So I'm grinding through the rules (again) and came to the combat example on p. 151. One of the combats involves cavalry with short spear charging into the flank of some pikes, and the cavalry gets a +1 for short spear.

Whaaaaat? (I say)

• Mounted short spear get 0 vs. standing to receive pike, and
• The pike are standing to receive

So by what rule do the cavalry get the bonus? The notation of "All below claims can only (be) made when fighting to a file's front" applies to the attacker - the cavalry in this case, right? Is it just so obvious that the "standing to receive" caveat only applies when fighting to your front so that you - by definition - are never standing to receive when attacked in flank or rear that you don't have to bother mentioning it in the rules? Or am I missing something else?

My reaction is that this is an error in the example.  If the rule said "standing to receive pike frontally" then the example would be correct but it doesn't!

One to add to the errata.

Richard

Interesting.

I have a feeling that nearly everyone will be playing it as per the diagram and that unless charging the front of the pikes (and other similar troops) or counting as a frontal combat claims such as Short Spear, Charging Lancer and Devastating Charger are being applied. Instinctively feels right I think, but not what is written.