Attacking an empty enemy territory using air units only

[Cernel]

@Krieghund @Panther In Revised OOB, can you send air units only to attack an empty, or occupied by an IC only, enemy territory (not conquering it, of course)? If you cannot, how about if there is only an AA Gun in the territory?

I realize this may seem a pointless question, so I’ll contextualize it.

Let’s assume in Revised OOB (not LHTR) you have 1 carrier and 1 fighter in a hostile sea zone. Let’s also assume we won’t move the carrier (either because we decide not to or because it is an Allied carrier).

1. I believe it is against the rules partially to move the fighter out of combat, during Combat Move, to an empty sea zone which cannot be reached by any carriers (in order later to use the remaining movement of the fighter to move the fighter back to the carrier (or somewhere else) after the Combat Move phase is over). This move is illegal because it will be possible to move the fighter again neither during Conduct Combat nor during Non Combat Move, so the fighter would crash for sure. Meaning that you can never move a fighter during Combat Move and thereafter move it again on the same turn unless the fighter takes part in a battle on the turn. Correct?

2. Is it allowed partially to move the fighter to an enemy-controlled empty, or occupied by an IC only, territory during Combat Move, make a battle (against nothing) and move the fighter back to the carrier (or somewhere else) during Conduct Combat (both in the case no land units are sent to take the territory and in the case one or one or more of them are)? If this sequence of moves is not allowed, how about if there is only an AA Gun in the territory, rest being the same?

[Krieghund]

@cernel That’s quite a loophole you’ve discovered. It’s things like this that made LHTR necessary. You are correct about point 1. Regarding point 2, I see nothing in the rules that would disallow attacking an unoccupied enemy-controlled territory with only air units.