Townsville Supply Stream

[Firebomber47]

For those US commanders who have lamented the amount of shipping required to support operations in New Guinea, here's a trick that provides an unending stream of supply as far north as Buna. Move all of your C-47 aircraft to Townsville, set their destination as either Port Moresby, Gili Gili, or Buna, and let the good times roll! Townsville, like Noumea and Brisbane, is an inexhaustible source of supplies (though not fuel, unfortunately), so once you turn on this supply stream, it will continue unabated for the remainder of the game. As you get more C-47s, simply add them to the ones already there and set them for the same destination (or spread the wealth among all three, depending on your focus). Townsville also makes for a handy supply point for US convoys and is much closer to northern bases than remote Brisbane. One other technique I've found useful is to cannibalize the other Australian ports, removing all fuel and supplies in successive waves of transports (make sure you move the troops and aircraft out BEFORE emptying the supply bins, however). By cannibalizing Cairns and Cooktown, you have a shorter relay route to Port Moresby early in the game when transports are less plentiful. You can also use the garrisons and base forces from these two ports in the campaign for New Guinea. Australia is a virtual treasure trove waiting to be plundered!

[borner]

You can also run transports from Townsville to Cairns or Cooktown, and run your c-47's form there. The shorter distance leads to lower operational losses, and it is rare for the AI to send Japan's carriers very far south. Amazing that the AI will not try to run LRCap missions over PM to prevent this. Against the AI - as you say - let the good times roll! Another trick is once you get PM stable as a base and can keep the Bettys/Nells away,  base your c-47's there, and use them to lift Brigade after Brigade to Wau and take out Lea overland.

[Firebomber47]

Yep, that would work too. As for Lae, I just march overland from PM to both Buna and Lae with Australian regiments, then send Kanga Force from Wau to take the unoccupied Jap bases, ending up at Finschafen, which I develop as a bomber base from which to pound Kavieng and Rabaul. Jap bombers don't do the damage to US air bases that US bombers do to theirs! Keep an engineer unit or two with equipment on each US base to repair the damage, plus a couple more to enlarge Finschafen, then move in the level bombers to smash Rabaul. It's worked so well in the two campaigns I've played against the AI so far that I'm preparing to take both Rabaul and Kavieng by Spring 1943, then we move on to Truk! Almost got Truk in my first campaign, but ran out of time before I could finish the job

[RGIJN]

it seems you got alot of experience so far. Make it complete by having some "real war" against a human opponent. This gives you the true edge and will refine all the theoretical ideas you already put to good use. Of course a real player won´t operate as you expect all too often, but just this makes the true challenge.

I strongly recommend to try it out - you will love the thrill! [:)]

[borner]

yes, the AI is a good warm up, but no challenge straight up. Loosing to a good player (and I just did to RGIJN), is far more fun.

[Firebomber47]

As soon as I get the AI demons tamed, I'll consider human opponents. I'm still perfecting techniques to foil the pesky AI's tendency to make TFs defy physics (and commands). Tactics like 'team roping' runaway TFs who are out of fuel or are damaged and heading pell-mell for Noumea are showing some promise, but still need some work. I'm reminded of the joke about the little old lady who went to the doctor and told him, "Doctor, I have gas. It doesn't smell bad and I don't make any noise, but it's a problem and I want you to fix it!" The doctor does an examination, gives her some meds and says to come back in a week or so. When she comes back, she chews out the doctor, telling him, "Doctor, I want you to take me off that medication! I still have gas, it doesn't make any noise, but it smells awful!" To which the doctor replies, "Well, now that we have your nose working, we'll get started on your hearing!" Still a lot to fix in my gameplay...