Japan 1933 AAR, (vanilla, normal, Pearl Harbour)

[Kun10kr]

16th December 1942 - 20th December 1942

I increase my intelligence level. It is now at 15, and starts to cost quite much now for each level more, so I will probably wait a bit before I further increase it.

Intelligence report of USA. 27 infantery divisions.

I attack Sakatoon in Canada.

I am being attacked in Macon, so I order 2 MOT divisions from Montogomery to reinforce Macon.

I have managed to encircle a US ARM division. But some of my divisions are low ORG, and Jonesboro is currently undefended.

I meet a US fleet in Mariana Islands, with 1 CV and 2 BBs.

I immediate order support from 2nd fleet in my home islands.

I win the battle at Mariana Islands.

2nd Fleet meet the retreating US fleet.

Victory, and one US BB sunk.

 

[stnylan]

Problem with the US it just takes so long to march across it.

 

[Kun10kr]

20th Decemeber 1942 - 24th December 1942


I am being attacked at Fort Smith, my two almost without org MOT divisions I immidiately retreat to Tulsa.

Victory in defending Macon when two MOT division arrived as reinforcements.

Strategic redeploying two INF divisions that have been defending in South-West USA.

I am moving these two ARM divisions with low org to New Orleans because of better infrastructure there. I think it should help supply efficiency and therefore also help organization regain.

Battle of Kansas City.

Soon winning in Regina.

Victory at Little Rock, but that was because the US ARM division there retreated to Fort Smith to get out of encirclement.

"+0.58" is good org regain. I think it had like "0.4*" in previous province with lower infrastructure.

 

[Kun10kr]

Problem with the US it just takes so long to march across it.

It takes a lot of time. I am like 1 year in now, but still only halfway. Not only the distance, but when doing many battles the divisions tend to run out of org, and then they have like "+0.33" daily org regain, which amounts to 60 days to get 20 org points (my units have something like 48 in total). But, I am planning on doing some landings on the east coast when I get through the Panama Canal with my ships. I was supposed to do it before, but I used my MAR for cleaning up Phillephines and US islands, so they got delayed. When they land, I think it will be really effective. My MAR are now almost full org, so I will attacking Panama pretty soon. I am planning on doing the landings around New York, because of many really high IC provinces that are far away from my other units fighting in USA.

 

[Kun10kr]

24th December 1942 - 10th January 1942

Sending out my main fleet with 6 CVs and 8 BBs out to scout Panama Canal before I send my marines to do naval landing there.

My marines are almost full org now. I will send them pretty soon already, when my main fleet has arrives in Panama.

Attacking Tupelo with 10 divisions against 1 US MOT and 1 HQ. I am wondering if these HQs maybe have some really good bonuses, I only now that HQs improve stacking penalties. I just googled it, and I am going to paste a description in the end of this post.

Rankin Inlet is mine.

Overview of USA. All battlest going good.

Nebraska City is mine.

Sunk 3 US transport ships (without troops).

Fighting the partisans in Juneau.

Putting out garrisons (GAR and MIL) in the South-East Asia islands.

Ouh! Almost lost a carrier.

Overview of front. Being attacked in Nebraska City.

Attack on Minot. Winnipeg which is to the upper right on the picture, is a victory point province of Canada. The rest of their VP-provinces are in the east.

Redeploying the troops that just arrived in USA. Except the two GAR that are going to Pearl Harbour.

Lost Nebraska City.

Sending the two GAR divisions to Pearl Harbour.

HQ bonuses taken from Steam forum post:

"HQ has the following effect (when commanded by a General or Field marshal).

1. For any corps in the same or adjacent province, the combat command limit of any general commanding such a corps is doubled.
This means that if you are conducting an offensive from three provinces into an adjacent enemy province, with a general (can command 9 divisions) participating in the attack in each attacking province, you could normally only attack with 3x9 divisions without running into stacking penalties.

With a HQ in one of the provinces from which you launch the attack (assuming the other two provinces are adjacent), you can now attack with 3x18 divisions without stacking penalties.

