zuluhour
Posts: 5244
Joined: 1/20/2011 From: Maryland Status: offline
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You have to get fuel and supply to Australia, New Zealand, and forward areas you intend to occupy. 1) Australia: You have tankers to make the haul direct and back without refueling, but in the early months, not enough. You also deplete the tankers fuel if flank speed becomes necessary to avoid any IJN assets, ergo a relay depot can be helpful somewhere deep in SoPac, unattractive to Japan. As USN support squads are needed and a decent port size, I like at least (5) it becomes worth defending with ASW, Search, and LCUs. To what extent depends on your opponent. You will be able to shuttle fuel with TFs from US to said base and unload without refueling and return while other tanker TFs supply the forward areas from there. 2) Auto convoy works best when sea lanes become more "secure" and bases built up. Now would be the time to employ some if you prefer that method. 3) Japan can hit you anywhere they want early and hard so keep the convoys either small or well escorted, which is difficult in '42, keeping in mind if carriers are employed in your seal lanes you will lose alot of assets. 4) IJN subs do not seem to attack single ship convoys as often, small single tankers can ply waters deep in the south Pacific without as much risk. ***just some thoughts*** In my first two PBMs I lost two total tankers in my sea lanes from the west coast to Australia. Single tankers left the west coast almost daily to my secret depot. two and three tanker convoys delivered the fuel the rest of the way under small escort. I used some Canadian KVs and older four stackers. They were not so good at sinking subs, but they did react and prevent multiple losses.
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