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Working on the update now, so that will give us something else to talk about :p

The War is going better than anticipated really. So long as Stalin stays quiet I might actually pull this off. :eek:

That's great! All my plans went to the rubbish bin when I started up the game for real. I think I'll try a bit different approach...
 
1937: Fall of Shanxi

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The suddenness of the Second Sino-Japanese War caught the Qing leadership off guard. The Manchukuo Imperial Army had been greatly expanded in preparation for just such an event, but most of these units were reserves, and as such, not at full strength. The existing manpower reserves would not be enough to raise the army to wartime levels either. Because of this, the Army was forced to call in any and all reserves, from across Manchuria. Men from every walk of life were brought into the existing units, while more were raised deep in Manchuria, primarily around Harbin.

These reserves were not the best trained men in the world by any means. What they lacked in training, they made up for in numbers however...while Manchuria on her own would never be able to match the manpower of all the former Qing domains, the amount of fresh troops were nothing to sneeze at. And for being multi-ethnic forces, they worked surprisingly well together...each of the disparate nationalities had something to fight for. Chinese for reunification, Manchus for a return to the Qing Empire, Japanese to support their homeland, and White Russians to liberate the Communist Chinese, as they knew well what communism was like.

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A perfect example of this multi-ethnic force was the 1st Fang'tien Bubing Shi. A typical militia division at first glance, this force was far from average. Lead by a White Russian named Semenov, and formed from several different groups. As the leader indicates, it was a mostly White Russian-lead division. However, the majority of the conscripts in the unit were Han Chinese, with one regiment lead by Manchu officers. And despite this seeming problem with different groups, the division was one of the best in the Qing military, for a militia force.

This was just one division however. Ten were committed to the Reunification, standing alongside Japanese and Menjiang troops. The remainder of the mid-sized Manchukuo Imperial Army stayed on the Soviet border, watching anxiously to make sure that Stalin didn't try something while both the Qing and their 'masters' in Japan were busy.

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Within a couple weeks, the frontline had been pushed back nearly to the Shanxi Clique. The Japanese soldiers brushed aside any resistance, while the slower Qing units moved through the newly conquered territory to the front. Of course...one of the first cities to fall was the old Imperial Capital in Beijing. As they marched to the rapidly fluctuating border with the Republic, Qing soldiers moved through the old city. For the first time since the abortive restoration attempt in 1917, soldiers loyal to Imperial China walked through the Forbidden City. It was an emotional moment for those who were truly loyal to Pu-Yi and his Dynasty.

A small garrison was left behind to prepare the City for the return of the Emperor, whenever the war was finished. The rest of the soldiers continued on, to push the usurper Chinese further away.

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In Lingshan, the first battle between Qing forces and their enemies occurred. Forces loyal to both the Republic and Shanxi Clique attempted to ambush Manchukuo troops as they marched to the front. The Qing army quickly took defensive posts, and fought back fiercely. The battle was a short affair, as the ambushing forces quickly melted away, continuing the front-wide retreat in the face of Japanese and Qing attacks. Republican and Shanxi casualties were far larger than what the Qing suffered in addition to losing more land...300 troops to just 15 of the better trained Manchukuo forces.

If this was what the usurpers could do, this war may not be as difficult as the planers had anticipated.

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The next battle did little to dissolution the Imperial leadership of this opinion. General Semenov lead an assault against Daixian, with his militia supported by cavalry and proper infantry. The three divisions attacked two Republican militia divisions, shattering any defenses thrown in their way. The cavalry battered through forces armed with only a few machine guns...something that wouldn't have been possible against a more prepared or better armed force. And as the horses raided through the rear of the Republican forces, the infantry-backed militia pushed against the shattered defenses.

Artillery and rifle fire hit the scattered Republican defenders, pushing them back...and into the guns of the rampaging cavalry. It was little wonder that the Chinese lines shattered so quickly...as they retreated into Communist territory.

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Manchukuo Imperial Troops at Fangshan.​

However, as Semenov continued to push forward, there was little rest for the Republican forces. Fangshan was only a temporary refuge, as the White Russian general continued to attack. As a logistics master, the forces under his command had no lack of supplies...but the same could not be said of the Republican forces who were not getting enough supplies through the sometimes-hostile Communist territory. United or not, the Republicans and Communists were still highly distrustful of one another...and it was showing in the lack of an organized defense. While Semenov's forces were technically outnumbered, the better supplied forces barely noticed.

Within a week, the first Communist territory had fallen to Qing forces.

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And almost exactly coinciding with that milestone...the Shanxi Clique surrendered. The first of the breakaway Warlords was brought back into the Imperial fold, as Qing forces continued to push the Republicans back with Japanese support. The war was still young...but it was looking like the unification of Qing China was a real possibility...

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Nice! Keep the pressure!
 
You need the Japanese to give you back Beijing so the Imperial Troops could parade down to the Forbidden City and Pu Yi can take up his rightful residence... :p
 
Nice! Keep the pressure!

