The Sun rises in Japan - Empire of Japan HPP AAR

[SKOTy]

German progress looks reasonable and your intervention should keep Iran secure. Given the Soviets have your advances in the east to deal with as well I really can't see them holding out.

Situation looks pleasant for the Axis forces, however I will probably ship one infantry corps there to help Germans with taking the Moscow as I've seen countless operations Barbarossa to fail just province or two from Moscow. And another corps will be shipped there to help Romanians (this will be using Romanian supply system) and hopefully conquer Stalingrad and unite the front with Caucasus one.

 

[Baltasar]

Situation looks pleasant for the Axis forces, however I will probably ship one infantry corps there to help Germans with taking the Moscow as I've seen countless operations Barbarossa to fail just province or two from Moscow. And another corps will be shipped there to help Romanians (this will be using Romanian supply system) and hopefully conquer Stalingrad and unite the front with Caucasus one.

Throwing in more units around Moskov might just be what keeps the German AI from conquering it. The supply system may not be up to it and instead you might advised to throw in more units around the Black Sea, so to push the Russians back down there.

 

[SKOTy]

Dilemmas, dilemmas - Romanian supply system surely won't be as stretched as German one. But it pains me to see German AI just 2 provinces from Moscow going forth and back.

 

[Ikarases]

Throwing in more units around Moskov might just be what keeps the German AI from conquering it. The supply system may not be up to it and instead you might advised to throw in more units around the Black Sea, so to push the Russians back down there.

Depends. Germans usually don't have the troops to man the entire frontline and therefore I was able to supply a whole army worth of troops near Moscow, as seen in my Hungarian AAR:

 

[SKOTy]

22. Operation Barbarossa, part 4

Japanese veterans finally arrived into the fray and soon will intervene in battle for Moscow. They maybe don't have tanks or numbers but are amongst the best trained and equipped forces in the World and I hope they will bring pain to the Soviets.

Yugoslavia has been finally defeated so German and Italians can fully concentrate on their main target - Soviet union.
(Yugoslavia is a mess, I am thinking about fixing the borders a bit so they look nicer)

In the far east IJA is still making gains, Siberia is mere landgrab. However the supply situation in Mongolia is a catastrophe so I've ordered units holding ground there to tactically move a bit back to areas with better infrastructure. Notice the phrase "tactically move a bit back" - we are not retreating, we are advancing in the opposite direction

Another corps arrived into Europe, this one will use Romanian supply system and will help them in their advance. IJA still have some forces that are not fighting so theoretically another forces can be shipped into Europe.

2nd corps arrived to Caucasus, Imperial Japanese army have now numerical advantage there apart from advantage in their equipment, training and experience.

Fast moving cavalry is grabbing more and more land in the Siberia while encountering minimal resistance.

Imperial Japanese army appears near Moscow. I would pay anything to see Stalin's face at the moment he discovered that he's fighting might of Empire on another front.

With another corps there Caucasus offensive gathered new momentum. IJA is pushing Soviets back and given enough time it would push them to the White sea.

As IJA moved few provinces back in Mongolia Soviets seized the opportunity and seized Tannu Tuva's capital, Kyzyl, and restored their puppet from the exile.

Another Imperial Japanese forces makes their appear in the Europe, this time their axis of the attack is pointing towards Stalingrad.

One more province and Axis forces can finally gather for the final push towards Soviet capital. Supply situation there is not ideal but I've seen worse. Soviet forces are leaving big chunks of supplies behind them when they are forced to retreat so this is improving supply situation.

Fresh forces are making wonders in the Caucasus and suddenly this front became front where advancement is most visible.

While Soviet union is crumbling Imperial Japanese Navy secretly embarks for a journey.

German Panzers are finally at the gates of the Moscow!

Defenders of the Moscow made a great mistake. Lone guard division attacked advancing forces and lost half of its organization before Soviets realized that this is futile.

Here it comes, battle for Moscow, one final push bring the Bolsheviks on their knees.

The battle for Moscow was going well and when it looked that Soviets will be defeated and Moscow will fall a lone T-34 division appeared like lightning from a clear sky. However this will only delay the inevitable.

Japanese pride of the fleet, Yamato, and other battleships are reaching Pearl Harbour backed by 10 carriers.

7th December 1941, day of the infamy for the USA and finest hour for Imperial Japanese Navy.

 

[Blackoberst]

Best advance of AI Romania I've seen. Especially considering they aren't backed by German troops. Other than that, great AAR!

 

[Chemo]

Oh, finally, a non-german axis game where Germany actually succeeds at conquering the Soviets (with Japanese help, granted, but still...)

So, what does the attack on Pearl Harbor decision do exactly? Is it just a DoW?

 

[SKOTy]

Romanian advance is wonderful, German advance is also OK, given the fact that AI is charge of the things and total exploitation occupation which causes revolt risk to skyrocket and impact negatively the supply system. Optimistic plan was to have Barbarossa finished by the time of attack on Pearl Harbour.

Borrowing from another thread (HPP multiplayer game - hope guys don't mind):

Modifier lasts for a month

 

[guillec87]

great updates!! and yes, a little re-drawing of the new balcans borders would be nice

 

[SKOTy]

I guess I will give the coast to Italians and bit of inland to Germany, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.
I will update tomorrow with 3 weeks of gameplay where some major things happened so stay tuned.

I am also thinking about new AAR as I've been messing with SU for a while...

