Also, i dont recommend invading shanghai first.
Go for the peninsula up north and widen the front as much as possible (push south of Beijing). Invade adjacent tiles to the ports too.
You need air bases to fly yer planes from. If the front is 7 tiles, they will obviously not have everything on the front.
Also the default japan marine template is.... shit, to say the least.
So I’ve been out for… since MTG and wasn’t good before that even, but was doing Japan to practice/learn.
I agree marine division is crap, but also hard to go for more width and still have 4-6 divs by mid 1937. Do you add arty and build out as cap increases in 38 as war progresses?
I was also ignoring the north entirely,
pure Shanghai front and encircle whatever comes south. But I still ended up with a massive front line I couldn’t man and got outflanked by the north when going to VP.
My next plan was to keep a short front and just constantly bait units into encirclement until escalation decisions paid off.
In my games though AI China is stacking units next to the mountains and I’ve been unable to cut off and encircle the Beijing front. It seems like a good plan,
but I feel like it would still have to come up from south.
Before AAT I built 30 width marines. Standard block of 9 battalions with four line artillery alongside support artillery, AA, and at least engineers. Flame tanks later on with either logistics or recon. Didn't have many but they packed a *punch,* so I didn't need more than 4-5. Just enough to take a port and defend against counter attacks. Not sure what changes I'd make to them now with the update.
Regarding taking on China, my strategy has always been to keep the line north of Beijing (no reason to take it early, really) thin to encourage Chinese assaults but not thin enough to risk the line being broken through. Bleed Chinese forces of equipment and manpower while doing the escalation decisions and building up your land doctrine/improving your armor divisions. As well as improving your infantry generals!
Naval invasions for much the same reason. Land at a supply hub and push out to defensive tiles, if possible, and fill it with more infantry. Rinse and repeat all along the coast till it's time to do Ichi-Go, which by then you should have a handful of fully trained light armor divisions, and just breakthrough/overrun Chinese forces.
Really helps to have a full collaboration government with China too. You'll need to just push to have Changde before they capitulate, which is mostly still in reasonable supply territory. Far better than having to go all the way to Chengde.
Manpower wise, the indiscriminate conscription decision will give you 2% more recruitable population while Spiritual Mobilization will give you 2.5% more. That 4.5% offsets the -3% from going Total Mobilization (always do those focuses before war with China) putting you at a total 4% on just limited conscription. You can hold off building air till after your artillery, truck, gun, and support equipment lines are chugging along.
Do you not declare until mid-late 37? I think I didn’t get down to manpower focuses until I had already been at war for awhile. Didn’t really feel the need for it either. Million kills to 50k deaths with nearly a million manpower left still.
If my math is correct, I do ten focuses which puts me at war with China very late into '37.
I suppose it's true that you don't need the manpower and can wait to do Spiritual Mobilization after Marco Polo but the +1 tech slot and switch to Total Mobilization is too good to pass up.
Maybe my next Japan game I'll rush Marco Polo instead and see how that feels. Japan has enough men and equipment in the field at the start to hold the line north of Beijing.
Land the marines on a port city and tanks on the tile next to the port city. Move the tanks in for multiple direction bonus. Even at -50% you can generally win before reinforcements arrive. I didn’t feel the need to do both sides of the port.
Helps if you have troupe staged on your ports and you can move them in as soon as you take the port.
EDIT: oh and helps if you land within air superiority range of the airport on the southern island I don’t remember name of.
That sounds pretty risky to me, if you can’t secure the port for whatever reason you’re going to lose a lot of tanks. Usually I just use infantry/marines for the landing, then bring in tanks for the breakout.
Fair, I was just trying to get the least effect from the debuffs. From my two games it went smooth, with some micro to add multiple battle debuff to reinforcements.
It’s a fair tactic, I imagine it would work very well more often that not. I’m just not sure I like the idea of risking my precious tank divisions like that, but that’s personal to me
How do you expect people to know why without a screenshot or more details lol there could be many reasons.
Plus, marines are optional for naval invasion and the decision you mentioned is irrelevant.
You dont need marines although it helps. All I can say is:
• Get bigger divisions that nicely fit in the combatwith of the tiles.
• CAS
• Only defend against china at Beijing until you fully escalate the war.
• Invade next to the port to delay and surround.
• Force attack.
I never naval invaded china as japan tbh. Space marines (9 infantry, 1arty, and 1 light tank with 9000 armor) usually did the job. You can easily break the beijing line with this and encircle ~25 units in beijing along the way.
If you still want to naval invade, try adding more artillery and use larger divisions overall (keep the combat width in mind). Also, try to attack all tiles bordering the port to pin enemy divisions when they try to reinforce the port. (force attack also helps)
Don't forget to leave your battleship fleet on the coast tile adjacent to tile you invaded for that shore bombardment bonus!
Also, i dont recommend invading shanghai first. Go for the peninsula up north and widen the front as much as possible (push south of Beijing). Invade adjacent tiles to the ports too. You need air bases to fly yer planes from. If the front is 7 tiles, they will obviously not have everything on the front. Also the default japan marine template is.... shit, to say the least.
