War at sea » Special Ability Clarifications

This document is an alphabetical list of all the Special Abilities that have so far been officially clarified. Each entry contains a brief summary of all the rules clarifications for that particular SA, a list of units with the ability, and the source of each clarification. The sources used in this compilation are the War at Sea Rules Update and Clarifications (WAS U/C), the Task Force FAQ (TF FAQ) and links to the official clarification forum on the Avalon Hill message boards. This list has been updated to include all changes made in the WAS U/C for Feb. 27 2009 and all clarifications from the AH boards up to June 28 2009. Also added are clarifications from the old boards back to the release of the first WAS clarifications document. Please note that the ‘official’ versions of the clarifications are in the sources themselves, the blurbs below were written by me as an attempt to simplify and combine multiple rulings.

The WAS U/C can be found here: http://www.wizards.com/avalonhill/rules/...rifications.pdf

The TF FAQ is here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/aam/ah20080724c

The Axis and Allies Miniatures Q+A forum is here:
http://forums.gleemax.com/forumdisplay.php?f=758

# SA's: For example, Expert Bomber 1 and 2, are the same SA, and therefore cannot stack, despite having different numbers.
Source: http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=21525

Airfield Strike: An aircraft assigned on this SA cannot be attacked by enemy aircraft at the airfield, however, defensive SA’s such as escort and defensive armament do count towards determining the outcome of the attack, though aborts really accomplish nothing. Likewise, the Interceptor ability of an attacking fighter also counts.
Units: Zuikaku
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1068464

Anti-air Specialist: Note the similarity in wording to Bristling with Guns, presumably the attacks must be against different targets.
Units: Atlanta, J.C. Butler, Akizuki

Bristling with Guns: The two attacks must be used against different targets.
Units: Iowa, Washington, Massachusetts, Missouri, King George IV
Source: http://boards.avalonhill.com/show...hp?t...hlight=separate

Combat Air Patrol: An aircraft moved by Combat Air Patrol into a sector containing an enemy with Combat Air Patrol does not keep that enemy from using Combat Air Patrol. This SA cannot be used to send a fighter to the land airbase as a counter to Airfield Strike.
Units: Wildcat, Zeke, Hellcat,
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1068464

Cruiser Leader: See Flotilla Leader entry.
Units: De Ruyter

Damage Control: You may not use Damage Control for a destroyed ship. Damage control only helps if you're still afloat at the end of the turn. Note that you can use Damage Control only once, not each turn.
Units: Yorktown, Salt Lake City
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1004271

Defensive Armament: This SA takes effect as soon as a unit is targeted by an enemy fighter, subsequent attacks, from any source, are registered against the new armor value. The unit can always be attacked by ships first, however.
Units: Halifax, B-25 Mitchell, Emily
Source: TF FAQ

Determination: A determination roll must be made each time lethal damage to the unit is received rather than once at the end of each phase when the destroyed counter would be turned face-up.
Units: Exeter
Source: http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=20706

Determined Attack: This SA functions largely the same as Press the Attack (see below), please note that the aircraft is limited to bomb and torpedo attacks after Determinedly Attacking, despite the fact that it has an ASW rating.
Units: Barracuda
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1058830

Draw the CAP: As soon as a destroyed or aborted counter is placed on this Aircraft,
enemy fighters are no longer required to attack it. Enemy fighters in the sector that have
not yet made an antiair attack are free to select their targets normally.
Units: Devastator
Source: WAS U/C

Escort: This SA can only assist units of the type bomber, and therefore does not assist fighters, even when those fighters are trying to attack in the surface attack phase. All bombers in a sector with a fighter with escort are considered escorted. Even aborted fighters (by enemy fighters or by failed search check) can escort.
Units: Sea Hurricane, Wildcat, Zeke, Hellcat, Bf 109, Folgore
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1076898
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1075492
http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=24948
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1116102

Evade Bombs: The use of Evade Bombs is declared after the bomber is fully committed to that attack, with all options and special abilities declared, but before the bomber's attack dice are rolled. If the bomb attack is not evaded successfully, then it's resolved normally. If it is evaded, the attack is still completely used up, including add-ons such as Expert Bomber.
Units: Haruna
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php...63#post16848863

Expert 'X': These carrier SA's can be assigned at any time before the dice are rolled in the attack.
Units: All aircraft carriers
Source: http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=22744
http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=19425

Fatal Flaw: This SA is triggered by four or more sixes (6’s) rolled against this unit by any gunnery attack from an enemy battleship.
Units: Hood
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1010351
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1064759
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1064759

Fighter Cover: This attack does require the unit to have line of sight to its target. Enemy aircraft aborted by fighter cover cannot use Press the Attack or Determined Attack, however, the attack does not constitute a fighter and so does not trigger the Defensive Armament. This attack is good for one enemy aircraft per turn, not all aircraft within its range.
Units: Fencer
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1076898
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1066258
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1066233

Flotilla Leader: This ability does stack with the highest flag rating in the fleet, including the flag ratings of the units with this special ability.
Units: Jamaica, Yahagi, San Francisco, Karlsruhe
Source: TF FAQ

High Level Bomber: Change the word ‘hits’ in this SA to ‘successes.’ Each six rolled does not count as a separate hit, but rather a success.
Units: Halifax

Infiltrator: The middle row of sectors is not on the opponent’s side of the map, therefore, units with this SA may fire in the first turn if deployed there.
Units: Archerfish, I-26
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1067967

