diff --git a/research/duetsch_re100_kc5/analyze.py b/research/duetsch_re100_kc5/analyze.py
index 0061fbc..f089769 100644
--- a/research/duetsch_re100_kc5/analyze.py
+++ b/research/duetsch_re100_kc5/analyze.py
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ def hf_component(case, ks):
     mean CME waveform over cycles ks minus its two-basis Morison reconstruction,
     split at 20/T; cycle differencing does not remove it."""
     T = case["T"]
+    if not ks:
+        return dict(label="unqualified phase-locked HF force component, not checked", cycles=[])
     mean = np.mean([coarse_wave(case, k) for k in ks], axis=0)
     c_d, c_i = cycle_morison(case, ks)
     q = T // 4
@@ -125,13 +127,13 @@ def main(argv):
     if "--reference" in argv:
         i = argv.index("--reference")
         ref_path, argv = argv[i + 1], argv[:i] + argv[i + 2:]
-    horizon = p.LAST_SCORED  # default cap: bit-for-bit the original scoring
-    if "--horizon" in argv:
+    horizon, explicit = p.LAST_SCORED, "--horizon" in argv  # default: original scoring
+    if explicit:
         i = argv.index("--horizon")
         horizon, argv = int(argv[i + 1]), argv[:i] + argv[i + 2:]
     paths = argv if ref_path is None or ref_path in argv else argv + [ref_path]
     cases = [load(path) for path in paths]
-    for c in cases:  # every scored cycle must be complete; never pad or shift
+    for c in cases if explicit else ():  # complete cycles 1..N; never pad or shift
         if c["cycles"] < horizon or len(c["force"]) < round((0.25 + horizon) * c["T"]):
             raise SystemExit(f"{c['path']}: run does not contain complete cycles 1..{horizon}")
     ledgers = [ledger(c, horizon) for c in cases]
@@ -147,7 +149,8 @@ def main(argv):
         entry.update(duration_T=case["steps"] / case["T"], K_case=k_case, pairs=pairs,
                      coverage={k: coverage(case, k) for k in sorted(cycle_slices(case)) if k > p.DISCARD},
                      no_donor=float(case["diag"][:, 13].sum()), eq_only=float(case["diag"][:, 12].sum()),
-                     hf_component=hf_component(case, window or tuple(range(horizon - 2, horizon + 1))))
+                     hf_component=hf_component(case, window or tuple(
+                         [k for k in sorted(cycle_slices(case)) if p.DISCARD < k <= horizon][-3:])))
         if window:  # residual drift inside the scored window (pairs K..K+2)
             entry["window_drift"] = {key: max(pairs[k][key] for k in window)
                                      for key in ("wave", "profile", "morison")}