Thanks for all the input guys.
Transports aren’t going to work. I bought a combination of carriers and subs because I knew what was coming–a brutal USA KJF sea response with the ANZAC fighters on board so both of us had 5-6 carriers each. TTs and Factories can’t be fueled by the very low income, and they have to be able to move under Grand Fleets to work. And since USA moved up and took carolines U2, you cant maneuver or spread out you have to set up to confront that.
Taking the money islands at all is extremely ambitious in this J1. After losing most of my ground forces and re-arranging the rest, there aren’t 6 guys to work with–more like 3. If I spread out, the TTs are dead. In fact, the only thing that gave me any hope at all was that the USA moved everything to the Phillipines U3 or U4 and I was able to attack with abs everything, and with some of the Anzac landing on the philipines to make a re-take impossible (we traded phil the whole game) it was a pretty even battle, and I won it quite well–keeping most of my air , 2 damaged BBs, 1 damaged carrier and 1 intact carrier with 2 fighters. I also annihilated most of the Russian men. However, as in 42.2, defeating these two nodes cost me the initiative and the USA follow up mopped me off the sea.
I needed air to live to protect HK base, which was under substantial pressure from UK and China because there wasn’t a land reinforce wave…no time.
Overall, the J1 is simply too thin. KJF works very well during a J1. the US might find other things to do as it bides its time to enter the war, but if you J1, its path is abundantly clear–marry ANZAC and USA fleets and cut Japan in two. Without the extra turns (J2, J3) of income and maneuver, the USA can exploit its advantage and by using the other 4 powers, defeat Japan even when it wins battles and gains odds.