Japan (Faction)

Japan is an Island nation in the Pacific

in War of Tactics, Japan is a major Axis faction with a large arsenal. Japan is a specialist focused nations capable of deploying a lot of different units with advantages in one field but hindered in another. Innovation proceeds slowly and japanesse equipment tend to be of older design with few major breakthroughs.

It's not uncommon for japanese equiment to compensate for their shortage is crude manners whcih can either reward stubborn players, or make the shame of defeat even worse.

## Infantry

Japanesse infantry always has one advantage over the enemy: Devotion to their mission. Professional infantry does not get suppressed and never backs down from a fight. Japanese infantry even includes "volunteered" civilians from local villages with bambo-sticks, as well as dedicate soldiers to special tasks against armoured foe, or kommondo units who are perfectly equiped for raiding enemy positions.

There is however some confliction for japanese infantry as they are best suited for long range engagements due to their arsenal. Their machineguns can often be upgraded with optics and noted down on the artillery list due to their static nature. But they often lack overwhelming firepower against their foes, specially at medium range which means it can often be better for infantry attempt to close the gap and charge the enemy.

Their infantry types are as followed

* Kokumin - Militia infantry.
* Konoe - Professional infantry.
* Kokuhaku - Professional infantry, special purpose.
* Teishin - Airborn, Elite infantry
* Komandä - Multifunction Elite infantry
* Enjinia - Engineers

### Pros & Advantages

* Professional infantry does not get suppressed if they take casualties.
* Excellent arsenal with focus on long range engagements.
* Many units benifits from melee combat.
* Wide selection of infantry, from expendable militia units, to special purpose infantry.

### Cons

* The AT-measures are somewhat lacking, resulting in "excessive" measures being taken to ensure the destruction of the enemy
* Many of the heavier weapons (MGs, AT-rifle) are noted under "Artillery" due to their size and static nature.
* Requires a somewhat daring playstyle and bound to take casulties.

## Armour

Japanese armour would help the army carve an empire, it wasn't till it faced off against another faction in the 1930's their tanks would be truely opposed by other tanks. Japanese armour has certain traits however. Light weight, simplistic in design and either saved or skipped certain features such as co-axel MGs. Only late-war design, special purpose designs and prototypes are able to deal with other armoured factions.

This doesn't prevent Japan from deploying a sophisticated armoured force to tangle with the enemy, it just means players of the faction must weigh their options and know their enemies.

### Pros & Advantages

* Lot of prototypes, paperprojects and special purpose designs available.
* Many minor (and affordable) improvements available.
* A small selection of captured and trophy equipment available.

### Cons

* A complete lack of proper armoured cars.
* Left out elements such as Co-axel MGs effects performance.
* The average tank does not stand a fair chance against it's counterparts.
* Some equipment is rather outdated.

## Artillery

Japanese artillery is mix of mostly domestic design with inspiration from bought equipment, including licensed weapons. There are a few modern guns available but a lot of it is either outdated, light weight or state of the art. Being an island nation, they have a lot of maritime artillery available as well as several types of rockets.

### Pros & Advantages

* Machineguns can be upgraded with optics for improved range.
* Maritime guns and naval components are widespread.
* Bought, captured or licensed materials available.
* Just like infantry can be dedicated to "Special missions" so can ordinary trucks.

### Cons

* The most modern AT-guns are in the *L-Artilleri* department, against anything heavier than a light tank, the player must rely on AA-guns or brute force.
* Lots of straight up outdated guns.

## Airforce

The Japanese airforce serves both the army and the navy, despite the strong rivalry of the two. As such it contains a large selection of aircraft from simple canvas planes, to giant flying boats, to fighters ready for adopting jet-engines and even ballons carrying payloads.

There are few limitations to the japanese airforce. The most noticeable would be their lack of selfperservations, the planes might be fragile on average, but this is compensated for by high speed, deadly armament, operational range as well as the devotion of the pilot to carry out the missions required.

### Pros & Advantages

* The pilots are dedicated to their mission, even if it requires them to crash their plane.
* Wide selection of aircrafts and models.
* Deadly armarment, autocannons are common
* Unique prototypes available. (Fu-Go ballons, MXY7 "Ohka", J7W "Shinden")

## Railroad war

As the empire expanded into China and Korea the need to maintain order along the railways steadily grew. Japan has several armoured trucks and tankettes which can be deployed on railroads as patrolcars or to hunt down any unwanted infantry.

But they also have proper trains with armoured boxcars, artillery wagons, heavy machineguns and FlaK cars available.

## Assestment

Japan is a faction which can count on air superiority and infantry to carry out orders at the expense of armour and artillery, this doesn't mean armour and artillery cannot fulfill their role, they just aren't as effective on the battlefield as their counterparts.

The forces dedication to their mission can on occasion compensate for whatever lack this highly specialist army offers.