Scattering melta blast question

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**Dashofpepper**

If a devildog fires its melta-cannon at a target outside melta range, and the template deviates onto a target within melta range, does the melta get the extra D6?

**Platuan4th**

Dashofpepper wrote:If a devildog fires its melta-cannon at a target outside melta range, and the template deviates onto a target within melta range, does the melta get the extra D6?

Congratulations, you found the best example of GW not knowing how to write rules. The Melta-cannon as written within the current rule set is next to useless, as there are no rules in any book that explain how to deal with Melta in conjunction with Blast.

There are two interpretations I've seen:

1. The distance to original target is what matters.

2. The distance of the end result for the blast is what matters.

**Gwar!**

Actually, RaW (As proven by Yakface) is that so long as the Distance between Gun and Tank is Half range, it gets the melta, regardless of where the blast lands, as the blast and melta rules DO NOT interact.

There was a lovely thread about it not too long ago.

**Demogerg**

Gwar! wrote:Actually, RaW (As proven by Yakface) is that so long as the Distance between Gun and Tank is Half range, it gets the melta, regardless of where the blast lands, as the blast and melta rules DO NOT interact.

There was a lovely thread about it not too long ago.

I recall that thread.

this gets my stamp of approval.

**Kaaihn**

I second that stamp of approval. Blast determines what got hit, not where. Once you know what got hit, you can determine if it is in half range for Melta rules.

**mrwittwer**

Actually, RaW (As proven by Yakface) is that so long as the Distance between Gun and Tank is Half range, it gets the melta, regardless of where the blast lands, as the blast and melta rules DO NOT interact.

This only makes sense to me as when the blast was initially placed the shot was indeed melta, so the round has already been fired as melta, where it scatters to is irrelevant as to whether it gets the melta or not because the melta was already fired. Maybe i am wrong but logically that seems to make sense to me.

**Kaaihn**

mrwittwer wrote:
Actually, RaW (As proven by Yakface) is that so long as the Distance between Gun and Tank is Half range, it gets the melta, regardless of where the blast lands, as the blast and melta rules DO NOT interact.

This only makes sense to me as when the blast was initially placed the shot was indeed melta, so the round has already been fired as melta, where it scatters to is irrelevant as to whether it gets the melta or not because the melta was already fired. Maybe i am wrong but logically that seems to make sense to me.

I think you are going down the wrong path with it. You declare target, measure range, then determine what got hit. Standard firing sequence. The what will be determined by the final location of the blast template. If the template center hole is on tank A, you have hit tank A with a direct shot, resolve a full strength against the front armor value. You may measure to the closest point of the hull of tank A that you hit to determine range for the purposes of melta.

**mrwittwer**

Makes sense.

**darkkt**

Ok, the pseudo technical reason for the extra d6 is that the melta (a heat ray) is much more dangerous (ie hotter), in the first half, after which, it cools, but is still dangerous.

Now, the fact that someone cant aim properly doesnt reduce the distance that the beam/blast actually travels before it hits (presuming it fires in a straight line - no 'magic bullets' JFK style).

So measure from gun to centre of where the blast hits, not where it is aimed.

This can be very nasty, if firing at something that is so close that the blast scatters back onto you... (more likely in nightfighting).

**Kaaihn**

darkkt wrote:So measure from gun to centre of where the blast hits, not where it is aimed.

This is not correct. Blast rules are about determining what is hit. What is hit is determined by the final resting place of the template. Once you know what is hit, you can remove the template.

If you hit a tank, you may measure to the closest point of its hull to you. Where on the tank the center marker of the blast sat is completely irrelevant; a hit is a hit. Use the appropriate rules for measuring to a target you have hit as necessary.

**Lordhat**

Kaaihn wrote:
darkkt wrote:So measure from gun to centre of where the blast hits, not where it is aimed.

This is not correct. Blast rules are about determining what is hit. What is hit is determined by the final resting place of the template. Once you know what is hit, you can remove the template.

If you hit a tank, you may measure to the closest point of its hull to you. Where on the tank the center marker of the blast sat is completely irrelevant; a hit is a hit. Use the appropriate rules for measuring to a target you have hit as necessary.

This.