I await the next update with excitement. I really love the style of the AAR. It does not have much text but it still has an atmosphere, which is impressive.
-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
I've got to stop reading AARs for games that I don't own. I'll go broke if I don't
I know how it is! I'm lucky that Paradox games are about the only ones that I really enjoy. I had fun with IL-2 a few months ago, and Silent Hunter, but I always go back to the Paradox games. Partly because of the draw of the community and the fun people.Welcome, OSS Spy!
A tactical defeat, but a strategic victory for Japan. Your territory wasn't expanded, but you've removed the influence of the vile Russians, and can now push your country to the limits to ensure you receive both a strategic and tactical victory in the next war.
Exactly as I see it! I'm looking forward to coming years. Thanks!
Welcome, Olvirki! Thanks for the kind comments! I do enjoy doing my AARs this way. Keeps it moving.
Another update sometime in the next 1-3 days I expect.
Thanks for reading!
Rensslaer
What a coincidence! Those are nearly the only other games besides Paradox's that I play (with exception to Civilization).
In August, 1863, Japan took stock of itself, in the wake of its exhausting, but pride-swelling war with Russia, one of the Great Powers of the barbarian west.
Liberals, Socialists and Anarchists now made up 15% of the Daimyo – an astonishing number, considering how conservative the Japanese were. Fortunately, the Liberals and Socialists were on opposite sides of the political spectrum, and Conservatives and Reactionaries still held not only all the power, but most of the confidence of the Emperor (who was known to have voiced pro-liberal views on occasion – usually when he was thinking about technology or modernization projects).
There were even rumored to be a large concentration of Jacobins within the population, in pockets where the people had been corrupted by the ideas of the westerners. It was our understanding that the Jacobins of France had murdered their Emperor and sliced the heads off of their enemies, so this was a movement we were determined to root out and crush.
We were just barely able, now that the war was over, to balance our Imperial Budget, without impossible taxes upon our population. The Emperor was happy that our Administration and Education Budgets were high. That was how we would become a major nation, he said.
Indochina was still teeming with Western soldiers, who seemed intent on causing as much misery as they could to the local populations. Would there be any countries of Asia left to stand with Japan against the barbarians, if this went on much longer? We would prefer, of course, not to partner with the Chinese – that might well prove to be an anchor chain on our foot, and we might well become with them as the Russians would have had us. Inferior and obedient. Arrogant Chinese.
Finally, in May of 1864, the turmoil and killing was done. France annexed most of Dai Nam as her new colonial territory, gaining a foothold that much closer to our homeland.
We decided we could not, probably, treat all Europeans as equally bad. Since the French and British seemed to be rivals, of a sort, and since British India and Singapore were further from Japan than the new French territory, we chose to become more friendly with them. We also improved our relations with the United States, which seemed to have rejected some of the ideas of European barbarism and set up an independent country of their own. They seemed no threat to us, especially since they seemed to be involved in some sort of civil war.
But the Europeans seemed entirely incapable of keeping their hands off of Asian territories, no matter who they were. The British declared war on China, again, in September of 1864. Their war would concentrate, again, in the far hills of western China. But the Dutch were able to seize the Portuguese colony at Macao. So now a relatively benign neighbor, Portugal, was replaced by a country that already held enormous portions of the spice islands far south of Japan.
We began to wonder if, perhaps, it might be better for us to conquer the vulnerable parts of Asia before the Europeans got around to it. We have been increasing the size of our army and navy. Ostensibly to defend Japan’s shores against these foreign enemies. But an army can be used for different purposes, also. And perhaps they would benefit from some combat experience outside of Russia, in a more controlled environment.
Quickly, by October of 1865 (a year after the start of the war), the British had ripped yet another chunk out of China’s western lands. The Chinese Emperor, perhaps wisely, used this second humiliation as the occasion to try to unify his remaining lands more fully, by ceasing centuries of distrust and hatred between major population groups.
As if they could not help themselves, with idle hands, the Europeans – the French again – soon started another war in Asia. Siam was their target – the ancient southern kingdom. Britain had already supped on part of their country. Now, we feared, the rest would fall, which would solidify French presence in Asia.
The closer the Europeans came to full involvement in Asia, the stronger the voices of those who wanted to conquer became, and the more confused our internal debates about whether it was either wise or honorable.
