If a model like Shyryss hits target A 8" away with her ranged weapon and applies witchmark to it, then targets model A with bladed gale so that the line of the spray also crosses the base of model B what happens? What if model A is 11" away?
For scenario 1 I believe the spray would hit model A automatically and the spray line would be checked as normal and you would roll to hit model B as normal.
For scenario 2 I am less sure. My hunch is that since when targetting model A you will ignore range that it will still automatically hit A and model B can still be hit as normal. But the counter argument has been made that since A is technically out of range any models that would be under the spray line will be automatically missed.
Your scenario A is the correct answer, as far as I can determine.
Per Witch Mark’s wording, the spell only ignores checking RNG and LOS for the model suffering Witch Mark.
I can’t see any (sensible) reason why the spray would behave any differently than normal for other models under the line.
So:
Witch Mark, cast, measure RNG “up to the maximum range of the attack.”
Check if the target is in range at Timing Chart Step 3, override this step due to Witch Mark, override Step 4 on the target due to Witch Mark, resolve the rest of the spray as normal.
Without being able to see the contents of the entire rules question in the email:
Based on only what is in the screenshot – a discussion purely about sprays, with no mention of this specific Witch Mark scenario – Erik’s answer is correct.
Witch Mark upends that whole thing, though. (I checked the same portion of the targeting rules that he referenced before I replied yesterday, because I thought the same “everything misses if the target is out of range” portion would apply, but I can’t see how it would.) Witch Mark explicitly ignores RNG and LOS. So, the target of the attack cannot possibly be out of RNG, because RNG to the target is just never checked.
I actually wrote up and then deleted a huge detailed answer to this earlier, thinking I was beating it to death. So this won’t be as detailed, but the point should come across.
I think the part that is causing confusion is that I have been ambiguous when switching between discussing the spray rules in the “Spray Attacks” section and the rules in Appendix 1: Timing.
Witch Mark essentially inserts itself into Attack Main Sequence Step 3, and relating to that step, effectively translates into “delete that step, or at least the second half of the second sentence.”
Going back to the spray bits themselves, I contend Witch Mark just deletes the bits about being out of RNG. You still measure up to the RNG and see which models are under the line and all that; you just selectively ignore the parts about LOS and RNG relating to the model with Witch Mark.
So this won’t be as detailed, but the point should come across.