Some questions

The biggest change I see from the previous version of AA I have been playing, which is the Spring '42 version, is that the bombers themselves get to participate in the pre-bombing battle.  In Spring 1942, only the fighters get to participate.  No bombers get to attack.  They can only be casualties if all the attacking fighter escorts are destroyed.  The escort rules were optional in Spring '42, but we always played them.

I think the bombers getting to battle is even a bigger reason that I’d be careful using defending escort fighters.

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.

The UK and ANZAC are free to move any units into Dutch territories still under Dutch control at any time, but they may only take control of them with land units.  The US is free to move any units into Dutch territories still under Dutch control only if it is at war, and it may never take control of them.  Any power may attack Japanese-controlled Dutch territories and take control of them, as long as that power is at war with Japan.

Thanks, that makes perfect sense.  The wording in the rulebook was confusing me :-D

On a side note, I wish tactical bombers were able to bomb air/naval bases (not factories).  According to my grandpa’s carrier’s war journal, they did a lot of airfield attacks, so it would only make sense to have that ability, and it would better justify the 11 IPC cost, since some people think that is too much.

you can do like the rest of us and pay $90 for the alpha copy they shipped with the game :)

right, so he can destroy the xport, or bombard, but not both.

@Krieghund:

Yes, you must do it at the beginning of the Combat Move phase.

So my understanding is “Declaring War” is a separate step in the turn sequence done before Combat Move, since it is not necessarily done in combination with any combat move but applies to all combat moves.  If the is true, this distinction would also keep a player from being able to decide whether or not to declare war (for the sake of convoy raids) after he/she sees the outcome of his combats with other powers (e.g. having retreated into convoy zone of a power with which one is not yet at war).  I’m guessing this is all true?  Thanks for your answers Krieg!

PS- speaking of declaring war as it’s own step in the turn sequence reminds me of an episode of The Office (American) when Michael steps out into the office and shouts “I declare… BANKRUPTCY!”  :-D