Yes.
Where you hit determines what effect you see.
If there is no zone that uses smoke or fire?
The ship must take enuff damage to set off other zones.
It's a high wire act to build a damage model for every ship in GWX
Some Ships are imported from others not in the GW Team.
Great ships that's why they are there.
They just may not have a full GW Damage model.
I've only seen 3 people really work that damage model.
