@Vareel:
Oh i’m not saying you have to attack hawawi, nor that you should try to take it. But it is a good idea I feel to send the US fleet at pearl to the bottom of the ocean. The way I do that is with 2 carriers parked in SZ 31 with some extra boats to add to the attack, like a BB, pair of DDs, pair of subs, and keep a bomber or two in range, along with a purchased sub or 2. Just 2 carriers alone in SZ 31 bring 8 planes into the fight allowing for 24 punch and 8 or 12 hits if you bring the carriers. Add to that a pair of bombers, 2 DDs and a BB and you got 40 punch with 6 more hits. And thats not counting the purchased units or the pair of subs you can position there if you want. That still leaves you with a carrier, a battleship, 2 DDs, 2 Cru, and 15 planes for the DEI area. Now I do sacrifice my transports to take DEI islands in the end, but I feel it is worth it. If the US cannot be at Pearl on US2, or is sunk there, the earliest turn they can get to the DEI area with a significant force would be on US 5.
I understood that the propose is to prevent the US from moving the fleet to Pearl, not taking Hawaii itself and I agree that it is a good move. Most likely I’d move the US fleet to Line Islands and buy a naval base, allowing them to reach Australia on the next turn by leaving a DD on Johnson to block any J attacks.
The worse though will be if the US moves its airforce to Australia after J has attacked. Any Jap fleet on the East Indies will be threatened.
