You will need to prioritise the capture of oil-rich provinces in Dutch East Indies. Considering the fact that you will have to use your navy and airforce extensively during your campaigns in the Pacific, your oil reserves are inadequate.
Yes, China is quite powerful since 1.01.
In regard to this, I think that the devs should focus on AI enhancements. While their counterattacks are great, there were several silly mistakes the Chinese made that cost them many divisions and/or IC lost.For Chinese human player, several penalties to China and some bonuses to Japan could be added. But I certainly don't want devs to make Chinese campaign easier for Japanese player. There is very good balance right now. In fact, I wouldn't say no to even little more harder campaign, in most of the campaign I just pushed Chinese back, If I leaned more towards encirclements, I may have destroyed them in 1940.
I didn't see the second question in this post. My plan is to make them my puppet. I am extremely dependent on trade for resources. Puppet China will solve this problem to a large extent. Partisans and TC are also nightmare in occupied China. Puppet China that will provide troops and resources will worth my bloody 4 years of fight.
Once the Commies fall, the remaining forces will be out of supplies, which will hopefully allow you to just starve them out without unnecessary Japanese casualties.
Naval build-up looks good. I am wondering how will the SHBBs fare against American carriers. I assume you'll have separate battleship and carrier fleets...?
I agree, after all this carnage, a puppet China is probably the only solution that makes sense, gameplay-wise.
Are all these CVE Is even useful?
Their anti-sub capabilities are good...
Eeek, the germans are a year late. Hopefully they can still beat the SU, or you will have serious trouble in Manchuria.
Yes this was a disappointment. I hope that they won't just collapse in front of Soviet Union. I don't want to fight against Soviets before 1945.