Status of Noumea and CVE Long Island

[pacwar]

Sorry if this has been covered in a previous discussion. I am playing the limited Solomon's scenarios to get a better feel for the system. I am also reading everything I can get my hands on pertaining to the actual campaigns...two questions have come out of my research....

First, it appears that the US use of Noumea was not as straightforwards in the early stages of 1942 as it would appear. It was nominally controlled by the Vichey French and it seems that the US could us the port for limited activities. Even when the Free French overthrew the Vichey forces De Gaulle the ingrate continued to deny US command the ability to establish a HQ on land, requiring the American HQ to be on a ship docked in the harbor. Halsey put an end to this silliness and simply landed, took over several buildings, put up the flag and dared to Frenchies to do anything about it...which of course being French they did not. So my question is, shouldn't there be some recognition that Noumea had limited availablility to US forces until late in 1942?

Second issue is that the CVE Long Island was the first CVE in theater and that is reflected in Scenario #5, but not in Scenario #4. I realize that 4 is based on no Midway, but Long Island is scheduled to arrive for almost a year after the game begins...any explaination for this?

db