Mind you, since most armies haven't a surplus of generals or field marshals, it'll usually be the General with the HQ attacking from one province, supported by Lt. Generals in the adjacent provinces, but you still get to bring 18+12+12 divisions in the attack from that, as opposed to 9+6+6. (Advisory - I don't recall if that's the correct numbers for vanilla Darkest Hour since I play modded.)

And the HQ does not have to participate in the attack, it just needs to chill out under the command of a general in a province that is adjacent to the ones you need the bonus to apply in.

This bonus is most useful on the offensive, since on the defensive the stacking limit is the combined total of all available generals in the province.

2. HQs raise Effective Supply Efficiency. Everyday your division consumes fuel and supplies. Moving fuel and supplies takes TC. The less infrastructure in a province, and the further away from your capitol, the lower the ESE of a province, meaning you need more TC and more supplies and more fuel to keep your divisions running. ESE also affects org regain and attrition - the better the ESE the lower the attrition and the faster the org regain.
If there is at least one HQ (commanded by a ranking general) in an adjacent province, it significantly improves ESE. Useful if you want to minimize the supply/TC impact of a large number of divisions.

Note that there is little reason to have a surplus of HQs - having one active in a province will provide the same bonus to the province it is in and the adjacent one as two or more - if you have multiple HQs you want them evenly dispersed over (or just behind) the frontline to spread their bonuses around.

3. HQs also increase the odds of combat events, the specifics depending on your current doctrines. Combat events (like say "breakthrough", "encirclement", "ambush" etc etc) have various effects on the ongoing combat - you want events to be triggered by your side (as events triggered by the enemy are not beneficial to you), and the HQ increases the odds of that. Also combat events happening increases the odds of generals picking up the (rare) traits further increasing the odds of such events ("blitzer", "encircler", etc).

- On a final note - it pays to have HQs escorted by a couple of divisions of infantry - the AI loves bombing lone HQ divisions on the move, which is expensive. Also I'm pretty sure the HQ division is unable to even put up a fight if it doesn't have at least two friendly divisions with it in combat (but that might not apply to the AI - it tends to love sending HQs on breakthrough exploitation runs because the HQs tend to be fairly fast so as to avoid slowing down armies it is attached to).
You will generally not encounter fortresses sufficiently tough to warrant maxing out your command limit with HQ bonuses with combat divisions, so for ease of management it usually pays to stick the HQ into a combat corps/army rather than keeping it separate. I suggest attaching it onto an otherwise normal infantry corps under the command of a senior officer - this way the HQs will also help you locate the corps with your senior officers.

The TL;DR: HQ is not good for fighting, but it makes it so you can put more divisions into the fight and have them fight slightly better."

https://steamcommunity.com/app/73170/discussions/0/1697168437855544416/

I will definetively use more HQs, and I need to check into this stacking penalty. I did not know, that the combined stacking penalty when attacking from a province is dependable of the rank of the (highest ranked?) officer in that province (if I understood it right). Someone who knows more about this?

That it affect supply efficency is interesting also.

 

[Kun10kr]

14th January 1942 - 19th January 1942

I meet to US destroyers outside Panama, but they immediately retreat.

My marines are almost full org, so I send them out to take Panama.

Finally Panama invasion is underway.

I go further out with my main fleet because I am afraid of naval bombers.

USA intelligence report. Currently they have 30 infantery divisions and 2 ARM.

Two CAV divisions reached Nebraska City and they are under attack. They soon get reinforcements.

Attacking Fort Smith.

Nebraska City is reinforced with 4 more divisions (6 total), but still under heavy attack by 9 US divisions.

Destroyed a US air unit when taking Memphis.

Germany has now advanced through Iran, which was controlled by UK. They are also only a few provinces away from Suez Canal.

Germany intelligence report. My plan is to declare war on them eventually. It will be Barbarossa all over again.

 

[Kun10kr]

20th January 1943 - 28th January 1943

Victory at Nebraska City. Also being attacked at Regina, so I am attacking Winnipeg to support the defense of Regina.

My almost full org ARM is moving east to defend/attack Savannah.

Lost the battle of Regina. Also stopped attacking Winnipeg.

Battle of Nashville.

Winning.

Victory in Nashville.

Savannah is lost but hopefully soon retaken. It will be good to get the armor divisions going.

