3rd Rank bow

[Sadista]

Hi all,

My question comes from a recent game involving Abbasid arab spearmen.
The battlegroups were 2 ranks of Defensive Spearmen with a 3rd rank of Bowmen.

Is there any possible way the bow can shoot other than the impact phase?

The only possibility I can find is to expand 2 elements of bow from the rear to the front rank.
Not worth the effort and makes the BG quite vulnerable.

Be nice to be a threat to annoying light horse.

Thanks

[WhiteKnight]

No, the third rank of LF archers can only shoot from that position in the impact phase. They would have to be in a second and/or first rank to shoot. If they were on the flanks of the DSp formation, they could disappear to form a third rank (by contraction) if the going looked too hot! The timing would be the key here, though.

Martin