Subsequent "Hits" on Multiple Barrage

[BlueRonin]

I just discovered a small sentence that threw my understanding of how multiple barrage works, and I need a second opinion.

My understanding was that the initial marker was placed anywhere in range so that the hole of the marker covered a base or hull, yet didn't even graze a friendly model. Once the scatter dice where rolled, anything touched by the marker was hit, whether it was friend, foe or even locked in combat.

If an arrow was rolled on the second barrage in the salvo, you placed it so that the edge of the marker touched the edge of the original marker in the appropriate direction - but if a "Hit" was rolled the firing player could place it so the edge of the marker either touched any edge of a marker from that salvo already in place - or directly over a pre-existing marker (again, from that salvo).

Here is the point - I thought the firing player could place a "Hit" however he wanted, catching any models under the marker, regardless of what unit they were from and whether they were locked in combat (although I'm not sure whether he could now touch base or hull of friendlies - but this is a separate issue).

However, in the text to the diagram on page 32 is says "(as long as it causes the most hits on the target)" - and this confuses me! On a "Hit" does the firing player have to place the marker in such a way that it causes the most hits? And in this case, what is the "target"?

I'm imagining the following scenario - I fire my Manticore at Unit A, but scatter a full 12". Luckily I scatter into a cluster of models (Units B and C) and roll up 3 missiles. The initial scattered marker has caught 2 models in unit B and 2 in Unit C - the second marker in the salvo scatters so that it also takes 2 models in Unit C and 2 in Unit B.

Now, for the third marker I roll a "Hit" - according to placing it "so that it causes the most hits on the target" - where the £/% do I place it? I can't reach Unit A (my original target), there is no majority of hits that make Unit B or C the obvious target.

I've always played that it is the player's choice to place it however he wanted - even if he didn't want to take the maximum amount of hits possible (for whatever reason) - having to cause the most amount of hits is new, but referring to a "target" only makes things confusing to the point of impossible (as the only reasonable definition of "target" here IMHO is the unit originally targeted.

What gives?

[gcsmith]

It would be placed so it can hit most enemy models. The target is used to show the weapon is targeting so They can claim cover saves unless otherwise ignored.

[bob9801]

for multiple barrages it says "If a hit is rolled, the firing player places the marker so that is touches any part of any marker in the salvo that has already been placed. Note that it is perfectly fine if, through this process, some markers are overlapping."

I didn't see anywhere that mentioned having to cause the most damage.

[BlueRonin]

I didn't see anywhere that mentioned having to cause the most damage.

Page 32, check the text for the diagram - the sentence I refer to is in parenthesis.

Gcsmith, are you saying you play that you have to place the marker so you get the most amount of enemy hits?

[Xas]

In my local area we play it that you can place it wherever you want it as long as the new template at least touches one of the old ones.


I just read the picture subtext and have to say that for my understanding the part about hitting the most targets is just explaining the controlling players intention/reason for placing it anywhere and not as a rule you have to adhere.


If say you shoot a squad of madusas emplacements (they are barrage, fw rules. the only example that would make sense ^^) at some meganobs and scatter so that the first hit is between a unit of plain boys and the meganobs (say hitting 3 boys and 1 meganob) and the second is a hit you can fully decide if you want to again hit 3/2 or 5 nobs or 10 boys or even noone if there is free space to palce the template.

[Nabterayl]

BlueRonin, as you've noted, you do have to place subsequent hits so that they hit the maximum number of models in the target unit. If you scatter so far that the maximum number of models in the target unit is zero, however (as in your example), you'd be able to place subsequent hits however you pleased (though I think the spirit of the rule is that you would have to cover as many enemy models as possible).

[bob9801]

I didn't see that there. I thought those were only examples of how the rest of the rules applied, I didn't know they added more rules in examples. Do they do that often?

It does sound like Nabterayl is right.

[Nabterayl]

I didn't know they added more rules in examples. Do they do that often?

Don't think so, but it's worth reading the examples carefully just in case. That's my new policy ever since this barrage thing came up.

[BlueRonin]

I am with the reasoning so far, with the exception of interpreting maximum on the use of the word most in "as long as it causes the most hits on the target":

Are you sure they mean most as in max or could it be more? I.e. would you have to cover the maximum amount of models in the target unit or does most of your hits have to me in the target unit?

This still sounds all wrong because it conflicts with the targeting rules for the initial marker - there is only reference to which model you place the marker over on pg 30: Thus the initial marker can be placed in such a way that you score more hits on other units than the targeted unit, but with subsequent "HITS" you supposedly can not?