[AAR] 1939 Japanese World Conquest

    This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.

    • Day 4 - Continued
      While flipping through reports from the front, the Emperor received a message from Australia. They lauded the Emperor's military achievements and then said "I want to be Business partners". He was confused, they had already agreed to non-aggression and given each other right-of-way at the start of the war. What more could Australia need from the empire?

      The Emperor made clear that he was not interested in forming a coalition with lowly Australia, if that's what they were implying. He was insulted, why would such a petty nation think themselves our peer? A reply came some time later asking only to trade oil. Eventually an agreement was worked out to sell ten thousand goods at seven per unit. The Emperor took this time to make clear to Australia that the Axis stood between him and global unity. He also instructed this lesser nation that he should seek conflict with the United States if he wished to expand his territory further.

      He knew there was little hope of maintaining peace in the south Pacific indefinitely, but Germany was the greater threat and had to be eliminated. The Axis, at this time, had crushed France and appeared poised to invade Britain. Should they fall, there would be no one standing between Germany and total domination of Europe.

    • Day 4
      With the defeat of India's bomber force, Captain Tanaka and the other Avengers rampaged across India. Numerous skirmishes were fought with Indian forces streaming back from Xingjiang and nearby Kathmandu. They raced desperately to reclaim territory and protect their capitol, now under threat. Time and again, the Avengers were able to position themselves in number, combining briefly to destroy attacking divisions, before breaking ranks and speeding in all directions claiming Indian riches.

      By midday, the Emperor reviewed reports with military and economic leaders and was pleased with the news:

      The economic news was excellent, though goods continued to be in high demand. Armored divisions and follow-up infantry and artillery forces were streaming across India, though pockets of resistance still existed. The Indians still held New Delhi and the Avengers requested artillery and air support in order to claim this prize. The air force was now operating out of air strips in eastern India and with the fall of Kathmandu a new, extremely dangerous, base of operations became available. From there he could reach every important city in Tibet and was in striking distance of New Delhi. The Navy continued their voyage west, the main battle fleet of 30 ships sailing along the west coast of India in support of attacks on Bombay and Karachi.

      There were, however, reports of Indian forces in the newly claimed Chinese territories. Three light tanks had been spotted heading east. The Emperor had the resources of the larger, and fresher, Northern Army at his disposal. The Northern Army consisted of ten infantry and eight armored divisions. They also had four L4 artillery and a few support ordnance. Nine outdated, and badly damaged infantry and five militia followed the main army as reserves. However, he had spent many long hours marching that force into position and was still waiting for some forces to arrive on location. He was loathe to turn them back.

      However, there was little force standing between those tanks and vital production centers in northern China. Overwhelmed by greed and bloated with confidence, he gave the order to invade Tibet.

    • Day 4 - Game Update
      At this point I was researching Infantry level 5, light tank level 4 and armored car level 4. My research time was almost exclusively devoted to the army. My starting navy was still the strongest force in the region, and probably the world. The only contender was the US, who had left the game. I researched transport ships to level 3 and at some point I got level two carriers. I can't recall if that happened on day four or five. I think tactical bombers start at level two and that's where they were on day 4. Interceptors were also at starting tech, level 3.

      Home industry was continuously improving and though rare materials had the slowest rate, they were also in the least demand so Tokyo stayed a low priority for improvement. The introduction of higher level troops necessitated advancement of tank plants, barracks and ordnance foundries in China. Troop production was basically continuous and devoted to light tanks, armored cars, infantry and artillery. Occasionally I would produce an anti-tank or anti-air instead of artillery at Tsingtao and I ramped up production of aircraft significantly at this point. Previously I had been relatively evenly building air forces between interceptors, tactical bombers and assault bombers. I think I had around five or six of each at this point, stationed at Kathmandu.

      I had one production run on continent, but there were more Indian forces showing up as I advanced into Tibet. I started producing militia at this point in Lanzhou to give me some kind of a backstop and prepared to rally forces at Ashan as a preliminary hold point. I started immediately moving air forces away from Kathmandu back to Chengdu to blunt the Indian counterattack.

