Firing Through an Occupied Hex

Firing Through an Occupied Hex is part of the Ranged Attacks rules on B389 in 4e.
In 4e this is presumably only an option for ranged attacks and not melee ones. This was not the case in 3e...
3e B105 Attacking through an occupied hex
:It is possible to attack "through" someone else if you have a hand weapon with a 2- or 3-yard reach.
In 4e there is a penalty regardless of who occupies the hex:
:Anyone in the way (friend or foe) gives you a -4 penalty
Such was not the case with 3e's melee option:
:You may attack through friendly characters at no penalty (this is a basic part of your training with any long weapon).
What 3e seems to have neglected was the ability of 1-yard reach weapons to do this. That should be possible when going past someone sharing a hex with you in close combat, or striking past someone to hit someone else sharing a hex with them. That could likely be due to the positioning in a hex being unfixed meaning there is no guarantee of them being in the way at all though.
category:rules