Multinational scrambling?

Pacific 1940 - 2nd Edition Page 15

Scrambling is a special movement that the defender can make at the end of this phase. It must be done after all of the attacker’s combat movements have been completed and all attacks have been declared. The attacker may not change any combat movements or attacks after the defender has scrambled.

A quick reaction team of no more than 3 defending fighters and/or tactical bombers (strategic bombers can’t scramble) located on each island or coastal territory that has an operative air base can be scrambled to defend against attacks in the sea zones adjacent to those territories. These air units can be scrambled to help friendly units in adjacent sea zones that have
come under attack. They can also be scrambled to resist amphibious assaults from adjacent sea zones, whether or not the territory being assaulted is the territory containing the air base. They may defend against the enemy ships conducting the amphibious assault even if friendly ships are not present.

In situations where a sea zone is adjacent to more than one territory containing an air base, sea zone 6 and Japan and Korea (assuming one has been built there) for example, each of the territories can scramble up to 3 fighters and/or tactical bombers. In situations where a territory containing an air base is adjacent to more than one sea zone Alaska (assuming one has been
built there) and sea zones 1 and 2 for example, the territory may still only scramble up to 3 fighters and/or tactical bombers, but they may be split between the sea zones in any combination.

@fanofbond:

The US is amphibious assaulting Korea and can the planes in japan scramble to kill the transports in the seazone.  The are no jap ships in the sea zone.

The scrambling fighters will defend the seazone, not the territory.

@moompix:

They can’t hit the subs, or be hit by the subs. So, what would be the point?

just a question dude.  maybe some new thing with the whole “scramble” thing.

Nevermind - the answer is on pg. 16.  Looks like attacking air units can either be chosen to defend against the scramble (i.e. participate in the sea battle), or can ignore the scramble and assist in the amphib assault - but cannot do both.

They only way you would be able to avoid the scramble is to send a sub since the planes cannot target without a destroyer.

You seem to have it all correct. Your planes can not hit the subs because you do not have a destroyer in the battle. Japan may not remove them as a casualty, if you hit with your planes.

The Japanese subs also don’t get to shoot, if all you have fighting in the naval portion of this attack are planes.

Maybe that should be added to the errata?

@MaherC:

if you have 6 planes on an AB do they all have to scramble or can you hold some back?

Just as with fighter interceptors for SBRs, you may scramble some, all or none of your fighters and tactical bombers from an island airbase.