Regarding Ranged Weapons, Don't worry Just make the presumption that these thing won't affect the characters on the same tile, unless it is supposed to like a heal cloud or something. Typically it seems reasonable that a bowman would not shoot the back of the people in front, but would shoot around them. Typically, all Tile Locked games, like Bards Tale 1/2/3 and Dungion Master 1/2 made the presumption that back characters on the tile did not injur the front characters when they shot ranged weapons.
If you are talking about something larger, like a stream of fire, or a cloud effect, you could make the same presumption. But if not, then put limitations that characters cannot use those types of skills if it will cause injury to their own team. (this works out, because sometimes you are attacked from multiple directions, and then those skills can be used without damaging the team by taking on the rear attacking force, or a side attackign force.
What I'm confused about, is if you are saying this would be one human player controlling X amount of characters on a tile, or if you are talking about Each character on the tile being controlled by a different player.
If it is single player controlling a tile of characters, I wouldn't worray about it.
If it is Multi Player Tile Control I have some concerns.
- I would worry about Control of the characters.
- - which player decides which way to move, and which direction for the group to face?
- What is there to do that other players controlling the other characters on the tile?
- - How will it be fun for those other human players?
I'm wondering what fun I would have as a character on the back of the tile? I would not get to choose the tile to move, and would only be able to react during battle. I.e. which spell should I choose? which weapon should I use? etc... Unless I had a bit more to do, I would be annoyed playing an RPG (ROLE Playing Game) where my character moved on their own, and I only decided what to shoot with.
If every human player was able to move the tile that would be interesting, but could make things confusing, as one player close to dying might choose to move left, while another tries to move right, and then you wasted move speed, but are now back in the same battle you started in.