 

[Surt]

Send the remaining Japanese to your own front, invade the remain ports and upgrade the worst infra, you want moar! and it is not sure the Germans will conquer Moscow given the time of year.

 

[SKOTy]

23. Tora Tora
(and Operation Barbarossa, part 5)

Immediately after declaring war on the US carrier air groups operating from nearby carriers begun to storm Honolulu harbour.
Right now 20 cags from 10 carriers are available, 6 of them are on air superiority missions to provide air cover for the fleet and other 14 will execute either port strikes or naval strikes. IJN Yamato and other battleships will take care of any ships trying to dispatch or reach Pearl Harbour nothing less than a full blockade is acceptable.
I am using quite big stack for bombing as eventual organization and strength losses will be distributed evenly by all the CAGs so USAAF will have to execute some exceptional operation to deny Japanese air superiority.

Immediately after start of the attacks on Pearl Harbour Imperial Japanese Navy seized this opportunity to expand its influence. Now I am able to throw out a heavy cruiser in 200 days, battleship in a year and carrier in a bit less than a year. However if everything goes well further expansion of the navy won't be necessary.

Shortly after first bombs dropped on Pearl Harbour another fleet approached Guam in order to grab it from American's hands. Defenders of Guam were no match for experienced SNLF troops as 990 died on the US side and 40 Japanese marines died during the attack.

Only 5 days after initial attack a US Navy makes appearance. During the naval combat USS Arizona was sunk just a few knots from the place it was sunk historically.

Rest of the fleet was driven to the port while fleet of admiral Yamamoto Isoroku ensured that this fleet won't leave Pearl Harbour. Port strikes resumed immediately after won naval battle and during first bombing run carrier USS Lexington was sunk.

Another fleet trying to reach Pearl Harbour. This time no ships were sunk on both sides. However it begins to look like their are redeploying US Navy Pacific fleet there.

Pearl Harbour begins to fill with US Navy and CAGs begin to be weary as their organization is slowly dropping down by constant bombing runs either in order to destroy the fleet in port or to aid IJA blocking entrance to the harbour.
This offensive will be recalled when CAGs will loose all their organization or SAG blocking the ports will take too much damage

Meanwhile in Soviet Union battle for Moscow is going well and Germans managed to take some land near Moscow by themselves.

USS Yorktown (probably the on of CV-5 class, historically sunk in 1942) was sunk in naval battle as another US Navy fleet tried to dislodge the naval blockade.

Yet another carrier was sunk during naval battle and Ni'lhau Channel is slowly becoming a tomb for US Pacific Navy.

I wasn't expecting whole US Pacific navy trying to reach Pearl Harbour. Yet this is logical as this is US main naval base so this is reasonable.

Moscow has fallen after 6 weeks long carnage. I was expecting the casualties to be much higher as the battle lasted for extended period of time. The troops which were attacking Moscow were one of the most experienced in whole IJA and specially selected for this mission so this would explain relatively low loses on Japanese side.
Maybe Stalin was missing those 40 Siberian divisions.

At the noon of 25th December IJA arrived into Moscow, 5 hours later Soviets surrendered.

First IJN loss in the Pacific. If we compare IJN losses and US Navy loses it is still huge win. If we would compare outcome of this battle alone it's not so good as 2 oldest ships in whole US Navy were sunk.

As Soviets surrendered everyone who helped Germany received a bit land. Pleasant surprise was that Iran received significant amount of land. However the situation in the east is not so rewarding if we think about how much work IJA did. Also Mongolia is messed up. So I guess I will spend some time fixing this mess.

My suggestions are:

• take some land near Vladivostok, at least for land connection to Korea
• restore Mongolia, maybe make it Japanese puppet as it is mostly occupied by IJA
• create small Siberian republic

 

[Baltasar]

I always thought that Japan would surely grab a lot more than the few provinces they gain in the bitter peace event. I'd expect them to extend their territory well beyond Vladivostok, probably up to that river line (Amur?).

Kinda AI like to send in the fleet piecemeal :-/

 

[Surt]

Give Manchuria the outer Manchurian areas and take all remaining Pacific coastal regions.

 

[sebas379]

If I recall correctly there is a modifier for controlling the Asian Pacific coast, and it only involves Japanese and Soviet ports, right? A Japan so heavily involved in the SUs defeat would surely seize control of the Pacific coast IMO. Cut tem off from the Pacific, take Vladiwostok and the other ports and puppet Mongolia I'd say is the very least they would do.

 

[Blackoberst]

In Hoi2 you'd get all of the 'Primorsk' region, giving you lands all the way to Lake Baikal. I would at least reward you with the Pacific coast and Mongolia (the latter possibly integrated in Mengjiang)
Other than that... down goes the US fleet!

 

[guillec87]

agreed with your ideas for solving the Soviet surrender

 

[Ikarases]

I'm a bit puzzled as well. As seen in my Soviet AAR from FtM HPP, Japanese were given much more land. I have some strange feeling that the Siberian state was implemented poorly (I'd imagine it forming right after BP fires):

I believe the Siberian state should cover everything up to that river which is directly above Tuva and goes all the way up almost in a line.

 

[Surt]

Sounds right Ikar, but you can check on google to find out!

 

[Ikarases]

Sounds right Ikar, but you can check on google to find out!

My bet is on Yenisey then. The map was too skewed for me to find out at the first place, but locating and comparing Baikal lakes helped immensely