Downfall: The Empire's Last Stand

[CaptRobau]

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Scenario: Operation Downfall: Invasion of Japan
Difficulty: Very hard/Furious
Version: ARMA 1.2
Style: Narrative

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My third AAR, which will hopefully be more epic in scale and a significant evolution in my writing style. I'll be playing as Japan (unless the AI doesn't put up a fight) but it will be more of a character-based than a gameplay AAR. The goal is of course survival (anything else is sort of impossible ). Contrary to my previous AARs this one will contain multiple characters (both major and minor) in an effort to show all aspects of the Empire's last stand. If necessary for the story Soviet or Allied characters might appear as well.

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[volksmarschall]

Great cover art!

Well, I can't wait for this then I must say. I wish you luck in your role as Japan, and in your hope for a new writing style. I simply can't wait!

 

[Striker475]

oh sweet.

 

[Ksim3000]

I'm onboard for this! Enjoyed both your Ardennes and North Africa games.

 

[Xesan]

May the Sun burn the American invaders
good luck

 

[Kurt_Steiner]

That if a black sun doesn't burn Japan first...

 

[unmerged(80988)]

Can't wait for the first update! This will be epic if the AI tries actually to do something.

 

[Beladriel]

As far as I remember, Allied AI does nothing. But if it actually does, the game will be epic.

 

[Enewald]

Pretty picture!

 

[Nathan Madien]

As far as I remember, Allied AI does nothing. But if it actually does, the game will be epic.

Yeah, that sucks. You almost have to beg the enemy to attack you.

I am looking forward to what develops.

 

[CaptRobau]

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On December 7th, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched a surprise attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, effectively declaring war on the United States of America. Almost four years later they would be on the retreat, their enemies approaching from all sides. Its allies in the west had fallen and Japan now stood alone against the full might of the United Nations.

May 26th, 1945
Imperial Palace, Tokyo

Emperor Hirohito of Japan​

Emperor Shõwa, also known as Hirohito, was reading situation reports in his chambers when suddenly the piercing howl of an air raid siren cut through the calm summer morning. The emperor jumped up from his chair and ran outside. Standing on the veranda he could see a large swarm of bombers approaching from the harbor. He turned around when he heard the click-clack of boots on the wooden deck. It was his aide, flanked by two members of the Imperial Guard.

“Your highness, we have to get you to safety immediately!” the aide said while quickly bowing. The emperor nodded and followed his aide to an adjacent building which contained which contained an air raid shelter. The four men ran across the large courtyard to the shelter, which was no more than a hundred yards away. Suddenly a large roar tore through the air as the first bombs exploded nearby. They kept on running and the emperor could see large balls of fire rising from the residential district directly south of the palace. The Americans had been fire-bombing Tokyo for months and much of the city lay in ashes but they had never bombed the palace. This time they were getting awfully close.

Section of the city that has been bombed​

They had almost reached the building when Hirohito caught a glimpse of something. Time seemed to slow down. Hirohito could see that it was a bomb falling, spinning wildly in all directions. The bomb hit the building they were running towards and burst into a big ball of fire. The shockwave picked up the four men and threw them on the ground.

For a moment they lay dazed on the ground. Hirohito’s spectacles lay in front of him, the glasses cracked. His mind quickly cleared up again and with the help of one of the guards he got back on his feet. While they ran to safety he looked around, but all he could see were blurry fireballs all rising up in the air all around them.

While the American bomb crews had been told not to target the Imperial Palace, one bomber had gone slightly of course and dropped the remainder of his payload not on the residential district but over the Imperial Palace. Like the rest of Tokyo, the Imperial Palace was for the most part constructed out of wood. Within minutes much of the palace hit by the firebombs had burned down to the ground, before the fire fighters even arrived.

The palace before the bombing​

An hour later, Emperor Hirohito was safely standing in one of lower areas of the palace grounds, a garden surrounded by a large moat. The empress, who had survived as well, was holding onto his arm. Their children were sitting in the grass in front of them. They were all watching the Imperial Palace burn to the ground, despite the best efforts of the Tokyo fire department.

“Your majesty,” the emperor heard behind him. The couple turned around to face General Yoshijirō Umezu, Chief of the Imperial Japanese Army. “I came as soon as I heard,” the general said. “I hope you’re all fine?” he asked in a worriedly. The emperor replied that they were all fine. Umezu approached the emperor and asked: “Might I speak with you alone, your majesty?”

Hirohito told his family to leave and together the two men walked around the garden. Umezu said: “As you know we’ve been building an underground headquarters in the mountains near Nagano. I implore you to relocate to Matsushiro. It is not safe here anymore. I beg you your majesty, for your family’s sake.”

Hirohito had feared this might come. General Umezu had requested him to relocate to the Matsushiro twice before and both times Hirohito had turned him down. He heared he might lose control to the military completely.
The emperor stopped and looked at the burning palace. But this time he had no choice. He would have to relocate to Matsushiro.

 

[Enewald]

Hmm, another military coup incoming?
Avenge the deaths of all Japanese!

 

[Xesan]

Emperor - Deploy the Robots!
Roger Roger!

 

[Viden]

Suscribed!

 

[Kurt_Steiner]

I played this scenario, twice by the way, and I got frustrated in the very beginning. Let's see what I learn with Robau.

 

[Quanto]

I do say, I truly wonder how he'll be able to win this. I haven't tried it myself, but it never looked easy.

 

[Beladriel]

I do say, I truly wonder how he'll be able to win this. I haven't tried it myself, but it never looked easy.

AI does nothing, so it will be easy.

 

[CaptRobau]

I just updated the first two posts with updated text and pictures as I wasn't completely happy with it yet. Nothing that warrants a reread but I think the new readers while find it a bit more readable.

Also be ready for an update tomorrow. All I can say is that it will involve an atomic bomb but I don't think it'll be something you'll expect.

 

[Yoshino]

Matsushiro Daihonei! :rofl:
I want to look at Imperial last battles(or Allied last battles).

 

[CaptRobau]

July 16th, 1945
Alamogordo Bombing Range, New Mexico

The Trinity test site​

Robert Oppenheimer was pacing through the control room. It would be mere minutes before “the gadget” would be detonated. The Trinity test was crucial for the Manhattan Project. The army wanted a nuclear bomb as soon as possible and bomb Japan into surrender. As head of the project he carried all the responsibility, something he wasn’t so happy with at the moment.

The nuclear device had been hoisted up to the top of the test tower and was ready for detonation. In the control room the final countdown had already begun. Robert looked around one last time as everyone put on their goggles.

“3, 2, 1…Fire.”

A few feet from Robert one of the physicists pushed a button that would detonate the bomb. Everyone held their breath. And then… Nothing. The gadget did not fire. It was a dud. Robert silently cursed. He looked at Brig. Gen. Farrell who has standing next to him. He didn’t look happy.

“Guess it’s back to drawing boards,” Oppenheimer said before walking away. “Looks like you won the bet Johnson,” he said to one of the scientists. After three years of development a result such as this was like a punch in the gut.

The failed test was caused by a design problem that wasn’t spotted until months after the test. By then the project had been set back enough that an amphibious invasion of the Home Islands was given priority. Operation Downfall was on the table again.