Hi. I have a question about combat order, here’s the specific example. Glibatar has an Airbase in it and 2 American fighters and 1 British tactical bomber. there are 3 unguarded transports in sea zone 94. I have 2 bombers in range. Can I bomb the airbase first, hopefully get a 3, putting it out of action, and then attack the transports because the aircrafts can’t scramble. Is that allowed?
Thanks.
According to page 15 of the Pacific 1940 rulebook, the combat sequence uses this sequence:
1. Strategic and tactical bombing raids
2. Amphibious assaults
3. General combat
At first glance, this makes it look like you could use some sequence magic to get free transport kills, assuming your bombers got the airbase after suriving air-to-air combat. However, scrambling is the choice of the defender, and that choice gets made before you get to resolve any combat.
So, it’s not up to you – the defender can scramble before you attack the airbase.
Marsh
But, to go a step further, if Italy could attack the base and disable it, then Germany on its turn could attack the transports without scrambling being an option, since the base cannot be repaired until the UK turn. Hope that helps!
Good thinking though Baseball.
Good answer by Marshmallow. I remember wondering the same thing when G40 was new, but Krieghund* set me straight. Dizzkneeland is correct that you can still disable an air base and then attack the adjacent sea zone free from scrambled aircraft, but it must be on separate powers’ turns. Marshmallow said it perfectly, that the scramble decision is made at the beginning of the conduct combat phase, so the aircraft are scrambled before the base is bombed.
*(Krieghund is the official A&A answers guy, and one of the writers of the rule book)
