Headhunter - Lokasenna (A) vs. mind_messing (J) - No MM yet

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I guess I don't see why you would want to attack everywhere at once in the Marshalls, Gilberts, etc. Seems very risky and harder to protect.

You have plenty of time, no reason for you not to go slow and methodical and safe. imho.

I know he's running Helens and Idas out of Kwajalein and the surrounding bases on ASW - leaving less space for Netties. It's just tempting to hit it all at once... as you say, I do have plenty of time. Impatience is my enemy more than anything.

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Might be viable to resize when the Hellcats comes online though. You will end up witgh thousands of Wildkittens in the pool. I never found a use for them as they are crazy outdated and even the FM-2 version can only do 330MPH when it comes available in 44. [8|] But they might work well for ablative escort. Obviously range will be an issue though...

Playing with PDU OFF means I will have to use them on the CVEs this time around though. At least the VRF squadrons upgrade to Hellcats...

That has occurred to me - once I get Hellcats in another 4 months, at 2.1 per day, I'll have plenty of fighters in the pools. I'm still seeing A6M2s and not noticed an advanced date on any of the A6M5 models so far, so I think he is heavily invested 2nd and 3rd generation planes like the Jack, Sam, and Shinden. I think this is a mistake on his part - he should have proceeded at least a little ways down the A6M line, lest I have a window where my aircraft are out-and-out superior.

I just remembered that I just started getting Corsairs, albeit the LBA version.

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

IMO, its gamey to re-size air groups to 81 as Japan. I don't care what it is used for. My rule of thumb is no re-sizing above what is already in play. If Japan has a size 42 IJN fighter group, then that is the largest a re-sizing can go.

Regardless of what Japan has on an island, a bombardment TF will hit it hard enough to disrupt the troops. That is why those old BBs are kept around. [;)]

Aside from 3 training groups, this is pretty much what I've done in my own game. Honestly, it's too hard to keep track of huge units and it's easier to rotate units in/out without having varying capabilities. Hard to have interchangeable units if one is size 81 and the other is size 45. Now, splitting the 81 into 3 "mini-sentais" of 27 could be pretty reasonable. He hasn't swept with a big unit yet, but I have met them on CAP over Lunga and Tassafaronga. Although the other day, I was able to get in a 74-plane coordinated sweep (using the beta), so I feel that I could compete with just a little effort in assigning to same HQs, having HQa present, etc.

IIRC, the biggest they go in 1942 is 45, or maybe 42. Later on, I think there might be some low-50s size units in the IJAAF at least. Big units still eat up lots of supply for replacements and daily missions, plus aviation support.

And yeah - I've only lost 2 old BBs this game. Also still have Prince of Wales and Repulse. I should be able to send 2 BBs to bombard each 6,000 SL island, embed 1 in each amphib TF, and still be able to hit 2 islands at once (3 or 4 if I use CAs in the amphib TFs instead).

[Mike McCreery]

Tabituea and Tarawa are the key to the Marshalls & Gilberts. Once you obtain these the rest are within heavy bomber range and you can just blow units completely off atolls.

By doing an all an all fast assault you lose the ability for attacking his reinforcements and naval forces.

Why not set up a trap instead?

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Wargmr

Tabituea and Tarawa are the key to the Marshalls & Gilberts. Once you obtain these the rest are within heavy bomber range and you can just blow units completely off atolls.

By doing an all an all fast assault you lose the ability for attacking his reinforcements and naval forces.

Why not set up a trap instead?

That's a fine idea that I'll have to consider. The logistics will be a big task - a lot of my "spare" stuff is in SOPAC or SWPAC right now.

[Lokasenna]

Another golden ship goes down: CA Kinugasa.

On January 11, 1943, after several weeks of recon on Milne Bay (and one big cruiser bombardment that took the airfield out of action), a large Allied SCTF runs in on the "bait" and SCTF present. Kinugasa and 2 or 3 IJN DDs are sent to the bottom in exchange for 2 Allied CAs (Vincennes and Minneapolis), as well as DD Grayson. However, the remaining Allied cruisers make it to the sheep - sinking between 2 and 4 big xAPs, 1 DMS, and 1 xAK, all of which were unloading. Almost 2000 IJA troops are drowned.

