Pacific, Heroes and Leaders mod Expansion

[asl3d]

Pacific, the new Heroes and Leaders mod Expansion is coming ...

[Cataphract88]

Great news!

Keep up the good work!

[jtcourtne]

I am very much looking forward to this too. I love your work!

[asl3d]

To Be Continued ...

[asl3d]

Are you ready?

[CHINCHIN]

Yes Yes Yes!! Ready and anxious !!

[dox44]

yeah. ready.

[asl3d]

THE JAPANESE

The rationale behind most of the rules for the Japanese should be based over his incredible courage in the face his willingness to die rather than be taken alive. The Japanese was been raised in a highly regimented society with little regard for the individual, with an iron discipline enforced in the military, and the Bushido, the code of the Samurai. Bushido stressed unquestioning bravery and loyalty, the unimportance of the individual, that failure in battle demanded death, and that capture by the enemy was unthinkable. Together all these produced what some have called the best infantry in history.

[CHINCHIN]

How will you simulate Japanese tenacity?

One way is to put your squads as heroes, they will never be shaken. But you have the problem of penalization when using support weapons.

Me in Heroes of the WWII mod, simulate it by mixing squad-heroes with standard squads with SR.

[asl3d]

ORIGINAL: CHINCHIN

How will you simulate Japanese tenacity?

One way is to put your squads as heroes, they will never be shaken. But you have the problem of penalization when using support weapons.

Me in Heroes of the WWII mod, simulate it by mixing squad-heroes with standard squads with SR.

Hello Chinchin,

I have been very hesitant about how to approach this matter. Not allowing the Japanese squads to break normally, as ASL does, has always seemed like too energetic solution. Also, although the squads are not broken, they lose part of their combat strength. This, at the end of the scenario, leaves the Japanese side without real combat strength.

Finally, I have decided to allow the break of the squads but, to facilitate their rally (Self-Rally), I have considered that the Japanese side has the same characteristics as the German SS units and that of the Russians (Motherland). In addition, I have strengthened the capacity of Japanese officers by considering them Samurai what, in practice, means that all Japanese officers are Commissars.

I think that, although the Japanese soldiers were brave and highly disciplined, they were still human beings and, therefore, sensitive to enemy fire and they took cover like the other fighters of the second world war. For all these reasons, I have chosen to further enhance their ability to rally as well as its resistance to be eliminated by close combat.

I have not yet tried all of this on the Pacific scenarios. Therefore, we have to consider it as a design concept, pending the actual testing of the mod to confirm it.

[asl3d]

Japan Imperial Army

The Japanese devised tactics that would provide maximum advantage for their smaller army. They used night attacks whenever possible in order to minimize casualties, and performed the maximum use of deception, speed, surprise and infiltration to put and keep the enemy off balance. In theory, each Japanese squad contained two or three snipers—and even LMG were used for sniping, some being equipped with scopes for that purpose. On the other hand, dominated the obsession with the perceived advantage of attacking at all times and the conviction that the ultimate aim of an attack was to overwhelm the enemy in hand-to-hand combat.

[asl3d]

PTO (Pacific Theater of Operations)

The beginning ASL players have always had a certain timidity with regard to learning the rules for playing in the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO). And, why not? The PTO was not introduced until Code of Bushido and Gung Ho!, the eighth and ninth modules of the ASL system. The rules for the PTO (Chapter G) have a reputation for being complex. Many players, although they own the modules, are reluctant to dive into the PTO for primarily that reason. It’s a shame, really, because a player who understands the basics of Chapters A-D and is comfortable with them can quickly team enough about the PTO to begin playing scenarios from that theater. Indeed, since the PTO was not an armor-heavy theater, and therefore has many all-infantry scenarios, you don't even necessarily need strong knowledge of Chapters C and D to begin. Some of Chapter G's reputation for complexity/density is well deserved, but by taking a programmed instruction approach, a player can jump into the PTO with relative ease. "Pacific" contains a good part of the ASL chapter G rules (including the Caves Complex or the Amphibious Assault), adapted to the game mechanics of the Heroes and Leaders mod, and follows the ASL programmed instruction method.

