They can attack, too. But you need to ensure that your attacking fighters are able to land safely either on the AC or on a friendly territory. What the rulebook meant is simply that combat and non-combat moves of the AC and the fighters are dealt separately.
Fighter rule clarification
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If I move a carrier into combat, could I also move a fighter 4 spaces to get to that combat zone, and have it land on the carrier after the battle? Or is that an illegal move?
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Yes, it’s legal, as long as the carrier has a landing spot that’s not spoken for. However, if you end up having to retreat your fighter will be lost, as it has no movement left.





