ORIGINAL: GreyJoy
That is my actual composition cc...fast BBs are grouped togheder in 3 strong SCTFs and among the CV fleet...plus i have 2 old brit BBs operating as a bombarment group...not that easy to decide what to do...should i fear those CD guns so much...???
I think your caution over the CD guns is well placed. While it would be very nice to have a 2nd BB in each invasion taffy, it would also be nice to have 4 more BB's in bombardment groups. The bombardment group will be essentially out of main gun ammo on day 1, so it would be nice to set them to "retire" and allow them to go back to Hokkaido for more ammo so they can be used on the next turn cycle. You could set a path or speed for a 2nd BB group so it arrives on day 2.
Seems to me you will also need at least 2 fast BB-centered SCTF's in the invasion hex because Rader may divine your landing hex and send in the IJN for a night battle or have raw-meat-eating-commanders with SCTF's set to "react". You also need light SCTF's to deflect kamikaze barges and the like. Not gamey to take PT boats either considering the short distance. Sounds like you thought about all this.
As for the question of "extra" APA's..if you mean unladen I dont think that is a good idea. Better would a lighter load distributed among more APA's. Seems like you have about 1 divison per 5 APA/AP. On the question of unladen LST's, I imagine the AE designers might have gone either way on that. An LST had a main deck covering the tank deck so an AKA would have to winch the tank onto the main deck of the LST where the tank could drive down via ramp or via elevator to the tank deck for unloading when the LST was beached. This seems not very efficient. On the other hand, LST's routinely did carry smaller craft on their main deck that could be used in the landing. Of course, this may be in the rule book which I have never read.[:)]
DUKW's are modeled as "amphibious tractor" Bn's and seem to be a big help.
I just realized I don't know very much about this. You need Albert.
