We have a member of our group who believes that units are not allowed to attack to their rear.
I believe his thought is that there is nothing in the rules (that we've found) that explicitly says "Yes, you can do this."

For some of us though, we see hints in other entries that mention it kinda secondhand as evidence that it is allowed.
For example the third bullet point in 41.1 described how a flanked unit that is attacking does not get nay rerolls.

So, is attacking from the rear allowed, and is there anything that very specifically says that it IS allowed?

I do not remember where I saw it perhaps Flanking in the RR, but yes you can attack from the rear. You are flanking the unit and get an extra red or blue die for your attack.

4 minutes ago, Ywingscum said:

I do not remember where I saw it perhaps Flanking in the RR, but yes you can attack from the rear. You are flanking the unit and get an extra red or blue die for your attack.

Well, I know you definitely don't get an extra die from attacking from your rear. That was actually the part of the rules I mentioned above (41.1, third bullet point).

What I'm looking for is where it specifically says you can attack from the rear. ie, if an enemy is engaged with the rear of your unit, you can still attack them back.

I don't think there is a line that specifically says "you can attack out your rear". The closest you get is #48 Melee Attack: "To perform a melee attack action, a unit attacks an enemy unit it is engaged with". Since you are still engaged with units contacting the rear of your unit you should be able to attack them still.

Attacking a formation engaged with your back edge is the same as if they were engaged with your side edge. Most of the time the rules won't describe everything you can do, they will state if you can't do something. It's usually a shorter list.

Here's the requirement to make a melee attack:
RRG, pg. 7:
"If the attacker is performing a melee attack action, he
must be engaged with the defender."

Here's what it means to be engaged:
RRG, pg: 11:
"If any part of a unit’s trays are touching any part of an enemy
unit’s trays, those units are engaged. "

A unit that has it's rear edge touching an enemy unit is clearly meeting the conditions needed to be considered engaged with the enemy unit. A unit can make a melee attack against any unit with which it is engaged. The rules only make a distinction between the front edge and the other sides. The section of the rules on flanking gives the details on how to determine is a united is flanked or flanking.


RRG, pg. 12:
"41 Flanking
An engaged unit can be flanking or flanked by other units
depending on the orientation of the engaged unit.
41.1 If a unit’s front edge is in contact with the side or back edge
of an enemy unit, it is flanking that enemy unit.
• If a unit is engaged only through the corner of one of its
trays, the contacted edge is the edge to which the enemy
unit would square up if able.
• When performing an attack, the flanking unit adds one extra
die to its roll. This die can be either a blue or a red die.
• When the flanked unit performs an attack against the
flanking unit, the flanked unit does not receive any rerolls
for having additional ranks.
41.2 If two units are engaged, but neither unit’s front edge is a
contacted edge in that engagement, neither unit is flanking
the other.
Related Topics: Attack, Engagement, Modifying Dice, Ranks"

Oh, you were saying attacking a unit behind you, I thought you said attacking a unit from behind.

Also note that some units don't lose anything attacking something to their side or back. Ardus, a single tray rune golem, a single tray carrion lancer, etc. don't have any rerolls to lose and the brutal keyword just straight increases your threat (as opposed to Precise that acts like a full rank with all the bonuses and restrictions that may have).

4 hours ago, TallTonyB said:

Also note that some units don't lose anything attacking something to their side or back. Ardus, a single tray rune golem, a single tray carrion lancer, etc. don't have any rerolls to lose and the brutal keyword just straight increases your threat (as opposed to Precise that acts like a full rank with all the bonuses and restrictions that may have).

One of the upgrades Ardus can take (and frequently will) grants Precise 1. If he is flanked, he loses that re-roll when attacking. Just sayin'.

5 minutes ago, KrisWall said:

One of the upgrades Ardus can take (and frequently will) grants Precise 1. If he is flanked, he loses that re-roll when attacking. Just sayin'.

Very true. I forgot about that until you said it. Also forgot the carrion lancers can take rank discipline. And you still don't really want them getting their flank bonus against you, but if you're engaged with multiple units it's something to think about when choosing your target priority.

1 minute ago, TallTonyB said:

Very true. I forgot about that until you said it. Also forgot the carrion lancers can take rank discipline. And you still don't really want them getting their flank bonus against you, but if you're engaged with multiple units it's something to think about when choosing your target priority.

I feel like (for Waiqar at least) Rank Discipline is the best upgrade in the core box. 2x1 Archers with Rank Discipline for 22 points has worked out really well for me. Single Carrion Lancers are a little rough in combat with only a single threat. I'm hoping we eventually see an upgrade that grants Brutal 1.

43 minutes ago, KrisWall said:

I feel like (for Waiqar at least) Rank Discipline is the best upgrade in the core box. 2x1 Archers with Rank Discipline for 22 points has worked out really well for me. Single Carrion Lancers are a little rough in combat with only a single threat. I'm hoping we eventually see an upgrade that grants Brutal 1.

For my money, the Lancer is best used mortal-striking the everloving hell out of characters or low model count units anyway. I don't want Brutal so much as I want Precise off Rank Discipline.

3 minutes ago, Tvayumat said:

For my money, the Lancer is best used mortal-striking the everloving hell out of characters or low model count units anyway. I don't want Brutal so much as I want Precise off Rank Discipline.

Totally agreed. I've been spending the Blight tokens too much. I need to leave them on and then charge in with Lancers.

4 minutes ago, KrisWall said:

Totally agreed. I've been spending the Blight tokens too much. I need to leave them on and then charge in with Lancers.

The timing of the Reanimate Archers initiative 5 ranged attack is important.

Lancers have an attack at 5, and can charge at 5.

Oathsworn Cavalry (My favored target for mortal striking) Can't rally after Init 3, so they're helpless to a blight+mortal strike combo from the pair.

Rune golems, however, can attack + Rally at 5, and thus dump blight before the Lancer can follow up with strikes.

48 minutes ago, Tvayumat said:

For my money, the Lancer is best used mortal-striking the everloving hell out of characters or low model count units anyway. I don't want Brutal so much as I want Precise off Rank Discipline.

I don't tend to use rank discipline on my lancers because I use them mostly as blight factories until I absolutely have to get them in the mix, and then I'm usually using them more as a speedbump than anything. The cheaper the speedbump is, the better. That's just my playstyle however, and I know RD Lancers can actually put out some good damage. When I really think about it, I bet we will see more lancers with RD than without.

13 minutes ago, TallTonyB said:

I don't tend to use rank discipline on my lancers because I use them mostly as blight factories until I absolutely have to get them in the mix, and then I'm usually using them more as a speedbump than anything. The cheaper the speedbump is, the better. That's just my playstyle however, and I know RD Lancers can actually put out some good damage. When I really think about it, I bet we will see more lancers with RD than without.

I can only roll so many handfuls of blank results on a blighted target before I give in and sacrifice 4 pts to the upgrade gods.

Just now, Tvayumat said:

I can only roll so many handfuls of blank results on a blighted target before I give in and sacrifice 4 pts to the upgrade gods.

lol.

fair point.

I guess I'm just so used to blank dice from playing imperials in early waves of xwing that it doesn't even phase me anymore

1 minute ago, TallTonyB said:

lol.

fair point.

I guess I'm just so used to blank dice from playing imperials in early waves of xwing that it doesn't even phase me anymore

I may be suffering from Oathsworn PTSD.