Not the best trade, but it will do. Milne Bay now has 7 units present, with 15,000 troops and 100ish Guns/Vehicles each. Still doable with 2 Australian IDs.

In the last 2 months, not counting Chungking maxing out at AF level 9, I've been trading at 1.67:1 in my favor. Not bad...

VP Ratio is 2.795:1 as of 1/15/43. On 11/15/42 it was 2.935:1.

[Lokasenna]

Operation Mooseknuckle(s)

Because these targets stick out.



Screenshot should be pretty self-explanatory...

I've been able to sit 8 hexes from Milne Bay without being detected. I plan to bomb the everloving crap out of Milne Bay as a distraction for a couple of days, and then shift to bombing Moresby for a day or two, to coincide with the landings. Beaufighters are trained in strafing.

[Lokasenna]

And the targets...

Phase 1
Port Moresby
Terapo
(Horn Island)
(Merauke - via paradrop, after INFp unit gets to Cairns from Luganville)

Phase 2
Milne Bay
(Tagula Island - criminally, no units prepped)
Rossel Island
(Woodlark Island - unsure how I'm taking this yet, but will figure out in next couple days)

Phase 3
Torokina - undefended!!
Shortlands - minimally defended at present
(Kiriwina?)

[JocMeister]

Hmm,

Do you know where the KB is?

If you are to succeed with this you need to remain unspotted until you actually land. After you land I think you need to leave immediately. You are going to have every Betty and Nell in SOPAC/CENTPAC and the DEI flying against the landings on day 2. They will be supported by LBA fighters flying LRCAP from PM itself and surrounding bases.

Your CAP is not big enough to protect that landing IMO. Besides that the CVEs are brittle and slow. Then add the possible threat of Japanese SCTF coming out from Rabaul. For sure he must have some naval power stationed there? A couple of CAs might be enough to chew up your slow BBs and get in among the transports and wreck havoc.

Your second wave need to land with the first because I highly doubt you will be able to land it otherwise. And unless you get really lucky with the weather he will see you 2-3 days out. If he does and you try to land it will be suicide to push forward.

Then again you are a lot more aggressive then I am. But I´m not sure this is not borderline suicide rather then aggressive! [:D]

[Lowpe]

You really like big bites![:D]

You should be a JFB, what with these complicated plans. Wait, you are![:D]

It is Jan 1943, take what is given...and build slowly, steadily and safely.

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

You really like big bites![:D]

You should be a JFB, what with these complicated plans. Wait, you are![:D]

It is Jan 1943, take what is given...and build slowly, steadily and safely.

Where is the fun in that???

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Hmm,

Do you know where the KB is?

If you are to succeed with this you need to remain unspotted until you actually land. After you land I think you need to leave immediately. You are going to have every Betty and Nell in SOPAC/CENTPAC and the DEI flying against the landings on day 2. They will be supported by LBA fighters flying LRCAP from PM itself and surrounding bases.

Your CAP is not big enough to protect that landing IMO. Besides that the CVEs are brittle and slow. Then add the possible threat of Japanese SCTF coming out from Rabaul. For sure he must have some naval power stationed there? A couple of CAs might be enough to chew up your slow BBs and get in among the transports and wreck havoc.

Your second wave need to land with the first because I highly doubt you will be able to land it otherwise. And unless you get really lucky with the weather he will see you 2-3 days out. If he does and you try to land it will be suicide to push forward.

Then again you are a lot more aggressive then I am. But I´m not sure this is not borderline suicide rather then aggressive! [:D]

Where's your heart?!?

Yeah. I had second thoughts about the CVEs being able to cover everything, even with LRCAP from Portland Roads.

MM has been really slack on naval search in this area. I tested the boundaries over the past few days, including the surface actions at Milne Bay. I've also been running a large xAKL cargo TF from Sydney to Portland Roads in order to maintain supply. It doesn't get sighted until it's at Portland Roads itself, presumably from the recon planes over the base (he keeps it at 9/10 DL). The plan is to rendezvous 2 hexes NE of Townsville, then proceed along the coastal reef up to just off of Cooktown, and then NE to Moresby. If he gets a good sighting on me before I'm 2 days out, I'll probably have to pull the plug as I can't risk losing the assault shipping (~1/2 of my current APs and ~1/6 of my current AKs). If he gets a bad sighting, hopefully he thinks I'm just heading up to drop off at Portland Roads again.

