Pilums & PBW's

Just a couple of points here I'm sure about.

1. Under 6.3.5 it states you can't shoot at units already in melee. It goes on to talk about how Pilums & PBWs are not considered shooting at a unit in melee because this happens just before contact. But what if a Pilum armed unit charges late into an on going melee (so the target is already fighting someone else)? I take it they cannot use their PBWs in this case?

2. 2x Roman infantry units group charge a unit of Carthaginian spear-men, before contact they both hit and dispersed a unit of Skirmishers in front of the spear-men. Have they now lost their Pilum dice as a result of contacting the skirmishers?

cheers

1. We take it they can throw their PBW. There is no limitation of PBW in the rules with respect to ongoing melees (which is different from regular missile fire where there is an explicit prohibition.) My reading of 6.3.5 is there in an explicit difference between the two.

2. Hard to say. Under the old rules no issue. My own hunch is that since the Roman infantry didn't throw any melee dice to disperse the skirmishers they keep their Pilum dice. For this Lorenzo will have to confirm.

1. I confirm. Pilum/PBW has its own rule and in this case must be considered as a part of the melee. So they can shot.

2. They loose the pilum/pbw. S can have also this role. But pilum/pbw still provides a +1 in melee to simulate some extra pila&co can be still thrown.

I don't understand the thinking in point 2. Why would a Legion unit use pilum against a skirmisher? They'd simply overrun them (ie. push them out of the way) as the moved to contact the main enemy battle line.

well in 90% of cases S evade.
And the rule is just to keep oit simple with no tons of exception or couterexceptions.

Mind also that and S cost 12 pts, while the pilum 3 pts.