I like the game very much and changes in tactical combat in LH also. Off course there is always room for improvement and some things are more a meter of personal preference. I have one such a complaint about the way ranged troops (bows, crossbows and magic staffs) work in combat so I decide to make this thread as a question (maybe this is just my personal preference and other players do not find this as a problem?) and eventually to propose a solution.

I do not like mostly two things about the way ranged troops work in tactical combat. The two things are linked to each other:

1) ranged troop/hero can attack any target in combat no meter if it is blocked or not. By "blocked" by enemy unit standing right next to it.

I think that it will be better if we have instead this mechanic: when there is a enemy unit, standing next to my ranged unit, the latter can not attack other target then its blocker. So if I had unit A (ranged weapon) and enemy unit B (melee or ranged - it do not meter) then whit unit A I can not target any enemy unit (as it is now) but only the unit, that is blocking (standing next to) my ranged unit. Off course, if there are more then one enemy unit, that stand in blocking positions, I can still choose which one of them to attack. I think that it is good to add to blocking small penalty (for being forced to to combat by melee unit in "close range) to dodge and accuracy (something like -10/-10 or -8/-5 in those lines), or even some reduction in attack power (but not big -10% or -2).

That way I (or AI) can use fast moving units to attempt to block enemy shooters so they can not target my weak or wounded units: there is additional tactic in the game. Now the only solution is to kill enemy shooters (or to cast spell that reduces their accuracy or increases my units ranged dodge - but these are in different field so to say), but with blocking mechanic IMO things will be more interesting.

2) any ranged troop/hero shoot (attack) equally whenever it is stationary or moving this turn. By that I mean: unit with ranged weapon moves and than attack in his turn opposed to the same unit that just attack without moving.

This is linked to 1) but is some kind of problem (for me) in itself (fast moving high initiative shooter that moves and shoots without penalty against slower melee unit or units). The moving and shooting in one turn should have some kind of penalty to judge against just shooting without moving (choice to make). It will make a good sense with blocking mechanic (you may escape blocking unit by moving (if it is a room to move) but you must have some penalty for doing so (and reward for the other player/AI that succeeds in blocking your shooter (penetrate your front line)). IMHO something like -25% or -33% to accuracy will be good (but I will like even something bigger). So when you move and then shoot - you shooting with smaller chance to hit your target as opposed to standing still and shooting (without penalty). I like percentage minus because it will stay relevant when your units have large boost to accuracy.

Off course, to offset this it will be good to have some traits that negate penalty for moving and shooting (expensive ones - for units, something like "mounted archery" and just trait for heroes (assassins and warriors)).

Excuse me if this is something already discussed previously and for my bad English (I hope that at least it is possible to understand what I whrote ).