Rules-wise, when you fire with A,B,C and D, only D would have the -1 modifier, not all of them. Because target formation is not "in cover".

Q: When shooting at a formation where some units are in cover and others are not you can elect whether to shoot at targets in cover (in which case you take the -1 penalty) or not (in which case you don't). What is the scope of this decision?
• The entire shooting formation?
• Each shooting weapon type?
• Each shooting unit?
• By damage type (AT vs. AP)?
• Each shooting weapon?
• Unspecified, work it out with your
opponent?
For example, if someone shoots at my tactical formation, which has three exposed rhinos and six marines in cover, does the attacker have to take the -1 to hit the rhinos (which is AT fire), if he wants the tactical marines to be potential targets for his AP fire?


A: The choice to shoot at in-cover or out-of-cover targets must be done by the entire formation. It can only be separated by type of weapon fire. If you had AT, AP, and MW fire in one salvo, you could fire AT at out-of-cover, AP at in-cover and MW at in-cover. Or any other arrangement, as long as all of each fire type (AP, AT, MW) is directed solely at one target type (in-cover or out-of-cover). You cannot split up targeting of a single type of fire. If an IG infantry company had 2 units out of cover and 10 units in cover and you were firing with, say, 8 AP shots, you could not target 4 AP at out-of-cover and 4 at in-cover. All the AP shots would have to be directed at a single target type.

It's actually really simple.


Just bend over and look from the weapons/stands PoV.
If you can see the target clearly, shoot with no modifier.
If any part of the target is partially obscured, apply the -1 modifier.
If the target is not visible, the shot cannot be taken.

Whilst this is spcifically mentioning weapon range, it is clear that LoS and range should both be measured from the weapon.

This also works easily with area terrain as long as the area terrain is defined clearly (ie, Los is blocked to the edge of the area terrain and to the height of the highest terrain piece - be it trees/buildings etc).

Anything else is trying to complicate a situation that is really simple.

Again though, the 5 minute warm up is the place to make sure both/all players are on the same page.

I consider that quite simple.

only if D fired a different weapon type than A,B and C. (as in AP as the others fired AT or vice versa).

If they all fired the same weapon type (all AP, all AT or all MW) then they ALL have to take -1 for cover.
You cannot have the same weapon type shooting both in and out of cover (some taking -1 and some not).

Clarification from the GW official FAQ

Yes, I know that. But in this case (diagram), target formation is not "in cover". Hence the difference.

1.8.2 Cover To Hit Modifiers
Units that are in terrain that is tall enough to at least partially obscure them from an attacker’s view receive a -1 to hit modifier when being shot at (see 1.9.5). The to hit modifier also applies if intervening terrain obscures the target partially from view.