All Glory to the Emperor [1944 Japan]

[Vanguard44]

Alright, I've been wanting to do a Japan scenario. I did one ages ago but it died out because I messed up bad, and there's a 1938 one here thats real good I just read over so I thought I'd go for something 'original' which its probably not but whatever. Have fun reading. By the way, I use counters, have since day one, so if you prefer the sprites this prolly isn't for you :P

Version: Hearts of Iron 2: Doomsday: Armageddon (no patches)
Mods: That cool mod that replaces all the unit imagery. I don't remember what its called so if someone knows cna fill me that'd be great :-p

settings

ALL GLORY TO THE EMPEROR: 1944 JAPAN

The date is June 20th, 1944. After a string of humiliating defeats including the loss of its Carrier Striking Force, the Kido Butai, at the Battle of Midway for only a single American aircraft carrier, the Japanese moved onto the defensive. Against the American war machine and their technological superiority, the Japanese fought bravely but ultimately where pushed back, both sides paying the price heavily. Its once magnificent air services, the Navy Air Service and Army Air Force losing their best pilots, the situation has reversed from the easily won victories of early 1942. But Japan's manpower is not dwindling, not by a long shot, and they will stay in the fight until the bitter end.

The first time I opened up this scenario almost a year ago, I closed it right back down. Japan's forces are spread out all over China and the Pacific, and as a person that likes to organise his forces down to the last minute detail, this scared me off. But I'm a somewhat better player (no doubt still a noob compared to you guys :P) than then and now I'm willing to take on the American roundeye pigdogs. So lets review the situation: First up, the Imperial Japanese Navy. Aw hell - 4 fleet and 3 light carriers. Suxor. Its not all bad though - by december, I'll have four carriers, three CV/III and 1 CV/VI ready for combat.

There were also some subs in production which I cancelled. The first order for Japanese yards in this game was for 2 serial runs of 10 DD/IVs, 2 serial runs of 3 CA/II and 2 serial runs for 10 transports. I filled the rest of the IC gap with 4 naval bombers.

Navy organisation is quite centralised. 36 naval units in Tokyo and 32 in Palawan means reorganising those fleets should be fairly easy and painless. A few submarines spread out over the pacific.

No wonder the Japs where losing - the AI seems to have screwed up real bad when it comes to ministers. I replaced Tojo with Fujiwara Ginjiro (10%+ IC!!!) and replaced some security minister with Tojo (+15% Foreign IC D, and I also increased Hawk, for the production bonuses. I'll be needing those boats out soon if I want to push the hamburger-eaters and the crumpet-munchers back to where they came from.

Next up I checked research. Jesus christ they've been busy with air doctrines (not like it did them any good eh) but as you can see from my research queues, it seems they missed out some critical researches... like 1941 DDs and CLs and ship assembly line. I'll explain my technology now.



First up, ship assembly line, I think that ones obvious. Central planning I chose because that +10% org will help alot, considering Japan starts almost slap bang in the centre of standing/draughted army. Terauchi has 3/5 for those, even if he is only skill 6. Next up, floating fortress doctrine, for my escort bonuses. Cookie to anyone who notices that something seems to be wrong with my naval researcher... CL1941 because I need it (I prefer CLs to DDs) and because Kure Naval Yards kicks ass. Finally, the improving computing machine because the research bonus might be handy and it seems everything else has been researched.

So, without further ado, onto the Army!

Bad news: 127 divisions only. 45 in China, 7 in Burma, and 8~ in that island with Port Moresby. The rest are scattered about. Army research isn't bad, either. But there's alot of work that needs to be done if I want to halt the European imperialist aggressors in their tracks.

Objective 1: Neutralise China, hold off the Americans. Glory to the Greater East Asian Co Prosperity Sphere!

[Užičkibombarder]

Good luck.

[El Pip]

You've set yourself up for a big challenge, your fate is going to end up tied to how well AI Germany does, if they fold soon the whole of the Allies are going to be after you. Nasty.

However you do have Zombie Yamamoto on your side, so how can you lose?

[Vanguard44]

Thanks all.

