Alright, so Deadeye is an interesting card. For one point, it allows you to use a Focus Token instead of a Target Lock for ordnance.
Now at first blush, these seems interesting but not altogether useful. You still have to spend an action to use the attack. Not only that, but you can only put the upgrade on higher PS ships because only they have an EPT slot. And it costs a point on top of all that.
The cost is about right, when you consider it, but the real pain is the loss of the EPT slot. Why take Deadeye when for two more points you can get Push The Limit and take BOTH actions? There's a reason that this card isn't used often.
However, there is a purpose for this card. We are seeing a lot more highly mobile, high PS craft entering the game. The TIE Phantom is the most visible (hah pun) of these. Between barrel roll, advanced sensors, decloak, and navigator, this craft can end up in an incredible number of places. And they can be high PS, moving after all your ships and causing serious problems.
What Deadeye allows you to do that Target Lock doesn't, is you don't have to choose your target when you take your action. So, if Soontir Fel is at Range 4, but you know he's going to be heading at you, you can't yet target lock him because he's out of range. And he might not be in arc even if you could. Now, you can take a focus action and, when your shooting phase rolls around, you can determine your target then.
This is rather useful with Assault Missiles, as if you are fighting high PS craft or a mix of high and low, you have the flexibility to target the craft in the most advantageous place. Against interceptors and phantoms and A-Wings, you now don't have to telegraph your target.
However, the problem is that you are still handicapped with your attack because you are rolling dice without any TL/Focus modifications, unless you find some way to also get Target Lock or another focus. Plus, high PS ships are expensive.
And, as if in a dream, the perfect Deadeye case beckons to us, calling from across the void.
Yes, Lt. Blount. PS 6, but he only costs 17 points. That's the base cost of a prototype A-Wing. Plus he has a missile slot and an EPT. Now we have a low cost test case for Deadeye. Load him up with Deadeye and Assault missiles he clocks in at a meager 23 points. Now, his ability becomes key.
Lt. Blount doesn't have to do any damage to have been considered to hit the target. That means that he might not do any damage to who he shoots at with such missiles, but everyone around that target is going to take a point of damage. Now, not rolling any damage or being unable to modify such an attack matters less. The goal of splash damage is successful. Further, if you are fighting a mix of low and high ps enemies, you can take the focus action and only when you fire determine which splash zone would be best. Bonus points if your target has a stealth device.
And there is a case which you care even less about the modification of your attack.
Ion Pulse Missiles. These bad boys have 3 attack dice. If you hit with the attack, all dice results are cancelled, but the enemy takes one damage and 2 ion tokens. Placed on Lt. Blount along with deadeye, you can take a focus token and just pick who you want to do a damage to and ion for the next turn. You don't even had to roll. Three blanks versus your opponents 6 evades plus and evade token? Who cares, you still do the damage, ion them, and break any stealth device toys they might have. Nothing they can do to stop that. And if that ship is a TIE Phantom that's cloaked, they stay cloaked, can't decloak next round and are super vulnerable. Happy hunting.
If ever Deadeye had a use, it's with Lt. Blount. And he costs few enough points to be worth it.