Barrage weapons

[Popsical]

So the rules state:
"They can fire at a target they do not have line of sight to and/or a target that is within the weapons minimum range (if it has one).

So the way i read it means say a basilisk can shoot at a unit within 36" which is its minimum range, but only directly, thus at bs modified level.

Correct?

[Nabterayl]

Exactly incorrect. A basilisk can shoot at a unit within minimum range only indirectly, thus at unmodified BS level.

[Brother Daedulus]

If you can see it it's direct, if you can't see it it's indirect.

[Popsical]

Exactly incorrect. A basilisk can shoot at a unit within minimum range only indirectly, thus at unmodified BS level (and with the shot coming from the center of the blast marker for purposes of determining cover).

Im more than a little confused by this. So inside minimum range is only indirect? Shirley there wouldnt be the distance to loft a shell that short?
I can understand the minimum of 36" to fire indirect, and less than 36" direct, as youd have to depress the elevation to hit closer targets.
Weird.

[Tynskel]

the idea is that the barrel cannot come down. So, instead, the barrel is aimed higher, and the round goes up n' comes down.

[Popsical]

That has to be the daftest logic gw have come up with yet lol.
However where does it specify that in the brb?
The rule doesnt read that way to me.

[Tynskel]

The rule is about indirect fire... sooooo, that means it is being used in the indirect fashion.

You are right, GW is being daft, because you wouldn't fire it that way... however, it is correct from the standpoint of being the *only* way to fire at something close.

[Nabterayl]

That has to be the daftest logic gw have come up with yet lol.
However where does it specify that in the brb?
The rule doesnt read that way to me.
Certainly daft. However, that's what's written. As page 34 says:


Barrage weapons can fire indirectly. This means they can fire at a target that they do not have line of sight to and/or a target that is within the weapon's minimum range (if it has one). When firing indirectly, the Ballistic Skill of the firer is not subtracted from the scatter distance (emphasis added).
Those three consequences are the only difference between direct and indirect barrage fire: you scatter the full distance rolled, you ignore minimum range restrictions, and you ignore line of sight restrictions. That's what's indicated by "this means" and the fact that indirect fire is referenced only in that single bullet point.

In 5th edition, the rules for barrage weapons assumed they howitzers (whether or not they were, and even if they weren't): you could lob the shell high, but you could also point the gun at your target and fire directly, like a cannon. If you did the former, you used what people used to think of as the "barrage" rules; if you did the latter, you used the [non-barrage] blast rules.

In 6th edition, the rules for barrage weapons assume they are mortars (whether or not they are, and even if they aren't): you always lob the shell high, even if you can see your target. This is represented by things such as the fact that when determining cover from a barrage weapon, you always assume the shot is coming from the center of the blast marker, and vehicles are always hit on their side armor - whether you're firing directly or indirectly.

Despite their name, the "indirect fire" rules no longer really represent lobbing the shell in a high arc, as opposed to a low one. They represent situations where the gunner's accuracy is degraded for one reason or another - he can't see his target, or the target is too close, forcing him to screw around with powder charges, trajectories, and/or try to depress his gun far enough in a seat-of-your-pants sort of gunnery.