I agree on need to learn the other variations. It seems few people are using Spring 42, to be honest, in our backwaters up here we have been playing in a vaccuum for decades. I am the only one of the group who has ever visited here and its only been since last month other than a few visits pre Iraq invasion. We had never even heard of any of the other variations other than original which I started with in 1982 I think, 2nd edition, Pacific and europe original versions. I’ve got some links to the other rule books or can find them I think.
My situation consisted of 2 mixed/nation fleets facing off against each other. Both great on combined defence, no so good on individual attack. My foe the German goes hard into Africa. I go KGF which allows the Japanese some surplus navy that he slips in with the Germans. I am not sure I would do that, but he does. I’m pretty good with logistics, I setup a US/Brit shuck into algeria, very efficient. Each transport brings over 2 lands units per round and I only have to defend 1 SZ. I got a foot hold into North Africa and outlanded units overpowering the germans. I came across north africa and took 1 side the suez before he thought I could and trapped him. I had no need to buy more navy to kill his now useless and trapped navy. I had 3 russian subs, a few brit subs, DDS, 1 CC and 1 CV 2 ftr, a few american subs, DDs, 1 CC, 1 BB, 2 CVs 4 ftrs as a base.
My problem was with no flow into europe Germany was getting a bit too strong and it was getting tougher for the infantry train to survive past africa as it was getting into Jap strength before returning to russian strength up north. I had to bunch them up and come across in waves too big for the Japs to overwhelm with massive air and modest amphibous assult units. Units were taking too long to go and at this point the US could stop building units, the infantry chain was 6 turns long, take a few transports with you on your way through the germans and into the indian ocean and in theory, the US didn’t need to build land units anymore for the forseeable future. Whereas the Brit land builds could be hitting germans the very next round. The problem was the brits move first, then the Japs who had air units on their carrier plus a few well placed bombers. Or conversely, the US moves, then the Germans could attack before the Brits could reinforce. It meant building much more navy to defend my split fleet. Moreover, Sz14 in spring 42 is in such a great place as to be able to hit everything of value. The location was a force multiplier and it had to be cleared.
My thinking for the US was to move fast, through them and my surviving navy would right away be pressed into action agasint a second navy. I went 1 round all subs for 7 more I think bringing the US total to 10. With 1 defensive DD present all first round hits go to my subs, 2 BB capital ships are preserved so their round #2 hits also go to subs if the DD is gone and I get first round attacks in that case with my subs so the BBs big 4 and 2 hits to kill are not so powerfull now. My next wave of builds was bombers so as to get into the fight with the subs. My second round of sub shots was going to be so powerful, my question was whether or not to take off a fighter rather than a sub if possible as in round #2 the remaining targets would be BBs and CVs.
My situation was also fairly unique granted. I wanted to employ the Powell doctrine as much as possible. I ended up bringing in so much more power to bear in 2 rounds (a perfect build of 7 subs then 3 bombers and 1 fighter (ftr would not get into battle but was ready in reserve for the indian ocean)) that the odds tilted far to quickly for the Germans to balance and the japs could not fly in fighters for new German CVs in time to help. In a fair fight you don’t mind leaving your fighters on the CVs to die if they take out other fighters. In this case I had enough air to ensure my subs were hitting ships and my planes hitting planes. Leaving his planes on was not going to attrit much more for me as in the first round they kill subs with the german DD and in the second round there aren’t many left anyways. By taking them off it meant my subs had their way with the rump fleet left.