Victoria II - Japan - AAR

[Eurasia]

Victoria II - Japan
Chapter Fifty-One - First Mqjor Victory

The Army, having freed the Province of Nagano, now marched on to the Province of Utsunomiya. The Rebels had moved on.

The Army started to occupy the Rebel province by mid October. Next door the Rebels had taken Mito.

The Rebels in Mito than marched onto Edo. Bad news for the ships, and the reinforcements in their holds, which was heading there.

When the 1st Fleet was alerted to this they decided to change course and head for the Port in Chiba where they could unload the troops without the Rebels firing on them.

When the troops landed they were ordered to the Province of Mito to start the process of liberating it.

By early November the forces were occupying Mito.

A few days later the forces in Utsunomiya had freed it and was now moving onto to Mito to help free it.

Later that month the newly formed Infantry unit in Yokohama was assembled and was ordered westwards to get away from the Rebel forces in Edo.

Soon Mito was freed and all forces were ordered to march on Edo!

The larger forces arrived in Edo first and the battle started near the end of November. It was one-sided even before the fresh unit joined in.

Victory was pretty much a sure thing! Now for the rest of the Rebels.

Some month old international news leaked into the local newspapers. Seems weird but the CSA seemed to be winning against the US. Many doubted the CSA could stay on top for long. The USA was just bigger and more powerful.

 

[serutan]

Seems weird but the CSA seemed to be winning against the US. Many doubted the CSA could stay on top for long. The USA was just bigger and more powerful.

A Paradox AI is always reliable that way.

 

[Idhrendur]

Making progress on the rebels. Hopefully you'll have them completely defeated soon.

 

[Eurasia]

Victoria II - Japan
Chapter Fifty-Two - Another Rebellion Crushed

At the same time of the first major victory a Great Power asked to place a miitary mission in the Province of Morioka.

Of course the government agreed. It was busy dealing with a Rebellion and didn’t need to invite more trouble by upseting one of the Great Powers.

After the Army combined the units in Edo they marched west to attack the remaining Rebel group.

As you can guess the battle was one-sided and another major victory.

While this was happening Nobles in Matsue was expressing their anger at all the sweeping reforms.

They were about to get even more upset.

For at the end of the year, as the Army went about freeing provinces, the educational system, which was outdated, was changed by sweeping reforms.'

So the year ended with one revolt ending while planting the seeds for future revolts.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

Wow...Japan is sort of limited in Vicki 2? They've been under constant revel or revokt attack, been stymied at expansion by colonial powers, and have really only succeeded at westernising internally, but can't actually do abtrhing with that new power?

 

[Eurasia]

Wow...Japan is sort of limited in Vicki 2? They've been under constant revel or revokt attack, been stymied at expansion by colonial powers, and have really only succeeded at westernising internally, but can't actually do abtrhing with that new power?

Yeah...and we're still not 'westernized' yet. Once we go become westernized we can start colonizing Oceania. Or parts of it. And the changes/reforms are just pissing people off.

But even taking on China would be stupid as, from what I understand, their massive populace gives them a huge tax income.

And before I started the game I was serously thinking about being Mexico. But you can see how well they are doing...

 

[Eurasia]

Victoria II - Japan
Chapter Fifty-Three - Cleaning Up

Things were not as settled down as the government wanted the public to think.

First off while the Reactionaries and Conservatives were losing the seats the Liberals AND the Anarcho Liberals were gaining them. The latter part did not make the Liberals happy.

And it turned out that while the military was liberating Nagano there WERE some rebels left. They were, in fact, retreating westwards from the last engagement.

Diplomats in London reported that they, once again, improved the relationship between the Empire of Japan and the British Empire.

Around the same time a Brigade of Infantry was assembled in Nagasaki and ordered east to join the main forces.

By mid January the main forces had freed Nagano and was ordered to march on the tiny remaining rebel force.

The rebels were quickly crushed and the Army went back to freeing provinces.

Near the end of January another Infantry Brigade was formed in Myazaki. They were ordered eastwards. Once again to join the main force.

The international news was full of news from Japan that was already outdated.

By March all the Rebel provinces had been freed. Japan was whole again.

The Army was split. Over four thousand were sent back to Brunei while the remaining thirty seven thousand were ordered to stay in the home islands.

While this was happening the American Civil War continued.

