A Day of Infamy, Japan 1941 AAR

[EvilFishtank]

A Day of Infamy, Japan 1941 AAR

The Land of the Rising Sun, December 7th, 1941 A.D.

Japan had long sought to strengthen its grip on the pacific. 1941 appeared to be the perfect time for this. The Netherlands and France had fallen to the might of the Third Reich, and the United Kingdom was being pushed to the brink of defeat by submarine warfare and incessant bombings. Under these circumstances, the colonial powers were in no condition to defend their ill-gotten holdings in the Far East. The Pacific was Japans for the taking. Only one thing stood in Japans way, the United States of America...

However, Japan had made arrangements to make sure the United States could not harm her ambitions.


Nagumo prepares his Strike Force to wreak havoc on the American fleet at Pearl Harbor.

Rules: HOI3 1.1c. No cheating or reloading. I don't think I know any gamey tactics but if I start doing them let me know and I'll stop because I want a challenge. Once somebody said an AAR that uses cheats is like a soup with a fly in it, I tend to have the same sentiment.

Misc: This is my first AAR so if I'm doing anything wrong or bad just let me know. I'll have an update up later today probably. Thanks for reading!

[Lordban]

As dear old Gandalf said, "The board is set, the pieces are moving"

You've chosen a challenging start date. Let's see how much damage you can do before the Allies recover from the shock!

[Rensslaer]

This will be a challenge! I've played this scenario over and over again.

If you could hold off just about 24 hours, I have my Strategy Supplement coming out, with some specific advice about Pearl Harbour.

Looking forward to this -- one of the most interesting scenarios.

Rensslaer

[Friedrich2]

This should be interesting. Just curious, if you set your strike at dawn, will the American ships come out to play before then? My game is being shipped to me and should be here Monday, so I haven't had a chance to test this myself.

[Mozla]

Looks good count me in!

[Myth]

A '41 Japan AAR, very cool. Let's see how you do compared to history.

[Darthvegeta800]

Banzaaaaiiii!!!
Expand the Empire and bring the Gaijin to their knees!
The Emperor commands it!

[Scorpi]

very interesiting, havent tryed that scenario myself yet, so will follow your progress.

[Jorath13]

Another Japan AAR! And an interesting timeline too! I needs to start work on my own Japan AAR now...its becoming a crowded field!

[EvilFishtank]

As dear old Gandalf said, "The board is set, the pieces are moving"

You've chosen a challenging start date. Let's see how much damage you can do before the Allies recover from the shock!

Great LOTR reference. I always liked the '41 scenario as Japan because you didn't have the benefit of hindsight on your side like in the '36 scenario. Now I have to fight the USA and didn't have 5 years to spam Inf/CVs/IC etc. Thanks for posting.

This will be a challenge! I've played this scenario over and over again.

If you could hold off just about 24 hours, I have my Strategy Supplement coming out, with some specific advice about Pearl Harbour.

Looking forward to this -- one of the most interesting scenarios.

Rensslaer

Its awesome to have you posting in my AAR, Rensslaer, you're a forum legend as I'm sure you know. Wish I new you were coming out tips for doing a pearl harbor before I started playing the AAR(I've played a little bit a head but not a whole lot). Anyway thanks for your interest.

This should be interesting. Just curious, if you set your strike at dawn, will the American ships come out to play before then? My game is being shipped to me and should be here Monday, so I haven't had a chance to test this myself.

Well, I've played a bit ahead so I already know the answer but I guess you'll just have to wait and see

Looks good count me in!

Thanks so much for counting yourself in Mozla! Always good to have people reading.

A '41 Japan AAR, very cool. Let's see how you do compared to history.

Myth! I remember your cooperative Italian AAR "Bayonets Made of Milk", it was one of my favorites. Hopefully I do better than history, I'm predicting that I'll do better, but really it depends on Germany actually. If they get flattened in a year it frees up UK/USA to target me, also USSR might DOW me at that point and then it'll be pretty bad. Thanks for following the AAR.

Banzaaaaiiii!!!
Expand the Empire and bring the Gaijin to their knees!

Thats the plan! Thanks alot for following, Darthvegeta!

very interesiting, havent tryed that scenario myself yet, so will follow your progress.

Thanks alot Scorpi, another person following the AAR is appreciated.

Ok the update should be up definitely sometime tonight. I just need to figure out the best way to sort out the information and other nuts and bolts kind of stuff.

[EvilFishtank]

Another Japan AAR! And an interesting timeline too! I needs to start work on my own Japan AAR now...its becoming a crowded field!

Thanks alot for following! I always thought the '41 scenario was difficult as japan, so i decided to try that because the '36 scenario is too easy atm.

