Themewise, what is it? What does it represent? Why does a Punisher have it but not a Bomber? Why do the B-Wing and E-Wing have it but not the X-Wing, Y-Wing, or K-Wing?

I guess at the time it was meant to represent newer, more technologically advanced ships, such as the E-wing and B-wing.

Now we've got the tech slot though? **** knows

Themewise, what is it? What does it represent?

It generally just seems to be a more advanced Modification.

The Tech slot is so redundant and pointless...

I figure it's a component only large ships can really take. Bwings are big, and E-wings are flying boxes, plenty of room!

An abstraction for the mechanical purpose of differentiating the available units in the game and controlling which pilots get access to what abilities. I don't think theme really comes into it for FFG in this case. For a while it did tend to conform to 'newer' ships but that pattern has been broken several times.

It represents a ship that's chock-full of Fancy Electronics. This isn't the same as not having normal electronics (and the technological sophistication between a TIE Fighter and even a Z-95 is represented by the latter has target locking, aka actual tracking/scanner systems), but ships with dedicated suites thereof.

Think of it as the distinction between a simple dayfighter with pursuit radar and basic navigational kits to a ship loaded to the gills with electronic suites. The navy's Avenger (Which has design cues in the new Mist Hunter, incidentally...) would be an example in the 70s - it was loaded with fancy electronics technology not normally found on aircraft of the time.

Modern fighters no longer see such distinctions; they're all loaded with fancy crap by default. This is probably what the 'tech' slot is trying to represent, even if the way it's being represented feels a little odd - the artwork suggests it's extra fiddly bits all over the ship, while Systems are usually shots of new consoles or action shots of the ships themselves - something much more substantial than just an extra aerial, as it were.

Themewise, what is it? What does it represent?

It generally just seems to be a more advanced Modification.

Now we've got the tech slot though? **** knows

The Tech slot is so redundant and pointless...

The Tech slot serves its purpose of creating a set of upgrades exclusive to Force Awakens ships.

The Tech slot serves its purpose of creating a set of upgrades exclusive to Force Awakens ships.

Thematically? Maybe nothing. It's a premium slot with exceptionally powerful cards.

The Tech slot is great, what the heck are you complaining about.

As the game grows and the "back catalogue" of upgrades inflates the only way to maintain balance is to create new upgrade slots (even if they seem like the same thing as another slot).

Themewise, what is it? What does it represent?

It generally just seems to be a more advanced Modification.

Now we've got the tech slot though? **** knows

The Tech slot is so redundant and pointless...

If they had any upgrades for the tech slot. (Still upset that TIE/FO did not come with 2 comm booster upgrade cards.)

The system slot (often called sensor by many players) was an upgrade that came out in wave 3 with the B-wing and the Lambda class shuttle. For the most part it is designed around scanning and defensive items such as Enhanced scopes or Sensor Jammer. Since wave 3 six ships have the sensor slot with another ship that can equip it via unique title upgrade.

Why does the bomber not have it? Well good question as it did come out in wave 3 Guess they thought giving the Imperials double torpedoes and double missiles were enough . X-wings and Y-wings were wave 1 so the system slot wasn't even created by then. K-wing doesn't need them, they have TLTs.

The Tech slot serves its purpose of creating a set of upgrades exclusive to Force Awakens ships.

And that's dumb.

Why? The Systems slot is "fancy electrickery". The Tech slot is "electrickery so fancy you can only fit it to ships with the most advanced avionics systems available". Seems perfectly logical and reasonable, even if "Tech" is a pretty stupid name for it.

A systems upgrade = Best upgrade in the game!

A systems upgrade is an upgrade that at the time of its initial release, wasn't a pilot talent, wasn't a torpedo, missile, or bomb, and while it could be considered a sort of modification, they wanted to add another layer to the game, so they made it separate from mods.

Now as to why we get the tech upgrade? Well... There wasn't much else they could do to separate the ships, so making another different set of systems slots was... Fine I guess.

Systems represents advanced technology not normally seen in line fighters, theres nothing particularly advanced about the t70 or tie/fo in their own time, they're just newer compared to other ships in the game so they have tech to represent the changes in tech over 30 years. Advanced ships from their own time would have tech and systems.

Systems represents particularly advanced dedicated computer systems for stuff like sensors, jamming, etc. beyond the typical targeting computer and navigation systems.

Tech represents new technology that wasn't present during the original Galactic Civil War. To represent that this technology is from a newer time, it's only available to ships from that time.

My biggest question is why the A-wing, a ship known for having advanced sensor and jamming technology, doesn't have a system upgrade slot.

My biggest question is why the A-wing, a ship known for having advanced sensor and jamming technology, doesn't have a system upgrade slot.