    • Spite_Is_Right wrote:

      Day 4 - Game Update
      At this point I was researching Infantry level 5, light tank level 4 and armored car level 4. My research time was almost exclusively devoted to the army. My starting navy was still the strongest force in the region, and probably the world. The only contender was the US, who had left the game. I researched transport ships to level 3 and at some point I got level two carriers. I can't recall if that happened on day four or five. I think tactical bombers start at level two and that's where they were on day 4. Interceptors were also at starting tech, level 3.

      Home industry was continuously improving and though rare materials had the slowest rate, they were also in the least demand so Tokyo stayed a low priority for improvement. The introduction of higher level troops necessitated advancement of tank plants, barracks and ordnance foundries in China. Troop production was basically continuous and devoted to light tanks, armored cars, infantry and artillery. Occasionally I would produce an anti-tank or anti-air instead of artillery at Tsingtao and I ramped up production of aircraft significantly at this point. Previously I had been relatively evenly building air forces between interceptors, tactical bombers and assault bombers. I think I had around five or six of each at this point, stationed at Kathmandu.

      I had one production run on continent, but there were more Indian forces showing up as I advanced into Tibet. I started producing militia at this point in Lanzhou to give me some kind of a backstop and prepared to rally forces at Ashan as a preliminary hold point. I started immediately moving air forces away from Kathmandu back to Chengdu to blunt the Indian counterattack.


      i agree with that you should research that stuff make sure to upgrade your light and medium tanks to those will tank at elite levels.
      when being betrayed betray

    • Day 4 - Continued
      The empire teeters, as if it were balanced upon the blade of one of his many ancestral katana. The generals were aghast. "Why start another war", they asked. Even Hideki Tojo went so far as to say "We have enough enemies already", though he would say no more against the Emperor.

      Tibet had done nothing, it's true. There was no explanation beyond plunder and opportunity. He had a large army in Northern China and Tibet was between him and the enemy's vital core. Though he projected confidence before the generals, secretly he held doubts about the success of this endeavor. At least twenty Tibetan divisions had been sighted in mountainous Bhutan and areal intelligence indicated army sized forces guarding major cities.

      Furthermore, he had not scouted beyond the border provinces of Mongolia in some time and was unaware of their strength or intention. Mongolia was dangerously near production centers in China, particularly Sharamuren, but near Beijing also, and on easily negotiated terrain. A surprise attack now could have devastating repercussions. He had overcommitted his force and now an angry Indian army, with no strategy beyond vengeance, was marching straight for his industrial heart.

      He dispatched a message to the Indian prime minister, ridiculing his lack of strategy and goading him to reclaim his home territory. He hoped he could sow doubt or discourage the attack altogether by convincing the prime minister that it was foolish or was a waste of time. In truth he was rapidly dispatching orders to intercept them at Ashan and redirecting air forces from the Indian front to face the raging horde.

    • Larry is god lol lol wrote:

      Spite_Is_Right wrote:

      Day 4 - Game Update
      At this point I was researching Infantry level 5, light tank level 4 and armored car level 4. My research time was almost exclusively devoted to the army. My starting navy was still the strongest force in the region, and probably the world. The only contender was the US, who had left the game. I researched transport ships to level 3 and at some point I got level two carriers. I can't recall if that happened on day four or five. I think tactical bombers start at level two and that's where they were on day 4. Interceptors were also at starting tech, level 3.

      Home industry was continuously improving and though rare materials had the slowest rate, they were also in the least demand so Tokyo stayed a low priority for improvement. The introduction of higher level troops necessitated advancement of tank plants, barracks and ordnance foundries in China. Troop production was basically continuous and devoted to light tanks, armored cars, infantry and artillery. Occasionally I would produce an anti-tank or anti-air instead of artillery at Tsingtao and I ramped up production of aircraft significantly at this point. Previously I had been relatively evenly building air forces between interceptors, tactical bombers and assault bombers. I think I had around five or six of each at this point, stationed at Kathmandu.

      I had one production run on continent, but there were more Indian forces showing up as I advanced into Tibet. I started producing militia at this point in Lanzhou to give me some kind of a backstop and prepared to rally forces at Ashan as a preliminary hold point. I started immediately moving air forces away from Kathmandu back to Chengdu to blunt the Indian counterattack.


      i agree with that you should research that stuff make sure to upgrade your light and medium tanks to those will tank at elite levels.
      I never researched or constructed a medium tank.

