Ablative Optional Rule

[Aroooo]

Steve, could you expand on the somewhat cryptic explanation of the optional Ablative rules on pg 78 of FRED:

"...for a -1 limitation, every shot against which an Ablative Defense Power provides protection and which could, if a good enough roll were achieved, do BODY damage to the target will reduce the Defense Power by 5 Active Points, regardless of whether the target itself takes damage."

Does this mean the attack has to exceed (penetrate) the defense and damage the target in order to reduce the defense 5 active points? What if the attack does not exceed the defense? No reduction?

Thanks!

[Steve Long]

No -- as the text states, the determining factor is whether the attack could, if a high enough roll were achieved, do BODY damage. It doesn't have to actually roll that high. As long as it has the potential to roll that high, it ablates some of the defense.