[Kromm]

Here's how it works:

1. Fact-Finding. ACT stands for "Accumulated Complementary Total" because it's the sum of all complementary skill roll modifiers (+2 for critical success, +1 for success, -1 for failure, -2 for critical failure) generated by rolls to gather information about the next act in the story. Any roll that leads to a clue about that act (true or false!) contributes. Research, hacking, interrogation, wiretaps, you name it . . . the only restriction is that success with the skill involved could plausibly yield a fact.

2. Analysis. Clues must be analyzed by making the roll under The Big Picture. That roll is at a bonus equal to ACT and a penalty equal to not BAD per se but some multiple of BAD set by the GM: BAD, 1.5×BAD, 2×BAD, or whatever. Critical success reveals what's going on and allows planning at +2; success allows planning at no bonus; failure allows no planning and means the group must gain at least another +1 to ACT to try analysis again; and critical failure works like failure, plus the group is sidelined into kicking down the wrong door, fighting the wrong people, etc.

(2a. Permission. In some campaigns, there's an AR here that has the same modifiers as the analysis roll. Success means the group is cleared to go on to the next step. Failure means they aren't. Where this AR replaces the analysis roll, assume the patron organization does the analysis once it gets enough clues from the PCs.)

3. Planning. Successful analysis allows the planning roll under The Mission Plan. This is also at a bonus equal to ACT and a penalty equal to a multiple of BAD set by the GM, but now there's a possible +2 for critical success at analysis and potential bonuses for complementary skill rolls against planning skills. Succeed or fail, this roll allows the group to tackle the next act . . .

4. Execution. All rolls made in the field are subject to BAD for this act, but the planning roll acts as a complementary skill roll to all of these rolls, effectively adjusting BAD.

In other words, ACT never directly cancels BAD in the field. ACT cancels BAD-related penalties to rolls for analysis, permission, and planning. Success pays forward to the next step as a complementary bonus: good fact-finding makes analysis easier, good analysis makes planning easier, and good planning makes field tasks easier. Thus, the maximum offset to BAD for field tasks is +2, when the planning roll critically succeeds. ACT is not a general way to make field tasks easier.

I think what's confusing is that BAD is used in two different ways: as the basis for penalties to analysis and planning, and as a direct penalty to field tasks. ACT is only directly relevant to the first of these.