by “Hippie”
Japan has many similarities with England in standard Diplomacy. A corner power, surrounded by water and with a large majority in navies at the start. Added to this advantage is its near proximity to the Eastern stalemate line (a mixed blessing). If left to its own devices, Japan can quietly go about the business of picking up the surrounding Island supply centres and the occasional mainland colony with diplomatic handling of the Russian and Chinese delegations and before anybody has really taken stock, Japan has manoeuvred itself into an unassailable position and the power to influence the life and death of all other powers in the east.
If the game is being played by seasoned veterans, the chances of the above scenario being achievable are zero. Although real history often repeats itself on the diplomacy board, somehow people are surprised that it does. The chances of people letting game history repeat itself are distinctly less. Once someone witnesses how easy it can be for Japan to emerge as a dominant force, this is rarely forgotten and one way or another “steps are taken” to ensure that Japan has difficulty in breaking out.
“If Japan can survive the first phase (which they don’t if China and Russia ally) they should then do OK – but a China/Holland alliance can check expansion here and could still lead to the downfall of Japan.” Suzi Hollyoake
This then puts Japans survival very much onto diplomatic strategy. The first thing being to ensure that Russia and China don’t ally against Japan. If this is unsuccessful, then to try and ensure that Britain and Turkey ally against Russia.
France and Holland are two peas in the same pod. If they ally together, then they can quickly put a screen across the Pacific and block any expansion south. If they don’t ally, then it will be difficult for France to put any pressure on the Chinese should it be needed. The Dutch are the most likely of a bad lot to want to ally. This could involve splitting French Indo-China and the Dutch heading West into Britain while Japan concentrates on getting a foothold into China.
If things are somehow managing to go well diplomatically, then the best alliances are with Russia. His split sphere of influence means that when (and I mean when) the stab comes, he`ll not be able to deploy forces against Japan so easily without fear of retribution in the west. Any agreement between Russia and Japan should ensure that Russias navy remains isolated and alone!!
If Japans lot is thrown in with China then again, fleets should be off the Chinese agenda (this should not be so difficult to negotiate). China will be hard stretched with all its borders threatened and should glad of at least some respite in one area.
Relationships with Britain should on the whole be good. The only difficulty could be if the Fleet in Hong Kong has been forced away and has designs on Formosa (a definite Japanese colony). Otherwise shared information should prove useful along with a joint interest in the demise of the Dutch
“The main things early for Japan are to build your fleets and spread them out, if you can. While fleets have their limitations, the nature of oceans lets you cover a wide area with a few fleets.
For Japan, armies are strictly offense in the early go… and I like to look after my defense first. Time enough for armies in the second or third build phases, depending on your targets. And you can take a fair bit of the coast with fleets and your single army if you plan it right. ” Craig Dutton
Open Door
F Ota – SoJap
F Tok – OkhS
F Kyu – YelS
A Kyo hold
Any move by the Japanese into the Okhotsk sea will be seen by the Russian as a hostile move. Therefore this opening needs to be considered with care. If the Fleet in Kyushu is bounced out of the Yellow Sea, then Japan will struggle to make a big impact into the Russian while sacrificing the chance of more builds. However, if it comes off, then the Russian could be forced onto the back foot with 3 fleets off his coastline and a potential convoy of the all important Japanese army into all kinds of places.
F Ota – SoJap
F Tok – UP
F Kyu -YelS
A Kyo hold
With Sakhalin a certainty for Japan, it can be safely left for a year or so while claim is laid to other less obviously Japanese colonies. Here, Japan continues to be able to claim Fusan whilst keeping the Russian Fleet out of the Yellow sea. Meanwhile the fleet in the Pacific can land in Formosa and then head on south to the Philippines. Overall this will probably result in 2 builds for Japan which some may be seen as disappointing .However, it ensues that the seas are kept clear of Russians and pressure kept up on the Czar. At the same time making inroads into the less troubled waters of the Pacific.
The Philippine Opening
F Ota – OkhS
F Tok – UP
F Kyu – ECS
A Kyo – Kyu
this opening, discussed in another article ,should really be modified to Fleet Ota – Sak now that there is a land bridge with Sakhalin. With such a deliberate move southwards it would be unwise to antagonise the Russian with moving into the Okhotsk Sea. If that’s not a problem though, then this move shows the Russian that not everything is going to run his way especially useful if the Chinese have decided that the Russian is too much of a threat to him
F Ota – Sak
F Tok – UP
F Kyu – ECS
A Kyo – Kyu
the more friendly alternative to the Philippine Opening. Both of these openings have the chance of lulling the Chinese into a false sense of security. If the Russians and Japanese can come to an agreement, then a supported convoy from Kyushu to Shanghai could be arranged.
Open Door Philippine
F Ota – SoJap
F Tok – OkhS
F Kyu – UP
A Kyo – Aki
This opening offers the chance for Japan to put pressure on the Russian home supply centre of Vladivostok, Seoul and Fusan at the same time. Choose wrong though and the only build you might see could come from Formosa and even that depends on Britain not arguing the point.
The Portsmouth Peacemaker
F Ota – Sak
F Tok – SoJap
F Kyu – UP
A Kyo hold
This is a pretty neutral opening that does not antagonise the Russian while maintaining security in the Yellow Sea. Builds come from the safe gain of Sakhalin and Formosa with a potential for a third grab in Fusan.
F Ota – SoJap
F Tok – OkhS
F Kyu – ECS
A Kyo holds
This opening is really a hedged bet. The move into Okhotsk Sea is by definition anti Russian, especially with the move to the sea of Japan and the army poised for convoy. However, if the Chinese are lulled into security by this seemingly anti Russian move, he could wake up with a Japanese fleet in Shanghai and the so called threat to Russia disappearing in entente cordiale and Japanese forces in Sakhalin and Fusan rather than Vladivostok and Seoul.
F Ota – Sak
F Tok – UP
F Kyu – YelS
A Kyo – Kyu
Here, Japan is relying on good Russian relations and a quick increase in units. The unit to Sakhalin makes all the right noises to Russia, while the Fleet in the sea of Japan can take Fusan as per agreed with Russia or at least keep Russian units out of it. Finally, the slow spread south is started with the move to the Pacific which can see either a garrison set up on Formosa or as a stepping stone to quick deployment further south.
Overall, Japan ,like England in standard diplomacy, must diplomatically reassure everyone that sweet little old Japan is no threat to a passing snail let alone any major superpower. If this is successful and Japan avoids any obvious Early Leader syndromes, then things should go well. If China and Russia do decide to form a team, then even that is not the end of the world. When that happened in real life, Britain didn`t like the odds and this could well be the case here as well. All in all, a good chance of surviving to the end game…. especially with that stalemate line just a little stab away…….