In the summer of 1866, we achieved a tremendous advantage against our primitive neighbors, which only increased the volume of such debates. Korea or even China could not hope to stand up against us now, with our western-style weapons! We immediately began forming elite units of soldiers, called “guards”, as is the western habit.
And yet, the Emperor still counseled caution. The task of modernization still had some ways to go. Our increasing communication with the Americans had convinced him that we needed to embrace a more benign level of respect toward our own population – to respect “the rights of man”, he said. This, he added, would bring us closer to the level of sophistication of the foreigners – taking the best, and rejecting the worst, of their nature. (Naturally, Rights of Man is important also because it’s part of the Westernization requirements, and helps trigger the Meiji Restoration event).
In August of 1867, the Emperor made his move against the Shogun and the Daimyo. He put forward that his full imperial powers over the shogun were to be respected, and it would have been an insult toward the Emperor (normally expected to be silent in overt matters) to refuse. The court approved the document, and Emperor Mutsohito became Emperor, in truth as well as in symbol.
He immediately purged the Shogunate faction from the Daimyo, replacing them with members who pledged support to the Emperor. The Imperialist Faction was not as reactionary as the Shogunate Faction had been, and more open to change and modernization.
The word went forth that we would begin building factories, as the Europeans did. The first would produce Luxury Clothes. Some Capitalists came forward, and said that to support the Emperor in his vision, they would produce two Glass Factories. Soon, more were planned – at government expense, and private – including a Lumber Mill, two Canned Food Factories, and more Luxury Clothes Factories. Sometimes the Emperor questioned the wisdom of choices made by the Capitalists, but it was their money – far be it from him to dictate business decisions to them. The Emperor also called upon the people to prepare to leave their farms or mines and work in these factories.
Before long, we had implemented mechanized mining processes, and our coal and iron ore production improved. The Emperor also emphasized improvements to our navy – embracing western ideas of how to organize and operate our ships. Eventually, we would be able to build ships like the Russians had.
The transformation of our industry had resulting transformations on the opinions of the people and the new Daimyo, in 1868, reflected this, in small part. Conservatives, who had always enjoyed a clear majority, were now reduced to just 54% of the body, while Socialists and Liberals both gained.
And yet, even as we reveled in the heady changes that were metamorphosing our country into a modern Asian image of the European states, we were reminded once more just how critical this process was.
If we did not modernize rapidly enough, the will of the Europeans would be imposed upon us. And that hurried our steps and quickened our minds to our tasks.
Wow, I've never seen France go for Indochina in vanilla before.
With the Emperor now fully pushing for the creation of modern armies and industries, it is only a matter of time before the Europeans bow before the might of Japan, and bestow it upon its rightful place among the Great Powers
With the Emperor now fully pushing for the creation of modern armies and industries, it is only a matter of time before the Europeans bow before the might of Japan, and bestow it upon its rightful place among the Great Powers
The Emperor is right, the only way that east Asia will effectively resist European aggression is through an activist Japan extending its influence. Korea will be an obvious beneficiary of Japanese 'protection', but perhaps the Empire should first turn to Indochina and halt the French advance?
It looks that finally the leadership of Japan understood that they have the duty of """"""protecting"""""" East Asia of the dreaded Nanban. Actually it would be a pretty logic result of the chain of events you have in your game, especially the tie with Russia: you can read it either as a moral victory or as a shameful stop before achieving the desired war goal...
On game, it would be probably the best idea to go historically and grab Korea first. It is close and it has a lot of resources that you will need, besides giving you a springboard towards both Russia ( after they get Vladivostok ) and China. But more important than that is to westernise fast...
On game, it would be probably the best idea to go historically and grab Korea first. It is close and it has a lot of resources that you will need, besides giving you a springboard towards both Russia ( after they get Vladivostok ) and China. But more important than that is to westernise fast...
"In for a penny...". Now that Japan is modernizing and collecting key allies, some territorial expansion to serve as a buffer against the big bad French may be in order.
So be it , you modernized in time , and the evil French and British are conquering more and more of Asia!
Well, that war with Russia ended not a moment too soon; not only they were #2, I also wonder if they got some key military advancement towards the end of the war... I agree with Ricardo on this, I'd go for Korea first, decent resources and a good buffer/beach head later against Russia and China.
That's pretty cool. And it is an interesting coincidence. We probably both prefer pretty significant realism in our games.
