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Great depiction of the war! Very nicely done. :)
 
Very well written, and interesting developments.

GB still seems to have a good number of troops. Doomstacks stuck in some unimportant colonies I guess? :D

EDIT: Oh and thanks for the plug. ;)
 
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This AAR has proven an excellent read thus far, I'm looking forward to the closing updates. Brilliant work having taken Japan from her small starting holdings, to a modern power who is undisputed master of Asia and now in the middle of kicking some British backside. I was quite surprised to see that Scotland has survived, and seemingly prospered, for so long in your game. Having read over everything thus far though, Emperor Yozei II has to be my favourite ruler. Just because the poor guy seems to have become little but a footnote in Japan's history! Nonetheless he seemingly went out in a good way...drunk.
 
By now a human player might have left the game. :p

A human player wouldn't have let me get away with what I've done and would have concentrated their forces better. That said, an AI Japan would have brought a lot more troops to the party. I made the mistake of tag-switching at one point to get a screenshot and foolishly let the clock run on. When I switched back to Japan I'd lost half my treasury and was building troops and ships everywhere!

Awesome job, let them not stand in your way.

That's the plan. I always enjoy these continent spanning late-game wars because they feel suitably epic.

Great depiction of the war! Very nicely done. :)

Thanks. Not quite as dramatic as multiple monarchical homicide though! I am enjoying depicting Higashiyama as a sort of Jacobin with a very large trust fund.

Very entertaining way to portray the war indeed. And a very long war at that! Could you give us a map of what the British empire had and what you have conquered so far?

Haven't got a recent map to hand, but here's the position in the Americas by 1700 and I don't think it's changed much since:
na1773.jpg


The US west coast is now all Japanese colonies down to (but not including) Baja California. I've taken Mexico and England/Ireland (as you'll see in the next update), but haven't touched Peru or North America.

Very well written, and interesting developments.

GB still seems to have a good number of troops. Doomstacks stuck in some unimportant colonies I guess? :D

EDIT: Oh and thanks for the plug. ;)

No problem on the plug - I'm really enjoying your AAR, but I bet you're jealous that I've made it to Central America! I think the majority of British forces are in and around North America as that's where their capital currently is (long story, involving an aggressive Pope).

Ha westernization ! Can be a long wait isns't it. In my Ottoman game I've NEVER had a leader capable of westernazation... Never mind ! The world was finally easternized :D

Can be a very long wait. This is the first game where I've played a non-western power and I was determined to go through the whole process. I was very glad when Admin 7 Higashiyama came along.

This AAR has proven an excellent read thus far, I'm looking forward to the closing updates. Brilliant work having taken Japan from her small starting holdings, to a modern power who is undisputed master of Asia and now in the middle of kicking some British backside. I was quite surprised to see that Scotland has survived, and seemingly prospered, for so long in your game. Having read over everything thus far though, Emperor Yozei II has to be my favourite ruler. Just because the poor guy seems to have become little but a footnote in Japan's history! Nonetheless he seemingly went out in a good way...drunk.

I'd completely forgotten about Yozei II. I think I tend to play for far too long (what can I say, it's a good game, I've got an addictive personality) and sort of lose track of what I'm doing towards the end of a session. This results in the occassional inactive emperor. Scotland seem to be doing just fine and so long as they keep colonising fresh land won't rouse Japan's ire. I'm also planning on staying out of Khandesh's way...
 
Springtime of Nations: 1783 to 1785

Higashiyama, May 1770 -

The continued successes of Japanese armies in England and Mexico had a sobering effect on Britain's allies. For almost the entire duration of the war to date their ambassadors had been attempting to blackmail the Empire into paying them large sums in return for peace. However, this had been to no avail as their lack of commitment to their ally was also reflected in the non-appearance of any of their troops or ships.

With the successes of generals Miura and Kitabatake, not to mention the swift defeat of Qin, the ambassadors' approach had changed markedly. When the foreign minister mentioned that the Emperor was minded to grant them peace without conditions should they withdraw from the war immediately they jumped at the chance.

splendidisolation.jpg


Her allies having deserted her, Britain was left to face the Japanese alone. For the first time in the war Japan now fielded more troops than the enemy, and her control of the sea remained unchallenged. Over the following year, her generals were to put this superiority to good use.


English campaign

The campaign season started badly for the Japanese when Irish rebels rose against the forces beseiging Ulster. Already critically weakened by a failed assault on the fortess, the three regiments which had been left to capture the province bore the brunt of a rebellion which, if circumstances had been kinder, they would have happily supported.

