Same here. Went through this scenario three times, each time capturing all the victory (flag) locations and unlocking the prize in the north. Last two attempts I ran my troops over every last land terrain with no luck. Once this is fixed, it should be a cake walk in completing this scenario.

The extra plane for a carrier can be carried on the flight deck. So even though the bay's may be filled, the deck of a carrier can be used to carry an additional plane.

I have to agree with you concerning machine guns sinking vessels. But I keep in mind, that the damage done by machine guns may be the "straw that broke the camels back".

Many Naval ships carry just enough to patch up minor problems, whereas a support ship can do major repairs on the spot. So yes, a Support Ship should have the ability to repair itself, and others.

Initially I prefer single player to get a lay of the game. As my skill improves, I'll seek out competitors.

I started out with the "bookcase" war games in my early teens and was happy as these began to transition into computer games. No lost counter "chips".