China is doomed...

[alexandre le grand]

After several games as the empire of darkness... i notice China is dedicated to be japanese occupied... and i mean around 1942 (even with some luck 1941) and without a lot of lost for japaneses.

When you now the trick it is just a logistical issue... i think the communist part (especially near Mongolia) is really the weak point (i always take back Mao in prison in Tokyo before Chang Kai Chek) and the mountain in the center are a good path to chunking for my motorized corps.

I know it is not mean to be a real historical game, but as well i think China should have a chance to defend, because after it is just dominos (china, India or Australia or Russia...).

Maybe it could be good to add some massive partisans uprising (like the 2 on the coast) and why there is no more and US air task force like in pacific theather (Chennault HQ, bomber and fighter if i remember) or at list just a DE to send Chennault to China (otherwise it is too complicated to send one US HQ over there) and up to the US to send as well air forces...

Well if you have some ideas and opinions i will be glad to hear it...

[masterclaude]

Hello Alexandre le grand!

Here is masterclaude. I thought you died around year 323 bc, Alexandre! I've always been one of your fan so welcome in the XXI century. With SC2, you are at the right place to enjoy a superior strategy game but, as you noticed, one should not look for historical accuracy here, just plain thrilling wargaming. In this respect, I think you should then always play the AI on expert+2. Only so you got to fight your way to Chunking, believe me!

I assume all players want to get the best out of the game and out of themselves when facing an opponent. If people starts playing Global or any scenario at easy settings, they quickly learn all the tricks to defeat promptly the AI. In fact, we should do the complete opposite and learn the hard way how to deal with an almigthy enemy like AI on Exp+2. Who feels satisfied and excited to play poker when he knows most of his rival hands and can bet accordingly? That's the same when we play the Easy AI, we kill a part of our excitment or emotions at playing. Most of the tactical routine used against Easy Ai or even human partners don't work at that level.

For instance, you won't be able to take Chunking and simultaneously launch a vast pacific offensive in 41-42 reaching the historical high water for the Japaneses. Taking China will soon prove to be a Pyrrhic victory and all the mpps badly needed for your fleet won't be available on time to meet the allied counter-offensive. You'll be sitting powerless on your chinese conquest with US armadas sailing at will around your archipel cut from its convoy resources. Try it and good luck!

masterclaude

[alexandre le grand]

Well maybe you are right but i don t play anymore against AI, only human player... because for me it is more thriling to play against a surprising opponent who don t need to cheat to be difficult to beat... after a while I was fed up to kill and kill suicidal waves of chinese or russian.

Don t get me wrong AI is well programmed, but before we have a Swcharzy 'Terminator' AI there is time. Nonetheless it is not the point i wanted to discuss... and sorry again but for me China is an too easy catch (AI or Human opponent or even cyborg one...)

[masterclaude]

To be honest, I have not yet played Global scenarios with a human opponent so I cannot tell if China is that easy to take. From what Aesopo wrote lately about the chinese front from your AAR maybe slow progress can be enough to jeopardize the entire japanese continental effort. Above all, the Axis must beat their own time table to grasp the resources and secure the main strategic positions. Any delay will have dire consequences. In my opinion, China in Global might just play the same role she does in other pacific wargames: tying down units and delaying japanese deployment elsewhere. Even garrisons there will be unusable forces diverted from the real front, I mean the Pacific one where you have a real threat coming from the Allied. While the domino sequence you allude to may be plausible, I can't picture an Allied player who would let China,India or Australia fall without exploiting these overextended Axis lines of communication probably full of gaps not to mention japanese units dispersal making them very vulnerable.

In conclusion, I feel that, even though China can be conquered as early as 1941, one may wonder if it wouldn't play into Allied hands to have Japanese engaging so many units and spending so many MMP out there early on. How the IJN deals with the 1943american offensive once your japanese empire comprise such a large area from Bombay to Canberra? Do you play with soft builtlimit on? In any case , Japan cannot defend that empire with the usual force pool. So, I put your China question in a broader prospect to understand if this easy conquest can ultimately weaken Japanese defense perimeter on the long term. This paradox makes sens in the light of the victory conditions set for Global scenarios. All you have to do is controlling some cities here and there not all Asia! That said, I agree chinese partisans should be a lot more involved ( see Nupremal mod, it has A LOT of those partisan events in China, with a bigger map though) Partisan activities can also be emulate through some strength events that would penalize Japanese armies. All in all, China should resist many years that's for sure.

masterclaude

[alexandre le grand]

Well on the game I playing as allies i think in china my opponent is too focus on the main stronghold from chunking to the coast... it can works but with time and money... personnally as axis i prefer to focus on the north which a weak point and heading to the ressources of the east (and next capitals for china), after taking chunking by the north is quite easy...

For Pacific it release a lot of human power and you just need to crush US navy (which is the hard part...) but by plundering china you gain around 1000 Point which help you to build 1 or 2 carriers...

Dont bother to garnison all pacific just leave bombers at strategic spot (long range tech help) and you will be able to intervene everywhere there is a treat... Pacific again is a question of naval/air supremacy...

[Hubert Cater]

Hi Alexandre,

Thanks for the feedback and we'll be adding a few tweaks for the next patch including the Chenault decision as requested as that was indeed a good one for the Allied player in China.

Hubert

[aesopo]

Japan can take-out china but the MPP invested takes away from needed naval strength to face the US. One train of thought is for Japan to just solely focus on China and delay naval operations so it can concentrate superior firepower with a smaller naval area to defend. It can not outstrip the US in production but it can buy time and delay until Germany makes good progress in Europe. If Germany is knocked out, that spells doom for Japan. Like for example with my game with Alex, I decided to focus on China as Germany is in an advantageous strategical situation.