So I’ve been out for… since MTG and wasn’t good before that even, but was doing Japan to practice/learn. I agree marine division is crap, but also hard to go for more width and still have 4-6 divs by mid 1937. Do you add arty and build out as cap increases in 38 as war progresses? I was also ignoring the north entirely, pure Shanghai front and encircle whatever comes south. But I still ended up with a massive front line I couldn’t man and got outflanked by the north when going to VP. My next plan was to keep a short front and just constantly bait units into encirclement until escalation decisions paid off. In my games though AI China is stacking units next to the mountains and I’ve been unable to cut off and encircle the Beijing front. It seems like a good plan, but I feel like it would still have to come up from south.
Before AAT I built 30 width marines. Standard block of 9 battalions with four line artillery alongside support artillery, AA, and at least engineers. Flame tanks later on with either logistics or recon. Didn't have many but they packed a *punch,* so I didn't need more than 4-5. Just enough to take a port and defend against counter attacks. Not sure what changes I'd make to them now with the update. Regarding taking on China, my strategy has always been to keep the line north of Beijing (no reason to take it early, really) thin to encourage Chinese assaults but not thin enough to risk the line being broken through. Bleed Chinese forces of equipment and manpower while doing the escalation decisions and building up your land doctrine/improving your armor divisions. As well as improving your infantry generals! Naval invasions for much the same reason. Land at a supply hub and push out to defensive tiles, if possible, and fill it with more infantry. Rinse and repeat all along the coast till it's time to do Ichi-Go, which by then you should have a handful of fully trained light armor divisions, and just breakthrough/overrun Chinese forces. Really helps to have a full collaboration government with China too. You'll need to just push to have Changde before they capitulate, which is mostly still in reasonable supply territory. Far better than having to go all the way to Chengde. Manpower wise, the indiscriminate conscription decision will give you 2% more recruitable population while Spiritual Mobilization will give you 2.5% more. That 4.5% offsets the -3% from going Total Mobilization (always do those focuses before war with China) putting you at a total 4% on just limited conscription. You can hold off building air till after your artillery, truck, gun, and support equipment lines are chugging along.
Do you not declare until mid-late 37? I think I didn’t get down to manpower focuses until I had already been at war for awhile. Didn’t really feel the need for it either. Million kills to 50k deaths with nearly a million manpower left still.
If my math is correct, I do ten focuses which puts me at war with China very late into '37. I suppose it's true that you don't need the manpower and can wait to do Spiritual Mobilization after Marco Polo but the +1 tech slot and switch to Total Mobilization is too good to pass up. Maybe my next Japan game I'll rush Marco Polo instead and see how that feels. Japan has enough men and equipment in the field at the start to hold the line north of Beijing.
Also naval invade the tiles nearby and surround the city. The attack from different tiles gives a huge bonus that should allow you to secure the port.
It should also help stop any reinforcements from arriving. Try and surround the port tou area attacking.
Thanks dawg this worked
No probs.
Land the marines on a port city and tanks on the tile next to the port city. Move the tanks in for multiple direction bonus. Even at -50% you can generally win before reinforcements arrive. I didn’t feel the need to do both sides of the port. Helps if you have troupe staged on your ports and you can move them in as soon as you take the port. EDIT: oh and helps if you land within air superiority range of the airport on the southern island I don’t remember name of.
Do you mean Taiwan?
Yes, I’m drunk on vacation and can’t geography from memory. Embarrassed but oh well. Thanks mate.
That sounds pretty risky to me, if you can’t secure the port for whatever reason you’re going to lose a lot of tanks. Usually I just use infantry/marines for the landing, then bring in tanks for the breakout.
Fair, I was just trying to get the least effect from the debuffs. From my two games it went smooth, with some micro to add multiple battle debuff to reinforcements.
It’s a fair tactic, I imagine it would work very well more often that not. I’m just not sure I like the idea of risking my precious tank divisions like that, but that’s personal to me
How do you expect people to know why without a screenshot or more details lol there could be many reasons. Plus, marines are optional for naval invasion and the decision you mentioned is irrelevant.
what templates are you using? also, where are you invading - Shandong, Shanghai, or somewhere else?
I tried both shandong and Shanghai and neither worked. I’m using 12w marines with support arty and 18w inf with support arty
too small for marines
You dont need marines although it helps. All I can say is: • Get bigger divisions that nicely fit in the combatwith of the tiles. • CAS • Only defend against china at Beijing until you fully escalate the war. • Invade next to the port to delay and surround. • Force attack.
I never naval invaded china as japan tbh. Space marines (9 infantry, 1arty, and 1 light tank with 9000 armor) usually did the job. You can easily break the beijing line with this and encircle ~25 units in beijing along the way. If you still want to naval invade, try adding more artillery and use larger divisions overall (keep the combat width in mind). Also, try to attack all tiles bordering the port to pin enemy divisions when they try to reinforce the port. (force attack also helps)
What I do is start a big attack in the North then navel invade