When does Rearward stance declare its target?

[Falenthal]

I've been looking at the Palantir and found no clear answer to this. It has overshadowed some discussions about Attercops and Great Leaps, but not talked about clearly.

It may be me, but I don't know if a hero in Rearward stance has to declare an engagement at the beginning of a round or if he can choose his target when his turn arrives. Of couse, the second option would lead to the Rearward archer being able to choose the most damaged foe (or whoever he sees fit) after all his companions have attacked.

This are the quotes from the Revised Core that make me doubt (p.174):

Engagement
When every player has determined the stance his hero
will fight in, all combatants must engage one or more
opponents.

From here I'd say that also archers must declare whom are they going to attack this round.

But...

A character is engaged when paired in close combat
with at least one opponent.

More Enemies than Heroes
When the opposition outnumbers the company, the
Loremaster first assigns an opponent of his choice to every
companion in a close combat stance (heroes in Rearward
cannot be engaged).

More Heroes Than Enemies
(or sides equally matched)
...each player chooses an adversary for his
hero in a close combat stance...
When all heroes in a Forward, Open or Defensive stance
have been paired with one opponent...

From the extended combat example, I'd say that the archers can choose their target just when it's their turn to act:

Finally, Trotter acts. He is unengaged and free to attack
at leisure. He chooses to try and finish off the Attercop
that Lifstan hit with a serious blow, hoping to get rid of it
once and for all.

And the same happens with the enemies:

As his final action for the round, the Loremaster chooses
what the unengaged Attercop will do.

Would you agree that archers are free to fire at will, after seeing what damage their melee companions have brought on the adversaries?
Even Prepare Shot doesn't need a target declared beforehand.

[mirkwoodfalcon]

We have always played that Rearward companions choose their target when they attack, following the extended example. I've always taken the Engagement rules to be strictly for the NPCs, but perhaps we've been doing it wrong.

[Falenthal]

I've always taken the Engagement rules to be strictly for the NPCs, but perhaps we've been doing it wrong.

What do you mean? How do you play it?
What the rules say is that either the LM chooses who attacks who, or the players, depending on the number on either side. But in every combat someone has to decide who engages whom.

[Majestic]

I was kind of surprised when I read over those sections again, but you seem to be right, Falenthal; it doesn't really specify or make it that clear.

I've always let archers choose just before they act. Of course that often leads to the "I attack the one that's already injured!" phenomena, but that does make the most sense.

[jamesrbrown]

I believe the correct interpretation is that Rearward companions are NOT engaged and may take their turn following all Close combat stances and they can choose whatever target is available, including enemies that are NOT engaged.