[asl3d]

Type 95 Ha-Go Light Tank

One of the big problems of the medium tank Type 89 was its slowness which made it unsuitable to move within the mechanized brigades transported by trucks. Consequently, as from 1933, study of a new fast tank was undertaken. This tank of approximately 7 tons was to give potection against the shootings of light weapons. The suspension was inspired by that of the Type 94 tankette which was made up of two pairs of road-wheels on bogie on each side installed on bent arms suspended by horizontal helical springs in compression; provision taken again on the majority of the future Japanese tanks.
A new diesel engine was installed at the back of the tank and actuated the two front sprocket-wheels. This tank was provided with a standard steering by clutch and braking. The crew was constitued of a driver, a bow machine-gunner and the commander-gunner in turret. This last handled a gun of 37mm. The prototype was finalized by Mitsubishi in 1934 and it was sent in units of cavalry and d' infantry to be to evaluate. These last units were hardly impressed by the quality of armament and shielding. However after a passage within the autonomous mixed brigade in Mandchouko, an order of this new tank had placed. A second prototype was designed in 1935 and was accepted for the production under the name of light tank Type 95. Let us note that the models of production will lay out of a more roomy compartment of combat. The light tank Type 95 was produced in very great quantity according to the Japanese standards since 1300 specimens were produced. The majority (1164) left the Mitsubishi arsenal (where it gains its current denomination Ha-Go), the remainder of different factories of small size.

[asl3d]

Type 3 Ke-Ri

List conversions of Type 95

Type 3 Ke-Ri: model armed with a gun of 57 mm Type 97 in a new turret which however given an exiguous space to the crew. Never the testing stage exceeded in 1943.
Type 4 Ke-Nu: model equipped with the two-man turret of the medium tank Type 97. 100 produced specimens.
Type 95 Manshû: training tank (but also operational) extremely similar to the Ha-Go, which equipped the unit of instruction of the military academy of Kwantung in Mandchouko.
Type 95 Ta-Se: anti-aircraft tank designed in November 1941. Armed with the gun with 20 mm Type 98 or Type 2. Never started production.
Type 2 Ka-Mi: Amphibian tank designed for the Japanese Navy. It was equipped with two pontoons (front-back) which could be detached once on the dry land since interior of the tank.
Type 95 Ri-Ki: Pioneer tank equipped with a 3t crane.
Ho-To: motorized howitzer (120 mm Type 38) based on the chassis of the Ha-Go. This howitzer had a rather low muzzle velocity but its high-explosive rounds could destroy a Sherman.
Type 5 Ho-Ru: light tankdestroyer with gun of 47 mm, similar to German Hetzer from which the development began in February 1945. Used the chassis of Type 95, the suspension was widened to accomodate tracks of 350 mm broad with double central guides.
Type 98 Ke-Ni: final version of the Ha-Go equipped with a higher shielding (plates of 15.7 mm in the place of the plates of 12 mm). It started production in 1942 but only 200 were produced.

[asl3d]

