ORIGINAL: PzB
Morning Air attack on II/81st Naval Guard Unit, at 120,150 (Luganville)
Since Andy can not break through Line Islands, he probably decided to launch attack from Australia anyway. Direct assault on New Caledonia should ruin his whole plan [8D]
Plus, it would be interesting to destroy those squadrons on ground. Getting another from USA will take month, or another risky trip of CV.
According to manual Corps HQ in range of Area HQ can add up to 90% AV, so it is probably one of the skills of Corps, or Area Commander. Or multiplier of both. Land? Leadership? Anyway, change of commands here could give badly needed boost in Burma.
LINE ISLANDS DEFENCE PLAN. Tojo is already in use, so lets call it YAMAMOTO LINE:
First order of business, to address immediately - hordes of enemy submarines in the area. ASW air unit at every island. Including Washington (could be float, with AV support). Getting there several specialised ASW TFs.
Since Japan do not have enough land-based naval-attacking airunits, to challenge Allied Carrier fleet, yet, the reasonable goal of defence would be:
(1) Destroying of enemy specialised naval landing assets. Possibly still loaded. And escorting large ships (Battleships, and Cruisers)
(2) Weakening his carrier aircraft strength
That means heavy area patrolling, as early warning, and heavy air presence at whole chain.
Execution:
Patrol planes at Palmyra, with supporting AV ship. To quickly withdraw, when invasion comes.
Washington, and Fanning - airfields for short range army fighters, and anti-ship planes (TBs preferably). Also dive bombers at Fanning. Patrol unit on every island.
That would allow to keep one fighter unit on LRCAP over Palmyra all the time.
Christmas: BETTYs, and AIR HQ, NAVY HQ, main repair base.
Ships:
At least two ships for mine keeping
One miner
One submarine miner
Mine cache obviously
Several ships for mine clearance
AS, AD (maybe 2), AR, whatever this water pumping ship designation is
Lots of short-range submarines.
Lots of midget subs ready to deploy
Enough supply on every island, to create those midgets, or barges at will (according to manual 10k+)
Does convoys from USA go around the globe, or are they sneaking east, or west of Line Islands? To address that possibility:
Two hunting fleets for passing convoys (large, with 2 CAs)
Two search fleets, with lots of search planes (CS?)
Land:
During invasion defence it is good to use lots of large guns for shooting at invading crafts. So maybe artillery, or CD, but the later are far too rare, and island will probably fall anyway. So it would be better to keep them in possible bombardment sites, which are also hard to assault.
Some of islands are small, so we need best "bang for buck" (I mean AV for person), so probably tanks. Also small AA short-range units (they will be shooting DBs anyway) on every island could be useful. The only ability for defending unit, which I find "could make difference", would be experience.
Deployment:
Palmyra:
PA unit, and float ASW unit, so probably also 2 AVs. Tank, AA, and infantry with lots of guns.
For Washington Island first goal should be port building to enable ANY kind of unloading. I am guessing Andy will not be prepared to assault this island against serious opposition in first attempt:
Airfield level 3, with large F, plus TB, ASW, and PA unit. Tanks, AA, Base Force, and infantry
For Fanning:
Same as Washington, plus army bombers. Maybe CD. Maybe BETTYs. Maybe transport planes (in case of bad weather), and air-transportable SNLF units. Medium unit (large SNLF), and Tank Unit for quick counterattack at Washington Island (with planning already for Washington Island)
Christmas:
Long range fighters*2, BETTYs, army bombers, PA, ASW, transport planes, few SNLFs for quick reinforcements (with planning for other islands in chain), few extra AA units - for quick fly in, in case of aerial attack, few larger units, and Tank Units for counter-assault (also prepared for other islands. Mainly Palmyra, and Washington Island). HQ with torpedoes. Maybe Corps HQ, for counter-invasion. Maybe some short-range anti-shipping planes (TBs preferably), as quick reinforcements. Maybe additional short-range army fighters, when frontline ones gets depleted (or Allies make detour).
Jarvis Island could be useful as long-range fighters base (again in case of bad weather).
Overall problem with most exposed islands is their size. Maybe simple trick - putting there infantry, then flying it out by planes (so only heavy equipment will stay), and instead landing engineers there, for fortifications building. When enemy shows up, evacuate engineers by sea, and fly/sea transport infantry back.
