A ranged combat order is very similar to a close combat order, though there are a few key differences.
A unit that is adjacent to an enemy unit may not be given a ranged combat order.
To give a ranged combat order to one of your units, choose an enemy unit that is in range. The standard range is six steps; you must choose a side of your unit that the attack will come from that is within six steps from the side of the enemy unit being attacked. All range measurements are made from notch to notch. The chosen enemy unit will become the target of the attack.
A unit may only be given a ranged combat order if it has at least one ready ranged die icon.
Next, pay the cost for the order. A ranged combat order costs the same as a close combat order: 1 order point for a sortie, and 2 order points for a formation.
The attacker then rolls a number of blue dice equal to the number of ready blue ranged die icons it has, along with ranged dice granted (or removed) by special abilities. The defender rolls a number of white dice equal to the number of ready white defense die icons it has, along with defense dice granted (or removed) by special abilities.
If the attacker is attacking from a non-blue side (red or grey) then they roll three less ranged dice.
If the defender is defending on a grey side, they roll three less defense dice.
Ranged combat is also subject to certain penalties:
- Firing into melee: In ranged combat the attacker rolls one less ranged die if the target of its attack is adjacent to a unit friendly to the attacker.
- Hindered: In ranged combat the attacking unit rolls one less blue die for each object hindering its line of sight. Line of sight is hindered by units (friendly or enemy) and hindering terrain.
- Blocked: A ranged attack may not be made when line of sight is blocked.
(See Line of Sight for more details.)
The lineup for ranged combat is the same as close combat. Once players roll their dice, each player arranges their dice from highest to lowest. If the attacker has rolled three dice with a result of 6, they get a critical hit which increases the number of hits this unit scores by 1. Players apply any special abilities that affect the die roll, such as rerolls or anything that alters the results of the dice. Once those have been resolved, players re-adjust their dice from highest to lowest.
As in close combat, compare the highest ranged die to the highest defense die. If one side does not have a die, then compare the remaining die to a phantom die, which has a value of 2. If the attack die is higher than the defense die, the attacker gets one hit. However, unlike close combat, if the defense die is higher than the attack die, the defender does not get a hit. And again, if a phantom die is higher than the die it is being compared to, no hit is scored. Then, move to the next highest die for each player and compare again until all dice have been compared.
Each unit then deals damage to the opposing unit equal to the number of hits it got. (Usually the defender will score no hits, as white dice don't normally score hits against blue dice.) This includes any additional hit from a critical hit. For rules on how damage is dealt, see Dealing Damage.
Combat ends and the turn resumes.
