TheGogmagog said:I agree that there is a -4 to attack because of soft cover. I don't think there is a -4 for firing into melee though. Because the person providing cover isn't in a threatened square perhaps (except for chain)?
There is a teamwork skill that reduces penalties for firing into melee to -2 and -2. Precise shot would negate the penalty for firing into melee, but as stated above I don't think it applies to reach weapons.
No, the penalty for firing into melee only applies to actual ranged weapons. Interestingly, I think that if you are attacking somebody with a reach weapon, they may not count as being in melee for the archer . . .
For reach easpons, it's soft cover that might apply a penalty to reach weappn if an ally is directly in the way,