Help taking Shortland and Rabaul

[11Bravo]

Hello, playing scenerio 17 as allies against AI. Its March and I will have Lunga/Tulagi this month backed up by Palasu, Irau, Rennel and everything else closer to SOPAC.

In SWPAC I have New Guinea except for Lae and its neighbors, where I will wage a ground campaign. I also hold Woodlark, Rossell Island, Misima and am developing fighter bases on Goodenough, Kiriwini, and Woodlark by April.

The Jap carriers are all sunk, their surface fleet above CL is also sunk, no transport to be seen, no air activity out of Rabaul or Shortland for about a month now.

I want to take Shortland and Rabaul next. Lae is a given, they are starving.

So, what bases should I set up to take Shortland, and then Rabaul, given my situation? I don't like to advance except under land-based air.

I am sure the Japs will get reinforcements soon. They just had a very, very bad month and lost pretty much everything. So I must still advance cautiously.

[Snigbert]

Take Gasmata, Buin and Buka. Then bomb Rabaul into submission with air power. Thats what I'd do.

[Drex]

If Munda is developed, you need to take that to get to
shortland

[Admiral DadMan]

Originally posted by Snigbert
Take Gasmata, Buin and Buka. Then bomb Rabaul into submission with air power. Thats what I'd do.

Wow, I was going to post the same thing when the thread was first started, and stopped myself, thinking that I was the only one thinking that way...

I have a variant that I definatetly won't give away, however...

[m0ngoose]

A concern of mine when taking Shortlands was having a BIG port nearby to take back cripples. I maxed out Tulagi and made it the home port for everyone who went to Shortlands.

For air cover I used carriers plus p38s stationed on Lunga.

Hope that helps....

[Snigbert]

Wow, I was going to post the same thing when the thread was first started, and stopped myself, thinking that I was the only one thinking that way...


Great minds think alike. Or, fools seldom differ. Depending on how you look at it.

[Von Rom]

Gasmata is definitely the way to go. Take lots of engineers and base forces, build up the airfield and port to size 4, and you should have room for about 300-400 planes.

Station there a mix of: level bombers to hit Rabaul and Kavieng; carrier dive bombers/torpedo planes to hit shipping; and some fighters for the inevitable Japanese air attack. . .

Good luck

[Admiral DadMan]

Originally posted by Von Rom
Gasmata is definitely the way to go. Take lots of engineers and base forces, build up the airfield and port to size 4, and you should have room for about 300-400 planes...

Level 4 x 50 planes per level = 200 planes total... Gastmata would have to be level 6 for 300 and level 8 for 400