner and Navigator you can field 2 as an escort. That's my 2 cents, and I'd love to hear yours!

It depends on what purpose you have for the Falcon. What is your purpose for it?

It depends on what purpose you have for the Falcon. What is your purpose for it?

Shooting and not getting shot back at if I can help it, you know #JustHanThings

Typically people go after the falcon and ignore the X-wings, so in that case I try to get my opponent to chase and move into a more vulnerable position for my rookie X wings. If they don't bite, I boost the Falcon out of arc but as close to range 1 as I can get on my enemy's ships to disrupt and for a slight offense boost.

Either way, I get that shredding a target lock is good. I also understand that shifting the equivalent of potentially a 2 straight plus a little change and slightly less than 2 backwards or forwards is significant, but because of the large base it is very difficult to barrel roll out of an opponent's firing arc or even at all if your opponent flies well enough. I know that there are similar risks with boosting, but the soft 1 boost covers more ground and provides better angles to get out of your opponent's arc, but mostly you're less likely to commit to a range 1 attack that will park the corner of your base in the tip of their arc.

Yep, then engine upgrade is the way to go. I do something similar with Boba quite a bit. I call it "going cowboy".

Expert handling is obviously a different beast. It can be great for things like fine-tuned range positioning (especially with navigator). Do you want to make sure you're at range 2 for tactician? It can also be good for unexpected maneuvers, since it's such an odd and large jump for a falcon.

Yep, then engine upgrade is the way to go. I do something similar with Boba quite a bit. I call it "going cowboy".

Expert handling is obviously a different beast. It can be great for things like fine-tuned range positioning (especially with navigator). Do you want to make sure you're at range 2 for tactician? It can also be good for unexpected maneuvers, since it's such an odd and large jump for a falcon.

Never even thought about tactician. Great point!

Yeah, how about Chewie, expert handling and 2 tacticians? Double-stress and you don't even have to hit.

Could be the two point difference. That can mean a lot. Beyond that Barrel Rolling on a large ships is a lot more adaptable. Boost offers 3 positions. Barrel Roll offers about 6 distinct ones and a number of halfway points. It also allows for better asteroid dodging.

Could be the two point difference. That can mean a lot. Beyond that Barrel Rolling on a large ships is a lot more adaptable. Boost offers 3 positions. Barrel Roll offers about 6 distinct ones and a number of halfway points. It also allows for better asteroid dodging.

Well, you should try to do you asteroid setup accordingly. With boost, I'm spacing them out as much as possible because my game plan is to run and not use cover. If I'm going with EH you best bet I'm clustering them and probably running 3P0 and playing a more defensive game.

I found Han with Expert Handling to be very annoying. He flies mostly last and can comfortably barrel roll out of firing arcs without concern of another ship flying in and surprising him.

A lower skill Falcon with Expert Handling, not so much.

You need to know how to use EH to make it effective...with a Falcon that means super close range to your enemy and high PS.

EH makes the Falcon a BEAST dogfighter, especially on Han with his high PS. There are so many places you can end up, you will be able to stay out of most arcs.

Last night it came down to my Chewie with EH vs a full health dagger with AS and HLC and a full health Ibi with AS, PTL and HLC...I ended up killing the dagger and getting Ibi down to 2 health before they took me down...and this was with Chewie moving BEFORE Ibi due to PS...and pretty much all my shots were unmodified as I had stress from EH almost every round...my opponent was getting super frustrated as he rarely got a shot off...if I had Han it would have been a different story.

Both definitely can be useful and in fun games you can even load up with both just to try em out. Engine Upgrade is nice when your up against a swarm and the falcon is all you have left, so you boost around with the TIEs chasing you (put some benny hill music on ). Expert Handling is just mean when there are only 1 or 2 enemies left though...there's nothing they can really do to hit you.

I'd say that boost requires less forethought and therefore is easier to get a handle on, whereas expert handling takes more practice (dare I say skill?) to figure out how to make the most of it.

imo both serve a similar function - getting in and out of firing arcs and negotiating asteroid fields. why not play both?

iv had good success with EH on both chewie and kath scarlet. their PS is high enough that they can cause low PS pilots fits.

imo it totally depends how u fly as to which one u prefer.

Expert Handling all the way. I have a log from the Vassal HiLo tournament where epic Chewie (Luke, Nien, MF, EH) basically destroyed the entire enemy squad himself. Boost could not have done that. EH lets you eat B-wings for lunch. Get in close and they are hamstrung by their short K-turn. It is entirely possibly they will never get a shot on you again.

If you have the points why not go for both and fly the Hypermobile Falcon?