Kreighund,
Here’s an interesting situation for you.
A Japanese fleet attacks a combined Allied fleet (UK and US) in the Atlantic.
Japan attacks with 1 cv, 5 jet fighters and 1 bb against 1 tr, 3 ss, 3 dd, 1 cv, and 2 fig.
The goal is to destroy the single US transport.
Because Japan has no dd, the 3 Allied subs all have Surprise Strike AND the Japanese jet fighters MAY NOT hit the Subs.
Round 1 Surprise Strike hits once, which damages the Jap bb.
Round 1 continued Jap fighters hit 5 and the bb hits for a total of 6 hits, 5 of which may not be applied to subs. The Allied fleet gets 3 more hits (these 3 are in addition to the 1 sub surprise strike hit which was applied to the bb.) These 3 new hits may be applied to anything.
Round 1 casualties. Jap - bb damaged, 3 jets downed. Allies - 1 ss (from the bb hit), 3 dd, 1 cv, 1 fig.
This leaves for round 2 the following:
Japs - 1 cv, 2 jets, 1 bb (damaged) vs Allies 1 tr, 2 ss, 1 fig
Round 2 the 2 subs surprise strikes miss. The Japs only get 1 jet hit which may ONLY be applied to the remaining Allied fighter, and the Allied fighter misses.
This leaves for Round 3 the following:
Japs - 1 cv, 2 jet, 1 bb (damaged) vs Allies - 1 tr, 2 ss
At this point, I would like to retreat my ships to a neighboring sea zone which contains German naval ships and continue the fight with only my jets which, since they can’t hit the subs, and the subs can’t hit the jets, the jets could ONLY hit the transport, and then the battle would be over with the Allies holding the sea zone with 2 subs (and nothing else) and the Japs retreating with 1 cv, 2 fig, 1 bb saved.
–—To my understanding of the rules though, a partial naval retreat (leaving the air units but retreating the naval units) is not allowed, so if I want to sink the Allied transport, then I MUST attack again with all 4 of my Jap units, which will also subject the cv and the bb to the subs’ Surprise Strikes.
So, We go to round 3 – Japs 1 cv, 2 jet, 1 bb vs 1 tr, 2 ss
The subs surprise strike hits once, sinking the Jap cv.
The Japs 2 jets and 1 bb fire, but only the bb gets a hit, and since it may hit the subs, the hit is applied to a sub.
This leaves for Round 4 the following:
Japs - 2 jet, 1 bb (damaged) vs Allies - 1 tr, 1 ss
The sub’s surprise strike misses, and the Japs get 1 hit from a Jap jet. This hit MAY NOT be applied to the Allied sub since I have no attacking dd, so my understanding of the rules is that it MUST be applied to the Allied transport.
This leaves for Round 5 the following:
Japs - 2 jet, 1 bb (damaged) vs Allies - 1 ss (only)
The Japs choose (wisely) to retreat to the neighboring sea zone, leaving 1 solitary Allied sub in the contested sea zone.
The question now is as follows:
1) COULD I have retreated my naval ships at the beginning of round 3, leaving only my 2 jets in the battle so as to sink the transport? I don’t believe so, but I’d like a confirmation.
2) Is my single jet hit in round 4 applied to the transport because there are no other eligible targets?
3) Did I play this out correctly? In other words, is my battle turn sequence and choosing casualties correct?
4) My opponent says that he has never experienced this situation before, but he believes that I must destroy the sub first before destroying the transport, but he’s not for certain, so that’s why we’re getting this ruling. If he is correct, then what would happen if we went to Round 5, and his final sub’s surprise strike hit my bb, and my fighters both missed? Would we go to Round 6, with 2 jets firing at 1 sub, but both sides NEVER hitting?
This is an actual game situation which I am waiting for the answer.
If anyone is interested, this is the page where this battle occurred.
http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=18583.315
Thanks in advance for the answer.