Hello, I'm new to Victoria2, and I've been having a blast with this game. Started as Belgium, the USA, then Prussia, now getting a little more adventurous and going with Japan. After a decade or so into the game, I've noticed a few problems in playing Japan, and I'd like the forum's advice on how to solve them.
1. Lack of naval supplies: With the westernization by conquest mechanic in place it makes sense to invade other countries to get Western reforms faster. The problem? You're on an island with 1 ship, and usually not even enough supplies to take care of that. After 1838 there is a chronic lack of clippers that usually persists until like the 1850's, which is a problem if you're trying to get off an island. I've found the only way to counteract this, is to conquer somewhere ASAP. I build 3 more clippers with what I have in stock, build 4 irregular infantry, and justify war from day 1, usually with either Borneo or Jahore. And then I ush my troops there, rush my ships back and let them rest in port attritioning to 5% health, and accept the fact that the 12,000 irregulars sent to conquer Johore/Borneo will likely be staying there as colonial guards in the near future
2. Infamy limit: The first time I played Japan, I tried justifying war against Korea after conquering both Jahore and Borneo, but that got me over the infamy limit and Korea and the Netherlands promptly declared a war of containment on me. The problem is that conquest costs so much infamy to do. Conquering two countries seems to be about the limit. Does simply humiliating nations give research, or do I have to take land?
3. A lack of allies: The only ally I found as Japan was China. That's it. When I'm an unciv, none of the GPs want to ally me, and by the time I westernize, I have so much infamy no one wants to ally me, and I became a GP quickly, and I was te odd man out. Everyone except the US had GP allies, and the US wasn't interested. The problem is that the Dutch eye Jahore and Borneo hungrily, and I'm worried about the UK eventually trying to eat my soul.
1. Lack of naval supplies: With the westernization by conquest mechanic in place it makes sense to invade other countries to get Western reforms faster. The problem? You're on an island with 1 ship, and usually not even enough supplies to take care of that. After 1838 there is a chronic lack of clippers that usually persists until like the 1850's, which is a problem if you're trying to get off an island. I've found the only way to counteract this, is to conquer somewhere ASAP. I build 3 more clippers with what I have in stock, build 4 irregular infantry, and justify war from day 1, usually with either Borneo or Jahore. And then I ush my troops there, rush my ships back and let them rest in port attritioning to 5% health, and accept the fact that the 12,000 irregulars sent to conquer Johore/Borneo will likely be staying there as colonial guards in the near future
2. Infamy limit: The first time I played Japan, I tried justifying war against Korea after conquering both Jahore and Borneo, but that got me over the infamy limit and Korea and the Netherlands promptly declared a war of containment on me. The problem is that conquest costs so much infamy to do. Conquering two countries seems to be about the limit. Does simply humiliating nations give research, or do I have to take land?
3. A lack of allies: The only ally I found as Japan was China. That's it. When I'm an unciv, none of the GPs want to ally me, and by the time I westernize, I have so much infamy no one wants to ally me, and I became a GP quickly, and I was te odd man out. Everyone except the US had GP allies, and the US wasn't interested. The problem is that the Dutch eye Jahore and Borneo hungrily, and I'm worried about the UK eventually trying to eat my soul.
