Grading System

Quality over quantity!

I use a simple grading system to compare ships, squadrons, upgrades, objectives, etc.

It's a method that has some drawbacks - oversimplification being the chief one. Armada is a pretty complex game, so an upgrade that's meh in one list can be quite good in a another. The game is also constantly evolving, so that old components get new life when new stuff is added by new waves. I still think it can be useful to rank components by relative strength and utility, but keep that in mind.

The A-rating is reserved for the really good stuff. Most of the useful upgrades are B or C. If something has a D grade, consider very carefully before using. Stuff rated E and F should be avoided 99% of the time. 

A	B e s t	An EXCELLENT component! If you can fit it into your list, you totally should, unless there are other A-list options available that can take it's place. It doesn't mean that every list you make have to have all these cards, but if you're building a competitive list without any of them, you're probably doing it wrong.
B	B e t t e r	A VERY good component, but not necessarily the right one for all your fleets. This grade is used for a variety of cards that are just plain good and cost-effective, but aren't so good you need to plan all your listbuilding around taking them or countering them.
C	G o o d	A GOOD component. Consider carefully before including, and make sure it has strong synergy with the rest of the list. The difference between C and B is that the C grade either is more limited or it demands more specific builds, so isn't as universally useful.
D	O K	An OK component, but with significant shortcomings and/or limitations. Consider VERY carefully before including in your list. Stuff that's either on the weaker end of useful, a bit overcosted for what they do, or good but VERY niche end up in this category.
E	B a d	Not used, bc I'm pretending to be a school teacher.
F	F a i l	This component is a DUD. It should NOT be taken under ANY circumstance. If you do, you deserve to lose and to be ridiculed by your peers. Examples: NK-7 Ions, Mando Gauntlets.