Initiating a Dogfight with a CAP

[Alexb83]

Le sigh - we keep reiterating the same old thing again and again.

Each of your CAP flights can intercept one 'bomber' (any flight attacking their ship). They do this immediately whenever the 'bomber' attacks the ship, being moved from wherever they were into base contact with the attacker.

Whether they win, lose, or draw, the 'bomber' they engaged cannot attack the ship any more - they have been 'intercepted'.

If the CAP wins, it is moved back where it came from and the dogfighting etc. continues. If it loses, it is removed and the bomber sits there reorganizing itsself for next turn. If it draws, the ships remain in dogfight until it is resolved.

If you escort your bombers (as I've said about 3 times) you can stop the CAPs intercepting them... this is the only way to do it, and it's why the rule for supporting other flights is in the book!

Now, if in the situation you have 4 CAPs vs 4 bombers, you have the choice - each CAP can enage only one flight in an intercept move. So you could do it in any combination of your 4 CAPs against each attacker.

Remember, the flights with which they escort their bombers can also only intercept one of your CAPs each, so if you are facing a bomber with 2 escorts, you need to put 3 CAPs on it to stop the bomber.

 

[Greg Smith]

Remember, the flights with which they escort their bombers can also only intercept one of your CAPs each, so if you are facing a bomber with 2 escorts, you need to put 3 CAPs on it to stop the bomber.

Except you can only escort your bomber with one flight.

 

[Alexb83]

Oh? I thought it was 4 per ship and 2 per flight, but happily corrected.

 

[Chernobyl]

according to SFOS its 1 for 1; if armageddon changed it I'm not aware (but don't have the book ATM)

Chern

 

[Epaminondas]

The other way to block CAP intercepts, is to send a fighter wave in first- CAP must intercept immediately, so gets absorbed by the initial fighter(s).

 

[Davesaint]

So what you are saying is that the only way to EVER engage a supporting fighter is to either attack the units(ship or aux) that the fighter is supporting, or by having a unit supporting the aux craft that is attacking the target that the "defenders" fighter is supporting?

So what happens if I don't attack the ship and move into an engagement with the fighters that are on support? Do the fighters on support automatically not engage me since I didn't attack the ship? If so, can I then attack the ship since no dogfight would have taken place?

This is a mess. This is one of the things that really ticks me off about ACTA. It invalidates legitimate tactics. In air combat, which I assume is what is used as an example, it is a legitimate tactic to send your fighters in first to engage a CAP so that your bombers have an unmolested avenue to attack a target. If that's not allowed as part of the fighter combat in ACTA, thats wrong.


Dave

 

[Alexb83]

Matt has clarified the rule over on Rulesmasters - you can dogfight CAP fighters and stop them from intercepting your bombers.

His wording does leave the ambiguity as to whether you (the CAP owner) still get to make your supporting move if you win that dogfight, though.