When a player opts to use the critical effect of an upgrade card instead of flipping a dealt damage card, does the defending ship also receive a damage as they would with the default critical effect?

Yes, ships are destroyed just by having as many damage cards as their hull value. Its just that with crits you also have to be resolving the face-up text on them. Usually if its a resolve once sort of deal, the card says to flip it over.

The standard critical effect is “ If the defender is
dealt at least one damage card by this attack, deal the
first damage card faceup.”

Its not draw one extra damage card.

So, a critical side always assigns one damage and then allows you resolve a critical effect (either the default or one on an upgrade card)?

A crit result on the die is counted as damage (against ships, not squadrons though), and then if any crit result die face is still present, during step 5 of the attack the attacker can resolve one crit effect.

Default is the first damage card dealt (if any) is faceup.

K, that's what I thought. Thanks for the clarification.

So, a critical side always assigns one damage and then allows you resolve a critical effect (either the default or one on an upgrade card)?

Yes, you will still deal a face down card even if you used a crit effect that doesn't let you turn a damage card face up.

I think it is important to separate Critical Effects and Damage.

Damage is solely based on the number of hits and crits rolled. If you roll 3 Hits and 2 Crits you deal 5 Damage (minus defense tokens, abilities, etc). It doesn't matter that 2 of them are crits, that doesn't change anything.

If you have at least one dice showing a crit facing by the deal damage phase you can activate a critical effect, the default is that the first damage card dealt is done so face up. THIS DOES NOT ADD A DAMAGE, it only means that if one or more damage cards would be dealt to the defender then the first one is dealt face up.

If you deal 2 damage and have a critical showing, but the defender has 2 shields on the facing being attacked, then the default critical effect will have no effect on the resolution of damage.

Critical Effects and damage are two very separate things, thinking of criticals as adding a damage is dangerous and can lead to mistakes.

Yes but if you have say overload pulse, or concussion missiles, the critical effect will take effect even if there are shields still up, again, because its not dependent on damage cards being dealt.

(I think this is what you are saying, this is just to test my own understanding....)

Yep, thats why the Ion Cannon card is helpful. What good would it be to lose a shield on an attack if you had to hit the hull to do it?

I think it is important to separate Critical Effects and Damage.

Damage is solely based on the number of hits and crits rolled. If you roll 3 Hits and 2 Crits you deal 5 Damage (minus defense tokens, abilities, etc). It doesn't matter that 2 of them are crits, that doesn't change anything.

If you have at least one dice showing a crit facing by the deal damage phase you can activate a critical effect, the default is that the first damage card dealt is done so face up. THIS DOES NOT ADD A DAMAGE, it only means that if one or more damage cards would be dealt to the defender then the first one is dealt face up.

If you deal 2 damage and have a critical showing, but the defender has 2 shields on the facing being attacked, then the default critical effect will have no effect on the resolution of damage.

Critical Effects and damage are two very separate things, thinking of criticals as adding a damage is dangerous and can lead to mistakes.

I assume you're saying in the second to last paragraph, that by dealing 2 damage you are saying the dice show 1 hit icon and 1 critical icon, not 2 hit icons and 1 critical icon, correct?

I think it is important to separate Critical Effects and Damage.

Damage is solely based on the number of hits and crits rolled. If you roll 3 Hits and 2 Crits you deal 5 Damage (minus defense tokens, abilities, etc). It doesn't matter that 2 of them are crits, that doesn't change anything.

If you have at least one dice showing a crit facing by the deal damage phase you can activate a critical effect, the default is that the first damage card dealt is done so face up. THIS DOES NOT ADD A DAMAGE, it only means that if one or more damage cards would be dealt to the defender then the first one is dealt face up.

If you deal 2 damage and have a critical showing, but the defender has 2 shields on the facing being attacked, then the default critical effect will have no effect on the resolution of damage.

Critical Effects and damage are two very separate things, thinking of criticals as adding a damage is dangerous and can lead to mistakes.

I assume you're saying in the second to last paragraph, that by dealing 2 damage you are saying the dice show 1 hit icon and 1 critical icon, not 2 hit icons and 1 critical icon, correct?

Correct.

Yes but if you have say overload pulse, or concussion missiles, the critical effect will take effect even if there are shields still up, again, because its not dependent on damage cards being dealt.

(I think this is what you are saying, this is just to test my own understanding....)

Your understanding is correct.

there is an excellent stickied post that clarifies this, as well as a lot of other things. I recommend everyone go and read this. It answered questions I had not thought to ask yet. The line of sight pictures are particularlly good (and helpful) It also incorporates the latest errata.