I searched, didn't find it, blah blah. So now I'm posting:
This is a 2 part questing relating to units with split fire and Vehicles with ordnance weapons.
First, split fire: If I have a unit that can split fire, must I declare which models in the unit are firing at which target PRIOR to rolling? or am I able to roll them one at a time (smart rolling) and then split the fire?
Example: I have a unit of Long Fangs (who would have guessed
lol) with 3 missile launchers and 2 plasma cannons. The squad leader has his standard equipment (bolt pistol), and is not firing allowing the unit to benefit from his fire command. I have two juicy targets I want to take out: I have a
DA dreadnought standing directly in front of me with its' back to me, and a unit of Necron Warriors including Cryptek and Lord who have just used the Crypteks' staff to teleport into my backfield. I want to kill the dreadnought with a single missile launcher shot since it only has 10 armor in the rear, and maximize my blast templates on the bunched up Necrons. Am I allowed to roll one missile launcher at a time until the dread is dead and then fire all remaining fangs at the Necrons? or am I required to state "These 2 missile launchers are firing at the dread and the rest of the squad is firing at the Necrons."?
My interpretation of the shooting sequence is that I am required to declare a target, check range, check
BS, determine number of shots, roll to hit. Fast rolling makes it much easier when all the shots are the same and the unit is not splitting its' fire. Cool. But in the case of splitting fire, the ONLY thing I'm seeing that I'm REQUIRED to do is declare the two different targets I'm firing at. I have the option to roll one firing model at a time to determine whether or not I've hit and penetrated the dreadnought. Once I've gotten the pen, I can declare that the remaining fangs are firing at the other target, roll on the pen table, and continue on my way. (I understand I cannot roll on the pen table before deciding to shoot another missile at it because if the target had any form of save it would be able to take the save before the roll on the pen table meaning I had inadvertently finalized my shooting at that target.) OR am I required to roll all 'to hit' on the dread before I can roll any penetration rolls? Even if this is the case, I can roll one 'to hit' at a time until I decide otherwise, and the remaining fangs can fire at my second target.
Secondly, Vehicles and ordnance: this is one is much simpler. If I have a vehicle with both an ordnance weapon and another non-blast/template weapon, am I required to fire the other weapons at snap fire if I haven't yet fired the Ordnance weapon?
For example: I have a Vindicator with two storm bolters and I want to shoot at a unit of Marines (say 4). If I so desire, I would choose to fire the 4 storm bolter shots at the unit with my full
BS, then fire the Demolisher cannon.
RAW do not clarify that I must fire other weapons as snap fire if I also
intend to fire the ordnance weapon; but only that if I have fired an ordnance weapon, other weapons on the vehicle must make snap shots. If in the above example, I fire my 4 storm bolter shots and kill all four marines, I no longer need to fire the demolisher cannon and therefore won't.
The intention of this is kill the marines without risking a large blast template drift onto my own troops. however if my storm bolter shots do not kill the marines I will risk the demolisher shot (gotta clear them off the objective, get the
VP, w/e).
Thanks for taking the time to read and respond!
-Skrog