Amphibious Assault and Sea Combat in another Zone

[leobarron2000]

All

Crazy Scenario. Let’s say I have a loaded Japanese transport and a sub in the SZ off of Kwantung (SZ20). I own the naval base at Kwantung. I move the sub and the TPT thru SZ 36 and into SZ 37. In SZ 37, there’s a Australian sub, but since I have a sub with my TPT, I can ignore it. I then conduct an amphibious assault on Shan State. Can the sub that escorted the TPT, since it did not have to conduct a sea battle, then battle Australian warships in SZ 42, Java, in the same turn?

[barney]

I would say yes. I don’t think escort duty against a sub counts as a combat move. But…?

[ChocolatePancake]

I would say no for sure. At the end of the combat move phase, you need to have a warship escorting the transport in order to conduct the amphibious assault. You can have the sub escort the transport or attack another sea zone, but you can’t do both. It’s not an escort if you abandon the transport in the sea zone before the combat phase.

[barney]

I thought the tranny kept going and then attacked. But yea if he’s all alone with a enemy sub no go.

[leobarron2000]

Makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.

[barney]

So what if the tranny is escorted to 37 and then continues to 38 alone where there are no enemy units. Then the escorting sub moves to 42 and attacks.
Is that legal?

[Witt]

The Transport doesn’t need an escort to move through a SZ in which there is a Sub, as the SZ is not Hostile. It only needs an escort if it is amphibiously assaulting where there is a Sub.
Move the Transport and Sub together or separately, makes no difference in this  second scenario. If 38 is friendly and enemy Sub free, the TT can amphibiously assault.

[barney]

Right on Thanks Wittman! So a tranny can cruise by a sub solo as long as it doesn’t stop and amphib.
Good to know!

[Witt]

And remember a TT can still unload (into a friendly territory) in Non Combat, even if an enemy Sub is present.

[Krieghund]

The above answers are correct as regards the 2nd edition rules.  However, if you’re playing by the 1st edition rules it’s a different story.

Under the 1st edition rules, the transport would need to be accompanied by an escort throughout its entire move.  If it is not, it can be attacked by the enemy sub when it enters its sea zone, whether or not it is the zone from which the amphibious assault will be launched.  However, the escort could continue moving and attack in another sea zone provided it has sufficient movement.  So, under the 1st edition rules the described move would be legal.

[Narvik]

Nice Kev, add more diffusion  :-D

[Gargantua]

It’s also important to remember the order of things.

Amphibious assaults happen AFTER sea combat.  So if your sub decides to attack the other sub, it happens before your transport can unload.

If your sub fails, and the other sub survives you must retreat.

[baron Münchhausen]

@Gargantua:

If your sub fails, and the other sub survives you must retreat.

Even if the attacking sub doesn’t sink the enemy’s sub, the transports can still do debarkment.
It needs only that the other sub submerge.