I realize this may seem larger than it is. Phase 2/3 may not happen right away, depending on what goes on with Phase 1, but I do have units prepped and prepping for these targets and would like to take them if possible. But Moresby itself is low-hanging fruit, as far as that goes - it's only 8 hexes from a friendly level 7 (and growing) AF, I can achieve local air superiority for at least a couple of days, and he doesn't have much defending the base with no signs of any more coming in.

I suspect that he has been keeping KB disbanded at Truk or Rabaul, however I routinely get messages about heavy radio at Truk. My subs have sighted large troop convoys either coming or going from there, so it could be them. I also have Catalinas that reach out almost to Gasmata - 4 groups covering the same patrol area to be absolutely sure I sight any incoming IJN TFs.

His IJNAF air corps... so far I know that a large Sentai of Nells are based at Port Blair. At least 1 Sentai is in the Marshalls/Gilberts (I suspect 2, and I recently gutted the one that was at Tabiteuea with P-39Ds on CAP at Baker, 2 days ago). At least 1, more likely 2, units on Nav Search/ASW out of Hokkaido/Kuriles. That only leaves a few Netty units... I'm not concerned about the IJAAF units - they seem to be focusing on Grd Bombing and ASW work.

I have 54 F4F-4's in NE Australia, 25 P-39s, and 25 P-40Ks ready to fly in from NE Australia, currently just flying extra CAP over Portland Roads or Cooktown. Obviously I can't fly all of those in to Moresby, but I'll choose based on how his strikes appear. I suspect It'll be 2 units of F4Fs and 1 of P-39s, as I expect to be facing Zeroes/Nicks on sweep with Helen-Ia and Bettys on strike. Also a small unit of LBA Vals at Buna...

[JocMeister]

Well, you certainly know the situation better then I do. [:)]

I´ll keep my fingers crossed for you! Remaining undetected will be absolutely vital I think.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Well, you certainly know the situation better then I do. [:)]

I´ll keep my fingers crossed for you! Remaining undetected will be absolutely vital I think.

Yeah. I've been keeping my eye on him here, because he could really contest if he wanted to. He just hasn't brought in the units to do it, that I can tell anyway. He's heavily committed over Lunga - there appears to be about 2 regiments each at Russel Islands, Tulagi, and Tassafaronga, with about a division at Lunga. OK, so I'll just skip those. Especially since only 10k men are at Shortlands at present, now 17k at Milne Bay (so that could be tough), but only Guards Mixed Brigade and some kind of aerial support unit at Moresby. That's criminally low, I think. Buna has only a Naval Guard and JNAF unit. Merauke has only the Yokosuka 3rd SNLF. Horn Island and Terapo (and Torokina!) are empty. Tagula Island has only an AF Coy. Rossel Island appears empty. Kiriwina has 2 units, but unsure of which - probably a naval guard and JNAF unit. So he has a modicum of defenses, with big enough airfields and enough interlocking support to prevent me from knocking him out of the air war here, but that's about it.

I've been slowly building this area up for several months now, and he hasn't responded with more forces, other than bringing in reinforcements to Milne Bay (still not a lot...looks like only about 2-5k troops got ashore). If anything, he's transferred bombers away from the Solomons in the past few months. Tassafaronga appears to have either a Netty unit, or else the Nicks that I know are based there are showing up as "bombers - 33". About 160 fighters in that little complex that I'll probably have to face over Milne Bay or Moresby, but that opens the door to bombing the crap out of Lunga with the 50 4Es and 80 2Es that remain at Lunga/Ndeni.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Yeah. I've been keeping my eye on him here, because he could really contest if he wanted to. He just hasn't brought in the units to do it, that I can tell anyway. He's heavily committed over Lunga - there appears to be about 2 regiments each at Russel Islands, Tulagi, and Tassafaronga, with about a division at Lunga. OK, so I'll just skip those. Especially since only 10k men are at Shortlands at present, now 17k at Milne Bay (so that could be tough), but only Guards Mixed Brigade and some kind of aerial support unit at Moresby. That's criminally low, I think. Buna has only a Naval Guard and JNAF unit. Merauke has only the Yokosuka 3rd SNLF. Horn Island and Terapo (and Torokina!) are empty. Tagula Island has only an AF Coy. Rossel Island appears empty. Kiriwina has 2 units, but unsure of which - probably a naval guard and JNAF unit. So he has a modicum of defenses, with big enough airfields and enough interlocking support to prevent me from knocking him out of the air war here, but that's about it.