Zombie Yamamoto D:

Unfortunately, I had a brain lapse and thought that the 3.1 supplies neccessary wasn't a bug at the start, so I overestimated production. Had to cancel the transports and CAs and bombers, but could replace them with 3 marine divs - probably more useful anyway. Nevermind, it was to be expected I suppose. Next, surveying the situation, it appears I've lost the Port Moresby Island, losing three divisions. I make plans to evacuate there and group my remaining divisions up to be redeployed later. More importantly, all aircraft from the Phillipines and the Home Islands are brought in to form the 1st Army Air Force Bomber Group (4 Tac), 1st and 2nd Army Air Force Interceptors (8 Int) and the 1st Army Air Force Interceptor/CAS (2 int 2 CAS). I'm going to be slowly sending planes over to Burma as it appears I'm getting wasted there and thats the region I can influence the most. But China looks nasty too. However...



What the hell? I thought I was playing on Furious AI here :-p Hell, I'm not complaining though. This gives me a much needed respite and frees up ALOT of troops to be redeployed to Burma (then again, there goes my TC! 689/430!). This, then, requires a new objective. Objective 2: Recapture Burma using overwhelming air and land forces. A task easy accomplished? We'll see. Currently my divisions there are routing and I'm falling back to hold a nicer line, hoping to oustretch the British for when the reinforcements arrive. Meanwhile, I shall continue running my air ops over Burma to stymy their attack. Not much seems to be happening in Germany.

[imanc]

Originally Posted by Vanguard44

and replaced some security minister with Tojo (+15% Foreign IC D

there's no point in that, if you already chose "Full IC takover". Plus, remember that all other nations will also benefit from having all the ic that they have in their non-national provinces. So, who has the biggest empire to benefit from this? All the colonial powers and probably SU (since germany is doomed most likely)
I would suggest better putting +10% manpower instead. at least, thats what i do when playing with full ic takover..especially with japan makes a lot more sense

[Vanguard44]

I thought full IC takeover was only when you annexed them? If thats so, then what is the point in said minister?

[imanc]

Originally Posted by Vanguard44

I thought full IC takeover was only when you annexed them? If thats so, then what is the point in said minister?

there is no point, because you choose that option for your game . you can, of course, allways change that, but until that, there is no point

[Vanguard44]

Now it starts to get interesting.

Everything seems to be alright, unfortunately on June 27th the Americans take back Wake Island. Sucks. I assume that next they'll go after Guam, so I task my fleets to send much needed reinforcements to Guam before they reinforce Burma. I'll later regret this decision, and I'll show you why. On the same day, the group 'Oriental Blitzkrieg' is formed, consisting of three CVLs (Zuiho, Chiyoda, Chitose), four CVs (Zuikaku, Junyo, Hiyo, and the elderly Ryuho), and the two mighty BBs Musashi and Yamato. Escorted by a number of CLs and DDs and including my transport fleet, they pick up two infantry divisions from the Home Islands and head down to Guam. Within four days my prediction had come true as Australian troops lay siege to, and capture, the small garrison of Truk. On July 3rd, the Americans lay siege to Palau. For the next two weeks, Palau will be the focus of the Pacific War. Heroic resistance against four American divisions sets back the American advance, as does a three day delaying operation by submarines of 1st Senkuisentai Group. I spend tihs time evacuating the air forces on Palau to Guam to strike the American fleet. My naval bombers make little success but to delay the American fleet while reinforcements arrive. On July 4th, transports based in Singapore make a brave run up to Rangoon with two divisions embarked for much needed reinforcements. The unescorted transports reach Rangoon and arrive back in Singapore safely. The gamble was successful, a totally minor victory if it can even be called that. The crumpet-munchers are pushing me back in Burma, though I'm still providing heavy resistance.

The six transports setting off to Rangoon.

On July 8th, the first battle of Palau begins as my submarines retreat. Battle Group Oriental Blitzkrieg moves in, against the odds, to take the battle to the American imperialists. My three carriers, outnumbered by a scale of two to one and vastly out-teched, put up a heroic fight, showing even at this late stage in the war the Japanese Navy will fight, and the Japanese Navy will win. While neither side takes any losses, the Americans show their true colours and disengage. Glory to the Emperor, his sons march on to victory!

It is now I make my biggest mistake, of which I am still hitting myself for. Desperate for reinforcements to hold onto Palau, I decide to kill two birds with one stone and evacuate 4th Army's 2 infantry divisions, light armour division, and HQ and bring them back to Palau. This operation is a failure. No sooner has my fleet escaped the harbour are they set upon by American battleships waiting outside the harbour.

Luckily, I lose no capital ships - only a CL and a transport, but this is still a crippling blow as you can see many of my capital ships will be in port for the duration, and since my economy is in... yes, my economy.

