So overload pulse says on a blue crit you may exhaust the opponent defense tokens, so I would interpret this as meaning you would flip them all and if they decided to spend 1 they would have to discard it but...

I have found that the timing seems to be that the dice are rolled and modified then the defender uses defense tokens then the attacker resolves critical hits, so that would mean that the overload pulse just flips any unused tokens right?

So how do I use it?

Do I abbr to wait for 300 point games were I can focus fire to gain an advantage or am I missing interpreting this?

In a 180 point game, it's really only useful for the Imperials if the can bring two hull zones to bear on one target ship. For the rebels, you'd use it when both ships can fire at the VSD. For example, you have the CR90-B go first, use it to trip Overload Pulse, then have the Nebulon-B go second and just blast away. Assuming good rolls, the Imperial player will have to choose whether to use defense tokens against the Nebulon-B and discard them, or let the Nebulon-B's damage go through undefended.

So I intirpited it right then?

Short answer: Your second interpretation is correct. The defender will get to use their defense tokens before Overload Pulse exhausts them.

Longer answer:

Critical effects are resolved during the Resolve Damage step of the Attack phase. The defense tokens are used during the Spend Defense Tokens step of the Attack phase. The Spend Defense Tokens step takes place before the Resolve Damage step. So the defender will get to use their defense tokens before you exhaust defense tokens with Overload Pulse.

Thanks helping me clear that up!

You're very welcome!

Wait wait, the overload pulse effect happens when you roll a crit, not when you resolve a crit. It should have an effect even if you never penetrate the shields, right?

yes it happens when you resolve a crit,(the step were the crit is selected, default is to flip a card but a crit is not resolved by flipping a card) but the Defender may use his defence tokens first before it gets exhausted by overload pulse

Ah, I see. I took another look at the rules and I see that the Blue "crit" symbol replaces the standard critical effect with the rule on the card. So it does resolve in the critical phase...thanks for clearing that up for me!

Shouldn't exhausting already exhasuted defrnse token discard it?

Ah, I see. I took another look at the rules and I see that the Blue "crit" symbol replaces the standard critical effect with the rule on the card. So it does resolve in the critical phase...thanks for clearing that up for me!

Since it is not entirely exactly right and a pretty important distinction:

The Standard Critical Effect is not "replaced".

Your Ship merely has a choice of two possible critical effects if it rolls a blue crit.

It can either resolve the standard effect, or the one described on the card.

Shouldn't exhausting already exhasuted defrnse token discard it?

No.The rules distinguish between "exhaust" and "spend". If you spend an exhausted Defense Token it is discarded.

"Exhausting" a token explicitly only flips it to its exhausted side. If it is already exhausted, exhausting it again has no effect.

Short answer: Your second interpretation is correct. The defender will get to use their defense tokens before Overload Pulse exhausts them.

Longer answer:

Critical effects are resolved during the Resolve Damage step of the Attack phase. The defense tokens are used during the Spend Defense Tokens step of the Attack phase. The Spend Defense Tokens step takes place before the Resolve Damage step. So the defender will get to use their defense tokens before you exhaust defense tokens with Overload Pulse.

To add, use of the Evade Defense token could result in the required critical effect symbol not being present during the Resolve Damage steps. Just keep that in mind. /salute