I have a simple question, but I only found multiple answers.
When my guns score multiple Critical Hit on a ship with the Crit Rating treshold, are those 1d5 added together on the Critical Chart or not?
Example:
1d5 -> 2 ->Resolve crit 2
1d5 -> 3 -> 2+3 = 5 -> Resolve crit 5
1d5 -> 2 -> 2+3+2= 7 -> Resolve crit 7
OR
1d5 -> 2 ->Resolve crit 2
1d5 -> 3 -> Resolve crit 3
1d5 -> 2 -> Resolve crit 2 again
The latter is how I've always interpreted it, as otherwise a lucky shot can lead to the Hulked result in just a few volleys - especially as higher-end PC crews will almost ALWAYS get enough DoS to crit, and if they're levelling three different weapons at one target, that's a 42.4% chance of death which is a little too high for me. Also, as in general the crits can effect different components (what with them coming from multiple salvoes) it makes some kind of sense, unlike some crits in BC/OW where you find that two shots from the same burst have managed to severe someone's right hand. Twice.
Bear in mind that when firing combined volleys you can score a maximum one crit per volley.
Even then, a Frigate or Light Cruiser will quite probably have three weapon systems it can bring to bear on one enemy, and a Cruiser+ ship definitely will. Employing the stacking system suggested above will lead to instant death more often than not - and while that's quite fun, maybe even more fun than the slogging battles of attrition most ship combats become, I don't think it's true to the 18th-19th century naval feel of the ship battles or the grimdark 40k fluff for instadeath to be so common (I mean, after all, what's grimmer - dying right away, or starving to death after your supplies get blown up by your enemies?).
Even then, a Frigate or Light Cruiser will quite probably have three weapon systems it can bring to bear on one enemy,
How?
Frigates have only 2 weapon capacity 'slots' and light cruisers (with the exception of the Secutor) are using broadside 'slots'. Well, the Secutor will too, but actually has a Dorsal slot as well, so might bring 3 weapons to bear in the same arc.
Even then, a Frigate or Light Cruiser will quite probably have three weapon systems it can bring to bear on one enemy,
How?
Frigates have only 2 weapon capacity 'slots' and light cruisers (with the exception of the Secutor) are using broadside 'slots'. Well, the Secutor will too, but actually has a Dorsal slot as well, so might bring 3 weapons to bear in the same arc.
Fair point - mostly thinking of my group who have a BC and am used to stacking the deck against them due to that.