Does the Japanese AI cheat against China?

[mgridgeview]

Whenever I play Japan, I can never seem to take over China. I usually either run out of supplies, or am overwhelmed by sheer numbers. However, if I play another nation, and observe A.I. Japan from the sidelines, they seem to have no problem rolling over China and taking over the country. Is this because its a scripted event, or does the AI get an unfair advantage, or what?

[Včelí medvídek]

What I like in this game - in no single playthrough I played so far was Japan able to finish China.

On what difficulty you play?

[mgridgeview]

Normal

[Včelí medvídek]

Me too, on Regular Ironman.

Well It is like Spanish civil war, for me also in 9/10 games win republic spain so I guess I need to wait for game where Japanese win:D Btw one thing I noted is that AI is cheating creating army from nothing if they reach some level (just try reload game for opposing country and disband all their divisions - reload back and they will ahve army again in day:))

[Exarch_Alpha]

Sometimes AI Japan does fail versus China. And yes more than 50% odds of that from what I´ve seen.

What breaks the balance is the bloody volunteers from the soviets... Why the ♥♥♥♥ without Operation Zet focus they can send six divisions to China already, FFS.

[Včelí medvídek]

It can be ahistoric but actualy I like volunteer system and way how AI use it (so it also pay boost politic in neutral countries as they send volunteers to all members of your alliance even if they dont join you directly - especialy countries of south america like Brazil, Argentina, Mexico..

[BarcaS]

I have played Japan on normal a few times, it was my first nation to play also, and every time I have won before mid 1939. Key to victory is to drop as much marines as you can. I do around 4 batches of 10 on various locations and then using "normal" troops behind. Modify all your infantry divisions, including marines, to have 7 "leg" infantries and 2 artileries; support arty is not needed but is a good benefit as well. Use either limited light armor/motorised division to double pincer and pocket their frontline troops and evaporate them as quickly as possible. After a few months of progressing (go for Nanjing from Shangai as fast as possible) you will see that China will weaken northern front enough for you to progress there as well. Also, it is a good strategy to use one batch of marines to invade eastern peninsula so you can use that as a prong to encircle their northern front.

And lastly but not unimportantly - guard your western border well because you will always face the strongest attacks there even if it doesn't seem like it (before you declare war).

[MrBSRK]

I have trouble beating China at first but after i get used to the game i find China very easy to beat.
Just need massive preparation and reorganize.

I change all the Pacific garrison to marine and make them prepare for landing on the port close to Nanking. Meanwhile sending some of them as volunteer in Spanish Civil War for Experience so I can customize the Division template and use those vet soldier as a spearhead when landing.

Giving Artilery to the main infantry and have Assault Infantry with tank. Train all the green soldier and devote all factory to produce thier equipment.
Divide all Army into 3. first on China border. second on PRC and last as a reserve garrison. This way the supply won't be much of a problem.

When the war come. First land all the marine and try to push to Nanking then push on all side.
eventually the marine can join the main force and surround the Chinese army. and after that is easy.

However whenever i play as other country. I mostly find Japan ai alway lost to China... Which suck since this is a ww2. I atleast want to see them live up to fight the US.

[Zuul]

I kick the fighting off in '36. First step for me is to train 5 more marine divisions for an even half dozen. Pull all of the garrison divisions and assign them as their own force on the home islands. Mass everything else near Beijing, and improve the port at Dalian to secure my supply situation.

Once you finish the war with china focus, use the annex goal against Shanxi, but do NOT declare on China yet. Wipe out Shanxi and put your troops along the new expanded front and let em dig in. China will pull almost all of it's divisions to the north to secure the new MUCH larger front.

This is when I declare on China, and use a prepared naval invasion with the marines to take Xiamen. Quickly spread a few provines NE and SW to take Fuzhou and the unnamed port to the SW. With these 3 ports you secure a stong supply situation and can land all your ~40 divisions of garison troops far south of China's previous front with you.

I've always been able to rush all the way to Nanking before the early deployed green troops they try to throw at me can even begin to slow me.

From there it's just clean up, China usually collapses sometime in '37.

[BellatorMonk]

I have been trying to defend against the ♥♥♥♥ with China so far and it's 1938 already. I managed to unite all the surrounding Chinese provinces and fortified the North, every port on the East and South. I was managing to hold the line up North the entire time.
Japan managed to tak one of the far Southern lightly defended ports and the somehow even though nearly their entire Army seemed focused in the North, at least 50 Divisions poured into the South.
According to the War chart Japan already has upwards of 140 Divisions by 1938, enough transports to maintain Trade and transports 50 divisions in the space of 1 month?

Somehting is way way off for such a massive Naval invasion. Even though I had 70 some odd divisions at the height of the invasion..there is simply no way to protect all those ports and defend against the Northern incursion for me.

So I read hear that players cannot take China with ♥♥♥♥ and yet the AI ♥♥♥♥ are unstoppable? I have to believe the AI is creating troops and resources out of thin air.

[BellatorMonk]

26 Chinese Inf Divisions attacking 2 Japanese Inf Divs and it's going to be a 13 day battle. Yah no AI favoritism here.

[[NL]Ibahalii]

Originally posted by BellatorMonk:

26 Chinese Inf Divisions attacking 2 Japanese Inf Divs and it's going to be a 13 day battle. Yah no AI favoritism here.

think you are just about going a little over the combat width....
giving you a massive stacking attack debuff.
thats why it will take 13days :)