While we are waiting for the FAQ . Do you think Firespray and IG can ever be played again? I believe so, so I want to re-introduce to you an old duo, modified accordingly to the standards of the current meta.

Boba-88 (99)

•Boba Fett (49) - Firespray-31

Veteran Instincts (1), Ion Cannon (3), •IG-88D (1), Rigged Cargo Chute (1), Engine Upgrade (4)

•IG88-B (50) - Aggressor

Veteran Instincts (1), Fire Control System (2), Heavy Laser Cannon (7), Glitterstim (2), IG-2000 (0), Autothrusters (2)

Veteran Instincts: the decision to play this card here is based on the fact that in the current meta the PS is gaining a lot of importance. By playing Boba and Ig at ps 10 and 8 we get the chance to move (when the adversary has the initiative) second. In particular, the importance of this leverage will become evident in matchups against Miranda and Nym , where the ability to adjust oneself and then fire with the ion cannon will allow us to keep them under control.

On the other hand ,In the matchups against empire and scum the control given from the ion cannon won’t be that relevant.

NB : The worst pairings you can find are those with alfa-imperials and jump. Unfortunately I haven’t tested it against these two lists yet, still I can already tell you that, on paper, we definitely don’t have the upper hand.

Matt

I took this pairing, although not these exact upgrades, to GenCon a couple years ago. While I didn't make it to the second day, I feel like it's a potentially powerful combo brought down by the general mediocrity of the Firespray. I too used VI on both, and engine upgrade on Fett, but the shadowcaster wasn't out yet, so Boba was cannon-free and had a different crew member (maybe recon spec? it's been a few years)

[EDIT]

Having gotten home and gained access to my squad builder, this is what I'd probably run now-a-days (and want to try next week)

Boba Fett (50)
-Vet Instincts
-Andrasta
-Bomblet generator
-Engine Upgrade
-Tactician
-Rigged Cargo Chute

IG-88B (50)
-VI
-HLC
-FCS
-Autothrusters
-Glitterstim

Boba, oddly enough, is primarily used for control, being a large base ship with built in rerolls and the evade action, he spends his time distributing stress and controlling the engagement with bombs and his cargo chute while still dealing damage due to his main gun. IG is the killer, abusing Boba's control to set up attack runs with his hyper-accurate HLC.

The biggest issue I had with my previous version of the list (Andrasta, the bombs, and the chute were instead seismic charges on both pieces) was Boba's inconsistend damage output. With the Tactician, he was still a threat, but IG was the only one dealing any damage. With the IG-B gunner into ion cannon in your version, I feel you'll suffer even more than that with reduced capability to issue control (ion realistically doesn't do much to Falcons/Dash/Jumps/Decimators/Shuttles, unlike stress.)

The only thing I think I'd consider dropping, honestly, is the glitter on IG, as I tend to blow it early, and typically my opponent can play around it (targeting Boba that round instead, for example) and it could bid me down to 98.

Thank you for your comment. Yes, surely with this setup the firespray is not very offensive, but, as you suggested, its task is to gain some control over the game. I agree with you when you say that "firespray is a mediocre model", but this setting allows you to spare the focus during the attack phase (thanks to Ig’s re-roll) in order to spend it while defending. Speaking of the ion cannon, I agree with you only partially, and here’s why: The meta that this squad is going to face consists mainly of lists with few defense dices (like rebels and scum), but the most important thing is that it allows you to face the Nyms, which are a hit right now on the mat. As far as the empire is concerned, every match will be really hard and we have to rely much more on the range of IG's maneuvers and ability with the aim to make the imperials use up all their markers or to assign them an ion at the right time. With regard to large ships like Yt-1300, Tu-2400, Jump and Decimator the only ones that bother me are the last two, even if they have to tackle Boba's ions, that in most games will move for second. And hereis where I support your proposal to play at 98. (usually yt-1300/2400 play at 100 while Decimator & Co. at 99/98) The only doubts I have left for the tournament this week are the following:

• Rigged Cargo Chute on Bob? Yes, no, why?
• Vet Instincts about Crackshot are IG? Yes, no, why?
• Revise the composition of IG to focus more on the control factor

Now let’s talk about your list:
I like it a lot, but I'd like to modify some changes you've made to the firespray, like:

-Tactician: It's definitely still a very strong card but if you want to bet on a more offensive firespray, I'll change it with Cad Bane. True is that you’ll loose the control factor, but you will be gaining the chance to relaunch the dices for the bombs, which is not to be underestimated.

-Rigged Cargo Chute: in order to spare 1 point and play at 99.

This is how I would try it:

Boba Fett (49)
-Veteran Instincts
-Bomblet Generator
-Cad Bane
-Engine Upgrade

This way you’ll have a kind of Nym that, paradoxically, has a greater defensive capability. Of course, you don’t get advanced sensor, but you can’t have it all.

Matt

The firespray really sings with Expertise especially with Dengar crew, that way you can boost and evade regularly. Messed with this before, its good fun.

So, I know this is probably a bit late, but I still wanted to respond to your questions:

On ‎9‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 9:17 AM, Matt_08 said:

The only doubts I have left for the tournament this week are the following:

• Rigged Cargo Chute on Bob? Yes, no, why?
• Vet Instincts about Crackshot are IG? Yes, no, why?
• Revise the composition of IG to focus more on the control factor

Rigged Cargo Chute is just one more way to exert some control out of the Firespray. If a PS 10 has an action that can drop what is essentially a HUGE scrap token in front of your ship, it'll really change the way opponent's fly aces, which are this lists major weakness. I once lost a full HP Protectorate to a SINGLE cargo chute (perfect storm: Asajj flies past me and drops it on me, crits, double damage. Teroch activates and his move takes his template through it, crits, double damage, dead.) so I have a healthy respect for the control they provide.

With PS 8+ meta, IG is already going to struggle to get shots and not die before he can shoot. At least at PS 8, he can fire back at Expertise Rey, Miranda, Expertise RAC, and other "scrub aces." A single crackshot in the list may have been important when Fel, Fenn, and other interceptors ruled, but this is a low-agi, bomb-heavy Meta, and the PS is likely to be more helpful.

With Boba being so control heavy, you need someone to push damage through. IG is your only option there on this list, so I've optimized him for pure damage output (minus crackshot.)

On ‎9‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 9:17 AM, Matt_08 said:

I like it a lot, but I'd like to modify some changes you've made to the firespray, like:

-Tactician: It's definitely still a very strong card but if you want to bet on a more offensive firespray, I'll change it with Cad Bane. True is that you’ll loose the control factor, but you will be gaining the chance to relaunch the dices for the bombs, which is not to be underestimated.

For the tactician, stress is a pretty hard counter to half the big bad lists right now (no advanced sensors on Nym, no expertise, no easy flying on FSR, Miranda either doesn't get actions or doesn't go fast, etc.) That combined with his large-based dual-arc nature makes Boba a natural carrier for it. Conversely, even though he is PS 10, Boba doesn't have the maneuverability to really throw his bomblet in people's faces. It's more there to keep people out of wherever he just was (important for 2-hard turns, as if they go where he was, he can't shoot them and they can probably shoot him.)