The simple method of cutting the object is to go to a fresh layer and make up a lattice of 2 point polys that will form your cutter object (ie: form the pattern that you want to break the object into).
Make sure that all the polys are connected to one another, then extrude them so they are thicker than your model (note I'm concentrating on cutting along a single plane here - there's no reason however, you couldn't adapt this technique to cut along multiple planes however).
Now, with your object in the foreground, and your cutter in the background, you need to boolean the two (make sure you've saved first) - this can be a little problematic at times - you can also achieve the desired effect using copious applications of the 'knife' tool.
Once you have the sections you need, copy them each into their own layers (hint: select a single poly and then select connected) - this will now form your 'broken' object.
The manual step comes in patching all the open areas of geometry you have in the pieces you've now created.
Now, over in layout, have the correctly formed, whole copy of your object in the scene - and in exactly the same spot, load up the 'broken' object (you might want to parent the individual pieces of the broken object to a null to make movement as a whole easier). Set dissolve on the broken object to 100%
Now, when you want your object to break, simply swap the dissolves over at that moment - your complete object will disappear, and in its place - the broken object will be visible allowing you to break it apart manually or via dynamics.
Tedious, but that's essentially the way that the C4 plugins used to work...
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