In-character? Because plenty of ships had good sensor suites and the like; this is why they get Target Locks and potentially some of their Agility bonus.

In-game? Advanced Sensors PTL A-wings are the perfect nightmare.

Why? The Systems slot is "fancy electrickery". The Tech slot is "electrickery so fancy you can only fit it to ships with the most advanced avionics systems available".

Why does the bomber not have it? Well good question as it did come out in wave 3

Because unlike, say, a B-Wing, the TIE Bomber is one of those cheap expendable crap TIEs. No shields, no hyperdrive, and no advanced systems.

Super sciency gadgets. Preferably with lights, levers, and beeps.

Themewise, what is it? What does it represent? Why does a Punisher have it but not a Bomber? Why do the B-Wing and E-Wing have it but not the X-Wing, Y-Wing, or K-Wing?

Sensor array.

Advanced Targetting computers (Starviper)

Long range sensors and scanners (E-wing)

EM baffling system (Lambda)

B needs it to make effective attack runs on capital ships, E-wing needs it to detect threats to escorted ships, Punisher is the same as Bomber, Virago-Starviper had one to make it super-accurate.

Why? The Systems slot is "fancy electrickery". The Tech slot is "electrickery so fancy you can only fit it to ships with the most advanced avionics systems available".

Which is bull the moment the Tech upgrades come out and they are things like communication relays and guidance computers. Things that clearly existed prior to Force Awakens.

Honestly, just imagine the word "Advanced" in front of "Guidance Computer" or "Comms Relay" if your suspension of disbelief is straining.

Themewise, what is it? What does it represent?

It generally just seems to be a more advanced Modification.

Now we've got the tech slot though? **** knows

The Tech slot is so redundant and pointless...

The Tech Slot exists to allow them to add systems upgrades they don't want to add to the older ships (Comm Relay on a TIE phantom? No thanks) while also not giving Fire Control System, Advanced Sensors .etc to the new ones.

Same reason Torpedo and Missile are different slots when they're practically interchangeable in-universe.

As for what the systems slot is...

It started out on the Lambda and the B-wing in Wave 3.

• The B-wing has it because it's a new, experimental craft, and thus has some fairly wild tech in some of them.
• The Lambda is a sizeable shuttle. It's lacking in just about everything. The tech on a Lambda isn't necessarily advanced, it's a bulkier, less elegant approach to the same solution, hence it's on a shuttle.

Enter Wave 4,

• The E-wing is a future craft, a higher tech X-wing. It gets the systems slot for the same reason the B-wing did: it's very advanced and can do things the older ships couldn't.
• The TIE phantom is also an experimental craft, probably the most experimental craft in the game. The TIE defender didn't get the slot even though it arguably should have lore-wise because it's not a slot you want to overdo (it'd be over half the ships since it came out and it's on half of Wave 3/4 as it is), and between the TIE phantom and the TIE defender the TIE phantom won out.

Wave 5 had a converted freighter and a military patrol ship. No reason for system slots here.

Enter Wave 6,

• The StarViper only gets a System slot with the Virago title, which represents the higher tech all-the-bells-and-whistles prototype as opposed to the later production models. It also gets an Illicit in this package, and it's a justified use of the slot.
• The IG-2000 is a droid bounty hunter's ship so you'd expect some craziness, especially as all the systems needed to keep an organic alive aren't needed. IG-88 himself probably counts as a systems upgrade.

Enter Wave 6.5,

• The TIE advanced gets a systems slot added. There are two ways of looking at this. It's a prototype starfighter anyway so it sort of has it justified, although it's such an early ship that it's a little more tenous. What the Systems Slot effectively does for the TIE advanced is give it 2.5 to 3 firepower with Accuracy Corrector or Advanced Targeting Computer. This doesn't explain away non-AC or ATC systems but if you consider AC or ATC as standard then adding a prototype system requires sacrifices in firepower, making it more believeable compared to the later ships that add this tech seamlessly.

Enter Wave 7,

• The TIE punisher lacks a justification for its slot: it has it because it mechanically needs it to stand apart from the bomber and for its minelaying and relocking tricks. It has it for the mechanics, not for the lore.

Enter Wave 8,

• The G-1A is another customised tricksy bounty hunter ship.
• The Ghost is absolutely colossal and has a fair bit of one-of-a-kind fancy tech in there (its sensor jammer for example).

The Tech Slot exists to allow them to add systems upgrades they don't want to add to the older ships (Comm Relay on a TIE phantom? No thanks) while also not giving Fire Control System, Advanced Sensors .etc to the new ones.

If those upgrades are broken on old ships, then change what they do.