Thanks! And I'm not giving the Republicans any time to rest ;)

You need the Japanese to give you back Beijing so the Imperial Troops could parade down to the Forbidden City and Pu Yi can take up his rightful residence... :p

Just for that, I'm going to do a post for a parade through Beijing after the war is over :p

In all seriousness though, I won't get Beijing back, technically, until the ROC is history. Though, to be fair I am pretty far down in their heartland currently (I've played a ways past where I stopped the update)...
 
I'm surprised the Japanese have not made any landings down the Chinese coastline yet.

It's Semper Fi. Which is actually good, as TFH China is just bound to fail against Japan.
 
One warlord down, more to come!
But it seems the idea of you annexing what Japan takes doesn't work, probably due to the strip of Japanese land between you and China. Maybe it would've been a good idea to edit that strip out first, in hindsight? It would've probably let you annex the land, right?
 
I'm surprised the Japanese have not made any landings down the Chinese coastline yet.

So am I. Of course, I would probably try myself considering my...experience...with landings behind enemy lines... :p

But I don't have enough spare troops, and no transports so its a long slog through China for me.

It's Semper Fi. Which is actually good, as TFH China is just bound to fail against Japan.

I've actually seen China rally and hold Japan off well into the forties before. Of course, that's against just an AI Japan and AI friends though...

One warlord down, more to come!
But it seems the idea of you annexing what Japan takes doesn't work, probably due to the strip of Japanese land between you and China. Maybe it would've been a good idea to edit that strip out first, in hindsight? It would've probably let you annex the land, right?

I couldn't get rid of that land, or the Japanese AI would have fits trying to get into China unfortunately (yes, I did test that ;) ). That being said, I did get Shanxi a little bit past where I ended this post. So I do get annexed territory, its just Japan has to fully annex someone before they can give me the land.
 
I've actually seen China rally and hold Japan off well into the forties before. Of course, that's against just an AI Japan and AI friends though...

In TFH? I mean, TFH Japan is bound to win, as developers couldn't find any other way for Japan to fight the Pacific war with most of their army tied up in China. SF and FtM are different stories ;)

However, in TFH HPP, China is at least an honorable opponent to Japan.

I couldn't get rid of that land, or the Japanese AI would have fits trying to get into China unfortunately (yes, I did test that ;) ).

Yes, you want to keep this land intact, or Japan spends their forces with garrisoning Korea :sad:
 
In TFH? I mean, TFH Japan is bound to win, as developers couldn't find any other way for Japan to fight the Pacific war with most of their army tied up in China. SF and FtM are different stories ;)

However, in TFH HPP, China is at least an honorable opponent to Japan.

I meant in SF. Still need to get TFH really, but that won't be till I have more spending money and have finished this AAR.
 
1937: Foreign Intervention​

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The fall of the small Shanxi Clique set off alarms in capitals around the world. Nations that had a vested interest in propping up the weak Republican regime and its even weaker Warlord counterparts, began to see a real danger of Japan and Manchukuo toppling the Chinese governments. The first to explicitly begin providing direct aid to Generalissimo Chiang was Great Britain. The decaying British Empire saw real danger in Japan taking China, and began funneling supplies through their colonial holdings in Burma. The so called 'Burma Road' was a major lifeline for the collapsing usurper governments, and a major headache for the Qing leadership. The Republicans and their allies had been collapsing all along the frontline, before the British began supporting them.

Now, the fight got a lot more difficult.

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Chinese soldiers defending their positions.

An indication of the morale and equipment boost the enemy gained was quick to come. Both Yan'an and Shilou were defended by what should have been a motley collection of Republican, Communist and Muslim forces. And yet, both held against Qing offenses. The latter would only hold for about a week, but Yan'an would prove to be a much harder target to crack. Elite garrisons, armed with German and British weapons, held the city and would not give it up easily. The former enemies of the Communists, the Republican Chinese, had the largest number of troops holding Yan'an.

And while the Reds may not have liked the secrets of their extensive fort system being revealed to their bitter foe, they didn't turn away the help. The mountain fortress would not fall easily.

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And the Reds soon received another boost. The Soviet Union, watching the war warily, began to funnel supplies to the various splinter-states. Needless to say, while the Soviet Bear declared neutrality in the war itself, there was a scramble in Manchukuo to get more troops to the border. If the Soviets were willing to supply the usurpers, they would be perfectly willing to overrun the Qing homeland if it came to that. Any new troops were rushed to the border with the Soviets as a result, instead of the fight in China.

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Filled with a sudden desire to end the war as soon as possible, before yet more foreign support came for their enemies, the Manchukuo Imperial Army began an operation to surround Yan'an. If they couldn't take the town in a direct assault, starving the defenders out would have to work. General Semenov, the White Russian Cossack, once again lead an attack. This time, it was against a lesser-defended area to the south-west of Yan'an. Only one Red division and a single Ma headquarters unit defended Zhidan.

