Total Warfare (I believe I have the 6th printing, with the Retro Atlas) under "Critical Hit Effects", page 239-240, states that "Every time a fuel tank critical hit occurs, roll 2D6. On a result of 10 or more, the fuel tank explodes and the unit is destroyed".
However, on page 135 under "Extended Fuel Tanks", it states that "Extended Fuel Tanks that are filled or partially filled fuel tanks explode like ammunition (such that CASE may mitigate the effects of this blast as normal) for 20 points of damage. Empty Extended Fuel Tanks are treated as empty ammunition bins (see p. 125)."
These two explanations seem to conflict with each other, and it's relevant for determining whether an ASF is "destroyed" or "truly destroyed" under CamOps rules, page 198 in the latest printing, where it states:
"The following represents “truly destroyed” situations, when a unit cannot be brought back. Aerospace: Conventional and aerospace fighters, Small Craft, Fixed-Wing and Airship Support Vehicles are truly destroyed when their SI is eliminated. Components from the craft may be salvageable, depending on the circumstances."
These conditions are not met based on the description of the fuel tank explosion for Aerospace fighters in TW. As written, no damage is actually applied from a fuel tank explosion.
Should fuel tank hits on fighters count as an ammo explosion, potentially dealing damage to the SI and rendering the fighter "truly" destroyed per CamOps? Or is it an alternate affect where it is just "destroyed" without applying SI damage and can be recovered? RAW, the explanation of the crit on page 240 would have it fall under the latter case.
Thanks!