Fighters on Aircraft Carriers

[bhughes1971]

What exactly does it mean when the rulebook says that before combat, each carrier based fighter launches before combat? Where does it go? Is it assumed to be in combat? Since they are assumed to be defending in the air, do they get to attack or just defend? I dont understand the whole carrier based fighters rules. Any help would be appreciated.

[Krieghund]

Attacking fighters launch from their carriers at the beginning of the Combat Move phase, and they go wherever their owner wants them to go (within range, of course), which could be where the carrier goes or somewhere else entirely, and fight.  They can also remain in their original sea zone (even if the carrier leaves), not make a combat movement or fight, and move later in the Noncombat Move phase.

Defending fighters launch from their carriers when they are attacked, and they don’t go anywhere.  They remain in their sea zone and defend it.  It they survive and their carrier is lost, they are allowed to move one space at the beginning of the Noncombat Move phase to find a place to land.  If no landing place is available, they are lost.

[bhughes1971]

So do the fighters ONLY defend once they are attacked, or can they attack also?

[gfm]

They can attack, too. But you need to ensure that your attacking fighters are able to land safely either on the AC or on a friendly territory. What the rulebook meant is simply that combat and non-combat moves of the AC and the fighters are dealt separately.