@Gravy:
I’ve tried the subs tactics many times, all the Japanese player has to do is send one destroyer with a bomber or two and the subs are gone…they just don’t defend well at all. I can take a few of the Islands now and then, even leave a few ships but the fortress from the Plilipines just blows them up.
The key is getting the Japanese player to make a mistake with his purchases, not timimg his transports properly or not protecting them. but we find that its alot easier for the Japan player to recover from a mistake than the allies since it takes so long for tthe allies to rebuild.
When I use sub tactics I send only 1 sub for each SZ and as many as possible so that Japan needs 1 DD for each SZ and if he uses them they are attacked as well by more US subs and bombers (if in range). The US can produce more subs that Japan can build destroyers and still buy land units for asia, and you’re exchanging 6 IPC units for 8 IPC ones.
If the US keeps this eventually Japan starts running out of DDs (by purchasing errors or simply by numbers) and that will limit its naval options, plus it will have to protect its transports while they are ferrying troops around, in addition to threatening a dent on its income from convoy raids. .
You can also try getting as many bombers as possible to Australia to hit any transports that land units on the DEI. It might also be stop Japan from conquering all of DEI on J3 by landing all the US bombers and the ANZAC/UK planes on Sumatra (or even Java, depending on where the Japanese carriers are). It won’t stop Japan from taking them later on but it might give an extra turn for the Allies to catch up.