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Website got mad at me for posting this in an older thread, so here’s a new one.

Here’s the relevant section from the FAQ:

1. Stratagems cannot be used on that unit in order to affect its attacks, and you cannot use the Command Re-roll Stratagem to affect any dice rolls made for its models’ ranged attacks.
2. Measure distances and draw line of sight from any point on the Transport model when models in that unit make the ranged attacks.
3. If the Transport model made a Normal Move, Advanced, Fell Back or Remained Stationary this turn, embarked units are considered to have done the same when they make ranged attacks.
4. While the Transport model is within Engagement Range of any enemy units, unless the ability that the Transport model has that allows its passengers to shoot whilst embarked states otherwise, then models in embarked units cannot make ranged attacks, except with Pistols.
5. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the embarked unit is
not affected by the abilities (including aura abilities) of any other unit, even if that unit is also embarked within the same Transport model.
6. If the unit was under the effects of a rule when it embarked on the Transport model (such as rules bestowed on it during the Command phase, by a psychic power or a Stratagem etc.) those rules do not apply to that unit whilst it is embarked.
7. Any abilities (including Detachment abilities) that models in an embarked unit have, or that their weapons have, continue to apply when they make ranged attacks.
8. If a restriction applies to the Transport model, that same restriction applies to units embarked within it. For example, if the Transport model is not eligible to shoot with because it has Advanced or Fallen Back this turn, its passengers are not eligible to shoot with.
9. If a Transport model is under the effects of a modifier to its ranged attacks (such as a modifier to its hit rolls, wound rolls, etc.) the same modifier applies each time an embarked model

Rule 5 in the faq says passengers are not affected by abilities or auras of any other unit while they are embarked. But rule 9 says any modifiers to ranged attacks affecting the transport will also affect the passengers. So can I use something like Potent Metallotoxins on the transport and have it affect the passengers? What about a reroll 1s aura from an Archon standing next to the raider? Does this all come down to whatever abstract definition exists for what a modifier is, or is there something simple I’m missing?

Potent metallotoxins is not a modifier to ranged attacks for the transport, so the embarked models are not affected. You cant use the stratagem on the embarked unit, no.1 says no. No. 5 says the embarked unit is not affected by aura abilities (6" reroll 1s), and its not a modifier to the ranged attacks of the transport, also doesnt work on embarked models. However, if you have a stratagem which would give the transport +1 to hit, it would affect the embarked unit as well, because no. 9 says it does. A stratagem is not a (aura) ability.
However, there are some serious issues with this FAQ. For example, if the embarked unit can shoot after falling back, and the transporter falls back, the unit inside would be unable to shoot, because no. 8 says the restriction also applies to them. But no. 7 says that abilities from the embarked unit continues to apply when they make ranged attacks. They cant shoot, but they can shoot.

Ok let me change this up a bit then. What if I’m using Potent Metallotoxins on a Venom, which does have splinter weapons? I guess I have to be the one that asks what is a modifier?

Regarding falling back and shooting, I had a whole thing written out as an answer, but then I reread the wording and lost it all, because it doesn’t say “treat the passengers as having fallen back”, it says “apply the same restriction”. Bleah.

A modifier is anything that changes the value of a dice roll, like +1 to hit, -1 to wound. They can also change characteristics, like Sx2.

DICE
All modifiers (if any) to a dice roll are cumulative; you must apply all division modifiers before applying all multiplication modifiers, and before applying all addition and then all subtraction modifiers. Round any fractions up after applying all modifiers. A dice roll can be modified above its maximum possible value (for example, a D6 roll can be modified above 6) but it can never be modified below 1. If, after all modifiers have been applied, a dice roll would be less than 1, count that result as a 1.

That’s actually a lot more straightforward than I was expecting it to be. Thank you.