Support figure upgrades (generally) say they must be put in the back rank. What benefit or detriments does this have for the figure upgrade in question?

As I understand how Accuracy works in combat, it can't be used against the upgrades in the back-most ranks, so that somewhat keeps them from being sniped out.

How does it work when the unit takes enough damage to where the figure upgrade is the only thing left in the back rank? Does the enemy now have to exceed the upgrade's armor/wounds before damage is done to the rest of the unit? Do I just start pulling normal models from the unit and move the upgrade into the front rank to fill in?

I've tried to read up on the rules for combat, upgrades, figure upgrades and everything to make it make sense, but I am still confused.

Accuracy results can apply damage/wounds to any figure upgrade, not just those in a front row... although most of the time you'll be using them against figures in the front.

Placing figure upgrades in the back row is a penalty, not an advantage. It seems that upgrades they deem as pretty strong have to go in the back row where they'll be destroyed more quickly than in the front.

Putting figure upgrades in the back row has its advantages.

While the attacker does now not need Accuracy results to do damage to it (remember the attacker decides which figure to apply the damage to as long as its in the back rank), a higher defense value can protect the unit from losing its back rank. As I see it the Damage rules are pretty clear:

22.3 Damage can only be assigned to figures in the backmost rank of the unit.

22.6 When the amount of unassigned damage is less than the defense value of any figure in the unit that can be assigned damage (i.e., there is not enough damage remaining to wound a figure), the remaining damage is ignored.

There is no provision in the rules, that damage can be assigned somewhere else if it doesn't cause a wound. That would mean if the last figure in the back rank has 3 defense and you do 2 damage, the 2 damage must be assigned to the figure and don't do a wound. Effectively they are lost and the back rank is preserved.

42 minutes ago, Daverman said:

Accuracy results can apply damage/wounds to any figure upgrade, not just those in a front row... although most of the time you'll be using them against figures in the front.

Placing figure upgrades in the back row is a penalty, not an advantage. It seems that upgrades they deem as pretty strong have to go in the back row where they'll be destroyed more quickly than in the front.

I thought there was an entry in the combat section that specified accuracy could not be used for figure upgrades in the backmost rank (I don't have the RRG in front of me right now), but I could be mistaken.

33 minutes ago, Uthoroc said:

Putting figure upgrades in the back row has its advantages.

While the attacker does now not need Accuracy results to do damage to it (remember the attacker decides which figure to apply the damage to as long as its in the back rank), a higher defense value can protect the unit from losing its back rank. As I see it the Damage rules are pretty clear:

22.3 Damage can only be assigned to figures in the backmost rank of the unit.

22.6 When the amount of unassigned damage is less than the defense value of any figure in the unit that can be assigned damage (i.e., there is not enough damage remaining to wound a figure), the remaining damage is ignored.

There is no provision in the rules, that damage can be assigned somewhere else if it doesn't cause a wound. That would mean if the last figure in the back rank has 3 defense and you do 2 damage, the 2 damage must be assigned to the figure and don't do a wound. Effectively they are lost and the back rank is preserved.

This makes perfect sense now!

Thanks to the both of you!

Also the only support I know that goes in the back is Scion. And that is AMAZING because it keeps your threat alive. As @Uthoroc points out you don't need accuracy to attack the back support figure. But it does protect your front for that much longer. Since you must destroy the back first it just means that much longer before they get to start whittling down your threat. A 3x2 of Deepwood Archers with a Support scion needs to get hit a lot before it no longer has a threat of 3. That is an extreme value. The whole point of the unit is to make your front rank stay alive longer and it does that job very well. The movement it adds either makes it so you don't have to take wind rune as well, or makes it so that if you do, you are moving A LOT.