Northern defense plans:
In the picture below, you can see the ranges of the enemy fighters that matter. The P-38L doesn't come out until June of 1944, but the J, G and F are all out now. The P-47D can go 10 hexes and it just came out as well.
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PJ and OJ will be built up with heavy ground forces. They are both wooded hexes so we will get some bonus from that. They are also both at fort level 9 already.
The rest of the Kuriles will be built up, with the exception of Ketoi Jima because it is in range of escorted bomber attacks. So Ketoi is being used as a massive seaplane base and the airfield is being left at zero, to make it difficult for the enemy bombers to target the place.
The rest of the bases can be built up to sz 3, but it might take longer than I have. Shimushiri Jima is at size 1, as is Etorofu. Once those get to size two, they will be able to support DBs, TBs or LRCAPing fighters than can support the defense of OJ and PJ.
The bases on the Hokkaido are all size 4 or higher, and have significant amount of AV support. Those bases are where reserves and Betty bombers will be based in the event of an attack on the Kuriles. Sakhalin bases are also all built up, and will get additional AV soon.
The basic thought is that if the enemy comes in to hit any of the islands other than OJ and PJ, he will be very close to our home island air power. If he hits OJ or PJ, his is a bit safer from air attack, but he'll have a tough land fight. Ops losses on bombers flying from the Aleutians will be high as even damage from AA causes a lot of the planes to not make it home.
There will be a reasonably amount of LCUs on the individual island also, but not so much that it would be crippling to lose them. Maybe a couple brigades on each.
In another few days, another Unryu class carrier arrives and the KB will form up and head south again for the winter. If the Allies attack PJ or OJ in the winter, they will take some heavy casualties on landing and I think we can get reinforcements into the bases in time to fight them off.
Whether winter or next summer, if the enemy fleet does support a landing in the north, we will spend some LBA to wear on the enemy's CAP before sending in our own carrier forces.
