User blog comment:Re.lolucina/It's a 'nother large scale event./@comment-68.146.133.92-20180515090850

My immediate suggestion would be to get Isuzu to Kai Ni (level 50). Permanent OASW plus a simple AACI setup makes her an excellent escorty-type. Getting Mikuma to Kai (level 30) makes her your second CAV, and Kumano's Kai would be not far behind at level 35. You could do with a second Seaplane Tender - Chitose/Chiyoda are good enough in this role - but then we're starting to run into your 100-slot cap.

Equipment-wise, you're not going to be able to do much until you find Akashi. Those yellow 15.2cm secondary guns are junk, so get rid of 'em. Your BBs want every AP shell you can craft (10-30-90-10 recipe), while your CVs want the bestest possible planes (20-60-10-110);  it's up to you which group you try and please with your daily crafting. Radars would help your support expeditions, but Easy mode should keep that from being make-or-break. You definitely want four LBAS attack planes... but Nell's cost a ton to develop (240-260-10-261), and may be beyond your resource budget.

My strategic advice would be to keep your expectations low. Plan on clearing two or three Easy maps and getting some farming in.