Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So I had a question on search lights and how they work.

So It says that once a vehicle fires all of its weapons it may illuminate a target.

Where does firing all weapons come into play?

The guys at my local shop say its-roll to hit, roll to wound/pen, enemy cover or saves, then I illuminate him.

I believe its vehicle rolls to hit(all weapons are now considered to be fired) then the enemy target can be illuminated (since the vehicle fired all its weapons) now you roll to pen/ wound to see if your shots damage anything then your opponent now illuminated does not get night fight benefits.

How is this as rules as written because according to search light rules once all the weapons are fired which would be rolling to hit as your seeing if your shots hit the enemy then you choose to illuminate the enemy or not.

You illuminate the target after you have resolved your own shots. Your tank/model does not get the benefit of its own searchlight.

In the search light section under the vehicles it says once your vehicle has "fired" all of its weapons it may illuminate the target. It does not say after shots have been resolved you may illuminate the target. Is there somewhere that it says I cant get my own benefit from search lights?

Does "firing" your weapon not including resolving its shots?

 tankboy145 wrote:
In the search light section under the vehicles it says once your vehicle has "fired" all of its weapons it may illuminate the target. It does not say after shots have been resolved you may illuminate the target. Is there somewhere that it says I cant get my own benefit from search lights?

You just said it.

If you haven't resolved the shots, it hasn't fired yet.

On page 14 first paragraph under ROLL TO WOUND it says "hitting your target is not always enough to put it out of action. The shot might result in nothing more than a superficial graze or flesh wound."

So rolling to hit and to wound are 2 seprate actions. just because you hit doesnt mean you wound but in order to hit something you obviously have had to fired your weapon correct?

And in the search light section it says right after a weapon has fired its weapons. It does not say it has to resolve its fired shots. Is there anywhere in the rule book that says you must resolve your shots to count them as fired?

Yes, its the language. Until you have resolved you are still firing, you have not fired.

 tankboy145 wrote:
On page 14 first paragraph under ROLL TO WOUND it says "hitting your target is not always enough to put it out of action. The shot might result in nothing more than a superficial graze or flesh wound."

So rolling to hit and to wound are 2 seprate actions. just because you hit doesnt mean you wound but in order to hit something you obviously have had to fired your weapon correct?

And in the search light section it says right after a weapon has fired its weapons. It does not say it has to resolve its fired shots. Is there anywhere in the rule book that says you must resolve your shots to count them as fired?

Pg 28. You must complete all the firing by one unit before moving on to the next. Firing is summarized in the 5 steps on that page. Once you complete those steps, then your unit has "fired"

A caveat on this, the firing model does not benefit from its own searchlight, but need only hit the target with its shots for the searchlight to then illuminate the target, regardless of the final resolution of those shots (the target still gets the benefit of nightfight cover to negate damage from that units shots).
Thats why you can shoot a Rhino's stormbolter or even a Chimera's multi-laser/Heavy bolter at something like a Russ or Land raider (AV14). Those S4, 5, and 6 weapons will never hurt the vehicle (hence no need to roll for damage or cover) , but if you get even a single "hit", you can then illuminate the target for your Las-Cannons or S10 pieplates to then dump on.

dkellyj wrote:
A caveat on this, the firing model does not benefit from its own searchlight, but need only hit the target with its shots for the searchlight to then illuminate the target, regardless of the final resolution of those shots (the target still gets the benefit of nightfight cover to negate damage from that units shots).
Thats why you can shoot a Rhino's stormbolter or even a Chimera's multi-laser/Heavy bolter at something like a Russ or Land raider (AV14). Those S4, 5, and 6 weapons will never hurt the vehicle (hence no need to roll for damage or cover) , but if you get even a single "hit", you can then illuminate the target for your Las-Cannons or S10 pieplates to then dump on.

Wrong, no hits are needed.
"If a vehicle has a searchlight, it can, after firing all of its weapons, choose to illuminate its target with the searchlight."

I'll have to double check my BRB when I get home from work...in 5th you had to hit.
(EDIT) This then opens up another interesting case...assume a late game turn of night-fight. The only vehicle with LoS on a flyer is a template shooter (Hellhound, Vinidcator with SB shot off, etc). Can you then declare your targetting the flyer, not fire any weapons (since you cant shoot a template at a flyer), then illuminate the flyer as a way of negating the improved jink cover save anyways?

dkellyj wrote:
I'll have to double check my BRB when I get home from work...in 5th you had to hit.

Yes. Explicit change in 6th.

Yep, nice little change. Also noted that the use of searchlights is also optional. It used to be if you shot at night you automatically lit off he searchlight...letting everyone shoot you with impunity on their turn.

You don't have to hit the target with the shots fired from the unit that has the searchlight, but the unit has to have fired at the target.