diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a444fdc..2afa7f2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -86,12 +86,12 @@ Vehicle icon PNGs are served statically at `/vehicle-icons` from `VEHICLE_ICONS_
 
 The proxy blocks cross-origin/API-navigation requests, strips CORS headers from
 the upstream response, rate limits callers, and caches successful GET responses.
-Public TSS reads are written to a bounded JSON snapshot cache and served at both
-their `/api/tss/*` route and matching `/data/*` path. The frontend uses `/data/*`
-by default for public pages. Fresh snapshots return without touching the backend;
-stale snapshots are served immediately while the server refreshes them in the
-background. Missing `/data/*` snapshots are filled from the matching upstream API
-with a short timeout, then written atomically for future requests. All responses
+Public TSS reads are written to a bounded JSON snapshot cache and served through
+their normal `/api/tss/*` route. Fresh snapshots return without touching the
+backend; stale snapshots are served immediately while the server refreshes them
+in the background. Matching `/data/*` paths are also available for diagnostics or
+static-first experiments, but the frontend uses `/api/tss/*` by default so the
+site stays dynamic. All responses
 ship `X-Content-Type-Options`, `X-Frame-Options: DENY`, `Referrer-Policy`,
 `Permissions-Policy`, `Cross-Origin-Opener-Policy`, `Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy`,
 HSTS (over HTTPS), and HTML responses include a Content Security Policy that
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ PUBLIC_DATA_CACHE_FRESH_MS=300000
 PUBLIC_DATA_CACHE_STALE_MS=86400000
 PUBLIC_DATA_PREWARM_INTERVAL_MS=300000
 PUBLIC_DATA_COLD_TIMEOUT_MS=8000
-VITE_STATIC_DATA=true
+VITE_STATIC_DATA=false
 VITE_SITE_GATE=false
 API_RATE_LIMIT_WINDOW_MS=60000
 API_RATE_LIMIT_MAX=120
diff --git a/example.env b/example.env
index e7b0dad..6a9e844 100644
--- a/example.env
+++ b/example.env
@@ -63,4 +63,4 @@ DISCORD_INCLUDE_PATCH=true
 VITE_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY=
 TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY=
 VITE_SITE_GATE=false
-VITE_STATIC_DATA=true
+VITE_STATIC_DATA=false
diff --git a/frontend/index.html b/frontend/index.html
index 0a9860d..eefd45b 100644
--- a/frontend/index.html
+++ b/frontend/index.html
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@
         } catch {}
 
         window.__TSS_BOOT_PREFERENCES__ = { analyticsPreferences, theme }
-        window.__TSS_BOOT_DATA__ = __TSS_BOOT_DATA__
         document.documentElement.dataset.theme = theme
         document.documentElement.style.colorScheme = theme
         document.querySelector('meta[name="theme-color"]')?.setAttribute(
diff --git a/frontend/public/data/README.md b/frontend/public/data/README.md
index a750291..237255a 100644
--- a/frontend/public/data/README.md
+++ b/frontend/public/data/README.md
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 # Static Public Data
 
-The frontend tries these JSON snapshots before falling back to the live API by
-default. The web server serves `/data/*` from the public data cache and fills
-missing snapshots from the matching `/api/tss/*` route with a short timeout.
+The web server serves `/data/*` from the same public data cache used by
+`/api/tss/*`, and fills missing snapshots from the matching API route with a
+short timeout. The frontend uses `/api/tss/*` by default; set
+`VITE_STATIC_DATA=true` only for static-first experiments.
 
 - `/data/leaderboard-teams.json`
 - `/data/leaderboard-players.json`
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.jsx b/frontend/src/App.jsx
index aabfb49..8801076 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.jsx
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ const siteVersion = '1.0.1'
 const turnstileSiteKey = import.meta.env.VITE_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || ''
 const siteGateEnabled = String(import.meta.env.VITE_SITE_GATE || 'false').toLowerCase() === 'true'
 const staticDataBase = (import.meta.env.VITE_STATIC_DATA_BASE || '/data').replace(/\/+$/, '')
-const staticDataEnabled = String(import.meta.env.VITE_STATIC_DATA || 'true').toLowerCase() !== 'false'
+const staticDataEnabled = String(import.meta.env.VITE_STATIC_DATA || 'false').toLowerCase() === 'true'
 const missingStaticDataPaths = new Set()
 
 const defaultAnalyticsPreferences = {
diff --git a/frontend/src/main.jsx b/frontend/src/main.jsx
index 5671800..f4199eb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/main.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/main.jsx
@@ -2,4 +2,53 @@ import { createRoot } from 'react-dom/client'
 import './styles.css'
 import App from './App.jsx'
 
