Reluctant Admiral 3.0

[John 3rd]

Here are the exact changes made to the China Area by kfsgo:

Garrison Requirement Growth: China / Japan

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#North China & Mongolia:#
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Kweisui 20/20

Paotow 20/20

Tatung 40/40

Taiyuan 40/40 - all of these are more or less a "oh crap, the Soviet Union" sort of thing.

Hami 0/100 - Japan is really, really pushing things with the USSR by driving up here.

Urumqi 0/200 - likewise. Xinjiang was effectively a puppet state run by the NKVD until not too long before the war started...Japanese bombers over Frunze is really, really not on the Soviet agenda, so if the Japanese want to mess around up here they'd better really, really want to!

Yenan 280/380 - Powerbase of the Chinese Communist Party. Fanatically anti-Japanese...only comfortable with the KMT as far as they were willing to fight the Japs, which wasn't very. Added a minimal supply production (5 light industry) due to the problems with supply flow to bases meaning the garrison would literally starve to death, rather than metaphorically starving to death.

Sian 200/100 - interface between CCP and KMT control. The latter need to keep an eye on the former, hence the bump.

Loyang 50/100 - Shaanxi border area; Japanese logistical wall.

Tsiaotso 30/80 - Shaanxi border area; Japanese logistical wall.

Nanyang 70/140 - last stop on the road up into the mountains.

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#Central China#
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Ichang 90/180 - the beginning of the Yangtze gorges. Japanese logistical wall.

Patung 100/40 - middle of the Yangtze gorges. KMT need to keep a garrison here because if they don't the approaches to Chungking are vulnerable. They aren't particularly, in-game, but...

Chungking 400/200 - Capital-in-exile of the KMT government. The locals aren't necessarily thrilled about this.

Chengdu 280/140 - Despite what the game tells you, this is actually the larger of the Szechwan cities and was a hotbed of anti-KMT scheming during the provincial period.

Neikiang 80/40

Kienko 40/20

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#Yunnan & Guizhou#
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Kunming 200/100 - the terminus of the Burma Road, the terminus of the Allied airlift over the Himalayas, the terminus of the Hanoi-Yunnan railway (before the tracks got lifted during the war)...the list goes on. Key supply junction for the Chinese - central govt must garrison because the locals want a slice. The locals are also not happy about the central govt being what it is - the three largest Chinese universities evacuated here during the war and it became the effective capital of the intelligentsia, with the positives and negatives involved in that.

Mengtze 20/20 - a "keep an eye on the tracks up from Vietnam" and "keep a gun pointed at the opium trade" sort of arrangement.

Kweiyang 60/60 - road quality issues

Tuyun 60/60 - road quality issues

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#Southeastern China#
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Nanning 50/100 - Japanese logistical wall

Wuchow 70/140 - Japanese logistical wall (and a much larger city than I think players appreciate - there again, that's pretty much china.txt these days...)

Hengyang 100/200 - Japanese logistical wall

Siangtan 50/100 - Japanese logistical wall

Shaoyang 20/50 - Japanese logistical wall

Changsha 300/300 - Japanese logistical wall. Also the "key" to the last major rice-growing region the Chinese directly control east of the Yangtze gorges - no question of undergarrisoning it when the Japanese can move upriver. They can't, but "can".

Chuhsien 80/80 - middle of nowhere. Japanese have an interest in Japan not being bombed, hence caring about this area at all - the locals are pretty independent-minded (before half a million or so get executed out of hand through 1942 after the Doolittle Raiders pass through, at least) so a garrison sticks around to prevent further "outrages".

Liuchow 100/100 - road and railway issues

Guilin 100/100 - road and railway issues



Totals:

China requires an extra 870 + 340 + 990 + 750 = 2950av to meet those commitments if *all* the relevant bases are held, which they aren't to begin with.

Japan requires an extra 1170 + 240 + 620 + 1220 = 3250av to etc - excluding Yenan (which unlike the KMT they aren't saddled with in the first place and they'd have to be deranged to take - sort of like real life) it's 2870. Excluding the far western Xinjiang bases (which they shouldn't really be approaching - it'd take most of the trucks in the Japanese army to get'em up there, anyway) it's 2570. So - the Japanese have a lot more control over what they want to do (almost all the expanded-garrison-req bases start under Chinese control) and 'regular' bases scale garrison requirements with the relative size of the armies, but they have further to fall if they really try to push things.

