CHAPTER IX: JAPAN
Part 1: Call me Hideyoshi
(1580-1585)
Konnichiwa
Konnichiwa! Welcome,
gaijin scum to our humble nation! For the last 140 years we have been plagued by rogue samurai, ronin, ninja, radioactive monsters and even the occasional mecha, but the shadow over the Chrysanthemum Throne has passed.
We, the Ashikaga, hold the Shogunate as we have for 250 years! So great is our wealth that we can afford three advisors and keep them!
Even the Date (DA-tay) realize their error and kneel to us. In our mercy we've allowed them some autonomy until 1581, at which point the island will once again be whole. We don't have to do a thing but wait.
In 1576 we conquered Ryukyu, whose island shamans held mad dreams of taking over the world. Our other neighbors are Korea and China.
The Joseon of Korea, who take too much pride in having conquered the Manchu, now claim their emperor is superior to ours. We have a mission to deal with this affront by establishing a beachhead on the south.
We have a rivalry and embargo versus the Ming Chinese. They are, of course, decadent and weak, but there is no need to antagonize them. As my grandfather wrote:
When fighting dragons,
Bring soap for them to wash with,
And deodorant.
We cancel the rivalry, but keep the embargo as it's a major factor in our current economic dominance. We will send a diplomat, though, to soothe any ruffled...scales.
Our initial plan was to annex the Date then, rather than go to war, wait for enough Admin to take Exploration Ideas and begin exploring. We are well aware of legends of a far off desert kingdom that warred so much they could not invest in Admin and so could not fight their tribal neighbors.
Alas, it is not to be. Even if all went well, it would be 23 years before we hit Admin-10 and can begin. We will probably not be here. Johan commands us to fight, and fight we shall!
Incorporating Date
As the clock starts we discover the secrets of reiters (Military-10), which opens up new artillery using gunpowder obtained from the Chinese. Due to their ignorance, this makes the peasants uppity so we enforce their place in the celestial order for -25 Admin points.
Fortunately a new generation of samurai are graduating from their clan dojos, samurai who understand more than just ceremony and warfare.
We also send monks to Ryukyu to convince them that animism, where they worship animal spirits, is not nearly as enlightened as Shinto, where we worship the spirits of pretty much everything. They quickly grasp their error and convert in August 1580.
In January 1581 the Date fully join our empire! It is with a heavy heart that we once more conclude colonization will not happen in the near future. That only leaves the repaying of old debts, old insults.
Korean Dinner
Our fleet is larger: 48 ships, including 20 barques securing trade from the Chinese coast. Our army is mighty: 34 regiments to perhaps 19 for Korea. Only our transports are lacking, so the plan is to send 7 regiments at a time, as quickly as we can. The Koreans have 10,000 in their capital and we don't want a contested landing.
It's not.
The Koreans stand still as we declare war in April 1581, land troops in May, and continue reinforcing them through the summer and autumn. Our superior tactics and Imperial pride lead to a wave of innovation good for -5% tech costs until 1586. This, in turn, leads to Diplomacy-9 (Carracks & Caravels), improved naval morale, colonial range, and the chance to eventually renovate our navy.
Their army may be immobile, but at least the Korean navy shows some courage. Battles immediately break out with their trading ships in the South Korean Sea, and we capture one. In October two galleys try to intercept our own trading fleet to their doom.
This will not be a quick war. Perhaps it could be if we were more aggressive and took more risks, but there is nothing to be gained but time. When we successfully landed our entire army on Korean soil the war's result was preordained. It will simply take awhile for the Koreans to realize it.
In January 1582 we grant export licenses to our favored clans for their loyalty in the last few generations of warfare. (-10 Legitimacy, +10% Tax Modifier). Gyeonsang falls in May, leading to yet another naval battle as ships flee port. We capture two and chase the rest into the Yellow Sea.
By August the Koreans finally rallied 17,000 men in their capital. Jeolla falls, and in an attempt to confound us the Koreans move an army to Gyeonsang.
A small army. All artillery. What do you think happened?
We send back the artillery commander's head with a note to let us know when they're serious about defending. By September we take two more provinces and begin hinting about peace, but they're having none of it. We chase their fleet some more.
With both armies free, we set about marching on Gyeoaggi, the Korean capital and engage their army. On a cool day in October they meet our 30,000 with their 17. For once they bloody our army, but not enough. Not nearly enough. They leave 7,400 dead to our 6,000 and flee into the Manchu tundra.
In January 1584 we make a 'diplomatic move', summarily replacing our diplomats for their failure to make the Joseon see reason. (+30 Dip power)
This war, as low intensity as it has been for the most part, has been a chance for our best and brightest to try new ideas. We invest in Innovation Idea-3 (Scientific Revolution) for -5% Tech cost.
Yet, it is written that when everyone grows complacent, that is when a true leader needs to be his most vigilant. So it is when the Korean army reemerges and attacks our northern army in Hwanghae. Our southern army counterattacks forcing them into another unfavorable battle. This time there is no escape: By April 1584 the entire Korean army is either dead, captured, or irrevocably broken.
And
still their ships fight! They never win a battle, but they never surrender as we chase them from port to port. We take the capital in May: They fight. We take Hwanghae in November: They fight and we capture a barque and transport. Their admiral is the only Korean worth fighting. This we tell the Korean emperor, along with sending our demands. The war is already over 3 years old, and we should make sure the Ashikaga profit before the Almighty Johan sends us away!
It is over.
Our army will not go home. There is no need. Instead we set up in southern Korea: Two provinces to be cored, the third to be shown the truth of Shinto and the lies of Confucius. Our diplomats also begin forging a claim on Gangwon, already preparing for the next war. Korea responds by founding a coalition against us: More fool they.
And so we offer our prayers and burn incense to placate Johan, and ask to stay. We cannot fight the Koreans next turn, but we can prepare - and there is always the possibility of a southern adventure.
Johan's Dice
Reign: 5 years
Roll Needed: 2+
Roll: 4
Continue: Yes
Domo arigato.