Jammed Mount: Consecutive rolling of ones (1’s) does not doubly affect this unit as per the rule that SA’s of the same name do not stack.
Units: King George V
Source: TF FAQ

Lay Smoke Screen (Task Force): This SA should read, “Instead of attacking during your Surface Attack phase, this unit can make a local smoke screen. The smoke screen takes effect immediately. Remove the smoke screen at the end of the next turn.” Note that due to a change in the definition of Smokescreen, the effect of a smoke screen is: A unit may move through a smoke screen without penalty. Smoke screens block line of sight through the sector. Line of sight can be traced into or out of a sector with a smoke screen. A unit in a sector containing a smoke screen gains concealment.
Units: John C. Butler, Hoel
Source: TF FAQ

Lay Smoke Screen (Set I): Presumably the SA smoke screen should read as above for all units of Set I also, as the SA text combines with the new glossary entry to eliminate any ambiguity. Certainly the effect is the same whether the wording is changed or not due to the rules update; the smoke screen takes effect immediately and provides concealment for all units in the sector, including submarines and aircraft. The smoke then stays in the sector where laid, rather than following the laying ship in the next movement phase.
Units: Javelin, Luca Tarigo
Source: WAS U/C
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1060664 and http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1025764

Loiter: An aircraft with Loiter does return to the airfield after every turn, occupying one of the slots of the land airbase, it simply doesn't get a re-arming counter.
Units:PBY, Emily
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1222069

Long Shot 6: This SA may also be used for range 5 or 4 attacks and despite any damage to the unit.
Units: Warspite
Source: TF FAQ and http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1070624

Lucky Hit: Multiple torpedo hits during the same attack do not result in more than one Lucky Hit roll.
Units: Swordfish
Source: http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=20320

Mission Selection: This SA must be declared in the air attack phase and the unit is treated as that type until the end of the turn.
Units: Barracuda
Source: TF FAQ

Night Fighter: Despite the fact that units with this ability gain other advantages during night conditions, even in a night battle, this unit must wait until turn four to re-roll an attack.
Units: Jintsu, Yukikaze, Myoko
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1145643

No Sea Control: Units with this special ability cannot claim objectives, but they do
prevent an opponent from claiming an objective by being in or adjacent to that objective.
Units: S-Boat, MTB, PT Boat
Source: WAS U/C

Overstack: The amount of units allowed to overstack an airbase does not change in different size games.
Units: Kamikaze
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1049201

Pinpointer: This SA may not be used by an aborted aircraft.
Units: Kondor
Source: WAS U/C

Press the Attack: An aircraft must decide to press the attack immediately on being aborted by an enemy attack, not at the end of the air defense phase or during the air attack phase. An aircraft that has successfully pressed the attack is still aborted, and therefore cannot be the target of another attack in the same air defense phase. Destroyed aircraft cannot use press the attack.
Units: Judy, Val, Dauntless, Picciatelli
Source: http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=314241
http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?p=255227
http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?p=270623
http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=20258

Pursuit Ship: This SA does not allow a player to break stacking limits, so if the ship you designated moves into a fully stacked sector, you may not move your ship there, but it does allow you to break movement limits, so ignore crippled status.
Units: Ajax
Source: http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=20427

Repair: A ship may not repair itself, only a 'local' ship.
Units: Nordmarck
Source: http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=19668

Run Silent: Due to the Ram SA, a unit with silent running on the side with initiative may be attacked before it has the chance to not move in its half of the movement step, fulfilling the requirements of the SA. However, it may still take the bonus (obviously before any dice are rolled) by committing to not moving during the subsequent surface movement step.
Units: Truculent
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1069883

Scout Cruiser: This SA provides a boost for both bombs and gunnery on the same turn, despite the card saying 'or.'
Units: Tone
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1120051

Secret Cargo X: This ability works once per game for each unit that possesses, rather than once per game, period.
Units: Casabianca
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1157510

Shadowing: This SA may not be used by an aborted aircraft. Shadowing does not require LOS. The bonus can apply to multiple aircraft, including the aircraft doing the shadowing.
Units: Emily, PBY Catalina
Source: WAS U/C
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1143073
http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=20791
http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=21077

Slow 1/2: A crippled Ship with speed 2 and the Slow 1/2 special ability has its speed
reduced to 0 for the turn by rolling a 1 (or 2) at the beginning of your Sea Movement
phase.
Units: Numerous
Source: WAS U/C

Sneak Attack: Initiative modifiers do not affect this ability, which only works if a ‘natural’ ten is rolled on the dice. If a re-roll is required because of a tie, only the first roll counts towards this SA, the re-roll does not.
Units: Illustrious
Source: TF FAQ and http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1069808

Stuka Operations: Despite the can't trumps can clause in the rule book, the Graf Zeppelin can base the German Stuka, but cannot, however, base the Italian version.
Units: Graf Zeppelin
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1067409
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1091463

Suicide Attack: Units destroyed by this SA still count as victory points for the enemy.
Units: Kamikaze
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1049201

Surprise: This SA boosts both AA and gunnery attacks.
Units: A6M2 Zeke
Source: broken, please stand by

Survivor: Only hits against the vital armor (and hence not torpedoes) count to trigger this ability. Even success of the survivor roll does not stop a crippled ship from receiving one hull point of damage and perishing.
Units: Enterprise, San Francisco
Source: http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=24820
http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=24410

Vital Cargo: To satisfy the conditions of Vital Cargo, the ship and the island must be "on your opponent's side of the map." That excludes the neutral row of sectors across the middle.
Units: Jeremiah O’Brien, Kenai Maru
Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1024855