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If I roll a hit on my second and third blasts from firing multiple barrage weapons, can I place them in such a way that it can hit my original target and a model in close combat? Or does getting a hit not count as scattering?

I would say no.. you are not allowed to place blast templates on models in involved in close combat even if its a second or third scatter. it can however scatter normally over the models in close combat.

You cannot, as that is placing the template and not scattering it. The hint was the lack of a "scatter" and instead a "hit"

So what if your first scatter places the blast over a combat, and you roll a hit for the second, but cannot place it anywhere where it doesn't touch models in the combat?

Your first shot scattering kicks in the allowance to place it over models in combat.

When reading this question, I immediately passed it off as something you couldn't do. But I decided to look it up anyways as the multiple barrage weapon rules don't come up very often for me. And what did I find? Blast weapons into close combat, yes sir!

p.16 of the BRB says the unit "...chooses a single enemy unit that is not locked in combat as its target."

So the original target can't be in close combat, -check

Under the blast template rules, p.30 "You may not place the marker so that the base or hull or any of your own models is even grazed by it."

Right away, I did a double take on this. So you can cover a model that is in close combat (not your target), so long at it doesn't touch any of your own models. I will call in danger close fire on my guard all day long.

Lastly, under multiple barrages p.32 you place the first, and "roll for scatter as above" which points to barrage which points to blast for how it is determined. then "Once the first marker is placed..." you go into the scatter rules for multiple barrage.

I can see this as one of two ways. Either a) you can never place a blast over one of your own models, so that if it lands in a close combat there may even be times where you can't place a blast template at all, as there is no exception to this rule or B) after the first one is placed "as above" the rest of the salvo rules take place after the initial "placing"

in my opinion I think B sounds more reasonable.

Acid, you missed a rule, page 40, Shooting into and out of close combat:

While blast markers and templates may not be deliberately placed such that they cover any models locked in combat, they may end up there after scattering and will then hit any models they touch (friends and foes!).

So placing it there on purpose, ie from a 'hit' is a no-go, altho there would have to be an exception in the scenario that WT suggests.

Good catch. It is one of those things you have have played for so long you don't know where to find it. That being said, there is still no exception to placing that I see. So is the salvo then wasted?

Good follow-up Warboss Tufgrim

Do we assume that if the first shot scatters and next two hit we are forced to place them in a way where no models would be hit? and in the off chance that it would be impossible count them as a miss?

I'd say that the RAI are that you can not TARGET the unit locked in close combat with the initial shot. However, once the initial ranging shot is scattered and is in a position where it's touching a unit locked in close combat, I'd say you can lay down the rest of the template on the unit in close combat, even if you roll a hit. Of course, that' just my take of RAI, not considering RAW at all.

Warboss Tufgrim wrote:So what if your first scatter places the blast over a combat, and you roll a hit for the second, but cannot place it anywhere where it doesn't touch models in the combat?

in this case I say you cannot move the hit..it stays in place. you have the option of moving it anywhere touching the previous blasts but if you cannot do this then you just dont move it.

In the instance that you cannot avoid placing the template without covering a friendly model, I would say that you have to place it covering the fewest friendly models possible (in the same way that when placing a blast marker or template you have to cover as many enemy models as possible).

Or you could follow the guideline in brackets, placed to hit as many enemy models as possible, and friendly models be damned.