Wow, I've never seen France go for Indochina in vanilla before.
With the Emperor now fully pushing for the creation of modern armies and industries, it is only a matter of time before the Europeans bow before the might of Japan, and bestow it upon its rightful place among the Great Powers
Well, I imagine I will eventually become a Great Power, if I don't get crushed first, as Japan did historically. But the path there will be interesting! I'll respond to the Indochina thing below...
Yay, it's here!
Yaay!
That was a fun movie -- I should look that up again. Not particularly historically accurate, was it? I didn't look into it very fully. The themes of that movie are definitely present here, though!Indeed. I have some thoughts on what you say, but I'd ruin the suspense if I explained, so...
I think I concluded (both as a gamer, and as a role-played Japanese commander in chief) that future battles with Russia would only result in more losses. I was at the end of my manpower -- I couldn't really bring any more troops to bear, and the ones on the scene weren't likely to turn things around. I could have mobilized (I did not earlier because it was my judgment that the Japanese, not knowing what a threat the Russians really were -- thinking of them, in fact, as powerful bullies, but certainly not as a "great power"), but it would have been a little late in the game to do so, and it didn't seem like that was what the Japanese commanders would have done at the time. They'd achieved their goal, and figured they could get Sakhalin later.
Westernize.... Yes! Westernize quickly!
I mean, in game terms I -am- "Westernized" now, and am darn near to being a Secondary Power (#17), but I know what you mean. Indeed, and there are some who would recommend that. Again, I shouldn't say too much, for fear of giving away the next update, so...
On the subject of the French, though, I'm more concerned that doing anything to rescue hapless SE Asia at this point would simply put an unprepared Japan in the path of the French steamroller. My goal, instead, is to see that Japan is ready before the steamroller hits OUR shores!
It's quite awesome to watch the British and French (and others) roll forward like this, toward me. In my only other full V2 game this didn't really happen because I made sure it didn't. And my V1 games were mostly as the power who wanted to seize as much of Asia as possible in this very manner. Looking at it from the wrong end of that loaded barrel is quite breathtaking!
King5000 mentioned that too! I haven't played enough full games to know, and my time in the V2 beta was so thoroughly distracted by finding bugs and writing the Manual and Strategy Guide that I never made it far enough into a game to see any such trend. In I Am Siam, of course, I made sure Asia's vulnerable underbelly was protected, because.... I WAS IT!
So it's interesting to hear folks say that. I wonder if the latest V2 vanilla patch did something to fix that.You know, I hadn't thought about that, but you're probably right. It didn't seem like it was JUST the 30,000 troop army, or my not being in the mountains anymore. It seemed like something had subtly changed in the way the battles were turning out. They might easily (reasonably -- almost inevitably) have gotten an advancement during the last part of the war. Surely their daily Research Points are much higher than my own.
Thanks, everybody, for your readership, and especially for your comments! Anyone else reading this who hasn't spoken up yet?
I was playing this morning, and ran into another key test, down the road a ways. Should be fun when we get there!
Another update hopefully tomorrow or the next day. I just put out an update for Imperio Novo, and BOY was that a difficult update to write (like announcing baseball with two men on each base, with people leaving and returning to bases, etc. lol). So now this one is next up on deck (or maybe a quick Sforza update -- those are quick to produce).
Rensslaer
p.s. Also, don’t forget AARLand’s community newspaper, out new this week! Includes an interview with… well, with me!
After the Meiji Restoration, and the beginning of Japanese mass productive industry, we decided our top priority should be to advance our naval powers. We wanted those smoking ships the Russians had!
Our first step was to build some modern naval bases, and we learned how to do that (Post-Nelsonian Thought) and began construction. These would allow us to repair our ships, rather than allow them to deteriorate over time.
And once that was achieved, we wanted to be able to create modern shipyards – a factory, of sorts, for these ships. We also developed factories (1869 – Small Arms Production) for modern muzzle-loaded rifles (we’ve heard rumors that the Europeans have new rifles that load differently, but it’s unclear exactly how that could be).
Even before the end of 1869, we skip to the next challenge – understanding this “steam engine” technology of the westerners, and producing the right machinery and methods to build our own steam engine ships at our new shipyards. This will take longer to develop, but there’s no sense wasting our time building new sailing ships when that is the way of the past. Japan must enter the modern age very quickly, in order to be able to compete.
