[Combat Question] When are you considered to be engaged in melee?

[Steve Plambeck]

Originally Posted by Drakenbow

Scenario 2:
A character moves half MA during the movement phase but is not engaged after that character's movement - initial choice is the option to Dodge.

And there's the conundrum! According to the rules, we can't use Dodge if engaged, and yet one can becomes engaged after declaring Dodge. This is why SJ had to add the rule that one could always change options to meet changing conditions as long as you hadn't moved too far for the new option (added between the first edition of Melee and the first edition of Wizard), although his great and clear paragraph about that got left out of Legacy ITL -- surely by accident.

Originally Posted by Drakenbow

In the same turn's movement phase an enemy engages. By exact wording, the character didn't shift or stand still so cannot choose to attack or defend.

Actually you can take Attack or Defend upon moving 1/2 MA, you just can't move more than 1/2 MA.