ORIGINAL: dekwik
Perhaps the Oz coast shipping will be safer sent to autodisband in the minor ports like Bundaberg, Port Kembala etc?
Taking Mare island (??) by sub sounds like he's trying to psych you out. It'll be worth taking it back just to hear the Marine cheer in the combat replay!
Since it sounds like everything is designed to suck dry your plane pools especially your fighters, maybe you have no choice but to "refuse" the combat by withdrawing ships and air groups for a few months until you can fight on even terms? That means Lunga will get pounded from the air too pretty soon but since you have good forts and supplies, invading there sounds like a bad idea for Japan.
Working on the theory that he can't be every where, maybe consider the early war tactic of using a handful of small STFs (even a single modern CL with long legs or a couple of modern DDs) that can slip through the gaps into his supply areas. You wouldn't be risking too too much, and the payoff might be significant if it forced him to react. If nothing else it will make the game a bit more fun for you!
If you DO get into LR CAPing of PM or Lunga, it used to be the case in vanilla WITP and I think the same in AE that subs in the ocean hexes on the flight path cut down on your pilot losses, although as you said that's not been a major issue yet.
Fight the good fight!
That small naval force unit on that un-named dot island has been pushed back by my NZ paras.. why would he land a naval guard unit there is out of my comprehension....[&:]
His shipping lines are all well protected by his naval search assets...i discovered that with my subs...there seems to be no way to get there without being spotted....
Retire for few months?...don't know...sincerly it doesn't fit me well this option...now with 1943 i'll start getting better equipment...and my will to fight remains strong... i really don't like the idea of simply falling back leaving my troops defenceless...
[/center]