Our armies were one thing – they would have to be made more powerful, with new weapons developed, and new tactics learned and understood. But if we could empower our navy to keep foreign invaders from our shores, Japan would not have to have the horror of barbarian soldiers in our fields and cities!
This was the way of Japan, which has been strongly protected by the gods, who have turned our enemies’ ships to matchsticks on the high seas before they ever got to our lands. It must happen again, or Japan would come to grief.
We begin encouraging the richest and most prominent members of our society to go into industrial business by themselves, starting their own factories, from which they could profit. This is one of the most important ways of the Europeans, we understand.
Our artisans, naturally, have been producing clothing for thousands of years. But these Capitalists seem to prefer to make luxury clothing. With our industry just starting, Artisans, of course, still produced most of the manufactures of the country, plus the farmers and miners producing raw materials. Even with the new factories, Artisans produced more luxury clothing than the new shops did. Glass was becoming more industrially made. But only cut lumber turned out to be produced more finely and in much greater quantities through our industrial mills.
Our more militant court members were still urging war with Korea, in order to get more people and raw materials under the Emperor’s domain, and to help us in wars. It was true, Japan would probably gain from such a war. But the Emperor was hesitant. What if Russia attacked again? Plus, gaining Korea would cause the Chinese to lose face, and they might not appreciate that.
We were not sure how we would do in a war with the great middle kingdom. They were less advanced than we, now, but definitely more numerous. Those numbers could overwhelm us. The Emperor was conflicted. Was this the way forward for Japan?
He was additionally concerned when he was told that the Spanish – the same country which already held the Philippine Islands – had gained a foothold in the Mariana Islands. That would have been prime expansion territory for Japan!
Time was running out, the Emperor concluded. If there was going to be anything left for Japan, it would have to be taken now. He approved the war plan against Korea.
And then…
The Japanese people were enraged over this insult to our territorial rights. The Russians had no business scouting in southern Hokkaido. And their excuses were impossible to believe. They had already taken the Kuril Islands, which, again, were traditionally populated by Japanese fishermen and whalers. Now Russia claimed them, and were sending whalers there.
It was all too much. Against his better judgment, the Emperor was swayed by his own anger, and the outrage of members of his court. He changed the plans for an invasion of Korea, and ordered that plans be made to invade Russia instead.
This time we had the numbers to beat them decisively before their larger armies could arrive from their recent war with Bukkhara (another of those hill tribes, though no one knew quite where this place was).
Our goal would be to take, ideally, both Okhotsk, its defensible mountains, and especially its factories, and Sakhalin Island. If the war went especially well, we would also claim Etorfu and the rest of the Kuril chain.
Even as we prepared our forces, France declared war upon Spain. Perfect! Two of our potential enemies would keep themselves occupied warring with each other, instead of threatening Japan, while we humiliated another of their brothers.
Happily, there were no Russian armies guarding their Pacific coast. What hubris! How ignorant of them, and how dismissive. We would teach them to respect Japan! It would be excellent ground if we could take those Russian forts, and the Okhotsk mountains, and use them as defensive cover for when their armies arrived from the west.
And this time we would mobilize our population for a large-scale war. Now that we knew what Russia was capable of. We would not be caught off guard without enough troops to hold the line, as we were in the first war.
Our invasion started at the start of October, seven years after the last war ended, opening with a surprise attack upon 9 landing grounds, simultaneously. This war was started entirely on our terms, and would be finished on Japan’s terms.
Placing 50000 samurai's on some mountain top and goading the Russians to dare attack them will certainly lead to their doom as well as a lot of frozen samurai's.
The Emperor is emboldened by Japans rapid progress. Are there any forts in Siberia you can capture and then defend from against the inevitable stacks? An early landing and capture of Sakhalin and the Kurils willl allow your forces to dig in and ramp up the war score while the Russians suffer strait crossing or naval invasion penalties.
If technological progress permits, Korea can be taken far more cheaply (in terms of infamy) in the future.
Good luck, looking forward to seeing how the war goes.
If technological progress permits, Korea can be taken far more cheaply (in terms of infamy) in the future.
Good luck, looking forward to seeing how the war goes.
And of course, smoking kills.
Good luck with the war. Hopefully the Emperor hasn't bitten off more than he can chew.
Bold! Though you should be much readier now than in the previous war... the question is, how much of Siberia will you need to conquer to demand a positive peace offer?