Slitherine

This is the 3rd scenario in the Marine Corps DLC... and I'm confused about how to approach this one. I have plenty of available aircraft but no carriers and only one Japanese airfield which is heavily defended....I certainly can't imagine taking it in the first 10 - 15 turns. I thought this DLC would allow you to build airfields but I can't see how to do that (no construction units).

Any guidance would be appreciated.

To refuel and repair you need to fly them off the map at the green exit arrows (far southeast side). They will reappear in the Display Reserve window next turn, where you can repair them and return them back to the map at the same place. Because the distances are long leading to short times over targets, you need to plan how best to use them. I try to keep them in rotation so some are usually available.

Thanks ... that option is certainly not obvious. A construction unit or carrier would have made more sense.

If you look at the map of New Georgia in the US scenarios, you'll notice the airfield is at the far east end of the island. The larger map of New Georgia in the Marine scenarios simulates this airfield by having you leave the map and return. A construction unit or carrier would not have made more "sense". Having a carrier in the "slot" or Solomon Sea area would have been suicide since the Japanese still had a huge number of planes and ships at their main base of Rabaul on New Britain at this time. Airbases in the Pacific had to be built near the water since this was the only way to keep them in supply. There are no airbases in the interior because there was no way to keep them supplied. The game designers made the correct decision by not allowing unrestricted airbase construction in these scenarios. Otherwise people would be placing them wherever they want in areas impossible to supply. A totally unrealistic situation. The arrow system is used in many scenarios (green for US, red for Japanese) and is easy to use .

related to the issue of airfields and exit points...

On the second map (the one before this), there are no exit points for the US side. Which means if you field 2 aircraft at the beginning, which you MUST do in order to have any chance of shooting down the enemy aircraft before they escape. When the fuel tanks get blown up by the incoming fleet (no way to protect them that I can see), then you either have to sacrifice an air unit (which seems a complete waste, given how hard it is to get them experience points), or not fly any aircraft at all (just leave them in the hangar until the next airfield gets built). of course on the very next turn after the fuel tanks blow.. you're told to scramble "all your aircraft". uh....

seriously, just add an exit point for the US side to this map. that's it. They don't even have to be able to return to this combat; just don't want to have to destroy one of them.

Anyone have other tips for winning this one? That defense of the airfield looks very tough.

Are you sending all units to the beachhead in the middle first? Or are you also taking the one in the east? Or...?

Any special units I should be adding for this one? I've lost 3 times already--though I didn't know about that aircraft tip until just now.

I usually work my way down from the north. Marines, a couple of mortar infantry, 2 or 3 105mm howitzers [w/transport, if possible], use 2 destroyers as much as possible, I use reinforcements to make a small feint in the SE to perhaps draw some attention. Have fun!