Transports in the Pacific

[Maginot]

I've been brushing up on my Western Allies gameplay, and came across one main question. Following Japans attack on Pearl Harbor, a large amount of US (some British sitting around too) transports become un-frozen, mainly around Australia and the route leading back to Western US.

I found myself without anything in particular to do with the transports. The Japanese Navy hit a few of my transports, rendering a supply line to Australia void. I have 5 or 6 transports fleet, maybe more, sitting around doing seeminly nothing. I don't want to place them in port, for fear the Japanese will take the territories. Where should I send the transports? Do I leave them as cannon fodder to keep the Japanese navy busy, or do I retreat them towards the saftey of the British Commonwealth or east towards the US?

[Grotius]

Hmm, they're not safe in Victoria or New Zealand? If not, I'd be inclined to retreat them to Pearl Harbor. But not for long. You're gonna need those babies to send supply, troops, planes, and whatnot to the South Pacific.

[aletoledo]

I always like to steam them toward pearl. the japanese might take a couple out with subs, but a large group of them makes for a hard target. its unlikely the japs will have a large enough surface fleet to take them out either, do mostly to supplies (or rather lack thereof).

then with all the transport in peral harbor, you'll have all the points required to assult japan with troops or to suffer some losses in a naval battle against the jap navy..

[Dalwin]

Are you talking about the transports just south of Australia or those just to the north?

If it is the ones to the south, I have usually already strung those out to make a link from western Austalia to the Middle East. I do this on the first turn so that I can send both Australian and Indian militia to Egypt.

If you mean the ones to the North, I use those to replace gaps in the transport links and I store the extras in Victoria until needed.