In a single battle the Irish managed what the entire might of Britain had been unable to achieve - the total destruction of a Japanese army. On hearing the news General Kitabatake, fresh from defeating the remants of the 6,000 British reinforcements which had landed at the end of 1783, embarked his troops for Ireland where the by-now reinforced rebels were defeated in a series of engagements.

bretwalda.jpg


The Irish revolt marked a change in Kitabatake's strategy. No longer would small groups be left to besiege fortresses. These would now be taken by storm. Lacking in guns, the Japanese were forced to improvise, employing sappers and digging trenches as close to the walls as possible. Losses were heavy, but while Northumberland and Kent were reduced by starvation the forts guarding rest of England were assaulted. Even the grim fortress of Wessex - better constructed than anything Kitabatake's men had yet encountered - fell to an assault in the closing days of 1784.

With all England under his control, Kitabatke crossed the Channel to subdue England's remaining European possession, the province of Holland. Thus the European campaign was brought to an end.


Mexican campaign

In contrast to the European theatre, the Mexican campaign continued to see heavy fighting. General Miura's conquest of Tlapanec had opened the route into central Mexico, but he was reluctant to divide his forces due to his shortage of infantry regiments. Military historians still dispute the wisdom of this decision, but there was no denying that his combined army made short work of any opposition.

mexico1785.jpg


The arrival of General Ikeda's Great Eastlands Division tilted the balance decisively in favour of the Japanese. Although the British periodically received reinforcements from north America, their merchant navy was much reduced and could not hope to deliver troops quickly enough to regain the initiative.

With almost 40,000 Japanese soldiers in Mexico the region swiftly fell under imperial control. The guns of Miura's Siege Force made short work of the British forts and the Empire's disciplined troops reigned supreme on the battlefield. The war appeared to be drawing to a close.


Liberty and Fraternity

Even as Japan was beating Britain, trouble was developing again on the home front. Lan Xang - a former vassal which was still ruled by a junior branch of the Yamato dynasty - was attacked by Khmer. Despite the greater conflict that was underway, Higashiyama was not one to stand by while a relative was being threatened.

allies.jpg


The war itself was somewhat of a formality. Khmer's armies still fought in the style of the previous century and were no match for Japan's hardened armies. The transport fleet carried a division directly to the Khmer capital and these immediately began an assault against the shocked defenders.

khmercampaign.jpg


The result was a foregone conclusion. Khmer's troops melted away everywhere the Japanese encountered them and soon the whole country had been subdued. In the resulting peace settlement Lan Xang took the border province of Khorat as a buffer against future aggression. Although out of tune with Higashiyama's rhetoric about national self-determination, the Emperor showed only delight at his kinsman's success.

More in keeping with official policy were the terms of Japan's peace settlement. In past years a punitive war such as this would have seen territory change hands, or at least see the loser forced to recognise the divinity of the Emperor. Now the chief demand was liberty for the nation of Ayutthaya and modest financial reparations.


Journey's end: Japan triumphant

The brief campaign against Khmer did nothing to interupt the wider war with the British. By 1785 Japan had won victory after victory, with the only setback being the a naval battle off the coast of South America where 20 of the Empire's threedeckers had been forced to retreat back to Mexico by a similarly-sized British squadron.

Although this did not change the course of war itself, it safeguarded British possessions in North America against Japanese landings. Seeing little chance of expanding the war beyond its present boundaries and having in any case little more that could be demanded from Britain, the Emperor turned his mind to the post-war settlement. The result was encompassed in the Declaration of Nanking, in which Higashiyama reiterated Japan's justification for the conflict:

Higashiyama said:
Japan today stands as a a beacon of liberty in a world of tyranny and oppression, offering freedom to the downtrodden and justice to the beleaguered. When I assumed the throne I said we must make ourselves strong. We have. But this is not the strength of the bully, the slave driver or the conqueror. Rather, it is the loving power of the parent and protector.

Japan today stands victorious in its war against British expansionism and aggression. Had the roles been reversed, Britain would demand a heavy price in land and free Japanese citizens would fall under the heavy yoke of foreign tyranny. It is to the benefit of the world that this is not the case. That Japan's victory has been a victory for liberty and freedom.

Japan will not demand a single acre of land from those we have at our mercy. Instead, we will give life to those held in Britain's dead grip, give voice to those made dumb by force. Britain must relinquish its hold on those nations which it imprisons and Japan will forever act as a guardian of their freedom.