Bets were being made among the elite on how long it would last, who would win, and how many would die because of it.

At the same time Defence Spending was decreased slightly. After all the fighting HAD ended.

Surely the Reactionaries would stop launching useless revolts NOW?!?!?

 

[serutan]

You just ensured a rebellion twice as strong as the last one.

 

[Eurasia]

Victoria II - Japan
Chapter Fifty-Four - Voting Rights

In June the international news was full of news on wars, rumors of future wars, and the birth of new political parties.

There was also a pack of wolves causing problems in Siberia. How tragic.

Also there were reports of Europeans being harassed in Brunei. Which made no sense - won’t the populace try to reach out to European powers to help them push out the Japanese?!?!

Anyway the government reacted by rounding up all the trouble makers.

In late June it was decided to carry out financial reform which would increase Tax Efficiency but lower Max loan amount.

This was the last step to embracing Westernization! If you can’t beat them join them!

At the same time it was noticed, once again, that trouble was brewing in Brunei. And was suppressed.

It was also decided to carry out research of Ideological Thought. On the hopes it would allow Japan to catch up with the European nations in their Cultural Ideals.

The Liberal Party really wanted to push individualism and human rights. To allow the people to take part in the process of developing and forming the future of Japan. And maybe crippling the Reactionary movement?

Near the end of June the Brunei Guard arrived in Brunei.

It was also decided to put a national focus on Osaka to bring in businessmen.

In July there were two Major Discoveries. Egalitarianism and Paternalism, which seemed to clash with each other when you think about it, had become common ideas among the rank and file of the Liberals.

The reaction to this was horrific. It was almost as if the Reactionaries, the Anarcho-Liberals, and the Brunei Nationalists sensed they were running out of time to stop the Liberals and had done their best to recruit as many followers as they could. Agents reported the Rebel movements had increased to massive numbers.

Then there were breakthroughs announced in the field of military research. They had found a way for mounted horsemen to wear armor AND carry firearms.

The next time there was a Rebellion the Rebels might have problems dealing with the Imperial cavalry.

At the same time Japanese Diplomats in London they had, once again, improved relationships with the British.

Another breakthrough happened in Small Arms Production. A very useful advance in the field of military research.

Then in December the Liberal Party passed a political reform that allow Land Owners the right to VOTE.

Now it was just a question of time. Would there be an election before there was a Rebellion?

And so 1859 ended with great confusion. But also great hope.

 

[Eurasia]

Victoria II - Japan
Chapter Fifty-Five - Winds Of Change

The year 1860 started out normal. At least on the surface. Everybody but the Conservatives won seats in the Upper House.

This did not please the Liberal Party much. But they were gaining more seats than everybody else.

Then there was a major discovery. That the Japanese took from James Mill when he wasn’t looking. It was about the economy and stuff.

The international news FINALLY pointed out that Belgium was a Great Power. Mostly because Austria had declined in power. And it also mentioned Japan’s western intellectual movement.

Then there was an announcement of a canned food factory being built in the Region of Chugoku-Shikoku.

Then a clothing factory was being built. Then another clothing factory. Then a glass factory.

Factories were popping all over the place. Something the Liberal Party wished to encourage.

So instead of Clergymen being asked to come to the region surrounding Edo the government started to encourage Capitalists!

In February there was a breakthrough in the design and production of munitions. Which meant more jobs and a happy military. Once they started making the ammunition factories.

The Brunei Liberation Movement was suppressed again. But everybody knew it was just a matter of time before it became too big to put down with a few leaders kidnapped or jailed.

By the end of February there was a fuss happening in Austria. But nobody in Japan cared.

Around the same time the Diplomats in London had, once again, increased the nation’s relationship with the UK.

And then it happened. The Emperor announced that the government would be adopting a Constitutional Monarchy form of government. Very much like the one used in Prussia.

And therefore the first election of the new government would be held in August.

How would the Reactionaries react?

 

[Nikolai II]

​

The international news FINALLY pointed out that Belgium was a Great Power. Mostly because Austria had declined in power. And it also mentioned Japan’s western intellectual movement.

You mean "once more" - they did point out back in 1856 that when Bavaria became a major power, it was because Belgium stopped being a great power? (Ref: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/victoria-ii-japan-aar.1533825/post-28621666 )

And now Austria then falls even further? Seems like most of the "great powers" are not so great after all?

