This may be a very simple question, but I don't see an obvious answer. Can the main target of an attack with impact circular template (such as a missile) avoid damage with a smoke grenade? On the one hand, this is a BS attack without properties that allow you to ignore the lof. On the other side, it hits, nearby troopers outside attakers lof and the rules don't make any difference between them. I am at a loss.
Yes, it's possible for any target of a direct impact template weapon to use smoke grenades (if they have them) to face to face an attack; you need to make sure the smoke's template intersects the LOF that the opponent is using to declare their BS Attack (typically by putting the template over the point where they shoot at will do it). Word of warning; as of now, the AROing troopers do not need LOF to their attacker if they use smoke, however, many players will frown on declaring smoke BS Attack without LOF to the attacker as well as the point you toss the smoke at.
Yes After you put down a template, you use the main target to figure out what number you need to roll. You roll a single dice and compare that result with everyone under the blast individually, the success or failure of one having no interaction with the other FtF. The troopers can contest with any valid FtF they have access to. It can be smoke, hacking, regular BS Attack, Dodge, CC, etc.
I don't know what it is about the word "direct template" that doesn't quite say "flamethrower" to me :(