Engaged/Disengaged Question
 

I apologize if this was covered in a different thread but I couldn't find one.

In the melee book you are considered 'engaged' if you are adjacent to and in the front hex of an enemy. Pg 9 gives the example of "B" is engaged with "R" but "R" is not engaged with "B", which according to the rules earlier is correct.
Does this mean the only Option for "R" if he wants to attack "B" is to select 'Charge Attack'? If he cannot move since he is adjacent is this still a legal move?

Re: Engaged/Disengaged Question
 

No. (The options available are based on whether you are engaged, not whether you have engaged anyone else.)

It just means R is Engaged if that is the map position when his turn to move comes.

Since R is Engaged, during the Movement part of the turn, he can either stay put, or move one hex as long as he stays adjacent to B. In either case, R can then also rotate to face any direction.

It does not usually matter what Option R may have in mind during the Movement part of the turn - all of the Options for Engaged figures involve staying put or moving one hex during movement.

During the Action part of the turn, when it comes to R's turn to act, then you see if R is Engaged or not at THAT time (for example, B could be dead by then, or might have Disengaged to another hex). That Engagement status, combined with how far he moved during movement, determines what Options are available for R to do.

Typically, R would turn to face B, and if B is still there and he wanted to attack B, take option J "Shift and Attack" or L "One Last Shot Missile Attack".

Re: Engaged/Disengaged Question
 

One thing to make clear, since it's only mentioned once per rulebook, is that a figure can freely choose its facing at the end of its move. Part of the tactics of the game is finding ways to get into a figure's side or rear hexes despite that fact. (Skarg has the right idea, but everywhere he says "R" he meant "B" and vice-versa - B is the engaged figure in the example, R is unengaged - R is directly behind B.)

Re: Engaged/Disengaged Question
 

Oh yeah, I thought MiB1213 was asking the opposite thing.

Yes, the attack option for disengaged figures is called "Charge Attack" but it does not require movement, it just allows movement up to 1/2 MA (and down to zero if desired).

Re: Engaged/Disengaged Question
 

Thank you. that other reply had me even more confused. So my initial understanding is correct in that the disengaged figure (the one to the rear) can only use the Charge and Attack but he can do so even without making any movement.
It's clear that he can move to one of the front hexs but my original question was regarding how and if a character is behind another and they are NOT facing each other, as in the example in the book.
Thank you for clearing it up.. and as mentioned the free facing is good to keep in mind.

Re: Engaged/Disengaged Question
 

Yes, exactly. :-)

Re: Engaged/Disengaged Question
 

What I read is, that in the example above a charge attack would require movement of at least 2 hexes (backing one hex and then returning to the original). Thus R could charge attack B by stepping back one hex and then stepping forward. No movement would be required for a standard attack by R against B.

Re: Engaged/Disengaged Question
 

Yeah, but the confusion was about the Option named "Charge Attack", which is one of the potentially confusing things about the options list - it doesn't mean you have to do a charge attack if you take that option.

The confusion is usually about how the options list combines movement and action, but movement and action are two different parts of the turn, which frequently have figures change their Engaged/Disengaged state during the turn. And people get caught up thinking they need to choose one Option during Movement, which is not the case, because they can/should choose their option during the action phase according to the situation.

Really it's that the figure adjacent to a foe's back can move up to full MA during his movement phase. Then during his action phase, he can choose options based on how far he moved during the movement phase, and what his current engagement state is at the time he acts.

Re: Engaged/Disengaged Question
 

You are correct. I somehow look right through that word in the options list as if the "CHARGE" in CHARGE ATTACK is silent and misunderstood the original question.

Re: Engaged/Disengaged Question
 

Skarg, you are exactly correct. The reason the rules say to choose your action *before* movement is so that you know how far you're allowed to move if you complete your *intended* action. However, the rules also say that you can change you mind about your action at any time during the turn, to any action that has not be precluded by the distance you moved, readied weapon, and your state of engagement. That it is to accommodate reaction to a changing tactical situation as all players complete their moves.