Fighter won't stay put

[Rocce Sqirl]

In a battle I put my fighter (ex. Archer) where I want him to be then click the arrow icon to fight the enemy I want him to shoot ... and then the archer will move to a different hex and shoot from there. I put him where he'd be out of the enemy's range, but then he moves within range and gets hammered. How do I get my fighter to stay where I put him?

 

[Mykan]

Can the fighter attack the enemy from the square you put him in? Ranged units should stand still to attack an enemy that is already within their attack range. If however you select a unit outside their attack range but they can reach it if they move and they have movement left, then they will move and attack.

 

[DeletedUser5800]

If however you select a unit outside their attack range but they can reach it if they move and they have movement left, then they will move and attack.

Yep, that, if you are trying to hit a Brave Knight from 5 hexes away, your Archer (4 hex range) will take one step, shoot, and the Brave Knight will take 2 steps, reach 2 hexes and drill your Archer in the face! I did it today on accident about 8 times. LOL

 

[Rocce Sqirl]

Okay, I'm assuming (yeah, dangerous word, I know) that when I move my fighter to a given hex and the arrow symbol lights up on a given enemy, that my fighter can reach said enemy without further movement. If my guy is out of range standing on that hex, no arrow. ... Perhaps in that context I should ask what is the difference between hexes merely outlined (which I assume is the range of motion my guy can do [and, red hexes, also which my enemy can do]), while solid hexes merely display a specific path (which path will change if I hover my cursor over a different destination). The marked path may show four hexes, but I only want to go three because the fourth puts me within my enemy's range, then I click the arrow to do the fight and my guy moves that fourth space which I do NOT want him to do. Keep in mind I'm moving my guy first to a specific space, then engaging the fight -- not clicking the enemy first and letting the AI move my guy. If my assumptions are wrong, well that's why I'm asking the question.

 

[DeletedUser5800]

Okay, I'm assuming (yeah, dangerous word, I know) that when I move my fighter to a given hex and the arrow symbol lights up on a given enemy, that my fighter can reach said enemy without further movement.

Nope, it means he can reach the enemy with further movement included and you can tell he's going to move because the hex he's going to move to lights up. Even if you stop short, if he needs to take another step to be in his attack range and it's available and you hit attack, he will take the step.

 

[DeletedUser5800]

So if I hover on attack and it tells me he's going to go here to do it...

but I put him here...

and then hover over attack but the Archer is still unable to reach the Knight...
(because he is 5 hexes away but only has a range of 4)
and he still has a step available that he can take...
It will show that he is going to take that last step anyway if you hit attack.

If however he is in his range of attack to an enemy and you put him somewhere and hit attack, he would stay where you put him even if he had moves still available. The key here is that he has a step available but is not close enough to attack, so if you push attack it is telling him to take that step first.

EDIT: Note I have Crossbowmen showing here instead of Archers, but that's what I had up and the attack range is the same.

 

[Rocce Sqirl]

That detailed explanation is very helpful. Thank you. Guess I need to adopt a new attack strategy ... like stick to bribery.

 

[DeletedUser5800]

That detailed explanation is very helpful. Thank you. Guess I need to adopt a new attack strategy ... like stick to bribery.

Or you could always try a Priest (if you're a human) for those situations (Or Blossom Mage if you have them). Attack range of 5.