This came up over at BGG & I guess I'm doing it wrong.When an Archer is adjacent to a enemy Unit,we've played this as a Melee attack either by the Archer or the other Unit & put an engagement marker down.However it's been noted that the Archer Units only have Range Icons & no Melee Icon,so they can't Melee.

If they can't Melee does this mean they can breakoff from adjacent Unit combat without a Parting Shot & the enemy Unit also just be able to breakoff without any penalty?

OD

Also can archers in melee range flank?

P. 22 of the rulebook says: "A ranged attacker cannot disengage except by moving.
Although a ranged attack does not cause an engagement, a
ranged attacker must still attack an opponent it is engaged with
if it is going to attack (unless it disengages by moving away)."

Further down is says "When choosing to break an engagement between units, the
owner of the disengaging unit removes the engagement token,
and then the unit suffers a Parting Blow as described below"

I understand this as the archer unit WILL suffer a parting blow if it moves away, and the same goes for the unit it is engaged with.

Archers in cannot flank as it is a ranged attack (even if its an attack at an adjacent unit), and flank attacks are melee only. (see p.19 under Place Engagement Token)

So if a non archer Unit attacks an adjacent Archer Unit he places an engagement marker & either breaking off are subject to a Parting shot?Then if an adjacent Archer Units attacks an adjacent non archer unit,as it's a ranged attack no engagement marker is placed & the next turn assuming the archer unit isn't attacked both units could break off without a parting shot?

Still trying to get my mimd around this

OD

Old Dwarf said:

Yes and Yes

YES Finally got it!

OD

The rules make it sort of realistic. I'm just pointing out the difference between Ranged attack and Close combat when being Flanked.

If I was engaged with some infantry. An attack by archers would not be any different to if I was engaged with enemy or not. Neither would it matter if it's from front or left etc. Arrows would still fly from a range and strike us.

However, for a Flank attack by Melee unit it would be much different. For example: if I'm engaged with an infantry unit face on, (1000 sword swinging men v's another 1000) then another infantry unit come from my left and swing their 1,000 swords from melee-close range, the effects would be much greater as now that I'm already engadged in one hands on battle.