Type 98 Ke-Ni Light Tank

The light tank Type 98 Ke-Ni was designed in order to replace the Type 95 Ha-Go. However its development was braked until 1942 because Type 95 was considered to be largely sufficient vis-a-vis the national revolutionary army of the Chinese Republic, extremely deprived out of anti-tank weapons. Moreover one large share of the d' production in steel in Japan was used for naval construction to the depend of the production of armored vehicles. However at the time of enter in war of Japan vis-a-vis the United States, it was obvious that the Type 95 was not competitive vis-a-vis the American tanks even vis-a-vis the light tank M3 Stuart. A contract of production had signed in 1942 with the firms Hino Jidosha Kogyo and Mitsubishi. In 1942-1943, a total of 103 Type 98s Ke-Ni was produced in 1942-1943 (24 in 1942,79 in 1943).
Type 98 was largely similar to Type 95 but shorter than this last and with a mainly welded and thicker shielding. It was propelled by a diesel engine Mitsubishi Type 100 of 6 cylinders, developing 130 hp. The engine was assembled in length in order to facilitate maintenance. The 2-man turret of conventional type, was armed with a gun of 37 mm Type 100. This gun had an initial muzzle velocity of 760 m/s. Secondary armament was constitued of a coaxial machine-gun of 7.7 mm Type 97.
The Type 98A Ke-Ni was the standard model of production, equipped with a suspension with 6 road-wheels assembled by pars on bogies (installed on bent arms suspended by horizontal helical springs in compression) and 3 return rollers , 1 front sprocket-wheel and 1 idler.
The Type 98B Ke-Ni was an experimental model equipped with a suspension of the Christie type with 4 broad road-wheels supported by helical springs. This suspension did not have return rollers and the idler and the sprocket-wheel were reversed. This model never started production.
The Ta-Se is an anti-aircraft version based on Type 98. This vehicle from which the development had begun in November 1941, was armed with a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun assembled in a circular turret. This gun was a version of the anti-aircraft machine-gun of 20 mm Type 2. Only one prototype was produced and named Ta-Se (Ta for Taiku (Anti-Air) - Se for Sensha (Tank)). One also thought realize a version with twin guns for 1944. However the project was abandoned in 1943.

[asl3d]

Type 2 Ke-To Light Tank

The light tank Type 2 Ke-To (Ke for Keto (light) - To (Seven)) is a version improved of Type 98 Ke-Ni. Like the Type 95 Ha-Go, Type 98 were completely sufficient to fight the Chinese forces which missed of anti-tank weapons and tanks. However these two tanks were not competitive vis-a-vis the American tanks. It's why the development of this more powerful version was initiated at the end of 1942. As for Type 98, Type 2 suffered from the lack of steel available because of the priority given to naval construction and the start of production was unceasingly delayed. At the time of the beginning of this one in 1944, the Japanese industrial facilities were in sad state because of the American bombardments and the shortages in materials were pandemic. For these reasons, only 34 specimens could be produced.
The principal modification by report Type 98 was adoption of the gun of 37 mm Type 1. This more powerful gun had an initial muzzle velocity of 810 m/s. To install this gun, the turret was widened and became more cylindrical.
The Type 2 at the origin was developed like light airborne tank being able to be transported by sailplanes to provide a armored support to the special forces and to the parachutists (like British Tetrarch and American Locust). None of the 34 specimens was deployed in the Pacific, because Japanese army not having more offensive capacities. Only a few units were created and assigned to division of infantry protecting Japanese archipelago against an invasion which never came. The end of the war arrived without Type 2 was used in combat.

[asl3d]

Type 4 Ke-Nu Light Tank

The medium tank Type 97 Chi-Ha was at the origin equipped with a turret armed with a gun of 57 mm with low muzzle velocity. The engagements vis-a-vis the Japanese tanks during the Russo-Japanese border war of 1939 showed inefficiency of this gun vis-a-vis the tanks. A new version equipped with a new turret armed with a gun of 47 mm with high muzzle velocity, much more effective, Shinhoto Chi-Ha was developed. This last will become the war-horse of the Japanese armored forces. Consequently many turrets of the Chi-ha armed with the gun of 57 mm were available. In same time the light tank Type 95 Ha-Go had become obsolete. It was thus decided to mount these turrets on the hull of the Type 95 ha-Go so to increase the number of light tanks intended for divisions of infantry of frontline. The new tank was baptized Type 4 Ke-Nu.
Like above mentioned, the turret of the Chi-ha was quite simply installed on the hull of the hHa-Go, which appreciably increased the firepower of this last. This hybrid tank however weighed 1 ton more than the Ha-Go what harmed the performances of the tank appreciably without the protection of the tank was improved. Top speed had fallen to 40 km/h on road. As conversion did not begin before 1944, this tank could not play any decisive part in the course of the war. The majority of the Type 4s had remained at the country to counter a future American invasion. Some however were delivered to units in Korea and Manchukuo (Manchuria). Some were opposed to the Soviet tanks lasting invasion of Manchuria by USSR in 1945.

