New here: Qs about attacks from the side or rear, plus
 

I played Melee&Wizards back in the 1980s. Friends and I are starting up a privated venture of playing online, but we seem to have a few question for which we didn't see any answers. We are hoping y'all can help.

1) Can the target of an attack from one of his/her side or rear hex choose the defend or dodge option?

I remember our gaming group treated that a character could only defend or dodge an attack coming from the Front. We can't find anything that says attacks from the side or rear can't be defended or dodged depending on what the attacker is doing.


2) To be clear about Thrown Spells: By the rules, it seems a character may not Dodge a Thrown spell while disengaged per p.117. Is this correct? But a character may Defend against a Thrown spell while engaged. Is this also correct?


3) Two-Hex Jab (p.112). The rules say is a "regular attack". But if the target is not engaged, there is no choice of option to make it harder for the attacker to hit as the Dodge option doesn't address it as a type it is effective against. Defend isn't technically an option since the target of the attack isn't engaged. Personally, I would say Defend is legal here.


4) For casting a spell p.106 states that a spell may be cast in the Wizards' own hex, on self, any adjacent hex, or generally some where in front. This is repeated under Thrown spells on p.136. But this is not stated under Missile spells or Creation spells. Assume that the former is correct and this is valid for all spells?


5) What type of attack is the Wizard Staff Occult attack? Can this attack be Defended or Dodged? And does this extend the range from 1-hex to 2-hexes behind the Wizard?


Thank you. Sorry if any of these have already been addressed. There are quite a few posts, but I didn't spot similar questions.

Re: New here: Qs about attacks from the side or rear, plus
 

The target can't use the defend option without a weapon or shield that faces the attack and if they are being attacked from a side or rear hex they are clearly engaged and hence can't choose dodge.
Neither dodge or defend are effective against thrown spells, and by the special spells are a funky kind of thrown spells mention at ITL 140 this also applies to the occult zap of a wizard's staff.
Hexagram #9 page 3 rules that defend is effective against polearm jabs.
ITL 106 continues here with "at figures", and hence only covers Thrown and Special spells, Creation and Missile spells have their own rules for places effected.
See 2) above, and also "A spell cast using a magic item" note at Hexagram #9, page 3.