If I have Babylonian Shab Shari (Open Order) four babses wide and three bases deep, one rank (base) of spear and sheild, and two ranks (bases) of bow. How many bases of bow get to shoot?
Andy P and I had a dispute in the pub last night

Hi Andy - I would say you get 8 shots. The unit is a Combined Formation, so the first two bases including archers may shoot following the normal shooting rules. W.

Can't be more than 6 shots as they are open order

Martin, They are 4 bases wide, so I think that Wayne is right.
However, I've just realised that the list says 1/2 - 2/3 spear and sheild, so I'm not sure how I got 2/3 bow when we last played Bibical at Big Battles... Oops.

Yes sorry misread the initial post.

So the point i was discussing with Mr K was around the rules saying
"If it is a formed unit equipped with bows or longbow, or a skirmish unit, all troops in the first two rows of bases can shoot."

The formation that Andy K described is Spear front row, then row two and three of Bow (now known to be an illegal formation).
So if only the first two rows of bases shoot, how does the back/3rd row shoot?

So with this logic, only 4 shots from the second row as the first row is armed with spear and cannot shoot.

As it's a "Combined Formation" then the first two rows of bases including archers may shoot, ie. the 2nd and 3rd rows.
See page 40 of the rulebook. Cheers W.