Ok, those numbers aren't necessarily "huge" huge in the context of China, but they're pretty big - should keep a brake on things. Everything is arbitrary, everything should be subject to change if change is felt desirable by anyone at any time etc etc but it's a first pass and it'll be interesting to see how it pans out.

[FatR]

Well, I can hope that this will make China less swingy for both sides, possibly encouraging relatively static front. While in both of my current PBEMs I've conquered nearly all of China (taking or besieging Chungking), one of the main reasons I've invested so much effort in the theatre was the sheer magnitude of danger to Japan, arising if one fails to consolidate your positions early, or if the Allied player manages to establish a supply route from India.


I did a ton of work on cruiser and destroyer upgrades for this version of the mod. Their dates are generally earlier than historical (most noticeably, the number of 25mm AAMGs on most of heavy cruisers explodes in late 1943, instead of mid-1944), but their composition hopefully reflects real-life modifications. I consulted deck plans and drawings of ships in question whenever I could find them. Newer Japanese DDs retain more (or all) of their anti-surface armament, because surface engagements tend to be far more common in AE. While many of the special type and derivative DDs lose their turret #2 to make way for extra AAMGs and DCs, only Hatsuharu class suffers any reduction in torpedo armament. This means that the number of AAMGs is often reduced for them (Yugumo class has the biggest reduction, with only 14 barrels instead of 29, after the last upgrade). Number of DP guns increased, though, even though 127/50 DP variations are pretty bad against air targets in this scenario (due to separate stats, hidden from the Editor). Also, APDs made from older DDs now generally get late-war upgrades, so you can get them outfitted with late-war devices without converting them to Es, if you want.

[John 3rd]

OK. Back at it this morning.

Items Complete:

1. Checked kfsgo's work in China: GREAT!

2. Bumped several of India's Garrison requirements. Not much change but raised about 6 major cities totals for both Japan and Allies. Hopefully...the same effect will be made here as in China.

3. Pulled out a pair of APs from Japanese OOB and replaced them with CVE conversions due in early 1943. Had several members comment that the Brazil Maru APs were to be part of the 'Shadow Program' (didn't know that) so went with it and allow them to be converted. Not too much to write home about as they are smallish and carry only 18 planes. In Perfect War we have decided to ignore the Shadow Program (for the most part), however, in RA Yamamoto will use whatever he's got available!

4. Went through starting positions with Japanese and moved the Tinas and SNLF Para Brigade to Peleliu. Raised AF to 2. The IJA Paras and Transports stay at Kompong Chang. Paras in the west and Paras in the east will allow for some interesting possibilities...

5. Created the new IJN template units: SNLF Assault Brigade, SNLF Para Brigade, Atoll Defence Coastal Gun Regiment, Atoll Defence Coastal Gun Bn, and an IJN AA Bn.

6. Moving to wiping out the old SNLF units and replacing them with the new ones...

[John 3rd]

Whomever had the job of doing the OOB for this game deserves a medal and a case of the very best! TEDIOUS!

OK. I've deleted the old SNLF units. The new Brigades are built and placed in as reinforcements or at their starting locations. Those starting on Dec 7th have their targets set and a prep level taken care of. This is all good EXCEPT I cannot get the changes to come up when I load a new Game! The Editor has them and shows the new units at their correct location with the old ones gone, however, it doesn't show when I load AE. What am I doing wrong and/or missing?

[John 3rd]

Am trying to figure out what the problem is here. I've got the work saved in the Editor as Scenario 78. The Screenshot here does not SHOW a Scenario 78 nor does it show any saves to 77 I have made to this point today. STRANGE. I've got to be missing something simple. Ideas?

[John 3rd]

Here is the Editor showing Scenario 78:

[JWE]

Hi John,

Your last post shows the editor set to Matrix Games\AE--RA 3.0\Scen, while your prior post shows you looking in Matrix Games\AE--RA 4.0\Scen. Just a thought.

