Do upgrade cards such as Overload Pulse and Assault Concussion Missiles effects bypass an enemies ships shields or do the critical effects only happen once the enemy has no shields left?
I ask this because the card Ion Cannon Batteries critical effect target enemy shields so the effect can take place even if the ships shields are full.
Read this, follow it step by step. It should set you straight.
In the resolve damage step of that attack phase you get to resolve one critical effect. During that step you can spend your critical die roll on overload pulse and/or assault concussion missiles. It does not matter if your opponent has shields or not. You can still resolve your upgrade cards critical effect even if your opponent still has shields.
The only reason that the standard crit only works when shields are down is because it relies on you dealing damage to the hull (in which case the first one is dealt face-up) to the enemy ship.
Because other crit effects don't stipulate that damage must be dealt to the [hull of the] ship then they can trigger even if you only hit shields.
Hope that helps
Edited by ryryak