Transport strikes

[Butterside down]

Something different now is I can't seem to initiate a strike against enemy transports when I park outside their port cities. I'm parking (as japan) a couple BB and CA and nothing. Before it was pretty much automatic. But Russia seems to get way more transport strikes on me.

[chiyen]

You can do that, but it's not a sure thing, as in the past.

For that to be certain, you need to park ships in front of every Russia ports (Europe, Black Sea, and East Asia), and they have no fleet defensing them,

[chiyen]

It is NOT recommended to do that to all Russia ports, unless Russia is the last 2~5 countries left already, or you are already at war with at least 2 of UK / Frace / Germany. But you can most likely to do that if you have already taken China, Spain, Italy, AH down.

Russia is not likely to be the last AI country standing when playing Japan, but not in the first 3 countries you should completely take out either (despite it may collapse for some other reasons).

In early game, Far East region in only of minimum value and use for Russia (both as land GDP / population and ports location / size), unless it want to invade China or Japan.

or in order to do that "park ships in front of every Russia ports, as Japan", You need to be in WAR status with Russia, and have a lot of fleet activities (i.e.: ships on the sea) in a lot of sea regions - which means basically all major powers (expecting US) will declare war with you soon.

Baltics is a must, and that is aggro to Germany. And you definitely to move ships between regions spreading that far; and get supply ports, war activities again.


--
Japan can take on Russia (and recommended to do so) in early game, but only on its East Asia and later Black Sea regions. Then get some peace if that is the only war happening to Japan at that time. Its Black Sea part can be a supply base foothold into Mediterranee Sea. Or, to stop some endless Russia land counter-attack trying to take it back.