Drang Nach Osten: Japanese Player's Notes

Japanese Player's Notes

Japanese pre-war production

Japanese set-up

War situation

General disclaimer: this scenario hasn't been played! So these notes are not so much advice as they are an elucidation of some of the decisions you'll have to make, and perhaps an implication or two that is not immediately evident regarding that decision.

  1. The eastern Pacific. Banzai! Time to raid Honolulu, and this time you've caught the US CVs in port. Devoting most of your CVs to this raid seems wise. American air cover here is weak, with few good planes ready to come help in the next turn. This might be an opportunity to try to take over the Hawaiian Islands themselves! Taking Midway with two corps is feasible, and some divisions could grab other bases in the region that would allow you to try to cut Honolulu out of supply. Forcing the naval battle to the east of Honolulu for a while should cause American distress and possibly force the USN back to the USA. Invading Honolulu won't be easy, but taking it would be a crippling blow to the Allies in this scenario.

  2. Singapore and Malaya. While your fleet hammers Honolulu, your land based NAVs can raid the Royal Navy in Singapore. Hopefully that will knock off some British CVs. A follow-up ground attack should eventually take Singapore, though it might be a tough fight. Try to cut overseas supply west of Malaya first.

  3. The central Pacific. You can easily scoop up undefended bases at Rabaul, Guam, and Wake Island, as well as the lightly defended Philippines, and should do so. Island hopping down into the Solomons is feasible as well, and would make excellent bases for invading Australia.

  4. India and Burma. After polishing off Malaya and Singapore, your troops should push west. A quick run by a unit or two into Burma when you declare war is also a wise attempt to secure that oil and to take Rangoon before it can be defended. India has a number of troops in it and will not be a walk-over. Perhaps the juiciest aspect of invading India is the possibility of drawing the Royal Navy into battle on your terms.

  5. China and the USSR. Neither theater holds promise of a strategic victory for you. Modest offensives in southern China against the Nationalist Chinese could bag an extra resoure or two, and set you up in better defensive lines, and this should be undertaken before too long. The Communist Chinese are well-defended and resource-poor, thus making an unattractive target. This is little reason to try to break the Soviet garrison in 1942, as it will take a large effort to do so. If Germany has done well, however, a 1943 stab at Vladivostock and the resources nearby could prove beneficial both to Japan and the Axis cause at large.

  6. Overall strategy. Japan is in a great situation to attack. The question is: which major offensive takes priority: the Hawaiian Islands, Australian, or India? Trying them all at once is impossible, and trying two of them at once dangerous. Study the situation closely before playing and decide before you set up. You have a good chance at doing any of these, and maybe even more than 1 if the first is a quick victory, so plan carefully! Failure to doing any of these three is going to spell Japanese defeat in a few years.

  7. Your economy. The extra years before war are not much different than most games for your forces. The guaranteed shots at American and British CVs on the first turn is a big boon, however. Continued naval building seems wise, supplemented by invasion and air cover forces. A dedicated sub building effort could be useful to harass Allied supply routes in several theathers, both where you are attacking and where you are not attacking. As usual, guaranteeing your oil supplies is job number one.