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Ok, so I'm new to the nids, and I only play them for fun, and the biovores look kinda interesting to me, but I want to make sure they work the way I think they do.

1) If I use 3 in a squad then they shoot like a multiple barrage right?

2) If it scatters onto a friendly model does it hurt them? pg 48 of the nid codex says that when a spore mine comes into contact with a friendly model it's removed from play, so I want to say no, but maybe it's not a spore mine til it lands, so yes? i dunno, discuss, lol.

3) Once 3 spores land, they act independently, so if the first one scatters over the other 2 is it instantly gone? or do spore mines ignore each other?

4) Can you purposefully ignore the enemy and shoot into empty space in order to make a mine field? I know you can't do this with any other weapon, and usually a miss doesn't get resolved, but the idea of making mine fields on purpose would be fun. I know you can deep strike them at the beginning of the game, but i don't want to waste the points on spore mines.

Number 1 is correct.
Number 4 is no, you must target an enemy.

Regarding 2 and 3.
After you determine the final position of the first marker, you check to see if their are any enemy models within 6" of the center hole. If there isn't, you place 1-3 spore mines down (depending on how many biovores are in the unit). This means if you scatter onto your own models, there is a chance they will not be harmed.

Basically shooting for Biovoers (will assume a unit of 3 for this scenario) is as follows:
1. Nominate a target and check range.
2. If the unit is within range, place the large blast where you want it to land (hole MUST be on an enemy model).
3. Roll for scatter.
4. Roll the scatter die only for the other biovores in the unit, per multiple barrage, and place accordingly.
5. If there are no enemy models within 6" of the center hole of the FIRST blast marker, you place 3 Spore Mines.
6. Otherwise resolve as normal.

If you want to cover the battlefield with spore mines, I believe you can take units of them as a Fast Attack choice, which deep strike onto the table before deployment.

Mongooli wrote:Ok, so I'm new to the nids, and I only play them for fun, and the biovores look kinda interesting to me, but I want to make sure they work the way I think they do.

1) If I use 3 in a squad then they shoot like a multiple barrage right?

No, all the models in a unit must fire at the same target.

2) If it scatters onto a friendly model does it hurt them? pg 48 of the nid codex says that when a spore mine comes into contact with a friendly model it's removed from play, so I want to say no, but maybe it's not a spore mine til it lands, so yes? i dunno, discuss, lol.

If you land on top of your own units or moves into base contact with them, it explodes and does the damage.

3) Once 3 spores land, they act independently, so if the first one scatters over the other 2 is it instantly gone? or do spore mines ignore each other?

Instantly gone. Same if they drift into each other.

4) Can you purposefully ignore the enemy and shoot into empty space in order to make a mine field? I know you can't do this with any other weapon, and usually a miss doesn't get resolved, but the idea of making mine fields on purpose would be fun. I know you can deep strike them at the beginning of the game, but i don't want to waste the points on spore mines.

Nope as you have to target a model/unit.

Mannahnin wrote:If you want to cover the battlefield with spore mines, I believe you can take units of them as a Fast Attack choice, which deep strike onto the table before deployment.

Unfortunately if one of them moves through another it explodes and they all go. It's honestly not very viable.

Nungunz wrote:No, all the models in a unit must fire at the same target.

If multiple models in a unit are firing a barrage weapon, you work it out as a multiple barrage (BRB, page 32)

If you land on top of your own units or moves into base contact with them, it explodes and does the damage.

Spore Mine Launcher works differently. If after you place all the blast markers there is no enemy model within 6" you place the spore mine(s) (C:Tyranid, page 48)
Also, Spore Mines explode if they touch an enemy model or ends it movement within 2" of an enemy model.

Instantly gone. Same if they drift into each other.

See previous quote.

Unfortunately if one of them moves through another it explodes and they all go. It's honestly not very viable.

See above.