So with the melee combat skills do the specializations apply equally to defense?

For instance clubs(batons) you get the +2 when attacking and defending with batons?
This makes sense in that you are limited to one weapon in the group.

How about unarmed? If you have unarmed(martial arts) would you get the +2 for attacking and defense? why would they have a parrying specialization then? would there be a point in not taking a specialization in martial arts, excluding a cyber implant?

I think "martial arts" is a dumb specialization, both because unarmed combat already is martial arts (it's like having a specialization of "pointy" for blades), and because it's so pointlessly nebulous. I would rather have it simply be "attacking", giving people the option of specializing in attack, defense, grappling, or cyber-implants.

I definitely agree that a martial arts specialization should not give a bonus to both attack and defense.

I imagine that you would choose the sort of martial art that you specialize in, and that would determine where the bonus goes - offensive forms that focus on dealing damage and being quick on the attack would give it to hit, whereas defensive forms with emphasis on blocking/parrying would get it on the parry.

If you feel it's a problem, you could (a) limit it so that a character only gets to use his "martial arts" specialization if he's fighting against someone else with a "martial arts" specialiation. It's not that much less stupid, of course, but maybe against a wild-eyed back alley brawler he just doesn't know what to do (because he practices against people that "know how to throw a proper strike" so often). Or, (b), simply have the character choose when taking the specialization whether they want their "martial art" to be an offensive or defensive style, and then determine that the +2 dice only counts for either attacking or defending.

There already is a specialization for parry though. so giving +2 to parry would be redundant.

So, basically, it's the nonexistant 'Attack' Specialisation for me.

Isn't there a difference between "parry" and "block," somewhere in the rules? I thought I saw a difference between the two manuevers, somewhere. One was only used against weapons, one only used against unarmed, maybe? I dunno. I remember them being two different options, though.

One was for armed, one was for unarmed... on the using side.