PON-In for the Long Haul

Chapter Four: The Beginning of Militarism

Ok Then Right I have built a Tobacco field, A Wood logging, Two Silk Orchards, A Rice Paddies and a Depot in Okinawa. I also get another Goods Subsidy as well.

Other News of Note is The Shogun has been Changed after the Death of the Old one. This is good news his skills are better than the Last 1-3-1 This time (Government Skills not Military)



I Finish researching Percussion Cap Muskets and Gain the Ability to Build Corps Size units as Well as Modern Division and Brigade Size Units. I swiftly build one of the Strongest Corps Size units of 8 infantry elements, 2 light Infantry Elements (Which have a trait Which improves Initiative) and Two Artillery Units (Same old Artillery though).



I also Decide to Take Over Ryukyu so First I break my Defence Treaty With them and Shortly Afterwards Attack and Occupy the Island encountering No Resistance. So Yeh there's my first Military Campaign. Taking over a Defenceless Island with only Fish as a Natural Resource.​

Chapter Five: The Revolution is Here

When I say the Revolution is here it first must be made clear that this is not yet a Political revolution though that is seeming very likely soon. But It's a Military and Economic revolution and a Major Shift in the Local balance of Power. China has been weakened severely by Taiping Rebels in the South and some More Generic rebels in the Far west of it's territory. In Japan there has been little trouble and the Economy has been strengthened significantly and the Military has seen sizeable modernisation and I've concentrated it in the South in preparation for Future operations. At close to 2000 pwr this force includes the Entire Japanese Army apart from two outdated Division size elements in Okinawa and Sakhalin and some Fortress troops deployed to fill the gap by the Removal of the Old Garrisons. In February China had 177% of my Combat strength but through out the Year this has dropped to under 100% but They have fallen off the List of Nations I can see so Precise Intelligence is unavailable. I've begun building Transports to move forces to mainland Asia as War with China seems increasingly attractive while they are heavily involved in putting down the Taiping Rebels. I would build Junks as they're cheaper but I can no longer build them it seems. Actually I've had a whole string of new Ship building options through out the year including Sail Battleships. I also had an Event about the Shogunate allowing the Creation of Ocean Going ships which usefully came with a Single Element of Transport Ships. I also built additional Merchant shipping which was sent to Europe to expand the Market for Japanese Goods.



The Japanese Army also had it's first taste of Combat as 4000 Rebels rose up on Okinawa facing 1 outdated Division size unit and a Modern Fortress Unit which spawned as the Siege began. Two battles followed as MY forces sallied out to take the Fight to the Rebels. The First was a Stalemate my forces not being quite able to Drive off the Rebels.



However the Rebels having taken greater losses to prevent my forces breaking out they were unable to fight my Forces to a draw the Second time and were wiped out. Interestingly enough despite there only being just over 2000 rebels I capture 4000 captives. Must also represent local rebel sympathisers captured in the aftermath of the Rebellion. Or a Glitch as there are 4 rebel units and I captured all of them and the game not recognising that those regiments were understrength.



Further more opening up of the nation is accelerated as Treaties are signed with a number of western nations including the USA, Britain, France and Russia which open up ports to trade. It's appears Commodore Perry's Famous act of Gunboat Diplomacy will not be necessary as the Shogunate is more than willing to Open up to the Outside world.





Economically progress has seemed slow. Much Private Capital was put into new Merchant Fleets resulting in the Construction of only two wood loggings and a Mineral Quarry though there was yet another Goods Import Subsidy. However underlining this seemingly slow progress in comparison to past years was the Beginning of the Japanese Industrial Revolution. Now Japan could build numerous factories like those seen in Western Countries though none were built yet the Ground work was laid and soon Japan would be as strong as the western Power or perhaps even stronger than them.

On a Minor note fate it seems still likes to balance things out for Japan. An Earthquake and a Tsunami ripping through Japan causing mass devastation and great loss of Life.

Chapter Six: The First Factories

Yes This is it. My very first new factory since the Beginning of the Game and I go and build a Furniture factory. Nothing wrong with that is there. It only needs wood, which I have plenty of, and Coal, which Equally I have plenty of, and it gives some manufactured goods which are very useful. I need them to run luxury goods factories as right now my only other luxury good silk is simply not selling among the people so I need to look elsewhere to satisfy their needs for luxury goods. Any way the Building of another silk orchard effectively ends large scale building of Farm structures except for Fishermen's ports of which I've built one more. Now Mines are moving into the focus as well as those new factories. In this regard I've built a Mineral mine, a Coal mine and the only two new Nitrates mines I going to be able to build with current resources. Of course I'll likely build a whole mess more fishermen's ports as I need to produce a lot more fish if I'm to have any hope of completing my Objective. The Idea of producing enough rice is out of the Question. China almost certainly produces more rice than me and Unless I engage in military campaigns against them I will not be able to out produce them.

At the Same time a new interesting event popped up in China. It seems the Chinese are desperate for more men to fight the Taiping rebels so have turned to western Mercenaries to put together a force in Shanghai paid for by Shanghai merchants. Clearly they want to prevent the Taiping stealing more of there money from them.



Equally In Japan western knowledge is now beginning to flood our country with the Shogunate setting up an Institute for Western Studies. Not only does this give prestige but It makes it look like soon enough I may have some policy changes in regards to innovation and technology so we may not be backwards soon enough. Well one can hope can't he.



Another Point is That I'm build the last avaliable 120 Commerce value merchant fleets and I've yet another new objective, Hainan, The island off the southern Coast of China. This game is really telling me to attack China isn't it. I wonder If I'll get some more objectives in the East Indies and South East Asia in the Near future.​

Chapter Seven: It's all Mine

As the Title and the Horrible Pun suggests I've been building a lot of Mines this year.

9 to be exact. 2 Iron extractions, 2 coal Extractions, 3 Mineral Quarries and 2 Dye Quarries.

I Can no longer build any more mines. Well I could build a coal mine up on Sakhalin but I likely don't have the Population to support that mine up there so there is little point right now.

In Other news not a lot has happened. But Now I can only build 10 more Fishermen's wharf's and then I'm limited to factories for the Time being.

This means my Economy is moving towards a peak using current resources. So Perhaps new resources will need to be gained to maintain my Industry as it expands upwards and onwards. Maybe Once I gain full colonial options right now Expansion is Difficult to say the least.

Ok Then The Next few Updates are Likely to be increasingly made up of building Industry, Forts and Maybe railways.​

Chapter Eight: Modernisation Here we Come

Right By this point The only Resource Structures I can build are Fishermen's Ports of Which I built one more.

This means most resources are now going towards factories now. I've built an Arms Factory and a Luxury Goods Factory. I have a reason for both. I need to produce more luxury goods to give my people While the arms Factory helps alleviate my least abundant primary resource Steel which before this factory comes into operation I only produced 2 of it a turn not enough for large scale Industrial expansion but since I can't build steel mills yet this is the best Option.

I also Built a Railway in Edo to help increase efficiency in the region. If my Industries are more efficient I'll have more resources to sell overseas and make profit.

Another Minor point is I form My third Infantry corps.

Also A minor Event from India is the Indian Mutiny as several regions fall under the control of the Sepoys but They quickly make peace with the British holding only two regions around Delhi.



Another Largely Flavour event is that My Shogun meets with a US representative a showing of Japanese Openness to the West.