Scrambling Question - What can the planes attack?

[Hawk2440]

Hi everyone,

First of all, as my first post, I'd like to say I think this is a great site and a great resource for all A&A players.  Its fitting that such a great game has an equally great online community.   

Here is the situation:  Japan has 25 subs, 1 destroyer, and 3 carriers (all loaded with fighters) and is attacking the Philippines (which is held by the US and is defended by 1 inf and 2 fighters) with 6 infantry.  I have a fleet and bombers waiting to counter at the Carolines (15 destroyers, 5 subs, 1 cruiser, 2 battleships, and 7 bombers). 

My question is in regards to how the fight at the Philippines plays out.  The Japan player will first announce what planes he will commit to the fight on the ground, correct?  Then I announce that I want to scramble, correct?  When I do scramble, can the fighters only hit the surface ships, ie the destroyer or the carriers and not the subs?

I know this might seem kind of ticky-tack, but my thinking is if I scramble the 2 fighters and they can only hit the destroyer or the carrier, that would be huge in the ensuing counter attack (if Japan lost the destroyer, my subs would get surprise shots; if the carrier got hit, that would be 2 less fighters hitting at 4 or less I'd have to worry about). 

Thank you for your help!

 

[Hobbes]

Japan will have to announce how many planes go to land and how many to the sea battle during the combat moves, not during combat itself.

The rest of your description is correct, although Japan can also choose to lose any of the fighters and then land replacements on the carriers instead of taking hits on the carriers or DD.

[moompix]

You seem to have it all correct. Your planes can not hit the subs because you do not have a destroyer in the battle. Japan may not remove them as a casualty, if you hit with your planes.

The Japanese subs also don't get to shoot, if all you have fighting in the naval portion of this attack are planes.