(Answered) Glancing/Direct Blows and Penetrating Critical Hits

[monbvol]

I blame the insomnia I've been having lately for this.

Page 206 Total Warfare.
Page 80-81 Tactical Operations.

In this case is the damage required to check for a Penetrating Critical Hit based off the final damage or the base damage?

I assume the -2 from Glancing Blows to Critical Checks counteracts the +2 from Armor Piercing and also applies to a strike that would still deal enough damage to generate a Penetrating Critical Hit either way the previous question is answered.

Likewise I assume the +1 to Critical Checks stacks with Armor Piercing and Penetrating Critical Hit checks irregardless of the answer to my first question.

Second related question:
What is the order of operations for Rifle Cannons for Glancing Blows? -3 then half damage or half damage then -3?

[monbvol]

So I do have confirmation critical roll modifiers stack/cancel from another rules question so that part I am glad is confirmed because I was largely assuming.

I am inclined to think Penetrating Critical checks are based off final damage rather than modified because otherwise that could lead to some weirdness with weapons/specialty ammos that would otherwise not be able to do damage, or reduced damage without Direct/Glancing Blows being used, still being able to cause Penetrating Critical checks.

[monbvol]

A day early but I imagine no one will really mind.

[Xotl]

Attacks that ultimately don't do damage don't cause crits.  They do still cause motive checks, but they don't cause critical hits.

[monbvol]

That answer is actually confusing for what I was asking.

Maybe it was meant for another of my questions?

To explain under normal circumstances a Medium Rifle Cannon firing against BAR 7 Armor does not cause a check for a penetrating critical hit as 6 is less than 7 as I read the rules.  But if the Margin of success under Direct Blow rules to up that damage to 8 my assumption is that much like a Large Laser it would but we all know what tends to happen when one assumes.

Maybe I just need to sleep to properly parse it.

[Xotl]

Yeah, I think some stuff got mixed up in the flurry of answers I've been posting.  Let's restart.  Is this your only remaining question:

What is the order of operations for Rifle Cannons for Glancing Blows? -3 then half damage or half damage then -3?

[monbvol]

As long as my assumption about final damage being what is considered to check for penetrating criticals is correct, yes.

[Xotl]

1: Final damage.

2: Go with standard order of operations, so divide before subtracting.  It screws Rifles over, but then again, that's what they're there for.

[monbvol]

Works for me.

Thanks xotl.