sword vs. spear

I've read various threads on the forum that discuss how a light_spear unit suffers a -4 penalty to its defence when it faces a sword unit.

I have a couple of questions related to this that I was hoping someone might be able to help me with.

Some of the spear units have swords as a secondary weapon.

If the men in a Thorikitai Hoplitai unit, for example, are using their swords while fighting a sword unit, do they suffer the -4 penalty to their defence?

If the men in a Thorikitai Hoplitai unit, for example, are using their swords to fight a spear unit, do the men in the spear unit suffer the -4 penalty to their defence?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

woirble

People really need to stop thinking in terms of the MTW "bonus fighting spears" idiocy. No, the "spear" weapon attributes don't give penalties when fighting swordsmen; they give penalties when fighting infantry.

They are also very much limited to the weapon with the attribute, should the unit have an alternative melee weapon.