The Declaration of Nanking has a long and controversial history. To Japanese patriots it was proof of the civilising nature of Japan's mission and the basic decency of its rule. To others, it was the worst kind of hypocrisy, made all the more obvious for its having been made in the capital of a once-free nation now under Japanese control. Higashiyama had also failed to mention that Japan would not return any of the coastal colonies she had seized and had extracted a heavy financial toll from the defeated British.

settlement1795.jpg


At the time, however, the victory had a profound impact on world affairs. Japan's invasion of Britain proper had shown a capacity to act far beyond her borders and across Europe nations speculated what this would mean for the future balance of power.
 
Hmm, a world police that secretly has its own agenda on the side. Fascinating concept... :p

I bet you're jealous that I've made it to Central America!

Haha, no kidding! Oh well, you haven't made it to Peru either! :D (This just might be a contest that I'm not able to win right now...)

Higashiyama said:
Japan today stands as a a beacon of liberty in a world of tyranny and oppression, offering freedom to the downtrodden and justice to the beleaguered.

Suenik?
 
Very nicely done. Britain has been comprehensively defeated and that the new nation of Northumberland has been created. Clearly this new nation is destined to become a future superpower, Japan had better watch out! Are there actually any nations who could provide a challenge to yourself at present? As it is, Japan seems to be the dominant force in the world. Truly excellent work having brought her to such a position.
 
A great victory! You don't get much prestige from breaking up the enemy, but it's often the best way, for sure.

Well done! Such a massive campaign must have been hard to micromanage considering the AI always tries to slip around you.
 
I've chosen to award you the Weekly AAR Showcase for this great AAR. Why not honor that with an update? :D
 
I've chosen to award you the Weekly AAR Showcase for this great AAR. Why not honor that with an update? :D

First of all, thanks for nominating this AAR for the weekly showcase and for prodding me to update. I'm blaming Vicky 2 for the delay as I've just completed a very long game (as Japan :D).

Hmm, a world police that secretly has its own agenda on the side. Fascinating concept... :p

Haha, no kidding! Oh well, you haven't made it to Peru either! :D (This just might be a contest that I'm not able to win right now...)

I'm not going anywhere near there! Too many volcanoes and earthquakes. :D


It did cross my mind as I was typing it. Couldn't think of a better synonym though.

You would have it far better for your own nation if you had blockaded the isles instead of occupying them...
so much free cash!

We're not doing too bad cash-wise and I need a place to put my ships.

Very nicely done. Britain has been comprehensively defeated and that the new nation of Northumberland has been created. Clearly this new nation is destined to become a future superpower, Japan had better watch out! Are there actually any nations who could provide a challenge to yourself at present? As it is, Japan seems to be the dominant force in the world. Truly excellent work having brought her to such a position.

The Northumbrians are our staunch allies, as you'll see in the next update.

France, Austria and possibly Russia would prove a real pain to fight against. Unfortunately, Higashiyama doesn't quite see things that way.

Good job, i assume you will take yummy mexico

Yummy Mexico is a valued ally. We only annexed the US western seaboard - for liberty!. :rolleyes:

A great victory! You don't get much prestige from breaking up the enemy, but it's often the best way, for sure.

Well done! Such a massive campaign must have been hard to micromanage considering the AI always tries to slip around you.

Thanks. The British lost all but six of their transports fairly early on and didn't seem to want to build more. After that it was just hopping between Mexico and England to check on things.
 
Into the Maelstrom: 1785 to 1788

Higashiyama, May 1770 -

The defeat of Great Britain had sent shockwaves around the globe and had set in motion events that would forever change Japanese society. Many had thought Higashiyama's declaration of war was rash, but under the present system they saw little means of reasoning with the dertermined Emperor. The victory had brought the Chrysanthemum throne ever greater prestige, but had also given new force to the idea that putting the Empire's fate in the hands of a single man could lead to disaster.

For the immediate future Japan was to learn that its new position as Asian hegemon carried a cost.


The little wars

The ink was hardly dry on the peace treaty when began the first of what were to be known as 'the Emperor's Little Wars'. In declaring war on the newly-freed state of Aceh, the Majapahitan court fatally miscalculated Higashiyama's intentions. Operating on the assumption that Japan had only freed nations to weaken Britain, Majapahit gambled that the Empire would turn a blind eye to their consolidation of Sumatra - after all, there was no way that a state as small as theirs could be viewed as a threat. They were half right.

majapahitwar.jpg


Some have argued that the Majapahitan war was a turning point in history, forcing Higashiyama to do more than talk about self-determination in the abstract. For others, the very hypocrisy of the Emperor's stated intentions meant that the Majahapit war had to be fought to avoid exposing the contradictions that underlay his policy. There is general consensus that the war - and those that were to follow - bound Japan ever more closely into international affairs.

