Assuming it's true headshots are less likely to result in critical or fatal injuries, I'm guessing the primary reason is a combination of the fact that the head is covered in bone, conveniently curved to deflect impacts, and that most headshots are inflicted by weapons that aren't all that powerful.

That said, the game isn't trying for realism, it's trying for 40K verisimilitude - which I suspect most people agree includes devastating headshots.

The only difference I see from the RAW is that you skip the WS/BS test to confirm the extra damage. Am I missing something here?

Yes you`re missing three vital points.

All the damage comes from a single hit so AP and TB reduction is only applied once.

Saves time, only rolling one dice rather than a whole new attack.

Doesn`t make players use extra ammo for attacks they didn`t choose to make.

Only the second point is valid: Righteous Fury is additional damage from a single hit, and AP & TB is only subtracted once. And no additional ammo is expended. Point being: This is RAW, not any house ruling.

The only change I see, is skipping the extra WS/BS test.

This has the effect of critical damage happening more often (10% for single-die weapons), instead of scaling with the attackers skill, which will overall mean faster/more deadly battles, and shift the advantage further towards the PCs. That's fine, that's just an excuse to throw more enemies at them

Only the second point is valid: Righteous Fury is additional damage from a single hit, and AP & TB is only subtracted once. And no additional ammo is expended. Point being: This is RAW, not any house ruling.

The only change I see, is skipping the extra WS/BS test.

This has the effect of critical damage happening more often (10% for single-die weapons), instead of scaling with the attackers skill, which will overall mean faster/more deadly battles, and shift the advantage further towards the PCs. That's fine, that's just an excuse to throw more enemies at them

Fair enough, TBH we discarded the rule about three years ago and I haven`t looked at it since. We currently on have our rule applying only to PCs and NPCs wth fate points. (resulting in occaisional big bads slipping over and impaling themselves with multiple damage re-rolls but overall just scaring the PCs that guy with a twinlinked heavy stubber might have a fate point.)

I still feel there should be some incentive for the sniper to aim for the head besides a somewhat nastier crit table, but that's just me.

Interesting giving NPCs fate points, sometimes I give them righteus fury but that tends to make them deadly enough, guess it makes sense if they are truly on par with the party

I still feel there should be some incentive for the sniper to aim for the head besides a somewhat nastier crit table, but that's just me.

Interesting giving NPCs fate points, sometimes I give them righteus fury but that tends to make them deadly enough, guess it makes sense if they are truly on par with the party

But the different crit charts _are a big difference_ for a sniper (or anyone hoping to kill someone in one hit)

For Energy-type weapons, for instance, you die at a -8 result from a head shot, while at a -10 everywhere else.

A difference of 2 points is _a big deal_ when you are overcoming TB + AP + a full set of wounds using one dice roll.