Btw, seen your page on the Babes site?

[John 3rd]

I figured this out right after the last Post by me. I made a copy of AE and, without thinking (a fairly normal trait of mine), I simply copied it from the RA 3.0 Folder. The Editor was saving everything back to THAT folder. We're OK life may go on...

Thanks John. I will go take a look right now before I begin my 'Honey Do' list prior to work.

All that I have left now is the Atoll Defense Units and this baby is ready to sail!

[John 3rd]

WELL DONE on the Site John! Looks great. Stanislav and I will figure out our link page and get that ball rolling.

Thanks Again.

[&o][&o]

[John 3rd]

Been hard at it this morning.

Done:
1. Got all the IJN LCUs finished.
---The SNLF Assault Brigades comprise the EXACT number of SNLF units as in the war so there is no troop gain but a definite increase in usefulness for assaulting larger targets. The unit strength is right at 5,800 total.
---The ADU (Atoll Defense Units: Regimental and Bn) are done. I pulled out a total of 16 Naval Guard units and replaced them with 10 of the larger and 10 of the smaller. Infantry strength stays the same, however, the CD comes as an added bonus. To be fair I expanded the Armaments some to cover these additions (lowered Japanese Home Island supply-fuel by 75,000 each).
---Added nine AA Bn for IJN purposes

2. I moved around the TK and AO from their USELESS starting positions and tried to make their new locals a bit more intelligent. Didn't move ALL of them but did handle about 75% of them. Makes better sense...

3. One of my proofers (Michael) spotted some ship inconsistencies with radar and so I went through it and made it a bit more thought out. In doing this I spotted that a number of the radars that were set to only face front. Fixed,

Am down to just a new scenario description and making sure the artwork is set and in the right places.

Think it is SAFE to say we'll release this tomorrow.

[JWE]

There's this gas station on the major corner near my house. Wonderful people work there. They call me California (wonder why). When I'm feeling expansive, I breeze in, and when they say Hi California, I sometimes say Strasvui Makushla, kok tui poujouvaiesh sevoidnya? And they say stop talking that Spanish stuff! So I explain. And they're like .. tssss, speak English for gosh sakes, it's hard enough understanding people from Louisiana.

So today I stop and get gas and when I walk in, Rhona says "Hey, strasswi, California."

They can learn, Stanislav, they can learn. [;)]

[John 3rd]

Here is the new description:

The Reluctant Admiral is a Japanese 'what if' scenario based upon a greater contribution by Adm. Yamamoto Isoroku. The premise of the Mod is that Yamamoto exerted a much greater influence first on the Japan Naval Aircraft Industry, then as Deputy Navy Minister, and finally as Navy Minister itself. Yamamoto chooses, at great risk to his life, to forego command of the Combined Fleet and dedicate himself to preparing Japan for a war he didn't want.

He adds two new slipways for Fleet construction to facilitate a different, final pre-war expansion of the Kaigun. New and expanded Naval Yards, Heavy Industry, and Armaments are added at tremendous cost for the Japanese economy as the Admiral attempts to prepare Japan for a possibly long war.

In so choosing to do this Yamamoto then changes the 4th Circle Building plan replacing the 3rd and 4th Yamato-Class Battleships with three improved Shokaku-Class CVs and a pair of Kawachi-Class fast Battlecruisers, two Tone-Class CAs, an accelerated Agano-Class deployment, and additional destroyers. Quick, reasonably cheap carrier conversions are moved forward seeing all of the pre-war CVs/CVLs deploy by December 7th or at slightly earlier dates in 1942.

The Japan Naval Air Arm is changed so that everything is staked to the Zero Airframe with a specialization of the Zero into a Land-Based Interceptor as well as CV-Based Fighters. Research and production expansion is achieved by streamlining the air industry (cutting several models) while bringing forward second generation aircraft: Judy, Jill, etc… By great effort the IJNAF deploys nearly all new aircraft on December 7th.