-createRoot(document.getElementById('root')).render(<App />)
+const root = document.getElementById('root')
+
+async function fetchBootJson(path) {
+  const response = await fetch(path, { headers: { Accept: 'application/json' } })
+  if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Boot request failed with ${response.status}`)
+  return response.json()
+}
+
+async function preloadBootData() {
+  if (!root?.dataset.tssFallback) return
+
+  const pathname = window.location.pathname
+  const timeout = new Promise((_, reject) => {
+    window.setTimeout(() => reject(new Error('Boot preload timed out')), 1500)
+  })
+
+  const load = async () => {
+    if (pathname === '/') {
+      const [homeTeams, live] = await Promise.all([
+        fetchBootJson('/data/home-teams.json'),
+        fetchBootJson('/data/recent-games.json'),
+      ])
+      return { homeTeams, live }
+    }
+
+    if (pathname === '/teams') {
+      return { leaderboard: await fetchBootJson('/data/leaderboard-teams.json') }
+    }
+
+    if (pathname === '/players') {
+      return { playerLeaderboard: await fetchBootJson('/data/leaderboard-players.json') }
+    }
+
+    if (pathname === '/battle-logs' || pathname === '/live') {
+      const [live, leaderboard] = await Promise.all([
+        fetchBootJson('/data/recent-games.json'),
+        fetchBootJson('/data/leaderboard-teams.json'),
+      ])
+      return { live, leaderboard }
+    }
+
+    return null
+  }
+
+  window.__TSS_BOOT_DATA__ = await Promise.race([load(), timeout]).catch(() => null)
+}
+
+preloadBootData().finally(() => {
+  createRoot(root).render(<App />)
+})
diff --git a/server.cjs b/server.cjs
index 46a7205..133f308 100644
--- a/server.cjs
+++ b/server.cjs
@@ -2294,28 +2294,156 @@ function readPublicDataSnapshot(relativePath) {
   }
 }
 
-function routeBootData(pathname) {
-  const boot = {}
+function fallbackNumber(value) {
+  return new Intl.NumberFormat('en-GB').format(Number(value || 0))
+}
 
-  if (pathname === '/') {
-    const homeTeams = readPublicDataSnapshot('home-teams.json')
-    const live = readPublicDataSnapshot('recent-games.json')
-    if (homeTeams) boot.homeTeams = homeTeams
-    if (live) boot.live = live
-  } else if (pathname === '/teams') {
-    const leaderboard = readPublicDataSnapshot('leaderboard-teams.json')
-    if (leaderboard) boot.leaderboard = leaderboard
-  } else if (pathname === '/players') {
-    const playerLeaderboard = readPublicDataSnapshot('leaderboard-players.json')
-    if (playerLeaderboard) boot.playerLeaderboard = playerLeaderboard
-  } else if (pathname === '/battle-logs' || pathname === '/live') {
-    const live = readPublicDataSnapshot('recent-games.json')
-    const leaderboard = readPublicDataSnapshot('leaderboard-teams.json')
-    if (live) boot.live = live
-    if (leaderboard) boot.leaderboard = leaderboard
-  }
+function fallbackDate(timestamp) {
+  if (!timestamp) return 'Unknown time'
+  return new Intl.DateTimeFormat('en-GB', { dateStyle: 'medium', timeStyle: 'short' }).format(new Date(Number(timestamp) * 1000))
+}
 
