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Europa Games and Military History

FAQ Tag: CAP

Rule 21: Intercepting Cap over an Airbase

Question:
The Allies are flying a CAP mission to cover an airbase with heavy flak (irrelevant but the reason why this is happening). German fighters are in range to intercept. How is this handled?

Answer:

The CAP mission is a mission, so if the Axis want to intercept it, it is handled as any other interception. In this case, there is no escort for the mission force. The entire mission force consists of the CAP mission air units.

Let us assume that there are 12 Allied air units on CAP and the Axis intercept with six air units. Randomly select six of the CAP air units and pair each one off with a randomly selected interceptor. Since there is no escort, there is no screen to be attacked or bypassed. These six air to air combats are resolved. All of the surviving interceptors are returned to base once the combat is completed and the surviving CAP air units remain in the target hex with the other, unengaged CAP air units.

Note that the CAP air units, whether engaged or not, have not completed their mission yet and so none of them not affected by combat would be returned to base at this time. Let’s assume that the Axis achieved 1× K, 1× A and 1× R in the air to air combat and 3× no effect. Since 12 air units were part of the mission, we would end that interception with nine Allied air units on that CAP mission still over the target hex.

Note that just as a bomber doesn’t lose its mission ability by being intercepted (unless affected by the air to air combat), neither does a CAP air unit; it may defend itself against the interception, and still remain in the hex, and carry out its mission.

Source:
TEM 74

 

Rule 20G2h: Patrol Attacks against Air Units flying Naval Patrol

Question:
If any planes from an airbase with enemy CAP overhead leave for a Naval Patrol bombing mission they can be patrol attacked by the enemy fighters. Does this occur if the contact roll is unsuccessful? We think yes since the force went inoperative.

Answer:
Yes, since the naval patrol air units have to fly to the target hex before they are able to roll on the contact table. It happens in the hex with the CAP fighters and the airbase, when the mission force begins moving to get to the target hex. [TEM 74]

Notes on Naval Patrol mission [Errata2, Errata4]:

  1. Only one attack force from any given airbase may attempt contact against a given naval group in a given hex. Naval groups which do not leave a hex (such as those debarking at a beach) are not subject to another contact attempt from the same airbase in the same player-turn.
  2. Aircraft on CAP can not switch to escort Naval Patrols. Escorts for Naval Patrols must originate at the same base, and be part of the same movement group which made the successful contact roll.

 

Source:
Errata published at http://www.hmsgrd.com/Files/Europa/Second Front/Second Front.pdf

Rule 20E: Assembling a Mission Force for CAP

Question:
Flying a CAP mission or any mission in general may contain as many planes as the player wants as long as they are all flying to the same target hex, correct??

Answer:
Yes. But remember that not all the friendly air units in a particular hex need be part of the same mission force and that depending upon player choice, not all air units present need to participate in any one mission. For example, imagine a hex with 10 phasing fighters on CAP. The phasing player now flies a bombing mission to the hex with two bombers. The phasing player may switch any, all, or none of his CAP air units to escorts for that air mission. Note that this occurs before the nonphasing player flies any patrol attack or interception missions against the bombing mission.

Source:
TEM 59/60

 

Rule 20E: Patrol Attack against CAP

Question:
During movement phase a friendly plane flying CAP (since the initial phase) could patrol intercept an enemy plane that has just (during the movement phase) flown a CAP mission into the same hex as the friendly CAP mission. Is this correct?

Answer:
Yes. The plane(s) on CAP may (but are not required to) react to any enemy mission force that enters their hex, including an enemy CAP mission. Note that in your example any of the friendly air units that do patrol or intercept have then finished their mission and return to base. The enemy air units that survive this encounter remain in the hex to perform their CAP mission (that is, the friendly air units have completed their mission but the enemy air units have not).

Source:
TEM 59/60

Rule 20E: Switching Missions from CAP

Question:
The rules state that planes already flying CAP (during initial phase) can switch their missions during the movement phase so I know they are not allowed to do anything (patrol intercept) during initial phase while the enem yplayer is flying his CAP or any bombing mission. Is this correct?

Answer:
No. A mission force on CAP may always react to an enemy mission force that occupies or passes through the CAP hex. Rule 20E says that the owning player may (but is not required to) convert the CAP mission to Patrol / Interception / Escort during “the mission movement step of a subsequent air operation”. CAP may be switched to another allowable mission at any time during the player turn, without regards to particular phase.

Source:
TEM 59/60

 

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