[asl3d]

Type 5 Ke-Ho Light Tank

The light tank Type 95 Ha-Go which constituted the majority of Japanese armored forces, had proven reliable against the Chinese forces on the continent. However it was completely insufficient against the tanks of Allies of share the weakness of its armament (not very powerful vis-a-vis American M3 Stuart and M4 Sherman) and of its shielding (vulnerable to the standard infantry weapons). The tanks light Type 98 Ke-Ni and Type 2 Ke-To represented a good step in the right direction but remained altogether still too vulnerable. A new light tank was thus necessary. If the prototype were completed in 1942, the program was put on the side to the profit of the developments of medium tanks and the production of warcrafts. The mass production was authorized in 1945 only but it was well too late unfortunately so that this tank plays a positive role in the course of the war. Means of Japanese wa rindustry did not allow any more because of the shortages and the destruction of installations to produce in mass any armored vehicle that it is. The project thus remained at the stage of the prototype.
Type 5 used in major part the chassis of the Type 95 Ha-Go but with clear improvements made to the shielding and armament. The weak gun of 37 mm was replaced by a gun of 47 mm Type 1. The tank was propelled by a diesel engine Mitsubishi NVD 61020 with air cooling, developing 150 hp (what allowed a speed on road of 40 km/h). Despite everything this tank remained lower than the American tanks.

[asl3d]

Type 89A/B Chi-Ro

Part I

The history of this infantry support tan goes back to the program of the N°1 tank begun in 1925. It was specified that this tank was to be able to attack the enemy fortifications. A gun of 57 mm and 2 machine-guns in auxiliary turrets were required, with a shielding able to resist to the contemporary anti-tank guns of 37 mm. To accompany infantry, a high maximum speed was not necessary and it was limited to 25 km/h (that of the standard trucks of the Japanese army). The weight was to surround the 15 tons.
The first prototype was constructed without shielding because of the problems encountered in the manufacture of the plates and other engineering problems. The weight was of approximately 18 tons, which was considered to be unacceptable for a tank of infantry by the Japanese high command. The realization; a new model of 10 ton, armed with a gun of 37 mm, based on Vickers British Medium C bought in 1929, was required. The prototype will leave the same year the arsenal of Osaka. During this time work on the N°1 tank continued its course, even if this tank were never produced. The new tank had the same gun of 57 mm as the tank N°1 and a machine-gun of 6.5 mm was installed at the back of the turret, and a second in front right of the hull. The transmission by clutch and braking came from N°1. The engine was Daimler gasoline of 6 cylinders developing 118 hp. The suspension was a version simplified of that of the heavy tank and included on each side 9 road wheels, in two double sets of road-wheels assembled per pairs, in bogies suspended by leaf springs, supplemented by a road-wheel with independent suspension in front. This suspension was protected by armored plates.
The new tank of 11.5 tons, was baptized Type 89 and put in production in the new arsenal of Mitsubishi. At the beginning considered as light tank, it was finally classified like medium tank.

[asl3d]

Type 89A/B Chi-Ro

Part II

The crew of Type 89 was of 4 men. The driver and the bow machine gunner of took seat in front of the hull. On the Type 89A the driver had sat on the left and the window of vision was on the left on the frontal plate of the superstructure, and the machine gunner on the right. This one actuated the machine-gun of 6.5 m Type 91 on ball mount on the right of the window of the driver. On the Type 89A the access to the hull was made via a hatch in two parts installed on the right of the plunging glacis. A loop of towing was present on the nose of the tank. Two large headlights were present on the mudguards.
On the Type 89B, the positions were reversed. Indeed the driver (as the window of vision) took seat on the right and the bow machine gunner took seat on the left with the machine-gun of 6.5 mm Type 91 on ball mount. The access hatch it-also was moved towards the left on the glacis. A port of shooting to the pistol was present between the window and the machine-gun. On the Type 89B, the frontal plate of the superstructure and the glacis was remplaced by a single plate. The skew side plates of the superstructures had small hatches of vision and slits of vision. The inclined parts of the roof of the superstructure laid out each of 4 ports (of shooting to the pistol?).