Threatened Flanks in Combat

[Adrian Steer]

I am wondering how the rest of the world is interpreting threatened flanks when in combat as there seems to be a mismatch between the diagrams and what it says in the rules.
See attached diagram

Square B1 already has 2 losses from enemy fire. The A1 dragoon charges (+2) with Attack order (+1) and better morale (+1) and A2's canister support (+2) and a threatened flank by B2 (-1) for a total of +5. B1 is in square (+7) with 2 losses (-2) and the riflemen's B2’s fire support (+1) for a total of +6. At equal dice the cavalry is Disordered and must retreat with one attrition.

The rules in the combat section say:-By threatened flank or rear / if infantry by cav. -1/-2
A unit charged on its front edge while threatened on its flank or rear (see page 47), has a -1 penalty on combat. The penalty is increased to -2 if an infantry or artillery is threatened by cavalry. Modifiers accumulate for each threat. Infantry in a building, redoubt or in square formation never suffer this modifier.

So this minus factor only seems to apply if you are being charged not if you are doing the charging so why is there a negative on the cavalry who is charging? Is this a typo and if it isn’t what happens if cavalry counter charges another cavalry unit which charges them can it have a threatened flank?
We also note that threatened flank is judged at the point of combat so if a cavalry unit flies across the front of an infantry/artillery unit and get shot at but ends up out of arc when he contacts does this count as a threatened flank? Certainly the defending unit would count it as support but not sure it’s a threatened flank.

[Adrian Steer]

I had this reply from Herve regarding this topic:-
Threatened Flank apply during a combat whoever the charging or charged unit is concerned.
It can happen at any time during the charge.
For example if a cavalry charge a unit and during its charge is fired by another unit on the flank, it counts as a "Threatened Flank"
Even if at the charge end, it is no more in this position.

[Al Wright]

I'm confused by threatened flank or rear. You can only have a threatened flank if your flank is not safe and...... you are shot in the flank at short or effective range. But if you are shot in the flank, it is automatically threatened, regardless of whether it is safe or not.

In your example with the skirmishers, they don't have a short or effective range, so can they actually make a flank unsafe?

I'm assuming formed infantry fire creates an unsafe flank, but what about skirmish fire from a formed infantry unit? Again, that is neither short or effective range...

How long does an unsafe flank last for? If you've been shot in the flank, then you may not have been able to fire back. If you activate your division next, then does your flank count as unsafe if you shoot or charge because you've been shot earlier in the turn?

[RogerGreenwood]

Page 48 on ranges states infantry skirmish fire is at effective range.

Threatened flank applies at the time of the combat. If a unit is charging and is fired on from the flank during the charge, the flank is threatened.

I would suggest that a later activation cannot be unsafe from an enemy that has an action marker because it shot previously. 'Evaluation at the time...' cannot mean 'was threatened a while ago'.