Ca'Non master:
how can you tell which adverbial is "the most important one" for Okrand?
You're right, I can't. As americans say, "it's just a gut feeling I have". Let me explain..
chaq batlh bIvangqa'laH
In this sentence, I "feel" that while someone's acting, it's of more importance the whether he acts honorably or not, than the "perhaps" he acts
chaq tugh batlh Heghmo'
Same here; the "honorable"/"unhonorable" death is more important than the "when" ({tugh}), and the "when" more important than the "perhaps".
chaq tugh charghmo'
The "when" "feels" more important than the "perhaps".
reH batlh SuvtaHjaj chaH
The honorable"/"unhonorable" way of fighting, is more important than the "always".
vaj pe'vIl joqqu'
The "forcefully" "feels" more important than the "so/then/thus/in that case". Now, don't misunderstand me. I'm *not* saying that I'm right, and I'm certainly *not* suggesting that there is here some hidden rule in the ordering of adverbials, we need to acknowledge. I'm just sharing, an impression I have, that the adverbials which are more important as far as the meaning of the verb is concerned, tend to be placed closer to it. - bara'qa'