Also, assuming the cruiser initiates combat and the defending subs remain, don’t forget that the defending subs get to shoot first even though they are defending. That means the cruiser might not even get to shoot at all…
Marsh
Simple Question:
Do Transports block enemy fleet combat movement?
Thanks. Trying to delay Japan hitting India here…
I thought you can ignore them?
Correct. The attacker can choose to ignore the transport. Or one unit can sink it and the rest of the fleet passes through.
@rulebook:
Enemy submarines and/or transports do not block any of your units’ movement, nor do they prevent loading or offloading in that sea zone (with one exception; see “Special Combat Movement: Transports”, page 16). As the moving player, you have the option of attacking any enemy submarines and/or transports that share a sea zone with you. However, if a unit chooses to make such an attack, that unit must end its movement in that sea zone, and it must attack all such units present. In other words, you must either attack all enemy submarines and transports in the sea zone, or you must ignore all of them. You may not attack some enemy units and ignore others in the same sea zone. It is possible that some of your units may stop to attack while others continue moving through the sea zone.
Edit: quoting of the rulebook
Dang. Oh well. Thanks
Just remember if an enemy sea unit or group of sea units decides to sink your Transport, then that counts as a dedicated combat move, thereby negating the rest of their combat movement (if the had any movement left). A sea unit can’t just sink your Transport and keep moving. So in a way it can delay the enemy but it should only be used as a last resort.
interesting… ok thanks guys
Also, sinking an enemy transport counts as a sea battle for purposes of shore bombardment. So if you are invading and your fleet includes a battleship or cruiser and there is an enemy transport there, if you decide to sink it, then you can’t use your shore bombardment.
OR, you could simply ignore the transport and use your shore bombardment with the invasion. Then the transport will simply sit there among your invasion fleet and your enemy can move it away during his/her combat move.
Also, sinking an enemy transport counts as a sea battle for purposes of shore bombardment. So if you are invading and your fleet includes a battleship or cruiser and there is an enemy transport there, if you decide to sink it, then you can’t use your shore bombardment.
OR, you could simply ignore the transport and use your shore bombardment with the invasion. Then the transport will simply sit there among your invasion fleet and your enemy can move it away during his/her combat move.
Are you positive about this? I thought I remember reading that a transport does not negate the bombardment, maybe only for the one ship that attacks it? So for instance if you have 3 cruisers and one attakcs the transport the other two would still get their bombardment?
I think each attacking unit chooses what it wants to do in any given potential sea combat situation. Say there were two Transports and you move in a Battleship and two Cruisers. One of the Cruisers could attack and sink the Transports, while your Battleship and other Cruiser could do shore bombardment. I think that’s right…
Also, sinking an enemy transport counts as a sea battle for purposes of shore bombardment. So if you are invading and your fleet includes a battleship or cruiser and there is an enemy transport there, if you decide to sink it, then you can’t use your shore bombardment.
OR, you could simply ignore the transport and use your shore bombardment with the invasion. Then the transport will simply sit there among your invasion fleet and your enemy can move it away during his/her combat move.Are you positive about this? I thought I remember reading that a transport does not negate the bombardment, maybe only for the one ship that attacks it? So for instance if you have 3 cruisers and one attakcs the transport the other two would still get their bombardment?
No. This is what the rules say:
@rulebook:
Amphibious Assault Sequence
1. Sea combat
2. Battleship and cruiser bombardment
3. Land combatStep 1. Sea Combat
If there are defending surface warships and/or scrambled air units, sea combat occurs. If there are only defending submarines and/or transports, the attacker can choose to ignore those units or conduct sea combat. If sea combat occurs, all attacking and defending sea units present must participate in the battle. (Even if the attacker chose to ignore defending submarines and/or transports, they will still be involved in the battle if the defender scrambles air units and forces a sea battle.) Conduct the sea combat using the rules for General Combat (below), then go to step 3 (land combat). If no sea combat occurs, go to step 2 (bombardment).Step 2. Battleship and Cruiser Bombardment
If there was NOT a combat in the sea zone from which you are offloading units from transports, any accompanying battleships and cruisers in that sea zone can conduct a one-time bombardment of one coastal territory or island group being attacked.
…
You either kill transport or conduct bombardments. It is an either or situation, you pick one! If there is naval battle there is no bombardment!
Gotcha thanks