Strategy tips for Japan

[ThunderLizard11]

Playing as Japan with Germany/Italy on AI control.

What are people's general suggestions for Japan?

* What do do with China? Finding it hard to get Chungking given narrow passages
* Take out DEI and Singapore?
* Diplomacy?
* US?

[Rondor11]

My $0.02 and please remember I am no expert.

China: Personally, best practices for me is to grab what I can. Nanning and Changsha but that is about it.

DEI and Singapore: My opinion is to prepare to take both. Singapore may be the tougher nut to crack but take them immediately after the Oil embargo is put on you by the USA. The closer you can time the landings the better. Gather all your Amphibs waiting for the chance to jump the turn after USA declares that embargo.

USA: You WILL be fighting the USA and that is why you cannot but too many MMP's into fighting a land war in China. Build anti sub capabilities and Amphibious capability along with all the ships and ship tech you can buy.


I have nailed chungking if I ignore the USA and build to win a land war. you know what will happen if you do that.

Just my notes

[Bylandt11]

You can take out China. Your best troops are in the center, but the paths of least resistance are in the south and north. Build as many garrisons as you can, to guard against rebellion and to replace the troops guarding the Soviet border. Prioritize research of command and control and infantry weapons. After Chunking falls the capital will shift to Lanchow and after that to Urumchi, but the front will get smaller as you advance, so troops can be diverted against India. I used an amphibious landing in the south of India to hurry the conquest.


I'm uncertain about the correct strategy of amphibious conquests, so I'm interested in how other players handle it.


Diplomatic chits don't appear to be of much use in Asia. But Japan can help Germany out with Sweden and Turkey (not with Spain though).


Strategy against the US? Keep your fleet together once hostilities start. With some investment in Spying and intelligence you should spot when the American armade sets out. I won't spoil it by telling how it sailed in my game.

[Pocus]

I was thinking of a way to spot the main US fleet, and a picket of 4+ subs might do it also, and they are rather resistant to damages.

[terje439]

Maritime bombers are quite useful for Japan imo, many islands to place them on, and with two strikes each, they are rather useful for spotting enemy ships. Espesially since they give sight in the entire flight path, and since they are cheap as well, I find these to be a good buy for Japan.

[skraft16]

I move available garrison units not needed to suppress partisan unit creation, plus 1-2 more newly produced into Manchuria and free up most/all of the Manchurian army, leaving only units in the 6 cities you need to keep the Russkies from mobilizing. Also, there are 3 corps you start with in Japan, Korea and Taiwan/Formosa. All those go to China, along with the SNLF unit you start with. With some additional builds and concentrating your air power against Changsha area defenses that gives you enough to take Nanning, Changsha and the remainder of southern China. With reasonable luck/skill you can also capture Chenyang, which further hurts Nationalist production. I have so far stopped in China at that point, because the terrain gets miserable driving towards Chungking, and you need to pull your air force, ground units in excess of what is needed for a defensive line (For example, you only need 4-5 corps/armies and you can keep the Chinese from reconquering your gains in southern China.) for the war against much more lucrative and vital war in southeast Asia/India. I also do not advance to the point where the Chinese Communists want to join the war against Japan.

So far, I have not played past 1942, but I have a very hard time believing that the Chinese Nationalists can counterattack and inflict a defeat on your defensive line that poses a significant threat to Japan's position in the war. However, I know that if you let the Brits hang on in Singapore/Burma, the Dutch in Dutch East Indies and not have at least a solid well-garrisoned defense perimeter vs the U.S., you will not have the resources you need to fight well, and the Western Allies will have the bases they need to overwhelm you in a march into Indochina or across the Pacific.

Oh, and I also use the Japanese carriers to provide air support against Nanning, and then possibly against the forward defensive positions of Chengyang and Nationalist units within air range of carriers parked around Tsingtao. Then the carriers are pulled and prepared for the existential struggle against Uncle Sam

[vonRocko]

In the first SC global war game, I built up an invasion force for the Dutch East Indies etc (as Japan). Only to find out later in the game that the Japanese got free troops for this.
I plan on buying and playing the game this weekend, and I would like to know if this scripting is still in place?
Thanks

[Pocus]

You get planned reinforcement in the Japan proper for several invasions, but it is up to you how you actually use these forces. Plus you need to pay for their amphibious boarding.

[vonRocko]

Thank you Pocus.