Yep, the Portlands Road is a storming success, 2 SCs, 2 PGs and 2 hopefully loaded to the gills xAKs. I know the Allies have more transport than they know what to do with, so losing a few xAKs won't hurt them. But some fully loaded xAKs might.
Below is a pic prior to what could be the decisive carrier battle. I am going to the park now, where I will ignore my wife and two kids and stare into the distance with a thousand-yard stare as I ponder the miniscule positioning of my forces. I don't want to do this turn while the wife and kids are hounding me to get out of the house. I bet Yamamoto didn't have this sort of problem.
He knows where we have to be, and what we have to defend, which gives him a major advantage in terms of positioning. As I see it, his choices are:
Move two hexes north -- Our carriers will be six hexes apart, a classic carrier duel ensues. The major difference here is that my LBA will be sending in Bettys in support, and hopefully putting up some Zeros over the carriers as well.
Sweep east and north to get under his LBA from PM -- Probably what I'd do in his position. Sit six hexes off MB, with all your carrier aircraft set for six hex range, and let the transports have it. Lots of LR cap from PM covering the carriers. In which case my Bettys and Kates go in against heavily protected carriers, and I'm lucky to get a single hit, and lose a lot of torpedo bombers.
Sit 8 hexes off our carriers, and hope his LBA supports his dive bombers -- Extremely risky, if those dive bombers go in unescorted they'll get chewed up.
Just charge in to point blank range, and let the best man win -- Not much we can do if he does this, but it does bring him closer to our LBA and further from his.
Run -- least likely