[Gigalocus]

Wonderful! Does this scenario start before or after Pearl Habour? With ships already damaged or will do you have to organise a strike yourself? If so, are naval strikes more deadly this time?

Anyway, I'll be reading

[EvilFishtank]

December, 1941 A.D.

A photo of the attack on Pearl Harbor

The attack on the american fleet at pearl harbor was not as successful as planned. While a majority of the American fleet became heavily disorganized because of the attacks, none of the American ships were sunk or damaged to a heavy degree. Even worse, the American carrier task force escaped during the numerous air raids unscathed. They were last seen leaving port heading in the direction of Nagumo's Strike Force. Nagumo was ordered to retreat to Kwajelein, along with Commander Ino's submarine fleet.


Nagumo and Ito both retreat. Attacking the American CTF without more firepower would be a terrible mistake.

After the not-so-successful suprise attack at Pearl Harbor the Imperial Japanese Navy issued almost every ship return to the home island where the fleets would be reorganized to better reflect ambitions of the Imperial Navy. But more on this in a further update.

After the attack, the Japanese Government decided that if the United States was to be toppled, several changes of the Japanese political structure must occur:


Hirohito demanded that the ministers of his Empire make the necessary changes that best prepared Japan for war.

Furthermore the Japanese strategy for winning the war required that Japan use the most up-to-date military tactics, since they would never be able to out produce the USA. The Japanese decided to devote some of their best and brightest minds to research:


many of the technologies researched were land doctrines. a naval doctrine was also researched, as were two industrial technologies. Research into education was also started.

The Japanese leadership did not neglect the importance of espionage. Spies were ordered to be placed in the United States and the United Kingdom, their mission: to increase the threat of the said nations, making neutral countries less likely to join the Allied cause against Japan.


Foreign Minister Shigenori and Intelligence Minister Yuitsu laughed at the prospect of the entire world joining the Allies...

When war has started, the time for diplomacy has passed. The Japanese government initially had decreed that only a miniscule amount of its leadership go to diplomacy, but Foreign Minister Shigenori insisted that diplomacy could be used to better the situation in South-East Asia, his idea was to influence Siam:


Siam would be a valuable ally against the UK in Burma and India.

Thats the report. Next update will discuss the military situation in china, along with the actions of the IJN in the pacific.

[Myth]

My, you certainly start behind on a fair bit of research. Let's hope you can catch up!

[Lordban]

The foundations of the might of the Japanese Empire could certainly do with some strengthening...

And so the raid on Pearl Harbor ends in failure. Let us hope the IJA and IJN have a planned a number of other surprise raids. It would be a shame if all the pre-emptive strike against the USA manages to achieve is making them free to use all their considerable resources for the prosecution of war against Japan.

[ashandresash]

Suscribed! Very interested on Pacific game, and how naval system perform

[TheLoneGunman]

I would definately base your strategy on isolating Allied Airbases to keep the Americans and British from getting any sort of land-based air support in your territory.

Isolating the Naval Ports is not as big of a deal since the AI has nearly unlimited range when using its ships.

[EvilFishtank]

My, you certainly start behind on a fair bit of research. Let's hope you can catch up!

Yeah I was shocked at how far behind they were on industry. Its really going to be hard to close the gap. Thats why I have most of my leadership going to research.

The foundations of the might of the Japanese Empire could certainly do with some strengthening...

And so the raid on Pearl Harbor ends in failure. Let us hope the IJA and IJN have a planned a number of other surprise raids. It would be a shame if all the pre-emptive strike against the USA manages to achieve is making them free to use all their considerable resources for the prosecution of war against Japan.

Yes I was most dissapointed that the raid did next to nothing. Guess its due to the fact that naval bombings/port strikes were severly nerfed. Oh well, I'll just have to be agressive. Hopefully I'll be able to get the technological edge in naval doctrines, only then will I be able to really win.

Suscribed! Very interested on Pacific game, and how naval system perform

Thanks alot for subscribing! I was always a fan of Japan '41 games due to Japan's unique situation. Alot of different things can happen at that point in time, so hopefully for me the right things happen.

I would definately base your strategy on isolating Allied Airbases to keep the Americans and British from getting any sort of land-based air support in your territory.

Isolating the Naval Ports is not as big of a deal since the AI has nearly unlimited range when using its ships.

Good point. I was very dissapointed when I noticed the AI navies could go wherever the fight was regardless of being in range ala HOI2. Hopefully this will be fixed eventually, but for now I have to just deal with incursions into my national waters.

The next update should be up later tonight or tommorow morning. Thanks alot for following everybody!

[JonReb]

Banzai! This is the exact scenario I want to get my feet wet in once I get HOI3. Subscribed-- and best of luck.

[brisduv]

Subscribed (obviously!) Good hunting...