Happy New Year From War Plan Orange

[Tankerace]

Well guys, a good new year deserves good news. War Plan Orange is almost completed! The Main work is finishing up the scenarios and finishing a few graphics. Below are some screenshots and some descriptions of some features of WPO.


An Early Japanese submarine. Japanese submarines are known by numbers in the early campaign (1922-1926), but in the 1926 campaign are known by Ha (3rd class) RO (second class) and I (First class) designations.


The only Japanese armoured unit in the game. The Japanese did not posses any tanks (except one) until the 1930s. However, a small Japanese variation of the Renault FT-17 was purchased in 1919. Called the Ko-Gata Sensha, only a handful were built. In War Plan Orange, the Japanese will build a limited number of these units, but the 1st Tank Coy. is the only unit to utilize it.


The Main tank in the game, the M1917 light tank. Essentially a US produced French Renault FT-17 tank. The US gets about 5-7 Bns of M1917s throughout the game. The Other Tanks present in the Game are the British Mk V and Whippet Mk I, and the French FT-17. Also, Mr. Capriglione (cyberwop36) take note, as this is your command that you asked for.


With French Indo China in Allied Hands, the French Army makes an appearance in the game. Based on research, it seems the French had 2 divisions in French Indo China, the Division du Tonkin and Division Cochinchine-Cambodge. However, as these 2 divisions are spread over the country, the French Army is represented at the Regimental Level (With the Division Du Tonkin HQ in Hanoi, and the Cambodia Division HQ in Saigon), and the 2 French Artillery Units (4e and 5e Regiment d'Artillerie Coloniale) are represented at the battalion level.

This Unit is the 11e RIC Regiment, or Regiment d'Infanterie Coloniale, which is assigned to the Cambodia Division.


In War in the Pacific, the only major HQ represented was the Asiatic Fleet. In War Plan Orange, the HQ Battle Fleet and HQ Reserve Fleet are added, both at San Diego.


In the 1920s, the US Marines did not have divisions. Instead, a la WWI, the use regiments and brigades. The Brigade, in terms of infantry, is basically 2 regiments with a platoon of M1917s attached. This is true for US Army Infantry and US Marine Brigades.


The Division (For the Japanese and Americans) is basically, in terms of infanty, 2 slightly understrength Brigades. Also, while not in the TO&E, some US Divisions arrive with a company of M1917s attached.


Dug out Doug is also in War Plan Orange, reprising his WWI role of commanding the 42nd Rainbow Division. This is the only named US Division in War Plan Orange.


And, a quick screenshot of No. 20 squadron, the only British squadron that starts on map. It will be joined by about a dozen squadrons later on.

On another note, and you guys may find it interesting, in a latest AI test I did, the Japanese AI, by June 12, 1922, had landed troops at Legaspi and Aparri in the PI, and at Tsingtao and Shanghai in China. SO, I'd be willing to bet playing the AI would still be pretty fun in WPO.

Also, some of the Commands (HQs) in the game have been changed. ABDA is now Dutch East Indies, and West Coast is now US Coastal Command.

Well guys, I hope you enjoy this update, and I also hope it sheds some light on the inner working so War Plan Orange.

[Jorm]

Hey Tanker , its looking great

you might consider RAF 5 SQN, bristol F2b Ftr as it was in Risalapur ( pakistan) in 1925 and may have been quickly available.
there was a strong presnceof RAF SQNs in IRAQ at that time, which may alos been potential rapid reinforcements, i can dig them out if you are interested or have not already worked through them yoruself

cheers and great work
Paul

[Andrew Brown]

I have a question about the French: What flag do they use in the game for bases? In WitP as it currently stands they use the US flags and icons, which is a bit disappointing. Is it the same for WPO? (There would need to be a code change to give the French their own flag set)

[Tankerace]

ORIGINAL: Jorm

Hey Tanker , its looking great

you might consider RAF 5 SQN, bristol F2b Ftr as it was in Risalapur ( pakistan) in 1925 and may have been quickly available.
there was a strong presnceof RAF SQNs in IRAQ at that time, which may alos been potential rapid reinforcements, i can dig them out if you are interested or have not already worked through them yoruself

cheers and great work
Paul

In the 1926 campaign, No. 5 SQN starts on map. However, as it stands now, No 5 SGQ arrives in the 1922 scenario in October of 1922.

