The initial and perhaps the key problem is selecting the invasion zones in which the American amphibious assaults should be made. The major American effort will have to be made in the south in order to fulfill the prime objective of clearing all Japanese units from south of the American Objective Line. Of the six southern invasion zones, Sendai offers the most direct access to Kagoshima (another prime objective) and should therefore be incorporated into the American invasion plans. In planning the American invasion several options should be considered. If two or more adjacent invasion zones are assaulted, the beachheads can be rapidly linked in preparation for a concentrated drive inland. American assaults in close proximity to one another, however, make it easy for the Japanese Forces to concentrate and contain them. Assaults on widely separated beaches in comparison will spread the Japanese too thin to successfully contain the Americans. In the Solitaire Game, assaulting the Fukuoka or Imari zones will draw off most of the Japanese units stationed in northern Kyushu and diminish the Japanese reinforcements. Also, an American breakout in the north can accumulate a wealth of victory points for captured city hexes. After the American has made the first invasion he has the ability to make one more. This can be of the utmost importance as it can save a faltering first invasion or add icing to the cake. It should be planned in such a way as to outflank the Japanese defensive line and thus force a general retreat.
The first step is to clear enough room around the beachhead so as to permit retreat and to allow the use of the American's mobility. When you make an attack never use more units than absolutely necessary as this only multiplies the casualties. It is better to attack and destroy an enemy unit so that it will not be around to bother the Americans again. However, it is by far better to retreat a units when it has no place to go because it requires less units to achieve such a result and therefore less casualties. When the American starts to advance inland he should attempt to stay in the rough terrain as much as possible.
Everything that was said to the American in the Solitaire Game counts in this game only more so because there is now a live Japanese Player instead of a predictable system. The American cannot afford very many mistakes because of the Japanese Player's ability to make any move he wishes. The American must be patient and wear down the Japanese combat strength by making as many safe attacks as possible and stretching the Japanese line to the breaking point. He must never give them time to organize a good defense. To further this goal the American must make careful use of his air interdiction so as to slow the Japanese as much as possible and prevent them from making rapid movement of their reinforcements.
A trick to use as the Japanese is to pin as many Americans as possible while using a minimum of his own. This, in effect, deprives the Americans of one of their best weapons - mobility. This brings us to the point of the Japanese lack of mobility. Although this is a serious problem it is not fatal. The thing the Japanese must do is plan for every likely eventuality and place his units accordingly. This means that the Japanese Player must 'predict' where the Americans will attack.