Port questions

[original Daario 0]

I'm pretty new, just finished my third game, and I'm loving it. So far the only thing I seem unable to wrap my mind around are some rules regarding ports.

1. Say I build a ship in a port. Does this ship instantly move into the adjacent sea area if that are is unoccupied? Or do I have to wait a turn to move it? Additionally, if I do have to wait a turn, do I have to place a march order on the land space containing the port to "march" the ship from the port to the sea?

2. Once a ship has left a port, can it return? I'm aware that ships in port provide no attack or defense bonuses, but say your sea area was attacked, you lost the fight, and the only adjacent area you owned was the land area containing the port you sailed from. Additionally, could you play a march order to enter a port from the sea? I am aware that ships cannot take over a land area, and that ported ships offer no attack or defense bonuses, so I can't imagine this situation ever coming up, but just humor me...

3. Say i muster ships in a port but the surrounding water is corolled by the enemy. Can I attack using my ported ships in the next turn? If so, do I do this by placing a march order in the land area containing the port? If I can't attack them, does that mean my ships are trapped until the enemy either leaves or is destroyed by someone else? Can the enemy ships attack MY ported ships in such a situation?

4. Say I have a ship in port, but then my land area is attacked and I lose it. What happens to the ported ship? Does it have to "retreat" to the adjacent sea area? If that area is enemy-controlled, is the ship destroyed? If the ship doesn't have to retreat, how can the enemy land units get the ship out of the port if they can't attack sea units?

[kauai1964 41]

1. Ships built in port stay in port until they receive a March Order.

2. Ships may March or Retreat into any friendly Port, as long as they don't exceed Supply Limits or the Port Limi (3 Ships).

3. Ships in Port may March to initiate Combat in an adjacent Sea Zone.

4. When the adjacent Land Area is captured, your Ships are removed and replace with your Opponent's Ships.  If he has no more Ships to place, they are simple removed (destroyed).

[mungkei 16]

Also, the ports receive a separate order token from the land area they are attached to.

[original Daario 0]

Thanks for your help, guys.  Kauai1964, with regard to your answer to #2, the supply limit is for the land area PLUS the port, correct?  That is, a footman in a land area and 2 ships in the attached port would count as an army of 3, correct?

[kauai1964 41]

No.  Ports and Land Areas are separate, receive separate March Orders, and count separately for Supply Limits.

[kauai1964 41]

Assume a Port is a normal Sea Area, except for differences specifically mentioned in the Rules.