There's currently some debate on wording on the Armada subreddit right now regarding bombers and critical effects.

Can bombers utilize the standard critical hit effect? Some think that they can't, based on this bit in the Rules Reference, under the Attack section:

Each ship has the following standard critical effect: (Crit Icon): If the defender is dealt at least one damage card by this attack, deal the first damage card face up.

However, the Bomber special rule reads like this:

Bomber: While attacking a ship, each of your (Crit) icons adds one damage to the damage total and you can resolve critical effects.

In my opinion, the spirit of the rule is clear, but the bit in the Attack section is ambiguous.

Thoughts?

Check the RRG under Critical Effects.

Check the RRG under Critical Effects.

Not a particularly helpful statement....

In the RRG under Critical effects is says "Squadrons cannot resolve or suffer critical effects unless otherwise specified." The special rule for bombers allows them to resolve crits against ship like normal (otherwise specified) while other fighters normally ignore them. I feel like its pretty clear...

It is clear - bombers can inflict critical effects on ships, and currently the only critical effect they have access to is a single game face up damage card.

Check the RRG under Critical Effects.

Not a particularly helpful statement....

In the RRG under Critical effects is says "Squadrons cannot resolve or suffer critical effects unless otherwise specified." The special rule for bombers allows them to resolve crits against ship like normal (otherwise specified) while other fighters normally ignore them. I feel like its pretty clear...

How about you read the entry right above that in which it describes the standard critical effect that is always available.

The OP was clearly aware the Bomber rule circumvent the standard Squadron no crit rule, he was just unaware if the standard crit was available to Squadrons that have Bomber.

So I pointed him to the exact place in the rules that answers his question.

The RRG removes the word 'ships' from the description of who can use the Standard Critical Effect (SCE). So bombers that roll a critical hit do have access to the SCE.