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

Japan is a pretty nice place to live, but incredibly uninteresting in this century TTL

 

[Eurasia]

Victoria II - Japan
Chapter Fifty-Six - Voting!

Amazingly enough with the upcoming elections the followers of the Reactionaries disbanded. It was almost as if they trusted ballots over bullets. And in some ways they may have been right.

For it was likely the Conservatives would win and the Reactionaries could just join them in joint leadership of the nation.

But the Liberals were not worried. They understood how a government worked. After all that understanding was how they were in charge of the government in the first place.

At the first debate, where the focus was on citizenship and residency, the Liberal speaker pushed for full citizenship and rights for all immigrants. This was more of the platform of the Radical Faction but the Liberals wanted to really push the people towards the left as far as they could be pushed.

Also, half of the voters felt full citizenship was an important issue.

There was also news in June of Socialists appearing in Mecklenburg. Once again those in Japan could care less.

The next debate was, once again, about citizenship. And once again the Liberals pushed for full citizenship. More of a Radical viewpoint but one the Liberals felt need to be pushed into the minds of the landowners.

The idea of a Seed Drill, a seeder, was discovered and allowed for increasing the speed a field was seeded. Of course the Japanese ‘adopted’ the idea right away.

And another discovery would increase paper output.

The international news was full of the same old same old. Threats of war, new parties forming, and science.

Within Japan there was a rumor that a Marxist Faction had formed.

And the term ‘Atheism’ was being tossed about. Maybe the two were somehow linked?

The Diplomats in the US also announced that they had increased the relationship with the Americans.

Then the landowners voted and the results were pretty much what the Liberal Party thought it would be. The two right wing Parties have allies together. And by doing so the Reactionaries lost their fangs.

 

[Eurasia]

Victoria II - Japan
Chapter Fifty-Seven - Socialism?

While the Reactionaries were no longer threatening to start a revolt there was still problems.

There was a Brunei Liberation Movement which was getting bigger. Also, in bars, in factories, and dark side streets, the Brunei Nationalists and the Japanese Anarcho-Liberals were recruiting followers to start their own rebellions.

On top of all that many in the populace were turning into Socialists. It was a small percent, about one, but it had appeared and would likely grow.

Then the crisis in Europe ended when Belgium accepted a offer if Peace from Bavaria. Had there been a war? It was so hard to tell with Europe. Their borders were all over the place.

By December Socialism was on everyone’s mind. It was kind of hard to ignore.

Also by this time it was noticed that the American Civil War had come to an end.

Then it was announced that research in Ideological Thought had been finished and that scientists would be focusing on Experimental Railroads. With railroads Japan could ship resources around the nation, transport troops faster, and run over rebels.

And of course with the extra resources there was now three spots in Japan where Capitalists were being encouraged to come and invest in the local businesses.

Surely next year the future would be bright!

 

[Eurasia]

Victoria II - Japan
Chapter Fifty-Eight - A Surprising Start To The Year

The new Upper House that assembled at the start of the year was a strange beast.

The Reactionaries, the Conservatives, and the Anarcho-Liberals had all lost seats.

While the Liberals AND The Socialists gained seats. The Socialists gained their first seats. And at this rate they would soon outnumber the Anarcho-Liberals.

At the same time the scientists were working with an idea called Rationalism. The idea being that knowledge could be reached through reason without the need for experience.

At this point Japan was friendly with the UK, France, and the Russian Empire. And cordial with Spain and the US. But that wasn’t really useful unless they had allies among the Great Powers.

So, of course, the Diplomats in London did their best to increase Japan’s relationship with the UK. If they could make the UK a ally of Japan they would go down in history as the greatest Dipomats of all time.

And in the middle of January the first factory, the Glass Factory, was finally finished.

The Cement Factory was finished soon afterwards.

And by the end of the month a Steel Factory had been completed. This was the first wave of factories. The second wave would likely be completed in about another year.

But between then and now more discoveries would be announced.

 

[Eurasia]

Victoria II - Japan
Chapter Fifty-Nine - Industry

In February the military scientists announced they had developed the idea of Dragoons.

A simple idea really that most nations already had. So it was likely ‘loaned’ from another military organizations.

By the end of February laborers were being invited to the Regions of Edo, Fukuoka, and Brunei. Capitalists were no longer needed. Workers were.

