As of Week 37, 1900, I had made the decision to spark war with Japan for the second time (making a trio of wars with Japan since the start of the game). My intentions were quite restrictive - I wished to capture the islands of Taipei and Ryukyu Islands to the south of the Japanese mainland. The reasons for this were simple - with control of both islands, I could deprive Japan of its last remaining holdings outside of Japan itself and also provide me with forward naval bases in the south against Britain and Spain.
The plan was to send the 1st Manchurian Army and 2nd Army via steam transports (escorted by the Far East Fleet) and conduct landings on both islands simultaneously. To ensure success, I decided to declare war only after the Russian troops made their amphibious landings (I didnt care about the reputation hit at that time - looking back I should have). For some reason, I have had awful success with planting spies this game, so I investigated both cities prior to the attack the turn before. Here is where the trouble started
Overall World Map
I sent orders to both army commanders for the upcoming attacks. General Linevich and his 1st Manchurian Army would attack Taipei, which I informed him was garrisoned by only 3 Japanese infantry divisions. With his numerical superiority, I assured Linevich that he could take the city, even if he suffered heavy losses in the attack. I also mentioned that the 2nd Army was facing a far greater Japanese defense and that the majority of the Far East Fleet was regulated to shelling the Ryukyu Islands in support except for a brief bombardment- thus no naval bombardment support for his army.
Meanwhile, I informed General Koslov that his 2nd Army would be facing 5 Japanese infantry divisions - despite this, I assured him that, together with a proper artillery bombardment, that the Far East Fleet would shell the city prior to his attack and that I felt confident in the success of his attack.
Unfortunately...........all this was wrong. Somehow, I mixed up the two citys strengths, so that the 1st Manchurian Army was attacking the larger Japanese garrison, while the 2nd Army (with the full might of the Russian navy) was attacking the smaller one.
The Disaster at Taipei
Linevich launched his attacks despite his misgivings as to its success. After a short artillery bombardment, Linevich launched his first assault upon the city. The 4th and 7th Infantry divisions opened the attack along the northern parts of the city. Advancing through the fields on the citys outskirts, both divisions were hit by withering enemy rifle fire. The 7th Infantry struggled to dislodge a depleted Japanese Infantry division (3/5 hp) but manages to be completely wiped out that causes only minor casualties to the enemy (Japanese unit reduced to 1/5 hp). The 4th Infantry fared even worse and is wiped out in a foolhardy frontal assault by a weakened Japanese Infantry division as well (a 3/5 hp unit).
At this point, Linevich wired to High Command (ie email
) that his attack was not progressing very well but pressed on with his attacks with my encouragement as to its success.
Linevich now launched an attack along the enemy center with two divisions. Leading the attack on the center was the 1st Manchurian Rifles but hereto, the enemy resistance was quite insurmountable. Charging through enemy fire, the infantry managed to storm the enemy positions (reducing a Japanese 3/5 hp infantry to 2/5 hp), but is repulsed and the Russian division is destroyed. The 1st Infantry division attacked next, thinking that the enemy was slowly being ground down despite heavy Russian losses. Unfortunately, the advancing Russian infantry now ran headlong into a fresh (albeit wounded 3/5 infantry unit). In fierce fighting, the 1st Infantry is destroyed after nearly overrunning the enemy positions (3/5 units is red-lined).
Linevich attacked the enemy center again with the 1st Finland Rifles, which is able to overrun an enemy infantry position (killing a 2/5 hp Japanese infantry) despite heavy casualties (was red-lined in the attack). However, as the 1st Finland Rifles withdrew, movement along the enemys defensive lines warned of reinforcements moving to take up positions. Linevich now counted four Japanese divisions so far having been engaged, when there should only be three
At this point, Linevichs army was reduced to but 3 cavalry and 2 infantry divisions and he began to worry as to the fate of the attack. However, Kuropatkins assurances still clear in his memory, he ordered yet another assualt. Along the southern flank, Linevich ordered two divisions forward. The 1st Caucasian Cossacks launched a brave but fruitless charge onto the enemy positions - the Russian cavalry briefly captured a section of enemy line (reducing a 3/5 hp infantry to 2/5 hp) only to be wiped out in a counter-attack. However, as the 2/5 hp Japanese infantry retired from the front line, it was replaced by another Japanese infantry division from the rear (a 3/5 hp division).
