Japan National Advantages (Revised list)
1. Tokyo Express
The Japanese High Command used destroyer convoys to ferry infantry. Allied forces at Guadalcanal dubbed this the “Tokyo Express”.
Each of your destroyers may act as a transport for one infantry. These destroyers follow the same rules for loading and offloading units as transports do. Your destroyers can also conduct shore bombardment (using an attack of 2) in an amphibious assault.
2. Kamikaze Attacks
A terrifying development was the Japanese suicide tactics as a desperate means of slowing the Allied advance. The Japanese used pilots who only knew how to take off and dive into their target with an aircraft full of explosives.
You may make six Kamikaze attacks during the game for free. Kamikazes are not represented by a unit, hence a Kamikaze can not be taken as a casualty. Use a die to keep track on how many Kamikaze remain to be used. These attacks may be launched if an Allied player move ships within 2 sea zones from Japan, after all combat movement has been completed. Kamikaze may target specific enemy ships, except for submarines. They attack on a roll of 2 or less during the opening fire step of the first cycle of combat only. Before you rolls dice to launch a Kamikaze attack, you must announce the target(s) and how many Kamikazes that are participating. If a Kamikaze is used during an allied combat phase this counts as a naval battle and will prevent all ships in that sea zone from conducting shore bombardment.
3. Long Lance Torpedoes
The Japanese Navy possessed superior torpedoes in comparison with its Western counterparts, possessing an unequaled combination of speed, range, and hitting power.
Your submarines attack on a 3 (4 if you have the Super Submarines development) in the opening fire step of combat. This increased attack factor is for the first cycle of combat only.
4. Super Dreadnoughts
Dreadnoughts or leviathans like Yamato and Musashi were the largest and most powerful battleships the world has ever seen.
Your battleships still attack (imply shore bombardment) and defend on 4, but take 3 hits to sink and selects target. Hits are preemptive and destructive. Even 2 hit targets are immediately destroyed.
5. Dug-In Defenses
The Japanese introduced the tactic of endurance engagements intended to inflict maximum casualties. This tactic included bunkers and pillboxes connected by tunnels.
All your infantry on islands are immune to shore bombardment and defend on a 3.
6. Banzai Attacks
A fearsome rallying cry of the Imperial Japanese Army, “Banzai!†meant, “May you live ten thousand years.â€
When you begin an attack with only infantry, all those infantry attack on a 2, on the first round of combat only. This also applies to any amphibious assault in which all your attacking units in the land combat (other than those conducting shore bombardment) consist of only infantry. However they may not retreat.
7. Mounted Infantry
A mixture of horses and tanks was common in the Imperial Army.
Your infantry may move 2 spaces. However, they still may not blitz.
8. Shinyo suicide boats
At the start of a sea attack, you may designate as many of your transports as suicide boats. In the first cycle of combat, suicide boats hit in the Opening Fire step of combat (meaning, their casualties cannot hit back)–each suicide boats specifies one specific enemy sea unit which it tries to hit (two suicide boats could specify the same target unit, and may declare a secondary target, so if they both target the same thing and the first one hits, the 2nd suicide boats may attempt to destroy the secondary target). Suicide boats hit on a 3 in attack and defense. Enemy units cannot hit suicide boats! Instead, they automatically die after the first cycle of combat, whether they have hit or not.
9. Guerrilla Tactics
Japanese infantry operated well on forests because they employed guerrilla tactics.
Your attacking infantry and tanks fire on the Conduct Opening Fire Step of combat during the first cycle. Only applicable on Paciffic Islands and the territories of French Indo China, China, Kwantung and India.
10. Imperial Guard
The Japanese Imperial Guard were elite soldiers that protected the Emperor. They were also used for military operations on a limited basis.
Once per game, if your capital gets attacked by at least one ground unit, you may place 2 infantry there before the Conduct Combat Phase.
11. The Indian National Army
The Indian National Army (I.N.A) or Azad Hind Fauj was the army of the Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind (The Provisional Government of Free India ) which fought along with the Japanese 15th Army during the Japanese Campaign in Burma, and in the Battle of Imphal, during the Second World War.
Once during the game when you launch an attack on India, you may place 2 INF for free on the battleboard.
12. East Wind Rain
“East wind, rain” was the coded Japanese radio message that launched events leading to the sneak attack at Pearl Harbor December 7th 1941.
Japanese attacks against any American fleet units gain a +1 modifier for one turn.
13. The Kantokuen Plan
To keep the true reasons secret, the build-up was called the “Special Maneuvers of the Kwantung Army,” or KANTOKUEN for short. The 400,600 troops in the Kwantung Army were suddenly stepped up to over 700,000, and some billion Yen in military funds were expended only upon KANTOKUEN. Such maneuvers was realizing during July-August 1941,at time when the Red Army was desperately struggling against German Invasion were perceived as real threats: assessments that the U.S.S.R. would have been defeated had the Japanese attacked at this time, retrospectively frightened the Soviet government and helped build the image of a treacherous Japan as well.
Once during if you attack the USSR out of Manchuria, you may place 2 INF, 1ART and 1ARM there for free.
14. Greater East Asia Co Prosperity Sphere
The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere concept was an attempt by Japan to create a self-sufficient “bloc of Asian nations led by the Japanese and free of Western powers”.
For every British territory captured in Asia, the japanese recieve double income for the first turn of conquest.
15. Tiger of Malaya
General Tomoyuki Yamashita (November 8, 1885 – February 23, 1946) was a general of the Japanese Imperial Army during the World War II era. He was most famous for conquering the British colonies of Malaya and Singapore, earning the nickname The Tiger of Malaya.
Japanese forces fighting in land battles against British in Asia gain a +1 combat modifier.