In March the Glass Factory in Kyushu was given priority over the hiring of new workers and buying the resources they needed. The production of glass was useful on many levels.

Then, on the 23rd of March, the Great General Tokugawa Nariaki died. His funeral was one of the finest ones seen in decades.

The international news had some very interesting news about the US.

Seems they had expanded their borders again. Seems the Americans were taking parts of Alaska.

By April the factories were increasing their output. The products being produced were also increasing in value.

In June the Diplomats in America had increased Japan’s relationship with the US again. Though they did report the President looked much older than when they had first met him.

By June Japan was Friendly with the UK and the USA.

The Liberal Party had started to debate among themselves on which nation they would honor with being their ally. When it came picking an ally, of course.

 

[Eurasia]

Victoria II - Japan
Chapter Sixty - Railroads!

In July John Ramsay McCulloch’s serious ideas on economics was brought to the attention to the Japanese government.

It would turn out to be very helpful to the development of the Japanese economy.

More importantly a Japanese version of a European train was finally perfected. The researchers moved on to studying the ideas behind State & Government.

By October railroad tracks started to appear around the nation. First they started building a railroad system in Edo. Then in Mito and Urawa.

In November the scientists had discovered two key ideas. One was Collectivism. Which was the idea that the people should own the production. Allowing the workers, in other words, decide how much of and what to make.

The second idea was Individualism. In other words the importance of the individual and personal independence. This also suggested that the government should mess with commercial affairs.

In the middle of November the Diplomats in London reported they had increased the relationship between Japan and the UK.

Later that day the Province of Utsunomiya announced it started to design, and built, their own railroad system. A few days later the Provinces of Chiba and Yokohama also started putting down tracks.

On the other hand agents discovered a new movement that wanted to allow public meetings. The Liberals, and many of the other parties were perfectly okay with this. But the Conservatives and Reactionaries were not.

 

[Eurasia]

Victoria II - Japan
Chapter Sixty-One - 1862

As more factories were being built and the tracks were being laid down the Upper House was reorganized.

The Reactionaries, the Conservatives, and the Anarcho-Liberals lost seats while the Liberals and Socialists gained seats. In fact Socialists now outnumbered the Anarchi-Liberals in the Upper House.

And the Liberals were catching up with the Conservatives. The NEXT election might have more interesting results.

Soon there was news of more factories being finished. A canning factory in Hiroshima, a clothes factory in Hakodate, another clothes factory in Nigata, another canning factory in Bonin and so on.

In March the international news had the same old same old news. Inventions, new political parties, and nations expanding their borders at the cost of other nations.

In May the Diplomats in London announced they had, once again, improved Japan’s relationship with the UK.

Later that month the tea harvest was larger than normal and the Liberals let the merchants sell it for profit.

Then it turned there was also a large of catch of fish. This time it was used to help feed the poor.

Yes, everything was turning great. The Liberal Party was very pleased with the results so far. And with the Upper House becoming split with all the new parties there was a chance that THEY may be voted into power next time.

=========================================================================================​

Author’s Notes:

I am starting to realize that Victoria 2 is a nice game but makes for a bad AAR. At least from my point of view. I need individuals to write about.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

I am starting to realize that Victoria 2 is a nice game but makes for a bad AAR. At least from my point of view. I need individuals to write about.

It's a bit...limited for Japan. Sure there's revolt but there's no real bite or risk there. And otherwise are locked out of expansion but too powerful to be attacked.

 

[Eurasia]

Victoria II - Japan
Chapter Sixty-Two - Velocipedes Fad

In June the scientists discovered, or borrowed, the idea of Social Conscience.

The idea that a society was governed by ethical or moral principles was interesting.

It was also noticed that the people of the many levels of society were finally getting a lot of their basic, and not so basic, needs met. For years they were barely getting their basic needs met. Even the rich!

In August the government adjusted the priorities of the factories as it seemed one factory was getting all the employees

That month the government stopped encouraging workers to the regions and started to encourage Capitalists to the regions. They wanted the elites to invest in the factories and railroads in those areas.

The international news had some weird news about a cycle fad.

In the middle of October the last factory being built, well a lumber mill, was finished in Edo.

In November the scientists had discovered how to mass produce artillery pieces.

The Diplomats in Washington DC once again celebrated increasing Japan’s relationship with the US of A.

By the end of the year not only were the factories pumping out products but unemployment was down to almost nothing.