Empire of the Sun Discussion

[el cid again]

RHS Empire of the Sun is the implementation of Joe's dream of a "Japan enhansed scenario"

It is intended to serve different functions:

1) Balance the game in a sense strict history will not permit;
2) Give the AI a better shot at controlling Japan vs a human player - it gets too easy to beat try feeding it this
3) Give JFBs a dream

The premise is simply that the Russo Japanese War is reinacted. In that war Japan took on a power as great (relatively speaking) as the USA was to Japan in 1941: in both cases the ratio was 10 to 1 in raw economic size. However, in the first case, Japan had a plan. In WWII it was more like a dream. Since any player is bound to be more integrated than any possible Japanese bureaucracy could have been, this simply extends that to the pre-game period. However, nothing could be planned that was beyond the technology or doctrine of the 1940-41 time frame. So while a lot has been done - it is sometimes very subtle and it is always in terms of existing technology. Japan captured Bofors 40mm guns, and successfully copied them, and produced them - but dallied far too long making trivial improvements instead of making a simple copy. Japan formed a Grand Escort Command - too late - and never assigned it enough resources - in spite of pre war planning to do that up front. That sort of thing. Japan also sidelined its one great captain - for political reasons - for much of the war - between the battle for Malaya and the second one for the Philippines Yamashita was not in action. Players don't have to do that of course - do you do that in ANY scenario? And many planes and ships and even tanks were not produced as soon as they should have been. [That reminds me too look up something].

Just one example: Japan created a concept of carrier recon planes which, ultimately, should have been implemented by the C6 series planes. But the concept was INVENTED BEFORE the war began - with the C3 series - and there was a fine midwar step as well (the D4Y1 was first used in a recon role). I have implemented this concept early - giving the big carriers a small Chutai of recon planes - which are not particularly spectacular - but which do have some range - and they upgrade to planes of progressively longer ranges (until it IS spectacular - see the C6).
This might be a technical advantage played properly. Only the British have a similar concept - in their two man recon fighters - and it is not exactly the same idea either - but yet another solution to the problem.
Now putting in DIFFERENT carrier planes with the SAME art set - well I am tricky - and I did it.

[Mifune]

Now that you have wetted our appetites, what are some of the other goodies?

[el cid again]

I am unable to send you messages - send your address to trevethans@aol.com and I will let you look closer. Also - I am seeking ideas how to make Japan stronger in the above context? IF Japan had better planning - what would it include as elements?

[veji1]

this is great !!!

[Mifune]

You have e-mail and PM.

[el cid again]

I will prerelease RHSEOS tomorrow for comments. I have lots of little goodies to work in - like mass producing the 3 inch 60 (a very fine weapon using the same fire control system as the 4 inch gun - but with different cams for its ballistics - this weapon flush mounts in twins - and the only thing wrong with it in the game is we have no way to simulate the idea of a gun that covers the gaps between heavy and light AAA). It will take a few days to do it all I think. I issued a carrier list for comments on a different thread.

You will note that better is not always more. Japan produced too many planes - too many to fuel or crew. Better planes - using less plant - means you don't have to convert auto factories to make planes - and they then can make trucks and even tanks. My absolute carrier plane count is less - but they are carriers with punch - not so much junk.