-  return Object.keys(boot).length ? boot : null
+function fallbackShell(title, meta, body) {
+  return `
+    <main class="min-h-screen bg-bg px-5 py-24 text-text sm:px-8 sm:pt-28">
+      <section class="mx-auto w-full max-w-7xl space-y-6">
+        <div>
+          <h1 class="text-3xl font-bold">${escapeHtml(title)}</h1>
+          <p class="mt-2 text-sm text-text-soft">${escapeHtml(meta)}</p>
+        </div>
+        ${body}
+      </section>
+    </main>
+  `
+}
+
+function playersFallbackHtml() {
+  const players = readPublicDataSnapshot('leaderboard-players.json')?.players || []
+  if (!players.length) return ''
+
+  const rows = players.slice(0, 100).map((player, index) => `
+    <a class="grid w-full grid-cols-[4rem_minmax(220px,1fr)_repeat(7,92px)] gap-3 border-b border-surface px-5 py-4 text-left text-sm transition hover:bg-surface" href="/players/${encodeURIComponent(player.uid)}">
+      <p class="font-semibold text-fury-cyan">#${index + 1}</p>
+      <div class="min-w-0">
+        <p class="truncate text-base font-semibold">${escapeHtml(player.nick || player.uid)}</p>
+        <p class="truncate text-xs text-text-soft">${escapeHtml(player.uid)} · last seen ${escapeHtml(fallbackDate(player.last_seen))}</p>
+      </div>
+      <p class="text-right font-semibold">${fallbackNumber(player.score)}</p>
+      <p class="text-right">${fallbackNumber(player.total_battles)}</p>
+      <p class="text-right">${fallbackNumber(player.total_kills)}</p>
+      <p class="text-right">${fallbackNumber(player.assists)}</p>
+      <p class="text-right">${Number(player.win_rate || 0).toFixed(1)}%</p>
+      <p class="text-right">${Number(player.kdr || 0).toFixed(2)}</p>
+      <p class="text-right">${fallbackNumber(player.teams_seen)}</p>
+    </a>
+  `).join('')
+
+  return fallbackShell(
+    'Player Leaderboard',
+    `${players.length} players returned`,
+    `<div class="overflow-hidden rounded-lg border border-border bg-fury-white shadow-sm">
+      <div class="overflow-x-auto">
+        <div class="min-w-[900px]">
+          <div class="grid grid-cols-[4rem_minmax(220px,1fr)_repeat(7,92px)] gap-3 border-b border-surface px-5 py-3 text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-text-soft">
+            <p>Rank</p><p>Player</p><p class="text-right">Score</p><p class="text-right">Battles</p><p class="text-right">Kills</p><p class="text-right">Assists</p><p class="text-right">WR</p><p class="text-right">KDR</p><p class="text-right">Teams</p>
+          </div>
+          ${rows}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>`,
+  )
+}
+
+function teamsFallbackHtml() {
+  const teams = readPublicDataSnapshot('leaderboard-teams.json')?.teams || []
+  if (!teams.length) return ''
+
+  const rows = teams.slice(0, 100).map((team, index) => {
+    const name = team.name || ''
+    return `
+      <a class="grid w-full gap-4 border-b border-surface px-5 py-4 text-left transition hover:bg-surface md:grid-cols-[4rem_1fr_repeat(4,auto)] md:items-center" href="/teams/${encodeURIComponent(name)}">
+        <span class="text-sm font-semibold text-fury-cyan">#${index + 1}</span>
+        <span class="min-w-0"><span class="block truncate text-lg font-semibold">${escapeHtml(name)}</span></span>
+        <span class="text-sm">${fallbackNumber(team.player_count)} players</span>
+        <span class="text-sm">${fallbackNumber(team.total_battles)} battles</span>
+        <span class="text-sm">${Number(team.win_rate || 0).toFixed(1)}% WR</span>
+        <span class="text-sm font-semibold">${fallbackNumber(team.points?.total_points || team.total_kills)}</span>
+      </a>
+    `
+  }).join('')
+
+  return fallbackShell(
+    'Team Leaderboard',
+    `${teams.length} teams returned`,
+    `<div class="overflow-hidden rounded-lg border border-border bg-fury-white shadow-sm">${rows}</div>`,
+  )
+}
+
+function battleLogsFallbackHtml() {
+  const matches = readPublicDataSnapshot('recent-games.json')?.matches || []
+  if (!matches.length) return ''
+
+  const rows = matches.slice(0, 50).map((match) => {
+    const winner = match.winning_team || match.team_name || ''
+    const loser = match.losing_team || ''
+    return `
+      <a class="grid w-full gap-x-6 gap-y-2 border-b border-surface px-5 py-4 text-left transition hover:bg-surface md:grid-cols-[minmax(0,1fr)_minmax(18rem,0.9fr)_auto] md:items-center" href="/games/${encodeURIComponent(match.session_id)}">
+        <div class="min-w-0">
+          <p class="truncate font-semibold">${escapeHtml(match.map_name || 'Unknown map')}</p>
+          <p class="text-xs text-text-soft">${escapeHtml(fallbackDate(match.timestamp))} · ${escapeHtml(match.session_id)}</p>
+        </div>
+        <div class="mx-auto grid w-full max-w-xl min-w-0 grid-cols-[minmax(0,1fr)_auto_minmax(0,1fr)] items-center gap-x-4">
+          <span class="min-w-0 truncate text-right text-sm font-semibold text-win">${escapeHtml(winner)}</span>
+          <span class="shrink-0 text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-text-muted">vs</span>
+          <span class="min-w-0 truncate text-left text-sm font-semibold text-loss">${escapeHtml(loser)}</span>
+        </div>
+        <p class="text-sm">${fallbackNumber(match.player_count)}v${fallbackNumber(match.player_count)}</p>
+      </a>
+    `
+  }).join('')
+
+  return fallbackShell(
+    'Battle Logs',
+    `${matches.length} battles returned`,
+    `<div class="overflow-hidden rounded-lg border border-border bg-fury-white shadow-sm">${rows}</div>`,
+  )
+}
+
+function homeFallbackHtml() {
+  const teams = readPublicDataSnapshot('home-teams.json')?.teams || []
+  const matches = readPublicDataSnapshot('recent-games.json')?.matches || []
+
+  return `
+    <main class="min-h-screen bg-bg px-5 py-24 text-text sm:px-8 sm:pt-28">
+      <section class="mx-auto grid w-full max-w-7xl gap-8 lg:grid-cols-[1.05fr_0.95fr] lg:items-center">
+        <div class="max-w-3xl">
+          <p class="text-base font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-fury-cyan">BorisBot got nothin on THIS</p>
+          <h1 class="mt-3 text-6xl font-bold tracking-normal sm:text-7xl lg:text-8xl">Toothless&apos; TSS Bot</h1>
+          <p class="mt-6 max-w-2xl text-xl leading-9 text-text-soft">Powered by Spectra. TSS analytics.</p>
+          <div class="mt-8 grid gap-4 sm:grid-cols-3">
+            <a class="apricot-button-text min-h-15 rounded-lg bg-text px-5 py-4 text-center text-base font-semibold text-bg" href="/teams">Team Leaderboard</a>
+            <a class="min-h-15 rounded-lg border-2 border-ring px-5 py-4 text-center text-base font-semibold text-fury-cyan" href="/battle-logs">Battle Logs</a>
+            <a class="min-h-15 rounded-lg border-2 border-text bg-fury-white px-5 py-4 text-center text-base font-semibold text-text" href="/players">Player Leaderboard</a>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+        <div class="rounded-lg border border-border bg-fury-white p-5 shadow-sm">
+          <p class="text-sm font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-fury-cyan">Cached now</p>
+          <div class="mt-4 grid gap-3">
+            <p class="text-sm text-text-soft">${fallbackNumber(teams.length)} featured teams · ${fallbackNumber(matches.length)} recent games</p>
+            ${teams.slice(0, 4).map((team) => `<a class="rounded-md border border-border bg-bg px-3 py-2 text-sm font-semibold" href="/teams/${encodeURIComponent(team.name || '')}">${escapeHtml(team.name || '')}</a>`).join('')}
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </section>
+    </main>
+  `
+}
+
+function routeFallbackHtml(pathname) {
+  if (pathname === '/players') return playersFallbackHtml()
+  if (pathname === '/teams') return teamsFallbackHtml()
+  if (pathname === '/battle-logs' || pathname === '/live') return battleLogsFallbackHtml()
+  if (pathname === '/') return homeFallbackHtml()
+  return ''
 }
 