    • Editorial
      When I started the thread it was very much my voice talking about the game. It's weird how it's evolving. I'm refining the format as I go along. I'm not sure how to balance the story elements with the game analysis. It started out very light on story and was more instructional, but going in a more story driven direction happened kind of naturally. I think I'll be able to get a bit more specific about tactics going into the boss battle.

      I hope people are enjoying what I've written so far. I've had fun writing it and it gave me something to do in the tedious mop up phase of the game. Any feedback is welcome, including criticism. I can take it.

    • Day 4 - Continued
      The emperor ordered his men to press on through Tibet, but ordered commanders to exercise restraint and wait for artillery to weaken Tibetan defenders before pressing the attack. The Northern Army's armored divisions rampaged across central Tibet claiming territory, but bypassing urban centers where Tibetan infantry and tanks made conquest impossible. Without losses, the army systematically eliminated Tibetan forces, nearly conquering the entire country before the end of the day.

      However, the Indian forces continued their suicidal charge into northern China. Two L3 light tanks had arrived in Ashan from production centers in Shanghai and Beijing. Air forces were arriving in Chengdu, but they were barely in range of the three light tank division that had advanced as far as Jinchang. The assault bombers were not in range.

      Artillery, supported by at least eight infantry regiments, were marching towards Jinchang and the emperor knew the combined force would be difficult to dislodge with his available forces. He decided to commit his available tank regiments with support from a few tactical bombers to attack Jinchang to defeat the armored division before they could be reinforced. The battle lasted only a few hours. The Indian armored core was defeated, but the damaged tanks were unlikely to resist the reinforcements incoming. They withdrew to Ashan and waited for help now streaming west.

      Four militia and two infantry had been completed and were marching to Ashan. The commander in Ashan began sending urgent requests for artillery support, but no units were available. One was under production in Tsingtao and they were instructed to hold Ashan at all costs. The commander simply replied, "To the last".

    • Day 5
      As day 5 dawned, the Emperor gazed out at Mt. Fuji, and the carpet of pink cherry blossoms at its base, from his palace fortress at Kofu Castle. An aide entered silently. He bowed deeply before handing the emperor a stack of reports from the front and the daily newspaper.


      His empire was now twice the size of his rival Germany. His rival was struck by another blow when his Romanian ally suddenly abandoned the coalition and went into hiding; probably ashamed by his inability to defeat Hungary. That left Germany and Italy seeking allies to counter his sprawling empire...

    • Day 5 - Continued
      A flurry of reports started coming in from Jinchang, where the Indian vengeance force was marshalling. Apparently locals were also able to convince the garrison of neighboring Zhangye province to defect to Chinese rule, which was the custom in the region. This threw the Indian attack into chaos.

      Previously issued orders that would have passed through Zhangye on the way to Jinchang would now start a war with China. Commanders on the ground had no choice but to stop and wait for new orders. New orders would never arrive, however, as the prime minister had already fled to Germany. The confused artillery and infantry forces were surrounded and destroyed by fresh forces from Northern Chinese factories, who had no such compunction about entering Chinese territory.

      In so doing he had wiped out all resistance to imperial rule in south and central Asia. Of course there were pockets of resistance, but they would soon be dealt with. The emperor now began contemplating his next move. He knew the road to total victory passed through Europe. Until he vanquished Germany, some would still question his authority. Their very existence taunted him. While pondering his next move, he received reports that Brazil had joined the Axis. "Brazil?! Brazil can't even conquer Bolivia!" he shouted, in a rare loss of composure. He would make them pay. He would make them all pay.

      edited for, well editing error - SIR

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Spite_Is_Right ().

    • Day 5 - Continued
      A military council meeting was called to determine a "final solution" to the German problem. As aides were gathering documents to present, a missive from Germany saying simply "allies?" was discovered from the previous day that had not been delivered to the emperor. He dismissed it out of hand, but ordered three people executed nevertheless for their incompetence.

      Orders were dispatched to frontline troops to wipe out pockets of resistance and consolidate territorial gains while the council deliberated. Fighting was still raging in Tibet. Armies garrisoned the cities, but were powerless against the combined artillery of the Northern Army and the Avenger's artillery division that had relocated from New Delhi. They were fish in a barrel.

