Upgrade Laser is a key upgrade for combat that heavily increases the damage of your Battlecruiser lasers, even Broadsides. For lasers shot from the Weapons Console, there is a 20% increase per level up to a maximum of 100%. For Broadside Lasers, there is a 5% increase in damage per level up to a maximum of 25%. The effective boost in damage becomes quite noticeable -- not only does it mean your Weapons Console becomes more energy efficient in terms of damage, the increased damage output also causes the enemy Battlecruiser to expend more shields in order to prevent them from falling when they are being shot. As Battlecruiser fights are typically a bout in energy consumption, this makes a heavy impact on your efficiency.