I’m new to P2V but like what I’ve seen so far and think this will be my favorite version of global.
I think the combination of the added NOs in the Pacific along with the Jap CA & marine at the Carolines brings back the possibility of the Pearl Harbor attack being viable. I did this in a play test vs myself with the following moves:
3 fig, 3 tac, 1 SS, 1 DD to Pearl
CA + marine to SZ 33/Gilbert Islands
TT from SZ 7 to SZ 32/Wake Island
2 BB, 1 CA, 1 DD, 1 SS, 2 TT to SZ 36, take both Philippines territories
NC all 3 CVs to SZ 32 to land planes, replace any lost with those from Japan (should be 1)
1 DD to SZ 27 to block
1 CA left in SZ7 to pick up Marine built J1 which will take Guam on J2. CA/Marine that took Gilbert on J1 will take Wake on J2. That gives you both Pacific Island NOs.
Japan made 48 IPCs J1, 62 J2. The fleet that went to the Philippines J1 can take Borneo/Celebes J2, and Java/Sumatra J3 and kill the tiny UK or AZ fleets that may get in the way. By doing the PH attack you’ve taken out 2 of the 4 US ships which can carry troops and delayed their advance in the pacific by a turn. Also pretty much forces US to spend in the Pacific which helps Germany.
The re-drawn map has it’s advantages and disadvantages. The attacks I’ve laid out allow for single ships to take islands without fear of counterattack due to the extra SZs and the islands bordering multiple SZs. Since a Calcutta Crush is impossible with the extra SZ off Malaya, I think a more methodical strategy by Japan is optimal. Use your initial advantage to kill as many Allied ships as possible, thereby saving money which may otherwise be spent on ships to get more land units into China and heading south on TTs.