Desperately, Linevich launched a final assault on the city with the 5th Infantry division, but was repulsed and wiped out by the new 3/5 hp Japanese infantry division.
Linevichs army was now reduced to 2 full cavalry divisions and a red-lined infantry division. Fearing of having his entire army wiped out, and now completely unsure as to the true strength of the Japanese garrison, Linevich called off any further attacks and sent word to Russian High Command of the situation.
Fall of The Ryukyu Islands
While the 1st Manchurian Army bled itself white in front of Taipei, the 2nd Army was facing what was thought to be a most powerful Japanese garrision, which never was.
Following a rather ineffective naval bombardment by the Far East Fleet (that managed to only cause 1 hp), Koslov launched his attack after a rather successful artillery bombardment.
In all, Koslov threw fully seven divisions against the Japanese defenders in the city (unfortunately the screenshot of the island is too small for a proper battle map):
*the 5th Manchurian Rifles managed to damage a depleted 3/5 hp infantry to 2/5 hp but was wiped out.
* the 22nd Infantry overran an enemy position, killing a 2/5 hp Japanese infantry but suffered heavy losses (was reduced to 2/5 hp).
* the 3rd Infantry then struck the same 2/5 hp infantry, overrunning it (killing it) with heavy casualties (was reduced to 2/5 hp).
* the 2nd Guards Infantry was wiped out attacking a 2/5 hp infantry (managed to cause 1 hp but unit was promoted to veteran).
* the 6th Manchurian Rifles was wiped out by above infantry (now 2/6 hp), caused 1 hp but unit was promoted to 2/7 hp elite.
* the 6th Infantry made a suicidal charge on the last remaining Japanese infantry and was wiped out.
* finally, the 8th Infantry overran the last Japanese infantry (the 2/7 hp) but suffered 4/7 hp and was made elite).
Despite his heavy losses, Ryukyu Islands fell to Koslovs victorious army! Koslov sent word of his victory as well as his surprise as to the nature and strength of the enemy garrison.
After receiving my commanders reports, I realized my intelligence blunder. Unfortunately, what I had thought would be a swift (though probably bloody) attack on both cities had become quite the opposite and things had gone terribly wrong. Though the Ryukyu Islands had been captured, the 2nd Army was now in no position to aid in another attack on Taipei, where the 1st Manchurian Army had just crippled itself in fruitless assaults.
At this point, I came to the decision to cancel further attacks. My fleet of transports were with the Far East Fleet as of Week 41 at Ryukyu Islands. Though I had reinforcements back at Pusan, it would be another 3-4 turns before they could be brought to the rescue of Linevichs army. I therefore made the decision to load his army onto the transports and return to Pusan.
I thought of renewing hostilities with Japan within a couple of turns, but because of the way I had declared war (as well as to the continuation of war so soon after the last war) brought terrible levels of war weariness to my former-Japanese cities. So, I brought both armies back to Korea and finally gained peace with Japan the following year (at a respectable 25 gpt thrown in for me).
After the intelligence blunder at Taipei, I began to rethink my strategy altogether. The wars (and the wear weariness it brought) with Japan and Britain brought me to the decision to halt any further conquest in the far East for now. I began looking at other regions for expansion. One place that came to mind was the problem with the Black Sea. With Constantinople in Ottoman control, my Black Sea fleet was effectively bottled up and largely ineffective. Should Constantinople be captured, I could gain access to the Mediterranean.
I began building up my forces in the west over the next year (by the end of 1900, my military was still considered weak in comparison to Germany's). From the end of hostilities with Japan in Week 37, 1901 to Week 41, 1902, Russian experiences no war whatsoever. I continue my trade deals with Germany, France, Spain and the Turks, while the military build-up continued. By the end of 1902, I had gathered a total of 9 Russian armies (each with 9 divisions) along the European front (not counting the 1st Manchurian and 2nd Armies now back to full strength), with a single army (9 divisions) in Korea.
As 1902 slowly drew to a close, I began pondering an attack on Turkey and the best possible plans for such an invasion. Investigation of Constantinople showed the city to be heavily garrisoned by at least 12 infantry, but other Ottoman cities were not quite so heavily defended.
However, in Week 45, 1902, the entire situation suddenly changed. That turn, The British surprised my when they landed no less than 9 Colonial Infantry, 3 British Infantry and 8 Canadian Infantry on Ryukyu Islands! Those dirty little scoundrels!
War is once again upon us!