 function htmlWithSeo(req, data) {
@@ -2330,7 +2458,14 @@ function htmlWithSeo(req, data) {
   const seo = routeSeo(pathname)
   const canonicalUrl = `${origin}${seo.path}`
 
+  const fallback = routeFallbackHtml(pathname)
+
+  const rootHtml = fallback
+    ? `<div id="root" data-tss-fallback="1">${fallback}</div>`
+    : '<div id="root"></div>'
+
   return data.toString('utf8')
+    .replace('<div id="root"></div>', rootHtml)
     .replace(/\s+integrity=(["'])sha(?:256|384|512)-[^"']+\1/g, '')
     .replaceAll('__PUBLIC_ORIGIN__', origin)
     .replaceAll('__SEO_TITLE__', escapeHtml(seo.title))
@@ -2338,7 +2473,6 @@ function htmlWithSeo(req, data) {
     .replaceAll('__SEO_ROBOTS__', escapeHtml(seo.robots))
     .replaceAll('__SEO_CANONICAL__', escapeHtml(canonicalUrl))
     .replaceAll('__SEO_JSON_LD__', routeStructuredData(origin, seo, canonicalUrl).replace(/</g, '\\u003c'))
-    .replaceAll('__TSS_BOOT_DATA__', JSON.stringify(routeBootData(pathname)).replace(/</g, '\\u003c'))
     .replaceAll('__TURNSTILE_SESSION__', isTurnstileSessionVerified(req) ? 'verified' : 'required')
 }