Seems to me to be an obvious imbalance between these two, with FCS being clearly more useful, yet they both cost the same 2 points.

With FCS you get the TL after attacking any ship, not just those you've already TL'ed, and the FCS is automatic, where as R5K6 requires a dice role and less than 50-50 chance.

Another example for me of this kind of Imbalance would be Chewie Crew card vs Shield up grade.

Any others you've noticed?

oh and a related question about FCS if I may;

You attack one ship, dont destroy it, then get a TL on it.

On the next turn you destroy another ship, do you retain your TL on the first ship?

Cheers and as always sorry if these have already been asked.

oh and a related question about FCS if I may;

You attack one ship, dont destroy it, then get a TL on it.

On the next turn you destroy another ship, do you retain your TL on the first ship?

That's up to you. Using FCS is optional. You do not have to use it after the 2nd attack. Then you keep the existing target lock.

The FCS card includes the word "may". See rulebook page 19 Card Abilities .

Gotcha, cheers!

The FCS is a systems upgrade, usable (so far) on only the B-wing and Lambda. R5-K6 is an astromech upgrade, usable only on X-wings and Y-wings.

I don't have any particular problem with the fact that they cost the same amount, especially since you really only have one option per ship.

R5-K6 would be more useful if it was (evade) or (eye), but I agree, it should be automatic. It would then become the most useful astromech for Wedge and Dutch, though Dutch is better off using his TL action during the action phase and using a regular R5 to prevent the damage sensor array card from ruining your day.

Well in fairness there are half a dozen abilities in the game that would be better if they were automatic - several droids, Saboteur, etc, but alas they are not, so....

.... ever thought that the balance comes by who uses it?

Wedge with FCS would be wrong, while none of the bwing pilots really become overpowered by having it

R5-K6 is widely considered to be one of the least useful (if not the absolute worst) upgrades in the game. The devs likely realized the randomness of it made it less useful than they wanted, so the Fire Control System was an opportunity to provide the same capability with a reliable (and hence more attractive) effect.

Yes, it means R5-K6 is less useful for the cost. But there's no way to fix that without errata, and I'd much rather see certain upgrades consigned to the dustbin of mediocrity than have them start flinging errata about to improve underused abilities.

[...] I'd much rather see certain upgrades consigned to the dustbin of mediocrity than have them start flinging errata about to improve underused abilities.

I agree with this...

R5-K6 is widely considered to be one of the least useful (if not the absolute worst) upgrades in the game. The devs likely realized the randomness of it made it less useful than they wanted, so the Fire Control System was an opportunity to provide the same capability with a reliable (and hence more attractive) effect.

Yes, it means R5-K6 is less useful for the cost. But there's no way to fix that without errata, and I'd much rather see certain upgrades consigned to the dustbin of mediocrity than have them start flinging errata about to improve underused abilities.

Though, i wouldn't mind if they erratad the rules to allow you to spend focus tokens to modify rolls for abilities and things outside of combat.... I think that would be a fun way to bump r5-k6's ability, albeit at an expense you may want to use elsewhere - I think it adds more than it would blow up... (considering other roll effects)

Hypothetically they could make a Y wing Longprobe title card that gives a Sensor icon upgrade to a Y wing, then it would get interesting. You give it to Dutch with R5-K6 and FCS. That could generate quite a few TLs. Dutch would become the "TL overlord" much as Kyle is the "Focus overlord".