Damage During Ship Combat

[Frewfrux]

In the example on page 40 of resolving ship combat it would appear that the attacker chooses how to assign damage. It says

...[the attacker] may either assign it as expense Ahab must pay, or as to an .

However, it does not say who assigns the damage to the different 's. For example, if a defender has 2 's each with 3 and there was 4 against 0 , and the attacker says they are causing damage, who assigns the damage?

[Horizon Jeff]

Each captain assigns the damage they inflict. So the attacker assigns the damage they inflict either as or as to any attached to the defender, and the process works the same for the defender.

[SolomanMedici]

A further question: how do we assign ship damage that is inflicted by a card rather than a captain?
The example I am thinking of is the Buccaneer which requires one to defeat an enemy ( 1, 1, 1). If my ship has ( 2, 0, 1) then I will defeat the enemy but I will also take damage as his is greater than my . How should this be assigned?
I can think of 4 possibilities:
1. I assign the damage to myself. Not the best option as, human nature being what it is, I will always apply it in a way that will cause me the least harm.
2. Another Captain assigns the damage to me. Better choice but won't work for solo games.
3. Default to if possible, applying it to the that is most vulnerable.
4. Default to as the option that requires the least thought.
Any guidance will be welcome.

[Horizon Jeff]

Always assign as an expense.