SG2, Another close assault question

Hi, Sorry for harping on this topic but in a game I played on the weekend a
number of questions about close assaults came up.First I'll describe the
situation so that you know where the questions come from.

A 6 man squad of fast PA initiated close assault against a 9 man squad of OU
troopers. The PA passed their reaction test and charged confidently at
the non-PA equipped troops (I could tell by my opponents smirk that he
was expecting an easy kill). Unfortunately for the PA they rolled a 1 on their
movement dice and moved a total of 2 inches. After rolling around on the floor
in fits of laughter for a few minutes, I picked myself up and opened fire
using final defensive fire. After a flurry of dice rolling I had killed one of
the PA troops. In fact it was the squad leader, which sent me into another fit
of uncontrolled laughter. The PA troops passed their reaction test and
completed their move into close assault. My squad then took their reaction
test to see if they stood their ground. Being aware of the ability of PA in
close assault my squad wisely decided to run for it and fell back 6 inches,
dropping to a confidence level of steady in the process. This left the PA
squad in hard cover but within close range of a full OU platoon. Needless to
say they all went down in a blaze of gunfire.

The above assault was completed using some interpretations of contradicting
statements from the rule book that are the bases for following questions.

QUESTION ONE: When is the defenders CONFIDENCE test to see if they will stand
and receive the charge actually taken. On pg 41 under "Initiating close
assault",the third paragraph seems to suggest that the reaction test is rolled
once the attacker actually reaches close assault. That is if the combat move
dice is high enough to cover the distance and if the attacker needs to make a
second combat move roll that final defensive fire happens before the defender
makes their CONFIDENCE test. Unfortunately when you read the rules for "Final
defensive fire" on pg 43, the last paragraph seems to be suggesting that the
defenders CONFIDENCE test occurs before final defensive fire and if the
defender fails this test they can't do final defensive fire at all.

QUESTION TWO: Do the defenders have to take a CONFIDENCE test if the
assaulting squad doesn't roll enough movement to reach them at all. That is
they're stuck in mid charge.

QUESTION THREE: Can a SUPPRESSED infantry squad attempted final defensive
fire. The rules for final defensive fire, the second paragraph, states that
they can if they pass a REACTION test at a threat level equal to the number of
suppression makers they currently have. Unfortunately when you read the rules
for suppression on pg 18 under "Suppression of infantry units", paragraph
three says final defensive fire can't be attempted at all when suppressed.

QUESTION FOUR: If the assaulting squad needs to make two combat move dice
rolls can another squad (not the one being close assaulted) use REACTION fire
to shoot at the assaulting squad. The rules for REACTION fire seem to make
this possible cause the assaulting squad is using both its actions to move,
making them a valid target (if the other squad can see them that is).

QUESTION FIVE: If casualties from final defensive fire are enough to cause the
assaulting squad to make a CONFIDENCE test (in the combat above the PA squad
lost their squad leader which causes them to make a CONFIDENCE test), when do
they make it. Do they take a CONFIDENCE test as well as a REACTION test. Do
the CONFIDENCE test threat levels just add to the REACTION test threat level.
What happens if they loose CONFIDENCE levels due to the casualties (they could
drop to BROKEN and no longer be legible to make a close assault).

QUESTION SIX: Speaking of casualties from final defensive fire, if another
squad can also shoot the assaulting squad using REACTION fire (se question
four) and inflicts casualties on the assaulting squad, do these casualties add
to the casualties caused from final defensive fire and increase the assaulting
squads REACTION test threat level. Or is it considered a separate fire action
which will cause its own REACTION test from casualties.

The entire close assault sequence has always confused me and seems to turn
into a huge pile of unresolved and contradicting statements, that depend on
your point of view, if the assaulting squad fails to reach the defenders with
a single combat move. If one of the all knowing Star grunt Gods could share
their knowledge with me I would greatly appreciate it.

(sorry about the length of this post)

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