RA 4.0 now brings his ‘vision’ to the IJN’s Land Component. He reorganizes the SNLF units into a Brigade-Sized offensive force and—knowing it will be a war of attrition—converts many Naval Guard into enhanced units with Coastal Defense artillery for a stronger defensive unit. Additional small units are added to the IJN’s Troops and support units better reflecting Yamamoto's foresight into base building, defense, and expansion needs.

The foresight of the Admiral paysoff during 1942 and early-1943 as new ships, aircraft, and ground units enter into the Japanese Order-of-Battle, however, the cost is steep. Though expanded and using modern aircraft many Japanese Naval Air units start with their experience lowered to reflect the dilution of the experienced pilots into new units. Supply and fuel reserves start at a much reduced state. The Japanese MUST take the DEI as fast as possible.

In a major change over the previous two versions of Reluctant Admiral, the 3.0 postulates more of Yamamoto’s influence upon the wartime Kaigun. First class destroyers are accelerated and emphasis is shifted to the AA Akizuki-Class at the expense of the more balanced Yugumo’s. Manpower is at a premium within the Fleet so Submarines, Escorts, and ASW forces all see a major retooling reflecting the Japanese quality over quantity belief. Yamamoto chooses the immediately useful projects, including 2nd-class destroyers, fast transports and coastal defense fleet, at the expense of large destroyers and subs offered by the stock, historical choice.

It should be noted that not all the changes are for the Japanese. The Allies see continued major changes in their starting locations, new air units, several ground units, a CLAA conversion for the Omaha-CL, a pair of additional CVLs, and options for nearly 10 CVEs. The added warships reflect a ‘stopgap’ counter to the increased Japanese strength found at war’s start.

How well can YOU do to use these new tools OR how well can you stop the Japanese Navy in its tracks as the Allies?

Designer's notes:
1. RA 4.0 is now fully compatible with Da Babe’s Modifications and may be used on the Extended Map with any other Babes feature.
2. Production is 'on' for this scenario
3. Garrison requirements have been raised in China as well as India to, hopefully, better reflect the political environment of the regions.

Scenario Designers: Stanislav Bartoshevitch (FatR), Michael Benoit (NY59Giants), John R. Cochran, III (John 3rd), Juan Gomez (JuanG), Ben Kloosterman (BK), John (JWE), EJ (SuluSea) and John Young (Red Lancer)

[oldman45]

Great work!

[JWE]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
Here is the new description:

Very well, John, will use your excellent description. I'll prep a new RA site and link to it from the Babes site. I'll use your existing mod files as a baseline (a placeholder set). There's restrictions on individual file sizes as well as total uploaded content, so I'll have to subdivide your mod into three parts: the "usual" Ext map stuff, i.e., map art and data (same as the Babes map art/data files), "mod specific" art, like ships, planes, etc.. and, the mod Scen data files themselves. This way, any version revs to to the Scen data can be handled simply. Revisions, additions, whatever, to map/ship/plane art can be done independently from the Scen updates. Also allows a simple path for Stack Limit or No Stack Limit map data downloads.

Soon as you and Stan get the scen files together, we'll "git 'er done!"

[John 3rd]

JWE:

THANKS! I have the files complete but need to add the artwork and description into the package. Will send you the actual scenario files right now.

John

[John 3rd]

Files sent.

[John 3rd]

The scenario is finished. All the files have been sent to JWE for Posting on Da Babes website. Thanks for the help, contributions, and work for everyone who helped with this revision of RA.

I am going to start two campaigns using RA 4.0 with the Extended Map and Stacking Limits. One of them shall have an AAR. Lew (Adm Nelson) and I got to May 1943 in our original RA Campaign while Roland (Soli Invictus) jumped into a later 3.0 version of the Mod. Both are wanting to begin again so that is about what we're going to do. Should be a good time!

[pws1225]

Congratulations and many thanks for your hard work. I'm looking forward to giving the mod a test drive.

Regards, Paul

[Dan Nichols]

I think this will be an interesting mod. I can't wait until I quit seeing this <insert link here> [:)]

[John 3rd]

Got it guys. Give me a little bit to work with here. Got called into work and have stuff to do in the morning but SHOULD be able to have it available. Will Post here when that has happened. Thanks!