PM Stratgey

[DudTorpedoes]

Hello.
To make a long story short, is PM worth 200+ aircrafts,
a dozen AKs, and a few DDs?
I am playing against the Japanse AI, and It's July 1942.
(The scenario statred on May 1942)
From 1st May, PM was the main target of the AI.
The KB visited there several times, each time vaporizing
my planes in the air and on the ground. When the damage
is repaired and airways and ports become usable with much much
effort, bombardment TF would show up and blow up everything
on the runways and in ports, and also supplies, guns and personnel.
And, there are also constant bombing by LBs from Lae and Rabaul.
I am trying to ship supplies into PM, and each time I send transport
TF there, 2~3 AKs become damaged or go down by air strikes.
And a japanese LCU showed up around PM a few days ago
and started bombarding PM. The bombardment is not that
severe, but I cannot reinforce LCUs in PM for I might lose
precious APs and soldiers by airstrikes.

So, my damage from battle of PM are like;

50 P-39D Aircobras destroyed
30 Kittyhawks destroyed
15 Warhawks destroyed
30 Wirraways destroyed
25 Beauforts destroyed
50 LBs (B-17, B-24, Hudson) destroyed

4 MSWs sunk
2 DDs damaged
6 AKs sunk
4 Aks damaged

I have been thrwoing everything on hand into PM, and
now I am afraid that the level of losses may be more than
I can take. Are there any suggestions?

[Oznoyng]

You have not said what kind of damage the AI is sustaining. Those loss numbers seem horrific, but that depends alot upon what kind of damage you inflicted in return.

[AmiralLaurent]

I will rephrase you question. Is PM worth losing 3 obsolete AC a day and one ship a week ? The answer is yes. Your losses are heavy but I am quite sure sustainable and as you said it is the main spot of pressure by the AI (or the only one) and you are holding. PM can be hold against the AI and is a very good strategic place if you want to be active in this area.

Military value is relative. Nobody in July 1942 thought that Guadalcanal value was tens of ships, hundred of aircraft and thousand of men but both sides lost them here. Turn PM into your Guadalcanal, the strategic setting is more in your favor here than in the Solomons.

Some advices:
_ don't base heavy bombers in PM, keep them in Cooktown and bomb Jap troops in PM, Buna, Gili Gili and so on.
_ build Thursday Island (the AF west of PM) to its max size and use it as a medium bomber base.
_ mine PM and Gili Gili with subs
_ bring troops and supplies to PM by C-47 and FT TF. Send one-ship TF to bring more supplies (AI won't target them except with KB and KB can't remain on station everytime).

[Sneer]

keep on going
you can afford it and later it will be easier for you and more difficult for AI
in a few months you should have this battle won and than Rabual will be of half value for Japan

[Sneer]

keep on going
you can afford it and later it will be easier for you and more difficult for AI
in a few months you should have this battle won and than Rabual will be of half value for Japan

[Sneer]

keep on going
you can afford it and later it will be easier for you and more difficult for AI
in a few months you should have this battle won and than Rabual will be of half value for Japan