Thin Man: Big developments regarding a potential carrier clash, but let me cover the action first.
The Allied attack at Kwajalein was a terrible disappointment - the results were the exact mirror image of John's attack yesterday - I lost 98 squads, he lost 9. The forts and terrain were important, but disruption had to be the major difference: not having the BBs go in to bombard. If I had known, I wouldn't have ordered the attack (I need the BBs where they are; Kwaj is secondary.) The troops are strong enough to withstand any possible counterattack, so I'll leave them to recover.
Down south, the same three USN DDs hit another (the same?) TF at Tabituea, sinking three xAK and two SC.
Now for the big developments. Death Star ended up where it was supposed to end up - it is just 13 hexes from Mini KB with Steroid KB two hexes further (no sign of the AOs). The oddest thing of all is that John seems to have no detection on any Allied carrier or combat TF. Is it possible such an immense concentration of ships could be so close to KB and John have no idea whatsoever? That's what the game info is telling me, but for all I know, John's map is lit up with Allied TF symbols 13 hexes SW of Mini KB.
I'm sending my carriers NE around six hexes. This will keep them about 15 hexes from Roi and Eniwetok, which are a threat, and about 10 hexes from Wake, which doesn't have a large number of aircraft. B24s and PBY4s have sufficient range to participate from Midway and Wotje/Maloelap, but the range is extreme enough they probably won't fly.
Do I dare do it? I'm leaning that way, but I haven't decided yet. I think I'm willing to take on KB in a fair fight, but what concerns me is the possibility of running across a combat TF or blundering into the 8 hex/7 hex disparity. On the flip side, the Allies have a bunch of BBs, so every carrier TF will have at one.
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