Thank you for the clarifications there. I do know about the destroyers canceling surprise strike for either attacker or defender, depending on which side the destroyer is on. I’ll try not to look too far into the rules, or read any deeper than needed. We typically use the battle board because of unfortunate happenings from leaving them on the map. If it’s 2 or less defenders then we keep it on the map.
My point of confusion is just that the book tells the defender to move units hit behind the casualty strip. Every other scenario in the game in which the defender moves units behind the casualty strip, those units get to return fire. However in surprise strike they don’t get to return fire unless it is a sub and the attacker has no destroyer in the battle. Would help if rules said defender removes chosen hit units from play unless they choose subs capable of first strike, those are placed behind the casualty strip and may return fire at their defense values.
Anyways, what I wish it said is not important. Y’all have helped me understand this ruling and I look forward to using it to my advantage lol.