ORIGINAL: Andrew Brown

I have a question about the French: What flag do they use in the game for bases? In WitP as it currently stands they use the US flags and icons, which is a bit disappointing. Is it the same for WPO? (There would need to be a code change to give the French their own flag set)

French Indo China is assigned to the Southeast Asia Command, and as such uses the British Flag. While I would like to see a code change to allow this, Right now I am more concerned about getting code changes to fix the leaders screwing up for submarines. Perhaps at a later date a code change can be worked in to allow a French flag.

[Andrew Brown]

ORIGINAL: Tankerace
French Indo China is assigned to the Southeast Asia Command, and as such uses the British Flag. While I would like to see a code change to allow this, Right now I am more concerned about getting code changes to fix the leaders screwing up for submarines. Perhaps at a later date a code change can be worked in to allow a French flag.

I understand that such a change would be a low priority one. However it should be easy to implement (they don't even need to add any new art - just point the French nationality to a "mapiconsFR.bmp" file and add that file as a copy of the US one. The modders will do the rest). If you do manage to convince someone to add this in I would be eternally grateful!

I am looking forward to WPO very much by the way.

[Tankerace]

Glad to hear it.

Also, I'd like to point out that on the submarine screenshot above (Type S2 class) the 2 sets of tubes facing forward is not a type. The 2 tubes with reloads are internal tubes, while the 4 tubes without are external.

[Ron Saueracker]

Any change with the 173 ship BB TF?[:)]

[BossGnome]

by the way tankerance, I have been following WPO on and off since...a while now, annd I was just wondering. Your MOD will represent possible combats that could have occured in the Pacific, in the 20s. However, did you consider the possible rerouting of forces by the allied powers (I.E. if France and Britain were at war with japan they would have brought many forces, previously stationed in Europe, to the Pacific to fight the Japs), or does this assume that the entire WW2 happens in the 20s, thus the germany first policy still takes effect? Also, how will the USSR be included (or will it?).

thanks for clarifying this for me (and sorry if someone else already asked the same questions).

[DrewMatrix]

F2bs and Renault tanks. This is some of the crummiest stuff I can imagine.

I can hardly wait!

"It is a poor workman who blames his tools"

[Tankerace]

ORIGINAL: BossGnome

by the way tankerance, I have been following WPO on and off since...a while now, annd I was just wondering. Your MOD will represent possible combats that could have occured in the Pacific, in the 20s. However, did you consider the possible rerouting of forces by the allied powers (I.E. if France and Britain were at war with japan they would have brought many forces, previously stationed in Europe, to the Pacific to fight the Japs), or does this assume that the entire WW2 happens in the 20s, thus the germany first policy still takes effect? Also, how will the USSR be included (or will it?).

thanks for clarifying this for me (and sorry if someone else already asked the same questions).

As it starts in the early, and later in the mid 1920s, it assumes these things.

1.) Primarily, it is a war between the United States and Japan.
2.) Britain commits small forces at the begging to protect Malaya and India, and late in the "war" commits the Grand (Home) Fleet.
3.) Britain having a small army (as did the United States), sends only limited reinforcements to India. In the 1920s, naval planners from all sides considered a Pacific War to be primarily a naval war.
4.) The scope of the conflict is limited to the Pacific and China, with possibly French Indo China. It is highly doubtful, considering the organization of armies, that Japan will be able to make it into India (though who knows).
5.) The Bolsheviks will be represented. I call them Bolsheviks, because at this point the Russian revolution is winding down, and the Soviets will only have a few forces present, as they are assumed to capitialate and concede the Eastern territories to avoid another disatrous war.
6. France will despatch some reinforcements to French Indo China, but not commit itself. Having lost almost an entire generation at the hands of the Germans only 4 years previous, France is in no condition to fight a sustained war.
7. Germany, bankrupt, in revolution, and bound by the Treaty of Versailles, will not even be factored into the equation.

