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Here is one idea on how to change the blast weapons to work similarly to the blast templates of past editions without having to hold it over and arguing on how many are under the template.

First change all blast weapons to a static amount
1d3 becomes 2
1d6 becomes 4 (Small Blast like the 3" template)
2d3 becomes 4
2d6 becomes 8 (Medium Blast like the 5" template)
3d3 becomes 8
3d6 becomes 12
4d6 becomes 16 (Apocalyptic Blast like the 10" template)

When attacking with a Blast weapon add half the number of shots for each 10 models over 10, rounding to the nearest 10. So 14 becomes 10 while 15 becomes 20. An 8 shot blast has 8 shots against <=10 models, 12 against <=20 models and 16 against <=30 models
If a unit is destroyed by a Blast weapon roll a hit roll against each unit (both friendly and enemy with a -1 if the unit is a character with 9 or less wounds) within a range equal to the base number of shots (so a 4 shot blast measures 4" ) to the original unit, on a successful hit make an additional attack with the same weapon with half shots against the unit, you do not add additional shots based on unit size for this additional attack. These additional attacks cannot generate additional attacks. If a unit has multiples of the same Blast weapon only one gets to make additional attacks (So a mortar squad only applies one mortar blast to each unit within range instead of three mortar blasts)

Lets take the example of a unit firing into a line of guardsmen with some officers and tanks nearby: the Blast weapon (3+ BS) shoots 8 shots at a weakened imperial guard unit (lets say 5 models left) the weapon hits 7 times, wounds 6 times, the guardsmen make no saves and is destroyed. The guardsmen unit was within 8" of 2 other infantry squads, an officer, and a leman russ. A 3 is rolled for the first infantry squad and an attack splashes onto it, it takes 4 shots, 3 hit, 1 wounds, and no guardsmen save. A 2 is rolled for the next infantry squad so it doesn't take a splash attack. A 4 is rolled for the officer, with the -1 it becomes a 3 which still hits, the officer takes 4 shots with 4 hitting, 3 wounding, one saved, and the damage kills the officer, but does not cause additional attacks. Finally a 5 was rolled against the leman russ, which takes 4 shots with 2 hitting, 1 wounding, and 1 saved for no damage.

Let me know what you think. It adds back splash damage to nearby units, doesn't have the double jeopardy rolling number of shots and then rolling to hit, units with better BS more readily splash hits onto other nearby units, and you get additional firepower vs larger units.

I think this sounds like it will make blasts pretty powerful, and slow to use...

So, if I'm reading right, you want to make all weapons which had the 5" blast (vindicators, battlecannons etc) instead have 8 shots, plus 4 for 15-24 models, plus 8 for 25-34 models and +12 for 35+ models and so one. Then you also want to make the weapon splash into nearby units with extra shots.

Let's take an interesting example: Supa Skorcha, 4D3 shots, so by your count that's 12 shots, which auto-hit.

I target a unit of 15 gretchin, which are being used as a grot shield for 3 units of 10 lootas. I get 18 auto-hits which kill on 2's, and wipe the unit. I then get a further 6 auto-hits on every unit within 6" of the grots, which could be a lot.

Whilst damage splashing into other units is something t oaim for, you are essentially making the weapon fire larger explosives at larger squads. A Green Tide of 40 orks getting shot by the supa skorchas takes 12+ 6 + 6 + 6 = 30 auto-hits, killing 25 orks. I think that's too much.

The other issue is that for each shot, you have first count the number of models in a unit (difficult if 2 horde units are next to each other). Then you have to determine if the unit was wiped before any models are removed, and then establish if any other units are hit... it's quite long winded.

I think it's a bit overcomplicated and would slow down any game with lots of blasts. it will also need yet more rules for multiple shots - do you work out the number of shots at the start, or after each attack? If 3 battlecannons fire twice, when do you work out who is in splash range?

I still think the neatest is this one:

Some bloke broke it down pretty well there. It would take a long time to resolve, especially as casualties from the first blast could potentially impact the number of shots you get with the second blast. The splash damage would probably also call for a bit more clarification. As written, your opponent would functionally get to choose which model dies last thus letting him center the center of the splash over a model furthest away from all other units. Which feels odd.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the "splash" damage aspect of most blast rules I see. Anything that forces players to start agonizing over unit and model spacing again seems like an annoyance.

My personal favorite suggestion is that blast weapons fire X shots per 5 models (rounding up) in the target unit. So a Blast(3) gun would fire 3 shots against a squad of 5, 6 shots against a squad of 7, 6 shots against a squad of 10, and 9 shots against a squad of 11.

This gives blast weapons the niche of becoming more effective against horde units, which is both a useful mechanical niche and a decent representation of their fluff.

It doesn't help anti-tank blasts like that of a vindicator take down an enemy tank, but I'd argue that the "blast" nature of a demolisher cannon shouldn't be what makes a vindicator a tank hunter/bunker buster. That should be covered by giving the demolisher cannon a higher strength (14? 16?) and maybe improving its damage. Or, if you want to increase the likelihood that it hits a tank without upping its max damage, give it a rule that does that.

"Shots with this weapon that fail to hit while targeting a Vehicle or Monster may instead inflict a single hit at Strength 5" or whatever.