Aurorus -> RE: Quisling! An AFB does Japan (No PanzerKat) (12/26/2017 7:07:02 AM)
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It is still 1942. You still have an advantage, or at least parity, in naval air. I firmly believe that Yamamoto was correct and that Japan must provoke a CV engagement, a battle for all the chips, in 1942. In fact, in game terms, later in 1942 is better, because any US CVs that you sink will appear again as Essex-class CVs, but they will appear later in the war than if you sink them early in 1942. Darwin, Horn Island, and Port Hedland, the "soft underbelly," is a good location for a CV engagement (the Marshalls being the ideal location). You have repair yards nearby, at Soerabaja. This is much preferably to journeying far into SoPac, Centpac, or Perth to engage the US CVs. A move to Port Hedland and cutting off Darwin is very likely to provoke a CV engagement, as he will be forced to resupply the region if he has any forces present and wants to threaten the DEI. If you lose a couple of CVs in the engagement, it is not the end of the empire, provided that you destroy at least a comparable number of US CVs and a large component of US naval aviation. The value of a full KB is reduced as the war wears on. In most cases, you will not be able to attack the US Schwerpunkt directly in 1944. You will need to harry the flanks and strike where the US CVs are not. Having all of your CVs is not essential for the harrying and flanking attacks that will slow the allies later in the war. If you do wish to preserve your forces and try to confront the US Schwerpunkt in 1944, this is a different strategy altogether that requires a great deal of pre-planning, including a massive investment in A7M2 research as described by Pax Mondo. Bonzai, John... Bonzai!
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