Ordnance shots through cover

[Commander Sasha]

If I fire my demolisher at a vehicle or unit behind cover, but not in terrain, can I choose whether I fire direct, gaining the benefit from the BS but incurring a 4+ cover save, or to lob over the top, so no scatter correction, but no cover?

 

If I can choose, which is better by mathhammer, and does it depend on the target?

 

Thanks

[Commander Sasha]

Note to self: RTBRB! p58, yes you can choose.

 

Thinks: direct shot, scatter less BS, cover

3 shots: 1 hits, 2 drift by max 8", large blast 5" and vehicle or group 3" radius, so both should still hit

4+cover, so finally 1.5 hit. HIT RATE 50%

 

Ordnance, no scatter correction

3 shots: 1 hits, 2 drift by 2-12", large blast 5" and vehicle or group 3" radius, so 1 should still hit, other miss;total 2 hit:cuss RATE 66%

 

'zat right?

 

Will be affected if group radius is less than 3", ie only 2 or 3 men

[eyescrossed]

Uhh... Only Ordnance Barrage can fire indirectly.

[Souchan]

What eyescrossed said and if I recall correctly no version of the demolisher cannon is barrage(except a typo that was faqed in the SM dex).

[Legatus]

To concur with what souchan said, the early versions of Codex Space Marines (not sure whether GW already did reprints) the Demolisher is incorrectly listed on the summary page 144 as being a barrage weapon. The unit description on page 80 is correct, and GW did errata that in the Space Marine FaQ.