[Jem]

Ledribaen -- the tactic of leaving the front rank empty works best if you have lots of people using swords in melee because it allows more people to attack to the front, which they can't do from the flanks if you have people in the front rank.

However, they will only be able to do short-range to the front or to their side if they are on a flank. In the center rank, they can only do short-range to the front.

I normally put my swordsmen on the flanks, my polearms/staff-wielders in the center and my spellcasters in the back. The extended weapons can attack short or extended range to the front and short range to the back and both sides.