In denfese of Lunga

[Jon_Hal]

What is the boards thought on the attempt to defend Lunga in Scenario 17? I'm playing the AI it seems t0 be concentrating all efforts in New Guinea. Against the Japanese is it feasable to even try to hold Lunga? Is it even disirable? What advantages/disadvantages does it confer? I've heard a lot of wonderful discussion on wiether try and Hold PM but not much on Lunga. Is it a forgone conclusion that it can't be held? Thanks for any input.

[redman1]

I play IJN, not US. However, I've seen people say that until around 80 days in, the Allies have no higher priority than defending Noumea and the Australian mainland, especially Brisbane. What that means then is that Lunga is very much a secondary priority until you start getting the Allied flood of materiel in late July '42.

[Toro]

J-H,

The AI is set at the beginning of each game to set a priority for which goals to go for. Sometimes it's PM, sometimes Guadal. If they are focusing at PM (as you've noticed), they won't move toward Guadal for a while. However, that being said, you really don't have the forces available to defend that base until the 1st MARDIV comes into play. I suppose you could use some of your Australian forces, but you might choose to use them to protect northern Oz and New Guinea.

If the IJN moves toward Guadal, in your case, you'll be pressed to hold it, mostly because early in the game you're out-gunned in most everything.

Bide your time, prepare some bases in the islands south of Lunga for air coverage, then when you get the 1st MARDIV, move with force (lots of supplies, lots of a/c, lots of ships). It'll be a fight, but one you can win. (By the time the 1st comes into play, you'll have plenty of shipping to assist you.)