Load Transports question

[taschuler]

If I move into SZ110 as with my German Fleet, can I load onto the transports from Normandy after defeating the British navy that is currently there?

[mudge]

Yes, you can load, but do you mean load during Combat Movement or Noncombat Movement?

[Krieghund]

If the UK fleet has surface warships, you can only load the transports in noncombat movement, if they move into the sea zone in noncombat movement.  If the UK fleet consists of only subs and/or transports, you can move the transports in and load them in either combat or noncombat movement.  Of course, if you do it in combat movement, you do it before the sea battle and you must be doing an amphibious assault.

[clintbeastwood]

I might be reading that wrong but I thought you couldn’t load transports in a hostile sea zone.  What I’m getting from this is you can in the noncombat phase??
Obviously loading a transport in a hostile sea zone in the noncombat move phase is just asking to get it sunk but I wasn’t aware that was even legal….

[robbie358]

I think Krieghund means that you can load transports in non-combat after a battle where you destroy all enemy surface ships, given that taschuler said “after defeating the British navy that is currently there”.

[Krieghund]

Exactly.  If the enemy units are all destroyed in the Conduct Combat phase, the sea zone will be friendly in the Noncombat Move phase.