Being attacked at Gardsen.

I am strategic redeploying 4 INF divisions that have been defending against UK in Persia/Iran. It will take several months for the troops to reach the USA, but if the fight drags on I want them there.

Transporting 2 INF divisions from Pearl Harbour to Los Angeles.

Victory at Gardsen.

Battle of Augusta.

A second MIL joins the never ending battle against the partisans in Anchorage.

To help out defend Minot, I attack Fargo from Bismarck with 2 MTN divisions.

Not good that my naval bases are being bombed.

Victory in defending Nebraska City.

I retreat from Fort Smith to Tulsa with 2 CAV divisions.

 

[stnylan]

The US really wanted Nebraska for some reason.

 

[Kun10kr]

The US really wanted Nebraska for some reason.

It was a long fight yes.

It has been a bit tiring fighting in US now, the progress is slow, and many of my units has had low organization. Most of my units are also stuck in the middle of USA. They still have over 400 IC, and are still a big threat if the war goes on for years.

 

[Kun10kr]

28th January 1943 - 14th February 1943

Since I can't do naval landing directly into Panama Canal (which is controlled by USA) from this side of it, I need am declaring was I am declaring war on the country Panama. I am doing naval landing in San Jose de David, which is undefended, with 10 Marines.

Overview of South-East USA. Trying to encircle a US division in Savannah with attacking Charlston from Augusta with two Motorised divisions.

Attacking Winnipeg again, and this time I bring more troops to the battle.

Succeded defending Minot. Victory in attacking Fargo also, but two more US divisions showed up, so still fighting there.

Victory in Winnipeg.

+2 dissent from Soviet Union doing a smear campaign against me. Looking forward to invade them!

I choose to do the decision "Invest in National Infrastructure" to get rid of the +2 dissent. This because my TC (transport capacity) is a bit to low.

My Marines have landed in Panama, and are attacking Balboa (Panama Canal). Soon I can get my ships through to east coast of USA.

Since my naval base is being bombed in Osaka, I move my fleet from it ports into Nagoya, because Nagoya has level 10 anti-aircraft guns.

And then disaster! There are some US subs waiting outside the port and my badly damaged (new) carrier gets sunk!

The US division in Savannah is encircled. But I am being attacked in Augusta. I am doing attacks again both Atlanta and Greenville to help out my units in Augusta.

I attack the partisans that retreated to Valdez.

Won the battle of Balboa. But still 21 days before my Marines reach there.

Won the battle for Atlanta.

More militia with MP brigades are produced.

Suez Canal could soon be German.

Defeat in Nebraska City. The divisions have to retreat to Denver.

Attacking Sioux Falls.

Rocket Engine just completed researching. Next up I am researching "Interceptor 1942".

I am going to invest quite heavily into aircrafts. I now have 2x4 interceptors, but I need many more. I am also going to research multi-role fighters. Then make quite many of both interceptors and fighters.

For bombers I am going for close-air-bombers as I read they become a lot better for ground support that tactical bombers in the later years. I am also thinking to make strategic bombers if I can find the IC for it.

Two more units reached Nebraska City before the US forces had arrived there, and they managed to stop the US attack.

Victory in Nashville.

 

[Kun10kr]

15th February 1943 - 28th February 1943


Could the US surrender be here? I will never be in such a good position to beat them again, so I choose total conquest.

And nothing happens.



Just finished researching "Strategic Destruction Doctrine" and went on to research the next technology down that tree.

I had some empty transports at Majuro doing nothing, and now they got bombed by USA. Two ships got sunk.

More partisans rising up in US.

My three remaining transport ships at Majuro got sunk.

Overview of front in North-Mid USA.

Balboa (Panama Canal) is mine.

Overview of the partisans in Alaska and North-West Canada.

New garrisons are ready for deployment.

I am declining the peace offer from Panama.

Being attacked at Nashville, so I am attacking both Louisville and Knoxville to help out.

More units are finished producing.

I loose Nebraska City again,

I am attacking the two Panama divisions in Ciudad De Panama. I am not going to move their and occupy the province, only crush the two divisions there as they have no place to retreat.

I am rebasing one interceptor wing of 4 squadrons to Miami, as I am going to rebase my naval fleets there.

