What set-up moves have you come up with for a J2-J4 attack?

Pearl go boom on J2

details
2 ACs SZ 31
atleast 4 planes left at japan + 2 bombers
1 BB, 2 DD, 1 SS at carolines

1 DD, 1 Cru, 1 SS SZ 36 /w 2 transports
2 bombers in Siam
1 AC, 1 BB, 1 Cru, 1 DD, 1 transport SZ 42

Purchase: 2 transports, 2 subs

Only boats exposed are the ones in SZ 42, and while the UK could attack them with ANZAC follow up, it wouldn’t be a good idea.  They would loose most of there planes and they would have to land on Java, which you could hit from SZ 36 plus your Siam bombers.

If you see any big downsides let me know.

Okay, so airbases are everything. A successful Hawaii attack, if you can pull it off, is worth its weight in gold, because once there’s 8 japanese figs / tacs on Hawaii and a decent fleet in the sea beside it, America has an uphill struggle to even get a fleet deployed. If they do gather enough strength to take Hawaii back, you can always withdraw to the Carolines and continue facing off against them.

With control of Hawaii, America can simultaneously threaten Japan and the Carolines, and reinforce Australia.

Of course a Hawaii-first strategy isn’t the only possible reason to wait.

In general, a J2 or J3 attack would be set up by assembling most or all of your fleet in the Carolines, in particular with as many transports as possible. This is because the Allies can’t tell when and where you’ll attack - do you seize the DEI straight off, attack Oz, attack Hawaii? All of these might be valid strategies - capture DEI + cripple one other target seems the natural thing to do.

So basically, waiting lets you set up for a completely overwhelming attack on the targets of your choice. It also gives you time to put lots and lots of planes out into the Pacific to give your fleets a firm base of operations - the big advantage of a J3 I think is a full turn of pummelling china with everything (yes you don’t need everything but more attacks = fewer rounds of combat = more jap infantry left at the end) before most of it has to fly off to keep the Americans in their bottle.

@Whackamatt:

So when you do a J2 or J3 attack on Hawaii, how do you back up the Chinese mainland?  Do you use minor factories, or transport some troops to the mainland for a turn or two before you attack and then let them be?

And how much of a problem does the UK fleet around India become?  Do you break off something small just for them, or are you willing to sacrifice planes?  With two transports Japan would have to be careful not to let them get somewhere vital.  Or will UK be too wrapped up with China to even think about moving stuff out of India.

Build factories, you don’t have a choice in that matter.  As far as the UK fleet it dies when pearl dies, that is why i place a fleet in the middle of DEI with bombers in Siam, they can hit anywhere.

I am still developing an opening script, so recognize I haven’t even come near optimizing this opening.

My J1 opening is intended to support my goal to wipe out China quickly and to have enough transports in the right places to make a big move J3.

Attack Yunnan with all the ground forces next to it along with several air units that can reach Yunnan.  Attack the other 3 Chinese provinces that are gimmies.  Take control of FIC with 1 infantry from Siam.  Non-Combat Moves = Swap the Carolines fleet with the fleet in the Sea of Japan placing the big fleet at the Carolines.  Add a couple fighters and Tacs to Carolines.  Move 1 Armor and 1 Inf to the ter S/ of Hong Kong and 2 Inf to the ter N/ of Hong Kong using 2 transports in SZ6.  Buy 1 Tran and 2 subs and an infantry or arty or something.  Move the tran from Carolines to SZ6.

This adds ground units to the China theatre, places 2 trans in SZ 6 for another move to relocate units on J2 and beefs up Carolines which looks threatening to ANZAC so UK is less inclined to do anything crazy.  I buy a few subs early because I find they are quite helpful as cannon fodder in many sea battles.

J2 I move the trannies from SZ6 w/ 1 arty & 1 Inf each to Carolines, move the two trannies off China Sea to SZ19 (I think) just South of Korea. To meet up with units walking down from Manchuria.  Attack and win 3 more Chinese territories and link up my other ground forces in Yunnan for a big J3 strike on a stack of Chinese infantry and the Flying Tigers in Szechwan.  Move my new subs to Carolines.  Buy 2 DD and 2 Trannies and a couple more ground units.  Position the small IJN fleet to support any invasion such as Philippines or Celebes.

This adds more transport capacity and gets infantry and artillery on Carolines adequate to threaten Hawaii or a landing in Australia, or several DEI territories, along with units that will strike the Philippines from SZ19, and a pincer move on Hong Kong.  All this will happen J3.

Depending on what the UK and ANZACs do, I will prioritize targets for J3, but it is unlikely I will go after anyone J2, unless the UK/ANZAC do something crazy on UK1/ANZAC1.

The counter there by the Allies would be to move the US/UK/ANZAC DDs and CA to SZs 37/43/35/45. It limits J transports in SZ36 (South China Sea) or SZ33 (Carolines) to attacking Malaya, Borneo and Phillipines on J3. You can take the remaining DEI on J4 but the transports will require protection because the US can fly the 3 bombers to Australia on US3 and the UK planes can also attack.

@Hobbes:

The counter there by the Allies would be to move the US/UK/ANZAC DDs and CA to SZs 37/43/35/45. It limits J transports in SZ36 (South China Sea) or SZ33 (Carolines) to attacking Malaya, Borneo and Phillipines on J3. You can take the remaining DEI on J4 but the transports will require protection because the US can fly the 3 bombers to Australia on US3 and the UK planes can also attack.

Simpliest solution to that is to park your fleet in SZ 42 on J2.  Just make sure the UK/ANZAC cannot sink it, US isn’t allowed to attack until turn 4 and cannot land planes on Australia until they are at war so they do not matter in this case.