Island Hopping - is it worth it?

[mdsmall]

Hi - I am playing my first PBEM match of this game, as the Allies. It is early 1943 and things seem to be going reasonably well in the Pacific. I have halted the Japanese expansion in New Guinea at Lae and have held on to Rabaul and Guadalcanal. They have occupied all the usual islands in the Central Pacific, as well as Nauru and the two islands at the far western end of the Aleutians. I have come out ahead in the air/naval battles so far in this theatre, though Japan still has four of its initial carriers.

My strategic question is: should I expend much effort trying to retake islands in the Central Pacific - such as Tarawa, Majuro, Eniwetok, Wake etc? Or can I just ignore them and push north from New Guinea to capture Kwajalein, Guam, and the Marianas, as a prelude for attacking the Philippines and/or Japan? I can't see a lot of strategic advantage to taking back these atolls in the Central Pacific if it diverts resources from driving towards the Japanese home islands. What is the threat from Japan at this stage of the game that would warrant launching an island-hopping campaign at this stage? I have the marine units purchased which would allow me to do so, but I do not (yet) see the strategic point of capturing these isolated islands. Grateful to hear the experience of other players.

[Umeu]

Hi - I am playing my first PBEM match of this game, as the Allies. It is early 1943 and things seem to be going reasonably well in the Pacific. I have halted the Japanese expansion in New Guinea at Lae and have held on to Rabaul and Guadalcanal. They have occupied all the usual islands in the Central Pacific, as well as Nauru and the two islands at the far western end of the Aleutians. I have come out ahead in the air/naval battles so far in this theatre, though Japan still has four of its initial carriers.

My strategic question is: should I expend much effort trying to retake islands in the Central Pacific - such as Tarawa, Majuro, Eniwetok, Wake etc? Or can I just ignore them and push north from New Guinea to capture Kwajalein, Guam, and the Marianas, as a prelude for attacking the Philippines and/or Japan? I can't see a lot of strategic advantage to taking back these atolls in the Central Pacific if it diverts resources from driving towards the Japanese home islands. What is the threat from Japan at this stage of the game that would warrant launching an island-hopping campaign at this stage? I have the marine units purchased which would allow me to do so, but I do not (yet) see the strategic point of capturing these isolated islands. Grateful to hear the experience of other players.

They are national morale objectives. It depends on your opponent's resistance, but to achieve a minor victory as allies, the easiest way is probably to reduce Japan's morale to below 15%. This is best done by taking NM objectives. Also in WaW, USA loses Morale for not occupying some of these islands. Not sure how it is in WitP exactly.

But if you feel like you can take Tokyo instead, sure go ahead.

[Platoonist]

I've gotten into the habit (against the AI) of having one southern prong move from the Solomons along New Guinea through Indonesia and then up into the Philippines. Then a northern prong moves through the Kuriles into Sakahalin and into Hokkaido. Hokkaido is a nice spot from which to have your bombers lash the starting point of Japan's convoy lanes. I just leave the Caroline, Gilbert, Marshall and Marianas Islands isolated in the middle.