So despite my other initial planes, I've decided to choose Japan for my first game. I know we already have an AAR about it, but I'd still like to give some of my impressions, since my game is slightely different then Singleton's. Also his AAR got a bit long and I'd like to be more brief. Not everyone wants to read so much when we've got some politics to attend to 
-First of all I must say that the slow westernization through little events trading research for militancy is great idea. They stress out the outside influence without any complicated system. I was basically able to become civilized just thanks to them and two or three events giving prestige. All in 1852.
-The process of westernization brought several quite strong waves of reactionary uprising. Nothing dangerous, but big enough to keep me entertained and the theoretical threat of like 300 brigades rising at once was kind of sceary
-When I overcome that troubles and become GP by annexing Korea in 1861, I had peacful times. New technologies brought wealth that quickly made everyone content. Since then I had just few tiny Jacobins uprisings to promote democracy. Must be really hard being a democrat in absoluti monarchy with 60% of con+reac upper house. Really, this is one of the best advances since Vicky, where rebels were almost impossible to vanquish. Can you imagine having total dictatorship there in 1870 without any risk of uprising at all and with reasonble taxes and no social reforms, while the most wanted reform is landed voting with only 3,03% support?
-I'm a bit concerned about the national focus promoting specific industry. Been trying for years to make cappies build basic industry (steel, cement, machine parts) in Osaka and Edo and without success. I only got liquor and artillery in Osaka and still nothing in Edo, where most of my cappies and craftsmen live. On the other hand Aomori got three very profiting factories.
-I sadly can't "colonize" Korea with my bureaucrats. I can't promote immigration since it is on the same continent, so it will be hard to get japanese bureaucrats there.
-Now the real fun begins. 1870 and China declared war on me. I was unprepared, since until recently we've been allies and I got to friendly relations with them. I had only 60.000 men in Korea and they got around 200.000. Some epic battles followed. Like 60.000 chinese (and with artillery!) against 15.000 japanese ending with 40.000 dead chinese and 3.000 dead japanese. I would easily kick their asses, but it looks like they got lucky. One of their generals got IIRC +3 on attack and defence. Ouch...
Nevermind, I will go back to the heat of battle. I hope this will encourage other japanese players to try their luck
EDIT: I also almost went bankrupt in the early years. I taxed my poor strata too much before the invention of freedom of trade. The result was 100% of artisans not meeting their life needs. When I cut it by half, everything became much more stable.
-First of all I must say that the slow westernization through little events trading research for militancy is great idea. They stress out the outside influence without any complicated system. I was basically able to become civilized just thanks to them and two or three events giving prestige. All in 1852.
-The process of westernization brought several quite strong waves of reactionary uprising. Nothing dangerous, but big enough to keep me entertained and the theoretical threat of like 300 brigades rising at once was kind of sceary
-When I overcome that troubles and become GP by annexing Korea in 1861, I had peacful times. New technologies brought wealth that quickly made everyone content. Since then I had just few tiny Jacobins uprisings to promote democracy. Must be really hard being a democrat in absoluti monarchy with 60% of con+reac upper house. Really, this is one of the best advances since Vicky, where rebels were almost impossible to vanquish. Can you imagine having total dictatorship there in 1870 without any risk of uprising at all and with reasonble taxes and no social reforms, while the most wanted reform is landed voting with only 3,03% support?
-I'm a bit concerned about the national focus promoting specific industry. Been trying for years to make cappies build basic industry (steel, cement, machine parts) in Osaka and Edo and without success. I only got liquor and artillery in Osaka and still nothing in Edo, where most of my cappies and craftsmen live. On the other hand Aomori got three very profiting factories.
-I sadly can't "colonize" Korea with my bureaucrats. I can't promote immigration since it is on the same continent, so it will be hard to get japanese bureaucrats there.
-Now the real fun begins. 1870 and China declared war on me. I was unprepared, since until recently we've been allies and I got to friendly relations with them. I had only 60.000 men in Korea and they got around 200.000. Some epic battles followed. Like 60.000 chinese (and with artillery!) against 15.000 japanese ending with 40.000 dead chinese and 3.000 dead japanese. I would easily kick their asses, but it looks like they got lucky. One of their generals got IIRC +3 on attack and defence. Ouch...
Nevermind, I will go back to the heat of battle. I hope this will encourage other japanese players to try their luck
EDIT: I also almost went bankrupt in the early years. I taxed my poor strata too much before the invention of freedom of trade. The result was 100% of artisans not meeting their life needs. When I cut it by half, everything became much more stable.
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