I have a tournament coming up, and have a strong desire to put Boba Fett on the table. Regardless of all other considerations, factors, and inclusions in the list, what are your thoughts on Engine Upgrade/Inertial Dampeners vs. Countermeasures/Scavenger Crane?

I'm thinking that Engine Upgrade would, in a vacuum, be stronger; it's always good to be able to move and dodge arcs and so on. But I get the feeling that I'll be seeing a lot of alpha strike lists.... Knowing nothing else about the list, or the build, but knowing the general state of the meta right now, which of the two would you take?

Countermeasures/Scavenger Crane, although Engine Upgrade pairs very nicely with the rear arc, I find if flown well enough you don't really need it, I don't play that much with the Firespray, and when I do its usually HLC/Dengar/Expertise Kath, and very rarely would I like to boost.

I like the Engine upgrade. Boba needs to be in range 1 for most effectiveness. As for scavenger crane, I have a hard time using it since a ship has to die for it to be effective, so I'm a more solid EU/ID. I like Dampeners to encourage bump/fly by for Aux arc use.

This is my favorite version of Scum Boba. It works pretty fantastic for Imp Boba to. Expertise in my opinion is an auto include for him. Same with Engine Upgrade. Dengar allows you to take an evade or focus for defense instead of attack. Glitterstim is glitterstim. Mangler cannon is great to as it really ups your dmg output at Range 3 for early slow roll engagements.

This is also pretty solid since Boba really easily can switch targets with that rear arc. And it gets the most out of a TL action with Expertise.

Glitterstim has the potential to do a lot of work once you get into Range 1. Auto-focusing when you've got a lot of defensive rerolls is amazing. I think I'd rather have Glitterstim/Countermeasures over Scavenger Crane.

I know Engines are a great way to get to Range 1, but I've been thinking a lot about Navigator on Scum Boba Fett. I was testing out a list when the Manaroo nerf, and while I don't remember exactly what was on it, I know it was Expertise and Navigator on Boba, and Expertise, Title, Dengar, and R4-B11 on Manaroo. Anyhow, Navigator gives you an option for adjusting your range by the length of a small base or two without spending actions, to free you up to focus or evade once you get into range 1.

I'm not a super huge fan of Inertial Dampeners, but then again I've never practiced with them much. With more experience, I might find them worthwhile, but they haven't really wowed me. On-paper, I really like Burnout SLAM. It can be hard to turn around a Firespray, and I've frequently found myself in a position where I'm taking hard turns twice in a row, and winding up without a shot at least the first of those turns. If I SLAMed, I'd still lose my shot, but I'd have a better position for the next turn. However, I haven't had much practice with this either, since I've frequently went chasing other lists which catch my eye.

As to Elite upgrades, Expertise is strong, and I've seen a lot of Boba-mains run Fearlessness (particularly with range 2-3 missiles, to cover all ranges).

This is my Fearless Fett. Pretty tanked up on offense and defense to win any joust at range 1.

Firespray-31: · Boba Fett (39)

Fearlessness (1)

Cluster Missiles (4)

Counter-Measures (3)

K4 Security Droid (3)

· Slave I (0)

Glitterstim (2)

Extra Munitions (2)

-- TOTAL ------- 54p. --

If you are able to green maneuver into range 1 you will get the K4 target lock for your Cluster Missiles, pop Glitter for all the focuses and Counter-Measures for agility, and take an Evade action as you will get rerolls from his ability and Fearlessness adds a hit to each Cluster Missile, I believe.

I've had some fun running,

Fett (39), Expert Handling(2), Dengar(3), Glitterstimm(2), Countermeasures(3), Andrasta(0), Bomblet generator (3).

they don't want to be in front of him, and they don't really want to be behind him, and if he gets Target Locked he can Barrel roll to negate an ordinance alpha-strike - plus who expects a barrel roll from a firespray, seriously

I run him with hlc/Dengar/expertise Kath and also Nym.

I like to run him with VI, glitterstim and cruise just lately as if you get the approach right you force your opponent to choose between a five dice attack with full mod or a four dice full mod attack which saves the cruise for the end game.

That being said, I only fly him over Kath because I can get him to PS10.

I'm liking the thinking going on here. I have in the past generally put CM/SC on my large bases as I tend to be a fairly conservative, defensive player. But that strategy isn't well-supported lately, hence my thinking of switching over to EU/ID. Maybe I just take both lists to the FLGS tomorrow and try each one.

I haven't tried either, but I used to fly fett with fearlessness, AB, recon spec, and a few other things, but that was wave 9, and wave 10 braught expertise! So maybe this:

Boba Fett- Firespray-31, 39

Expertise, 4

Autoblaster, 5

recon spec, 3.

but what was much more fun was the ability to cry "SIX HITS!" With Kath with fearlessness at range one through the back arc.

I think this seems really fun!

Boba bomber (100)

Captain Nym (48) - Scurrg H-6 Bomber
Veteran Instincts (1), Twin Laser Turret (6), Extra Munitions (2), Cluster Mines (4), Cluster Mines (4), Havoc (0), Minefield Mapper (0), R4-E1 (1)

Boba Fett (52) - Firespray-31
Expertise (4), Bomblet Generator (3), Cad Bane (2), Engine Upgrade (4)

Use Nym with mapper to set up jousting lanes for Boba where you'll have additional cover if they choose to stay on the outside. If they get close you use bomblet and rear arc to punish them until they disengage.

Fearlessness is priceless on Fett. I think the key to making a firespray pull its weight is nice, cheap upgrades.

@Skeether 's cluster fett is brutal up close and personal and perfectly capable of blowing away anything with 5-7 hit points in a single pass, but fearlessness is really cool even once the missiles are gone; it works with the auxiliary arc, after all. One other upgrade which is quite nice is Expert Handling. Big ships with barrel roll are very nice, and it gives you good range control in a tight melee. For that matter, Expert Handling/Unkar Plutt is a nice cheap combination - it'll cost you a point of damage and a stress, but going from 'I done blocked you!' to 'I don't done blocked you, I lost my target lock, and now Boba Fett's at range 1' is an unpleasant turnabout.