@JapanDOWRound1Fan:
Can the attacker attack with air flying over the blockade while attacking the blocking destroyers with e.g. ships and the move carriers to the planes once the blockade is cleared to give them a landing space? In case the blockade holds the air would be lost (assuming no other landing space)
Yes, you certainly can.
And you need only send one unit with attacking power to attack the blockade to make it legal.
Example:
Your opponent has 8 bombers sitting on Libya.
You have 10 USA fighters/tacs on Morocco, which is 3 spaces from Libya
You do not control Tunisia or Tobruk, so your planes must land in Z96.
Your opponent has 3 destroyers in Z96, and a huge fleet in Z92.
Your fleet is in Z91, and you have 5 or more USA carriers (Allied carriers can’t help you since they can’t move on this USA turn, of course) (Also, you must have 10 landing places for your USA planes if you’re sending all 10 out - guest Allied fighters sitting on the carriers would prevent your USA planes from landing on them this turn)
You want to attack the 8 bombers, and you legally can.
Assuming no other air in range or boats that can strike Z96, you must
- Send at least 1 plane at Z96 to attack the 3 destroyers
- Send at least 1 boat with attack power or 1 plane to attack Z92 (probably send a sub)
Then you can send up to 9 planes from Morocco to attack the 8 bombers on Libya. Any surviving airplanes from Z96 and Libya will be destroyed after your sub loses the battle in Z92, but you have legally attacked Z96 and Libya because had the sub won in Z92, you could have sent 5 carriers to Z96 to pick up any surviving airplanes.
Note that when the blockade is small (like a destroyer) and you succeed in breaking it, you MUST send however many carriers are necessary to pick up any surviving aircraft. That is, during the noncombat phase you must pick up all airplanes if possible. If it’s not possible because you failed to clear the blockade, well…. too bad for those brave pilots. No carrier is coming.