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OK, I've been dying to try out the "poll' feature so here goes nothing.

Vote for your choice of where to land the knockout blow in my current AAR campaign? (see the AAR thread for some lengthy discussions of the options).

Reading along as this campaign has developed has been just what the doctor ordered for us that still wait for the game. I have voted for Luganville...although the thought of trying to dislodge the 1st Mar Div with 2+ Divs is not all that appealing:(

Do something really weird and have a go at Cooktown....be interesting to see how the AI will handle it.....now if it was a human opponent....well.

My vote was for Cooktown.

Let me get this straight.... you think my plan was an "Island too far", and you expect me to invade the land of Oz?...!...!!

I would say that's a continent too far.

One of my favorite sayings was a LRRP unit's motto in Vietnam... "Fortune Favors the Bold"
I think Cooktown's too far (supply considerations), but Noumea is the belly of the beast - hit 'em at home...

Actaully Cooktown is closer to Rabual than Luganville by about 13 hexes by my count, even taking into account having to go around the point of New Guinea and the barrier reefs of Australia.

We are not travaling from Rabaul but from Lunga (or Shortland)
The assault is not the main worry, it is the follow on supply convoys. It will be much fast to run them between Shortland/Lunga to Luganville then from Rabaul to Cooktown.

True, but they still have to originate from Rabaul, unless your gonna move them directly from Truk to Lunga, or Shorland. I think there,s gonna be a shipping shortage either way.

The plan was to stockpile the required supply as close to the target as possible, then run the convoys back and forth. Lunga is the closet Japanese base to any allied target. Luganville being the nearest one.

I feel like Yamamoto at a meeting of the Imperial General Staff (or whatever designation is appropriate for Japan).

Keep it coming!

Originally posted by IChristie
I feel like Yamamoto at a meeting of the Imperial General Staff (or whatever designation is appropriate for Japan).

Keep it coming!

Just dont go on a tour of your advance bases before the offensive!

Are any of the island choices isolated from other Allied LBA (short ranged attack) bases? That'd be the one to go for as you'd be "safe" from everything but LR bombers and carriers.

I think the entire "auto-victory" deal is gamey though. I'd say "realistically" go for Port Moresby as this would firm up your long-term logistics and strategic position immensely.

Imperial GHQ staff...yah, but just remember, when it blows up in your face YOU're the one whose gotta slice his belly open.

No, you all are wrong. Listen, Iaian, if the Americans can send their ships back to Pearl, then surely the Japanese can go there too! Attack Pearl!!!

And please: no one respond to this seriously.

Are any of the island choices isolated from other Allied LBA (short ranged attack) bases? That'd be the one to go for as you'd be "safe" from everything but LR bombers and carriers.

Nahh it won't be that easy! Read the AAR thread and you'll see that the four choices are really the best of a bad lot.

Yah, just DL'ed the game map that fella posted. Screwed anyway you go about it. Luganville is about it...how many US airbases are located around it on the little islands?

Port Vila is the only major one (1 island to the south) the bases on New Caledonia can reach as well.

Current plan is to take those out by staging a diversionary raid on Koumac about a week in advance of the landing.

hmmm....I like the Port Vila option. Going for Luganville will be a tough nut to crack. Seemed from your thread on your options Port Vila was the least defended with moderate level of resupply. Seems to me the best option bad weather could actually work in your favor. This time of year in the southern hemisphere it would be summer well maybe weather wont help

I like your plan of the diversionary attack upon the north end of New Caledonia to draw some of the troops out of Luganville before attacking that base. I don't think that the IJN has the resources to bypass any major bases and support a serious attack with a large US force on their supply lines.

In the real war, this would have seriously lengthened the US-Oz supply line, whereas a Pt Moresby or Cooktown attack would have just placed the Japanese base within reach of too many allied bases. It would take the US Navy to crack Luganville, and the IJN was definitely the more effective arm of the Japanese military empire (IMO).

Well, the Combined Fleet command snuck out of the room while the general staff were having tea and decided to raid Koumac and assault Luganville - since that seem to be the majority opinion anyway.

Check out the AAR thread to monitor the progress.

And hey, if this doesn't work out we'll just rewind and try one of the other options.

ic

Ian,

Glad you went to Luganville. I cannot be sure that your recon ever spotted any Australian of US forces in Cooktown, but during this time period the Aussies had two experienced Infantry Divisions and the US had two Infantry Divisions they could have thrown at you. Plus a lot of other troops on the continent.