Japan 45

[Elxaime]

The first patch has come out for this wonderful new addition to the Panzer Campaigns series.  My initial sense so far is that it the campaign is decently balanced versus the AI, but needs some work on PBEM balance.  The Japanese ground forces are modeled as quite tough, which seems legitimate given they are fighting in their homeland.  However, based on comments and my reading, it seems a design choice was made to model the Japanese order of battle based on the forces in their plan of expansion expected to be in place by November 1945, but the US-led forces are based on original planning.  

This seems fine if you want to model a surprised Allies, but it tends to lead to, at best, an Anzio-like stalemate and, at worst, the eastern most wing of the US landings thrown into the sea.  The numerical ratio of forces is about 1 to 1, but Japanese quality may make it even worse.

Historically, the Allied contingency, should their expectations of Japanese resistance change, was to use forces being gathered for Operation Coronet for Operation Olympic instead.  This would mean additional US land, and perhaps naval and air forces, plus possibly using the additional proffered Allied forces, such as a Commonwealth Corps of four divisions (UK, Australia, Canada, NZ - possibly five if you add an Indian), the Commonwealth "Tiger Force" heavy bombers (transferred from Bomber Command in Europe) and the Australian 1st Tactical Air Wing. 

The existing "Take Kyushu" campaign takes a step in this direction by adding some additional forces, including a French expeditionary corps.  But it may not be sufficient.

Further PBEM balance issues include the choice to model small Allied air squadrons of 12 planes, as opposed to entire groups (e.g. as in Normandy 44).  This seems to make Allied air superiority much less imposing that it probably would have been.  Some work probably needs to be done on Allied naval gun support, which also seems less than fearsome.

Great game.  But look forward to the designers looking further into PBEM balance.  I posted on a Facebook page for opponents for PBEM but got no takers, I assume because the Allied side looks too hamstrung.