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I have succeeded in taking Satawai with a view to using it as my base for attacking Saipan. I have started building transport TFs at Eniwetok and moving troops and supplies to Satawai. I hope this will result in sufficient oil, supplies etc there to build my port and airfield. One question that immediately comes to mind is City Attack against Saipan using B-24s wont be escorted as my fighters dont seem to have the range and there does not seem to be an option to escort them part way.
Just bought the book the Pacific War 1941-45 by Costello as I am a bit rusty on how some of the real strategy went at this point. Heaps to read.

I dont think there is a City on Saipan to attack, you'll have to try another target.
 
Lack of Long Range fighters for the Allies is a problem until you get P38J/P51D's, your Bombers will take lumps but if Airfields are an early target you make keep them down. Plus regular Carrier Raids.
 
Will Satawal build to a big enough base?, I never go there and use Eniwetok as the base for the marianas attack.

Here is a thread with some ideas.

Thanks guys,
Yes I was not sure whether there was much point in shifting everything to Satawai, but it is closer. I suppose there is some way to tell how big a base can possibly get with time. My plan is to basicly do what the thread suggested by irrelevant indicates. My subs would patrol between Ulithi and the Marianas to interfere with resupply. Carrier aviation, LBA and BBs would attack airfields and supplies. I will await reinforcements and then build big Transport TFs and escort them to a preinvasion hex and attack. I regard this as very much a learning effort and I am picking up lots by just doing the scenario and reading the forum. The manual helps a bit too.
I wonder why the US did not go for Guam or Tinian before Saipan in real life.

I dont think you need to bring Oil.

ORIGINAL: pccitgo

Thanks guys,
Yes I was not sure whether there was much point in shifting everything to Satawai, but it is closer. I suppose there is some way to tell how big a base can possibly get with time. My plan is to basicly do what the thread suggested by irrelevant indicates. My subs would patrol between Ulithi and the Marianas to interfere with resupply. Carrier aviation, LBA and BBs would attack airfields and supplies. I will await reinforcements and then build big Transport TFs and escort them to a preinvasion hex and attack. I regard this as very much a learning effort and I am picking up lots by just doing the scenario and reading the forum. The manual helps a bit too.
I wonder why the US did not go for Guam or Tinian before Saipan in real life.

Bases can be built up to a maximum of the SPS plus 3. The SPS is the number in "()" when you hover the mouse over the base. Satawal is an absolutely lousy place for building up, as the SPS for both port and airfield are zero (0). So they can only be built up to three each. And because the SPS are zero it will take much longer than usual. (That's somewhere in the manual under building up bases.) To be honest, Satawal is the worst possible choice. (In my very first game I tried the same thing, capture Satawal as a jump off point for taking the Marianas. It took so long to build the airfield and port up to level 1 that I had captured the entire Marianas before it happened.)

And you don't need to bring Oil. Oil is only used by Heavy Industry.

Ships use Fuel. Include a Replenishment TF with several loaded AOs (fleet oilers), they can refuel your ships at sea is needed.

LCUs and aircraft only use supplies, that's the only thing you need to ship in for them.

ORIGINAL: pccitgo

Thanks guys,
Yes I was not sure whether there was much point in shifting everything to Satawai, but it is closer. I suppose there is some way to tell how big a base can possibly get with time. My plan is to basicly do what the thread suggested by irrelevant indicates. My subs would patrol between Ulithi and the Marianas to interfere with resupply. Carrier aviation, LBA and BBs would attack airfields and supplies. I will await reinforcements and then build big Transport TFs and escort them to a preinvasion hex and attack. I regard this as very much a learning effort and I am picking up lots by just doing the scenario and reading the forum. The manual helps a bit too.
I wonder why the US did not go for Guam or Tinian before Saipan in real life.

For strategies in real life

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/PTO/Marianas/index.html

From memory, Guam & Tinian had harder beaches to hit, and the capture of Saipan provided a firm base. Arty from Saipan could hit Northern Tinian.

In game Saipan is usually the most defended base. I usually bypass it and just take Tinian & Guam etc.

Wow. That is a good reference. I found a similar one dealing with Tinian only.
http://www.nps.gov/wapa/indepth/extCont ... 0/sec1.htm