I've been slowly building this area up for several months now, and he hasn't responded with more forces, other than bringing in reinforcements to Milne Bay (still not a lot...looks like only about 2-5k troops got ashore). If anything, he's transferred bombers away from the Solomons in the past few months. Tassafaronga appears to have either a Netty unit, or else the Nicks that I know are based there are showing up as "bombers - 33". About 160 fighters in that little complex that I'll probably have to face over Milne Bay or Moresby, but that opens the door to bombing the crap out of Lunga with the 50 4Es and 80 2Es that remain at Lunga/Ndeni.

Yeah, I never understood why people would slog through the Solomons when you can just jump to PM/Milne in a turn. Of course slogging through the Solomons means that you are tying up lots of Japanese forces. [:)]

Have you considered the possibility that MM has intentionally not reinforced PM/Milne? He seems like a competent player from what I can tell and it seems a bit odd he hasn´t responded to your buildup in any way? Have you fired up Intel Monkey and checked what he has available in the area? If you find 2-3 IDs at Rabaul...

[Lokasenna]

Rabaul is likewise really underdefended, and my subs haven't stumbled across any incoming convoys. I have gotten a lot of intel lately on IDs moving out of China to Guam, Saipan, Rota, etc. - but none to SOPAC. I think he is expecting me to crush him down here no matter what, so isn't contesting as well as he could... relying entirely on air forces to keep me at arm's length.

Don't get me wrong - I'd love to take the Lunga complex, it would make pressuring Rabaul and pushing north to Kusaie so much easier, but I don't have the tools right now to deal with the probable reaction from KB as well as all of the strikes that could come in. Moresby is much safer. With what he has in place right now, I can push to Moresby, hop to Milne Bay (which I already have suppressed completely with AF damage 90 & port 80, though I may not be able to sustain that against his aircraft pools), build up Tagula and Rossel...and then hop to Shortlands/Torokina. However, it is likely that he'll commit forces to defend the Bougainville bases while I do all of that. I'm beginning to get LSTs and I plan to wait for them.

However-however, if he does that...a door cracks open elsewhere, I think. Like the Gilberts.

RE: Intel monkey - I loaded it up when assessing if I should conduct this op now, and weighed it vs. the intel that Tjilatjap is finally expanding so I don't want to go raid Java anymore. However, I play on multiple computers and have yet to consolidate my intel text files in one place.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Rabaul is likewise really underdefended, and my subs haven't stumbled across any incoming convoys. I have gotten a lot of intel lately on IDs moving out of China to Guam, Saipan, Rota, etc. - but none to SOPAC. I think he is expecting me to crush him down here no matter what, so isn't contesting as well as he could... relying entirely on air forces to keep me at arm's length.

Don't get me wrong - I'd love to take the Lunga complex, it would make pressuring Rabaul and pushing north to Kusaie so much easier, but I don't have the tools right now to deal with the probable reaction from KB as well as all of the strikes that could come in. Moresby is much safer. With what he has in place right now, I can push to Moresby, hop to Milne Bay (which I already have suppressed completely with AF damage 90 & port 80, though I may not be able to sustain that against his aircraft pools), build up Tagula and Rossel...and then hop to Shortlands/Torokina. However, it is likely that he'll commit forces to defend the Bougainville bases while I do all of that. I'm beginning to get LSTs and I plan to wait for them.

However-however, if he does that...a door cracks open elsewhere, I think. Like the Gilberts.

RE: Intel monkey - I loaded it up when assessing if I should conduct this op now, and weighed it vs. the intel that Tjilatjap is finally expanding so I don't want to go raid Java anymore. However, I play on multiple computers and have yet to consolidate my intel text files in one place.

I think it sounds very odd. [&:] Either he is just making a mistake or he is planning to trap you at PM and annihilate the troops. Makes absolutely no sense to protect the Solomons and then leave the western flank completely unguarded? Then again mistakes are easy to make and he may just be staring himself blind on the Solomons!

If you do make it though? Why bother with Shortlands? Just dump all you have at PM and start walking towards New Britain?