      Hours of tense deliberation followed. The path forward was clear, west. But how could they defend such a long front with the Soviet Union? Tojo asked, "What of Manchuko and Mongolia?" They were a threat, he could not deny. He secretly knew that his imperial ambitions could have been undone by a timely Mongolian entry into the war.

      He was conflicted, though. Campaigns in Mongolia and Manchuko would delay the movement of troops toward Germany. Furthermore, conquering their territory would greatly increase his exposure to the Soviet Union. He was still keen to avoid getting bogged down in Siberia fighting the red horde.

      After pausing briefly to reflect, a moment of silence no one dared violate, he quietly said "It's conquest then, send the Northern Army at once". Within minutes, forces of the Northern Army were joined by divisions from the newly minted Ashan's Guardians, as they marched east towards destiny.

      The post was edited 2 times, last by Spite_Is_Right ().

    • Day 5 - Continued
      Very little force was dedicated to Manchuko. Three infantry had long defended Vladivostok and they now spread along the border provinces, preparing to invade the three more southerly provinces. They had to leave Voroshilov undefended, but no more resources could be spared. Generals on the mainland briefly debated sending the home defense force to assist. The emperor admonished them, "They are rice before our kama, keep the men in place", he commanded. The emperor had outfitted the division with the most advanced equipment available and he had supreme confidence in their ability to secure victory or at worst hold their ground.

      A fresh armored car regiment from Beijing was the only force available to assault from the west. Four militia regiments, raised in Lanzhou to defend from the Indians, were arriving on the outskirts of Beijing. When Tojo asked him how they were able to arrive so quickly, he simply smirked before turning his attention to Mongolia. Only then did Tojo realize he had redirected those militia units prior to calling the military council several hours before. "Was he already preparing for this?" Tojo mused.

      A much larger force had been gathered for the assault on Mongolia, combining elements of the Northern Army and Ashan's Guardians. They also had the entire Japanese air force, who had run out of targets in other parts of Asia, based at a strip south of Sharamuren. It was a potent force, but it had been battered by constant fighting. Reporting from the field that morning were six interceptors at seventy percent strength. They were the venerable "zero" design, that had been in use by the empire since the start of the war. Also outdated, but numerous, were the tactical and assault bombers with nine and five available respectively.

      Crucially the emperor commanded all ten artillery regiments, now finished mopping up Tibetan resistance, to continue west to the Persian border. It would have taken eighteen hours to return to Sharamuren from their current positions. "The wars will be over by then", he thought. This left the Northern Army with only one artillery under command at the start of hostilities...

    • Day 5 - Game Update
      Things were going really well at this point. I could feel the exponential growth kicking in now. When you expand early and you keep taking capitols, your economy gets bigger fast, which gives you more resources to expand your economy. Those early investments in industry really start paying off around this point in the game. Your success builds on itself in a feedback loop, I call it the snowball. You can feel the momentum of the snowball, and at some point, you know it's so big no one can stop it. Today was the day the game became impossible to lose. Even if every remaining player got their acts together and came at me, my economy was enormous and my territory was vast with a very dangerous triple-threat force prepared to fight for every inch of it.

      At this point I was at level 4 industry in the four main cores and building fives. I had local industry in the goods and oil single resource provinces up to two or three. I never stopped building industry. Level five infantry became the standard unit on the battlefield and level four armored cars and light tanks were coming off assembly lines every 7-8 hours from plants in China with additional production elsewhere.

      This is usually the point in the game where I start taking it to every active player still in a coalition. If you stay neutral, I may leave you alone. In my mind, forming or joining a coalition says "I'm a contender". I'm the champ, they're the challenger, and I'm always game.

    • Spite_Is_Right wrote:

      Day 5 - Game Update
      Things were going really well at this point. I could feel the exponential growth kicking in now. When you expand early and you keep taking capitols, your economy gets bigger fast, which gives you more resources to expand your economy. Those early investments in industry really start paying off around this point in the game. Your success builds on itself in a feedback loop, I call it the snowball. You can feel the momentum of the snowball, and at some point, you know it's so big no one can stop it. Today was the day the game became impossible to lose. Even if every remaining player got their acts together and came at me, my economy was enormous and my territory was vast with a very dangerous triple-threat force prepared to fight for every inch of it.

      At this point I was at level 4 industry in the four main cores and building fives. I had local industry in the goods and oil single resource provinces up to two or three. I never stopped building industry. Level five infantry became the standard unit on the battlefield and level four armored cars and light tanks were coming off assembly lines every 7-8 hours from plants in China with additional production elsewhere.