This mod assumes that War Plan Orange happens as a naval war, centered around the Japanese seizing the Phillippines. The Japanese player also has enough units to begin the Sino Japanese war, or go into the DEI. However, to ensure a victory (Or survival), they MUST destroy the US fleet before 1925 (or 1928 in the Super Dreadnought campaign). In 1925/28, the British Grand Fleet arrives, which in itself contains as many dreadnoughts as the Americans do dreadnoughts and predreadnoughts.

I'll try and get someone to post a poll,, but would anyone like to see the French Navy enter the game? It will hold up WPO for a few weeks, as I would have to create French Devices and graphics, plus enter in the ships. What I may do is go ahead and put in the French guns, and then add in the French navy after WPOs initial release.



and no Ron, so far the AI still likes its 173 ship Bombardment TF.... [:D] Oddly enough though he left 3/4 of his battleships behind.

[BossGnome]

personally, YES, I would like to see the french navy in the game! They wouldn't do much exept delay the japanese a bit, but that would still be pretty cool. Also, did you think of putting in the few dutch ships that would be protecting the DEI?

[Tankerace]

Well, at the time, the Dutch navy was pretty small, and consisted of mainly out dated coast defense ships and torpedo boats, with the most modern ships being the Java class cruisers that were just entering service. I decided to drop the Dutch Navy, as I sort of ran out of devices. I have enough ship slots free to add in 1 more navy, either the French, the Dutch, or the Chinese.

However, I won't swear that the new navy will make it in on the first release. I figure 7 months is a long time for you guys to wait on War Plan Orange, so I'd like to get it too you now, and then add in more goodies.

[DrewMatrix]

at this point the Russian revolution is winding down

Didn't the US have an infantry division in Siberia in the 1920s? IIRC the US landed a division in Vladivostok and the Brits some infantry in the Arctic (?Murmansk) trying to help the Whites win the Russian Civil War.

The US infantry was abandoned there out of political embarrassment as I recall, but they were wandering around the map (and the US had the shipping to get them to Vladivostok) at some point around 1920+.

I'll see if I can find a reference.

Addendum:

No, the US troops in Siberia were landed about July 1918 and withdrawn 1 April 1920.

But the "allies" ("the people who fought against the Germans in WWI but excluding the Bolsheviks" ie the Brits, US and Japanese) held Vladivostok until 1922. Vladivostok is apparently Japanese until 1922 when they give it to the Bolsheviks (the first time the Reds held the city that had been one of the last White bastions).

here is one reference:

http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/sectio ... 918-20.asp

By the way, is "Kolchak's Gold" in the game? IIRC there is a train containing all the gold reserves of the Czar running around Siberia at the time. No one knows what happened to all that gold . . .

[Tankerace]

In that case I might try and make Vladivostock Japanese..... but doing so would automatically trigger a Soviet Active. I'll weigh it out, and see what happens.

[Ron Saueracker]

Anybody notice TankerAce's sig? Is it ever a treat to listen to Richard Rodgers while entering orders! Thanks again Justin.[&o]

[Tankerace]

hey, not a problem. In my opinion, the 2 best kinds of music to listen to while playing WitP are Victory and Sea, and the soundtracks from Medal of Honor, Medal of Honor Frontline, Medal of Honor Allied assault, and Medal of Honor Pacific Assault rolled into one.

[DrewMatrix]

In that case I might try and make Vladivostock Japanese..... but doing so would automatically trigger a Soviet Active.

Triggering the Soviets to be active doesn't sound like the result you want. You want to "Trigger Soviets Inactive" actually. The Russian Civil War is actually over. What the Russians want at this point is time to deal with their political uh, "reorganization" internally. Not another war with a Russian faction nor an outside entity like Japan. And besides I get the feeling Japan was holding it as an ally of UK/US, not as an enemy at that time.

Would it be more true to the spirit of what happened to make Vladivostok "Russian" but with no unit in it, make Russia inactive, and then add a Russian Base Force to Vladivostok as a reinforcement in 1922.

Doing it that way Vlad would be of no use to either side until 1922 (true from the viewpoint of any pacific war between the WWI victors), then occupied by the Russians after that date (the date when they really got it).

if the Japanese want Vladivostok later than 1922 they need to invade and capture it. If they want to actually build up, rather than evacuate, before 1922 they can take it without opposition (there is no russian unit there) but doing so will reignite Russian fighting in Siberia. Against Japan.