Just copy the sigint files from one computer to the next and then run it. [:)]

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Rabaul is likewise really underdefended, and my subs haven't stumbled across any incoming convoys. I have gotten a lot of intel lately on IDs moving out of China to Guam, Saipan, Rota, etc. - but none to SOPAC. I think he is expecting me to crush him down here no matter what, so isn't contesting as well as he could... relying entirely on air forces to keep me at arm's length.

Don't get me wrong - I'd love to take the Lunga complex, it would make pressuring Rabaul and pushing north to Kusaie so much easier, but I don't have the tools right now to deal with the probable reaction from KB as well as all of the strikes that could come in. Moresby is much safer. With what he has in place right now, I can push to Moresby, hop to Milne Bay (which I already have suppressed completely with AF damage 90 & port 80, though I may not be able to sustain that against his aircraft pools), build up Tagula and Rossel...and then hop to Shortlands/Torokina. However, it is likely that he'll commit forces to defend the Bougainville bases while I do all of that. I'm beginning to get LSTs and I plan to wait for them.

However-however, if he does that...a door cracks open elsewhere, I think. Like the Gilberts.

RE: Intel monkey - I loaded it up when assessing if I should conduct this op now, and weighed it vs. the intel that Tjilatjap is finally expanding so I don't want to go raid Java anymore. However, I play on multiple computers and have yet to consolidate my intel text files in one place.

I think it sounds very odd. [&:] Either he is just making a mistake or he is planning to trap you at PM and annihilate the troops. Makes absolutely no sense to protect the Solomons and then leave the western flank completely unguarded? Then again mistakes are easy to make and he may just be staring himself blind on the Solomons!

If you do make it though? Why bother with Shortlands? Just dump all you have at PM and start walking towards New Britain?

Just copy the sigint files from one computer to the next and then run it. [:)]

Yeah, I'll do that. I need to remember to grab the files, though... from 2 computers. I'll grab this one's right now, while I'm thinking about it.

I don't know why he'd do that either. He did try to lay a trap for me at Milne Bay - "dangling some bait" and laying a minefield. I detected both, calculated that the risk was worth it with my cruisers anyway once I saw that his SCTF was only 4 ships and not the 8 with possible 6 CAs that I'd sighted on the previous 2 days.

He could fly in some reinforcements, actually. I have another fully prepped USA division for Moresby, but it's at San Francisco. I may need to wait for it to transit... or, I could land anyway as he can't kick me out with what he has there right now and he'd need to ship in some more - and I could sink those ships. Coming to the south side of New Guinea should at this point be a death sentence for his ships. I think even KB would have a hard time of it, with ~300 LBA fighters and scores upon scores of bombers (including USMC SBDs and TBFs) based between Townsville, Cairns, Cooktown, and Portland Roads - and supporting fields built at Charters Towers, Normanton, and Coen.

I really expected him to bring in more troops when he noticed that I was building up the NE horn of the continent. He hasn't, so I want Moresby next.

I am slightly nervous about CAP levels, but you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. I just can't run out of eggs before 1945 or I'm in trouble...

[JocMeister]

I´m not so sure about you keeping naval control outside PM... If you look at my game vs Erik its a quite similar situation. But I invested way, way more into it then you do. And in the end none of us controlled the sea around PM. I had to rely on quick bombardments during the night while Erik tried to intercept them. But no one could stay around PM at day or they would get instantly sunk by LBA. Thats why I think you need to land everything in one go. Because I think your troops my end up isolated for quite some time.

And I had all those fields at 9 before I started. And ALL the 4Es. All the fighters. Everything I had. All the BBs, all the CAs...and it still took me 3 months to gain control of the area. Granted Erik had the 22nd ID at PM with level 6 forts which caused me no small grief... Are you absolutely 100% sure he doesn´t have an ID at PM?

Have you considered landing at Terapo first? That would give you an AF to provide LCRAP over PM. Its actually what saved me. Once I got an AF at Terapo I could slowly gain control over the air over PM. That allowed me to land reinforcements and supply...Portland Roads is simply to far away to get any decent CAP up over PM.