      This is usually the point in the game where I start taking it to every active player still in a coalition. If you stay neutral, I may leave you alone. In my mind, forming or joining a coalition says "I'm a contender". I'm the champ, they're the challenger, and I'm always game.
      I think you may have a good chance a winning.
      when being betrayed betray

    • Day 5 - Continued
      The war in Manchuko began as expected with forces advancing into southern Manchuko unopposed. However, a beehive of militia, anti-air, anti-tank and infantry began immediately swarming into position to block the advancing infantry. They even had forces to spare for an assault on Voroshilov. "What will you do with Voroshilov if you don't have a country?" the emperor wondered. The armored cars from the west began chewing up territory and the air force eliminated vulnerable targets of opportunity. No army contact was reported.

      Mongolia was a different story. As soon as war was officially declared, the powerful Northern Army began advancing on Mongolia from every direction. Led by daring armored car captains, they raced to secure the southern plains. The Mongolian leader immediately jumped to the defense of his small nation, sending a tank destroyer and medium tank to meet the advancing armored cars. He also launched a squadron of six fighters and there was alarm, but not surprise, at Imperial Air Command when they learned they were the equal of their dated zero fighters. Mongolia thought better of the attack to reclaim the plains when bombers and fighters launched to greet them. He wanted to preserve his force, the prudent decision he thought.

      As scouting reports from the front started coming in it became clear that Mongolia had a wise and industrious leader. He had constructed many artillery, and a weapon the emperor had only read about, rocket artillery. Additionally they were protected by infantry, militia, tank destroyers and scattered medium tanks. He knew these powerful combined armies must be approached with caution. Ideally he would have equal artillery strength or overwhelming air superiority, in this case he had neither. The emperor sent kind regards to the Mongolian leader, ordered his men to take what territory they could without loss of life and set about forming a plan as he retired for the evening with his favorite geisha.



    • Day 6
      After rousing from his constitutional, the emperor gathered top military officials to discuss Mongolia. After some discussion, it was decided that Mandal-Ovoo, which had become cut off and isolated from the rest of the country, should be used to demonstrate the might of the empire. Northern Force, as the combined army had now become known, would attack from three sides with the armored forces engaging first. Seventeen blooded infantry and five anti-tank regiments were split into two divisions and were positioned to attack from the south and west of the city. Five armored cars and five light tanks would speed to the northeast then turn west toward the target. The attack would take place in an hour.

      In the meantime he took tea in the garden while reading the morning paper:


      He controlled vast territory and his country now had the world's leading economy. Everything was going according to plan. During this time the Avengers set about securing central Asia and mopping up Indian and Xingjiang forces that still resisted Japanese occupation. Many took a much needed break from fighting along the Indian coast. Elsewhere, forces gathered for the next leg of their journey along the border with Persia.

    • Day 6 - Continued
      As the Northern Force approached Mandal-Ovoo, across the empire in the Persian Gulf, the Main Battle Fleet came under harassment from Persian destroyers and submarines who seemed disturbed by their presence there. Yamamota immediately requested rules of engagement from Tojo. Tojo didn't bother consulting the emperor. Yamamota issued the fire-at-will order at 12:59am; the Persian navy was not long for this earth.

      Regrouped Avenger armored divisions and their powerful accompanying artillery began pouring into Persia. The Persians briefly attempted resistance, but the strength and numerical superiority of imperial forces quickly subdued them. Joint naval and ground operations poured over the Arabian peninsula shelling and engaging everything in sight; annihilating British, French, Saudis, Omani, and Iraqi alike. Declarations of war were rarely issued by the state department at this point as the list of enemy belligerents had grown to over a dozen.

      For some time his intelligence forces had been aware of Mussolini's penchant for women. Now the emperor received word through these channels that Mussolini was reconsidering his allegiance with the fumbling Third Reich. Though they were expanding steadily, their economic output was falling behind and Japanese battleships would soon be patrolling the waters of the Mediterranean. Furthermore, the Japanese empire was now larger than the entire Axis coalition combined. The emperor arranged to send carriers to evacuate Mussolini to Bangkok where he would live the rest of his life in lavish luxury. Italy descended into chaos.