 

[stnylan]

The battles of Nebraska are ongoing I see.

I suppose one should view the USA war as a foretaste of what one should expect when it comes to fight the USSR.

 

[Aniknk]

Total conquer. I respect this!

 

[serutan]

They still have over 400 IC, and are still a big threat if the war goes on for years.

But haven't you cut off a lot of their resources, especially rares and oil?

 

[Kun10kr]

The battles of Nebraska are ongoing I see.

I suppose one should view the USA war as a foretaste of what one should expect when it comes to fight the USSR.

Battles for Nebraska are still going on yes. My forces that have managed to arrive there had to retreat every time.

Foretaste like in a huge country to invade? I think USSR, because they lost the war to Germany, and therefore are not that big of a nation anymore, not will be that difficult to overcome.

I only need to take their victory point provinces before annexing, and they are all (except one to the east next to my border) placed inside the cirlce I made in this picture.

Sending my mobile forces in there to take the provinces I think the war should be over in a few months. I am planning on attacking Germany in the spring of 1945, and I need to take out USSR before I can do so.


Soviet Union intelligence report. 104 divisions, I can bring more to the attack.

 

[Kun10kr]

Total conquer. I respect this!

Nice! My goal is to conquer the whole world. Japan has really good manpower pool I have to say. Still almost 5000 manpower in the pool. And in the USA war, there har not even been that big manpower losses.

But haven't you cut off a lot of their resources, especially rares and oil?

I have probably cut them off their resources quite good. But they still have 389 IC, and they should then also have enough resources to fuel that IC? Otherwise they would get less IC? But it could be they run out of oil, but I guess not yet since I recently took (some of) their oilfields.

Here is a picture showing the victory point provinces in USA and Canada I still need to conquer.

 

[Kun10kr]

26th February 1943 - 30th February 1942

I am rebasing my main combat fleet, and my long range naval landing fleet, to Miami.

At least my interceptors have good organization regain.

I am putting them on Air Scramble around Miami.

I redeploy two infantery divisions to Greenville.

Transporting one milita division from San Diego to Balboa for protection.

I stop these two attacks as I was not winning them.

Transporting some more milita to defend islands in South-East Asia / Oceania.

Overview of front. I also decline peace offer from Peru, and to give a province to Soviet Union.

Destroyed the two Panama divisions in Ciudad de Panama. I stop attacking into Ciudad de Panama, as I want to keep it in enemy hands if I need to transfer troops, with ships, from west coast USA to east coast USA, without losing organization (doing amphibious assaults makes the divisions keep organization).

In fight with partisans in North-West Canada.

I am trading some supplies for money, as I want to keep my money reserve up.

Doing some more deals also. Giving me 2600 more money at the price of 11 000 supplies.

Defeat in keeping Fargo after I took it.

Two new divisions arrived to Fargo, and this time they managed to defend the province.

Attacking Springfield with total of 11 divisions.

 

[stnylan]

These updates are really capturing the sense of grind

 

[Kun10kr]

These updates are really capturing the sense of grind

Yeah. It is slow progress. Sucks to fight full org US divisions with my half org divisions. I am hoping the naval landings into east coast USA will turn the tide a bit.

 

[Kun10kr]

1st March 1943 - 9th March 1943

My fleets are finally on the other side of Panama Canal.

Got +10 infastructure in four provinces.

Doing another "Invest in National Infrastructure" as my TC load is almost at 100%.

Victory in Louisville. Also doing great in the battle of Springfield.

Victory in the battle for Springfield.

After rebasing in Miami I move my fleets back to Panama Canal to pick up my marines so they can do naval landings around Washington.

Nebraska City is being attacked again.

Succeded in defending Nebraska City when 2 CAV divisions also arrived there. Also got "Theoretical Breakthrough - Secret Weapon" giving me the possibility to research "Basic Rocket Interceptor" and "Improved Rocket Interceptor".

Retreating from Des Moines that I just captured.

I can do a slider change, but there are no changes I want to do anymore, so I toggle of the reminder.

The 4 MOT divisions that just reached Lousville are being attacked.

I retreat them to Nashville immdiately.