[Lokasenna]

Absolutely positive he only has Guards Mixed Brigade at Moresby, with 1 JNAF unit. Many times confirmed with sig int on the Guards Mixed Brigade, and he wouldn't be basing Jakes (and now a tiny unit of Vals) there if he didn't have aviation support, so the second unit has got to be one of those 24-support ones. Those only have 8 engineers, I think. I'd be very surprised if he had forts higher than 4. He hasn't been running in supply since I set up shop in NE Australia.

Many days of 9/10 DL (via B-17 with 40+ Recon bomber pilots!) and the Aussie P-43A unit: 12.2-12.8k troops, 60 or so guns, ZERO AFVs, 2 units.

I'm going to drop the 1st Australian Paratroop Battalion at Terapo on the same day that I land, or more probably on the day after (I know he has TR planes at Rabaul with 4th Raiding Regiment and possibly 1st Raiding Regiment) to annoy him. Then I'll fly in Seabees to work on forts, and supply via B-25 if I have to. Also have all 3 SSTs at Sydney completing their refits in a couple of days, and then I can use them to haul ~350-400 supplies per trip between Portland and New Guinea. Enough to support Terapo's fort building, I think. I've done something similar against another opponent of mine several times.

I had planned to take Merauke with a USA INFp unit (503rd Infantry Paratroopers or something?) as well, but they actually may not be enough if that's a full size SNLF (and I think it is, at 60 AV) so that's on hold for the moment.


As for sea control... I am a little light on my surface forces, and it would be night time battles only. Daytime would be as you say - a blood bath, and largely in my favor I think given the comparative deployment of air forces. I really think he expects me to come up the Solomons.

MKB is almost definitely in the Soerabaja area. Hiryu was sighted a couple of weeks ago north of the Marianas (probably heading back from her 7/42 refit, but possibly heading for). I know he is converting Chiyoda and Chitose as I am now getting "CVL Chitose sighted in port" messages for both of them. I also got a sub attack on Chitose near Iwo back in early November...figured she was heading to Tokyo for that upgrade.

I am in a holding pattern with my invasion forces anyway for a couple of days while I wait for the CVs to catch up to the CVEs. Your comments made me think that maybe I should try to draw out the IJN posted near Malaya by feinting at Blair or Ramree, but I don't want to give up ships for free. I doubt that he would have left the SRA completely undefended in terms of naval power - and besides, that's where the "free" fuel is. He retook Cocos Island back in October using Ise/Hyuga/Nagato/Mutsu, his remaining Takaos, and MKB including Junyo/Hiyo. He knows I like to come from multiple angles at once, which is another bit that says to me he probably has a portion of the IJN in the SRA.





Man, I write a lot.

[Lowpe]

The beauty of PM is that the KB can strike from the north across NG. It feels very safe for a JFB to do. In addition there are a lot of air bases in which planes can mysteriously appear from very great distances if need be.

Now having said that, PM is not really a strong counter invade opportunity like some other islands in the area.

Having boots on the ground up front exists only to allow the IJN & airforce time to punish you or to buy time as you need to devote 3 months for additional prep, in which case you normally bypass.

My thoughts.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

The beauty of PM is that the KB can strike from the north across NG. It feels very safe for a JFB to do. In addition there are a lot of air bases in which planes can mysteriously appear from very great distances if need be.

Now having said that, PM is not really a strong counter invade opportunity like some other islands in the area.

Having boots on the ground up front exists only to allow the IJN & airforce time to punish you or to buy time as you need to devote 3 months for additional prep, in which case you normally bypass.

My thoughts.

Agree. And yes, he can strike at the invasion forces from the north side of PNG, at the Moresby hex itself. On the way in, or hitting my CVs that will be a couple of hexes away...not so much. Or at least not as much.

If KB is at Rabaul, I'll be in trouble and probably have to scratch the landing. However, I suspect they're at Truk as he knows I want Tabiteuea as well...and Rabaul is farther from that one. They've always come from Truk when he's sent them out hunting before. Also don't think the Guards Mixed Brigade will be able to stand up to my division. He might have good forts there (doubtful, as the Guards Bde landed to take the place originally and the JNAF unit may have been with them; also haven't seen many ships coming to/from since he took the place - I've had good sub presence at choke points and Cat search from Townsville for ages). It's true that supply can flow in from Buna, but I don't think he had a construction unit here to build forts before taking them out.

One more turn tonight, maybe I'll have time to post an update before heading out.