We've seen this on several cards and abilities now. Porkin, Whampa, etc

So you get a facedown damage card dealt to you. If you have shields does it bypass them?

Just trying to clarify?

Yes, it means that ship gets a face down card even if it has shields.

It means to deal a facedown damage card

Damage -> shields.

Damage card -> straight to hull. (See also Darth Vader Crew.) edit: See below.

Damage -> shields.

Damage card -> straight to hull. (See also Darth Vader Crew.)

Incorrect or at the very least highly misleading. Darth Vader Crew causes DAMAGE, although it may be "critical" damage, and is full subject to Shields on both sides.

If you are dealt CARDs then that is what you get and they don't care one bit about any Shield tokens you may have. Ships can die with full Shields if they get enough cards dealt directly to them.

From the Rules Reference Guide (p9)

" If an effect instructs a player to deal a Damage

It means you deal a facedown damage card. Do what the card says and don't do what the card doesn't say.

There is a difference between suffering damage and dealing damage cards. Suffering damage being hits or critical hits go through the motions of being canceled by shields starting with hits then critical hits. Dealing damage is the result of suffering damage after all damage has been canceled through shields and dice results.

Dealing damage is directly assigning a damage card to the ship. Once the damage equals or exceeds the hull the ship is destroyed regardless of shield tokens. If an scenario calls for dealing damage cards the result has already been resolved so there is no need to take account of shields or dice.

Thanks for the clarification.