The Rules Lawyer: Fire-Control Team & ACM/XX-9

"The Rules Lawyer" is a new feature, where I explain things regarding the rules that isn't 100% clear from the RRG+FAQ+Tourney Regs. It's not official or anything, but since I'm always right it's better to accept my version of the truth, rather than live in ignorance and shame.

This post is about the interaction of F-C Team and ACM/XX-9:

When F-C Team (Not to be confused with FCT or FC Team, which is Fighter Coordination Team) was spoiled some ppl cheered. What's better than 1 crit? Two crits oc. As it turned out there were... not many ships who could actually use this card, beyond the DEFAULT CRIT and say APT or ACM.

(and oc most ships would much rather have Ordnance Experts or something in that weapons slot, but that's another discussion)

Except some ships could actually take APT and XX-9 (MC30 - but now there are more, like Kuat and Armored Cruiser). THREE faceups from 1 attack? One from APT, then 2 XX-9 hull damage? With Dodonna? Yes PLEASE!

So we got a FAQ, essentially nerfing already dubious F-C Team to limit APT spam/Dodonna abuse.

Fire Control Team

If a ship with this card equipped resolves both the XX-9 Turbolasers critical effect and the standard critical effect, only the first 2 damage cards are dealt faceup. If a ship with this card equipped resolves both the Assault Proton Torpeodes critical effect and the standard critical effect, only the damage card dealt by resolving Assault Proton Torpedoes is dealt faceup.

Nowhere does it say explicity how ACM and XX-9 work torgeter, but from the FAQ ruling you can extrapolate:

• If only 1 ACM goes through (bc 1 adjacent zone is shielded), 1 card is dealt faceup, then a second faceup can also be dealt if total damage gets to hull.
• If no ACM damage goes to hull (bc both adjacent zones are shielded), then two cards can still be dealt faceup if totalt damage scores at least 2 hull dmg.
• This would make the ACM/XX-9 interaction far better than the APT/XX-9 combo.

But you can't pretend F-C Team is a good card. If you're shooting black dice, you want OE. You usually want this even with Screed or Vader, although technically either of those two commanders COULD consider F-CT.

Btw: Heavy Ion Emplacements + ACM is a semi-legit, if costly combo that you could theoretically stick on your Screed/Vader Kuat Refit. Not my cup of team, but it CAN be done (so someone will).