Even if the Qing militia were qualitatively inferior, the Communists were disorganized and heavily outnumbered. It only took a day of harsh fighting to force them out, and open a gap in the Chinese lines. A gap that the Manchukuo forces exploited, from both east and west.

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This victory allowed Yan'an to be surrounded on all sides, once again. The fortress would still hold out against probing attacks, but the limited Chinese Air Force was unsuited to supplying the area. And the Qing forces did not let any supply runners through. The goal was to force a surrender, and they were not going to give in, even as desperate attacks came from multiple directions to try and break through to the city.

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As if to taunt Pu-Yi's government, the surrounding of Yan'an merely provoked more intervention from foreign powers. In this case, from across the vast Pacific Ocean. The Americans were watching the war anxiously, with their puppets in the Philippines being very close to what they saw as an expanding Japanese Empire. Unlike the British or Soviets, the United States kept out of overtly supporting either side, and did not send arms and supplies to the Republic and Warlords.

What they did do was attempt to negotiate a peace treaty between the two sides. Unsurprisingly, both the Japanese/Qing leadership and the various Chinese factions flat out refused to agree to a peace treaty. And thus, the war continued on.

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A war that saw a milestone that not even the Republicans had managed. A final attack against demoralized and disorganized garrison forces finally took Yan'an. The fall of the Communist capital was a major morale booster for the tired Manchukuo forces, and allowed a large portion of the army to be redeployed for new offenses, now that there was not a large force sitting in their rear-lines.

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Red: Planned Qing attacks. Orange: Japanese Area of Operations. Green: Qing Area of Operations

With the fall of Yan'an, a new plan was developed between the Qing leadership and the Japanese Kwantung Army. The Manchukuo Imperial Army would thrust into the Ma Clique, aiming to take out the weakest of the Chinese Warlords. The Kwantung, meanwhile, would take Nanjing and the largest of the Republican coastal cities. Smaller groups of the united armies would simultaneously move south, both Qing and Japanese forces taking the remaining territory of the Guangxi Clique.

Yunnan, both its remaining territory and the land it had returned to the Republic of China, would be left until the larger threats were finished.

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Two notes:

A. I still don't know how people get the nice maps :p

B. Semenov actually has a fairly interesting history. At least this gives me a General I can focus on.
 
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What's up with that "Shanxi" region? How come you usurped that? I demand explanation! :D

I also like how people (not just you though!) confuse Guangxi's clique name. For example, Yunnan or Shanxi never get mangled.

And lastly; the Communist China is still alive? I thought Yan'an would be their only victory point...
 
What's up with that "Shanxi" region? How come you usurped that? I demand explanation! :D

I also like how people (not just you though!) confuse Guangxi's clique name. For example, Yunnan or Shanxi never get mangled.

And lastly; the Communist China is still alive? I thought Yan'an would be their only victory point...

I think that was a typing error on Guangxi actually. Whoops.

Turns out that, at least in SF, the one little red province still in Communist control is also a VP. Believe me, it was frustrating to notice that after all the trouble I went through taking Yan'an :p
 
Great update! You need to upgrade your militias soon
 
So, the international community, for various reasons, takes actions -- er, it should be expected that the AI of SU and USA acted the way they did. Although, it's always interesting to see them, from time to time, choose no. Happened one time, China was done before the War in Europe broke out! :eek:

I see that you're taking the Northern Front. I doubt the Japanese will be lending you a head in the fighting? Can the militia, even with some mountain and regular infantry divisions, perform well in that terrain which naturally benefits the defenders? Not that I'm expecting you to have troubles or anything, it's been ages since I played any of the HoI games...
 
Great update! You need to upgrade your militias soon

I'm working on that, when I get the chances. But right now, my IC is pretty full building new units to strengthen my border with the Russkies. They really do both outnumber, and out-tech me pretty much everywhere (there are at least two, maybe three tank units for instance. Add that with the fact all Soviet units I can see are regular INF and...well, I need to reinforce before upgrading existing units).

So, the international community, for various reasons, takes actions -- er, it should be expected that the AI of SU and USA acted the way they did. Although, it's always interesting to see them, from time to time, choose no. Happened one time, China was done before the War in Europe broke out! :eek:

I see that you're taking the Northern Front. I doubt the Japanese will be lending you a head in the fighting? Can the militia, even with some mountain and regular infantry divisions, perform well in that terrain which naturally benefits the defenders? Not that I'm expecting you to have troubles or anything, it's been ages since I played any of the HoI games...

During the Sweden game, the Japanese agreed to the US mediation actually. But the Chinese refused to give in, and we know how that went...

There are a couple Japanese divs helping me out with the Ma, along with my single Cavalry unit. Thankfully, most of the various faction's forces have been concentrated down by Guangxi and Nanjing. There are very few forces on the northern front, where (by contrast) my best units are gathered.