Noticing my massive IC drop from 260 to 87, I realise Japan has run out of power. I get short term power boosts from a trade with the USSR, but I'm still losing 40 a day and I only have 100 left. In desperation, I remember that if Japan releases its puppets, Japan gains more resources. Relunctantly, I take the IC and dissent hit and give Indonesia its independence (in name only :-p). My energy income shoots up, and my IC steadily grows, but for a week my production was paralysed. Given the state of the war, thats a week too long... and who knows how long it will take for Japan to rebuild its economy.

Several tries are made on Guam and Palau and all are soundly beaten off. Realising the terrible defeat the roundeye imperialists have inflicted on me, I retreat my Navy back to Tokyo. The war must continue but morale is at the lowest since I found out that the AI still hadn't researched ship assembly line. Nevermind. I still have my transports, so an ambitious operation aiming to move 30 divisions from Japan to Burma begins. 'Oriental Blitzkrieg' will ship 2nd Army's six divisions to Burma, and then come back for more, while the Transport Escort Squadron with its cruisers will move to Singapore, merge wtih the transports there, and go around picking up and spare troops to be brought to Burma. A victory over the heathens who add milk to tea must be won at any cost.

Will the Tokyo Express work? Or will my fleet lay in ruins at the end of the month? Only time will tell.

[Vanguard44]

Originally Posted by imanc

there is no point, because you choose that option for your game . you can, of course, allways change that, but until that, there is no point

Oh, I see. Better revert that then.

[Phoenix Dace]

I had a Japan 44 AAR once, before there was a Doomsday, I believe. It was fun, but the naval AI was much worse then and I kept sinking stupidly undefended American stacks, such as five carriers and a battleship off the coast of Okinawa with no escorts. Also, the game was easier then because there was no such thing as a CVL, so all those CVLs were CVs and I had a massive carrier striking force (including the ones in the production queue, I think had a ten carrier stack by December 1944) under zombie Yamamoto that could beat the Americans no matter where they put their fleet.

Also, China is ridiculously easy to beat in the 44 scenario. You're poised (even with offensive supply already given to your mobile troops) to cut off about sixty Chinese divisions right off the bat. Properly played, you can annex Nationalist China before the snow starts falling without deploying any additional troops to the mainland, and from there invade through Yunnan with your massive China armies to relieve your beleaguered forces in Burma.



Also, I have to ask: Have you considered using the Community Leader/Minister Improvement Project? It has a vastly improved Japanese leader file, that gives the Japanese leaders their proper skills and dates and such. You would actually have historically accurate (and more effective) admirals and generals!

It's worth a look even if you don't want to start your game. But I could just be saying that because I made it.



Long story short, good luck!

[Simon-1979]

lovely - a japanese 44 AAR and even with the "new" addon.....

good luck man

ill follow this!

BANZAI!
BANZAI!
BANZAI!

[chefportnen]

Great! I've never seen a '44 scenario with Japan! I will follow this one!

[Gigalocus]

good luck, when i decide on Jap 44, i evacuated the lesser islands and formed a huge wall that i planned on defenfing, and only unleashing when powerfull enough. Too bad about your navy, still the Sun can still rise of Asia

[rcduggan]

good luck! you'll need it.

[KuzuX]

Originally Posted by Simon-1979

lovely - a japanese 44 AAR and even with the "new" addon.....

good luck man

ill follow this!

BANZAI!
BANZAI!
BANZAI!

I second this,especially the last part.And I want to add something
UPDATE!
UPDATE!
UPDATE!

[Vanguard44]

Phoenix Dacebit: Thanks man, bit late for that now :-p if I iuse your mod, would I have to restart? Throw me a link anyway, I'll install it and use it next time I play :-)

Gigalocus: I'm considering doing that.

To everyone else, thanks for your words of encouragement, updates coming soonish.

[Phoenix Dace]

I gave you a link in the form of the blue text in the original post - For good measure, here it is again:

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/...d.php?t=288446

The Japanese file is in the second post. Yes, you would have to restart your game, but worth keeping in mind for next time.

[gilf]

Good luck

As to Indonesia, though, they're not a good puppet, since they're made up of islands and build no transports\escorts, so other than their "main" island (where their capitol is) u'll get nothing

[Hardraade]

Can't wait to see how things work out. Good Luck!

[Vanguard44]

Aw balls. reformat = no save. suxx.