From a military point of view the war was a formality. Japanese troops were landed on Java and swiftly stormed the Majapahitan capital. The troops - veterans of the equally one-sided Khmer campaign - joked that while it took their comrades six years to beat Britain, they could defeat a nation in as many weeks.

In acccordance with the Higashiyama doctrine Majapahit was forced to recognise the independence of Makassar and Bali - the consequences of which would immediately become clear.

The fleet carrying Japan's soldiers home had not yet reached the northern tip of Borneo when news reached it that Brunei had declared its intent to conquer Bali. Acting on his own initiative, Admiral Hosokawa ordered his ships to change course and prepare for battle.

bruneiwar.jpg


The short campaign that followed underlined Japanese supremacy in southeast Asia. The battle for Brunei itself saw the near total destruction of that state's armed forces. The enemy troops - mistakenly believing that a downpour had left the Imperial army without artillery support - were allowed to advance within cannister range before the heavy guns opened fire. The rout that followed sealed the fate of Brunei.

While the turmoil continued in the South Seas, Higashiyama was considering his next move in Europe. The peace treaty with Britain had given Japan strategic bases in Ireland, Northumberland and Holland and the Emperor and his French-influenced philosophes were keenly aware of the developments of that far-away continent.

The shock of Britain's defeat had been eclipsed by the end of the Franco-Austrian war which had seen the two greatest European powers clash over the latter's imperial ambitions. The Emperor's circle were sympathetic towards France, having derived much of their outlook from the Encyclopédistes and especially Voltaire, to whom Higashiyama had sent the Order of the Chrysanthemum and awarded a sizeable annual pension.

francoaustrianwar.jpg


France's defeat in the great war plunged Austro-Japanese relations into crisis. Austria's imperial ambitions had seen her declare war against Japan twice during the 18th century, although her lack of naval power meant that these conflicts never amounted to more than a harsh exchange of words. The thought of Austria becoming European hegemon was unacceptable to the Emperor, although the court was at a loss as to how Japan could respond.

On the face of it, the peace settlement was a positive move from Japan's point of view, freeing as it did several states once incorporated into the Kingdom of France. However, any goodwill that had been generated was soon erased by newly-independent Brabant's declaration of war against Japanese ally Holland.

netherlandswar.jpg


Unlike the South Seas campaigns, the Brabantine war was a brutal affair characterised by long sieges followed by bloody assaults. The Assault Force still lacked artillery support and relied on sappers, scaling ladders and night attacks to carry their objectives. After more than a year of fighting Brabant was forced to pay reparations to Holland and the pax japonica was restored.


The stage is set

While the little wars continued the Emperor was marshalling his forces. Higashiyama ordered the construction of a second transport fleet and dispatched this to the Great Eastlands to bring back General Miura's Siege Force. Despite the troops having been on active service for over six years there was to be no respite for them on arriving home.

Military science had continued to advance apace during the British war and Higashiyama had promoted one of his favourites - a young exile from Modenese Corsica - as inspector general of the imperial armies. Despite the protests this caused amongst senior military men it was quickly recognised that 'le petit Empereur' had an instinctive flair for the role, introducing new drill patterns to further improve Japan's fighting forces.

invasionforce.jpg


On 1 July 1788 the newly-drilled troops were ordered onto transport ships in the Gulf of Tonkin and Guangzhou Bay. It was clear to all at court that Higashiyama was contemplating another major war.

intothemaelstrom.jpg


The announcement when it came on 25 July provoked outrage amongst the Japanese nobility and intelligensia. Without consulting any but his inner circle Higashiyama had declared war against the foremost military power in Europe. There were many possible motives behind the Emperor's actions, including a genuine belief in liberty and concern at Austrian encroachment in southeast Asia. Despite this there were many and persuasive reasons not to go to war, not least the strength of the opposing coalition and the vast distances that separated Japan's homelands from the main theatre of operations.

belligerents1788.jpg


Higashiyama remained resolute and while he commanded the absolute loyalty of the military there was little that could be done to oppose him openly. However, the declaration of war was another blow to the legitimacy of monarchical government and dissidents whispered that the Emperor would not live forever.

The controversy was largely ignored by the soldiers and sailors on the transport fleets. They had a war to win.
 
Very interesting war coming up. Good thing that the Austrians are a WE mess from the beginning. :D

I'm not going anywhere near there! Too many volcanoes and earthquakes. :D

:rofl: Good one! And good call also I'd say...