Japan

[RN7]

Has anyone ever done an orbat on the Japanese armed forces or a write up on Japan in Twilight 2000?

[Rainbow Six]

Japan has been a topic of discussion a few times but I can't recall seeing any write ups...I think most of the threads have been along the lines of "what do you think would have happened". There was a mini advebture in one of the last Challenge magazines to come out - iirc it was the result of a readers' competition.

[Tombot]

Originally Posted by Rainbow Six

There was a mini advebture in one of the last Challenge magazines to come out - iirc it was the result of a readers' competition.

That was "The rockets red glare" in Challenge #77
(Thanks again to WESWOOD, which made´em available for me!)

[HorseSoldier]

+1 -- I think Japan's role in the way is pretty vague, and (IIRC) the minimal references in 1st edition stuff and the brief blurb in the 2nd edition don't really match up very well. Then there's the 2300AD timeline, which has them intact enough to help France and its allies garrison the Middle East when the US goes home.

I tend to see them as kind of the France of the Pacific, though with a different set of strengths and weaknesses. Given that modern Japan is dependent on oil, food, and all sorts of other imports, I think circa 2000 if they are hanging on it is by trying to maintain enough stability off shore to allow for trade. Less an attempt at a new Greater East Asian Coprosperity Sphere and more a multilateral engagement with Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan (another question mark), South Korea and US forces there, and any clumps of stability on the Chinese mainland.

And they don't have much, troops-wise, to do it, though if they can keep a supply of raw materials coming in and aren't too badly nuked, a lot of their defense industry is local. I see a lot of merchant ships plying the Pacific who are more merchant/adventurers on the Viking model doing wary business and occasionally clashing with small dictatorships scattered on the islands and mainland from China, down through the Philipines and Indonesia, and perhaps as far west as what's left of India. (As well as Hawaii, Alaska, and the US/Canadian/Mexican Pacific coast, doing business with anyone over there with goods to barter, etc.)

No idea on the order of battle, except for a little bit that touches on my Alaska stuff, but I've thought on and off that it would be a pretty cool premise for a campaign to have the PCs be a core group of US troops recruited out of Korea (or maybe coming off convalescing in hospitals in Japan) to augment the ships troops on a semi-militarized Japanese merchantman. Add in a general reconnaissance mission for the DIA or CIA unknown to the Japanese captain to the equation, with the possibility of some more active cloak and dagger stuff from time to time, etc., and the nice way any sort of scenario can come out of the next port of call and it seems like it would have a lot of potential.

[RN7]

I think I've said it before on this forum that I don't think Japan escaped the Twilight War without much damage. Its just too important of a country for a whole load of reasons to not be targeted by nuclear weapons. Their military is also on the large size, particularly their naval and air forces.

I haven't yet done an overview of likely targets but there would be a lot. The US bases, the Japanese military bases, ports, airports, oil refineries and industrial war targets. I just couldn't see the Soviets allowing them to remain intact when there at war with the US, NATO, China and others. I think in Twilight 2000 the Japanese are actually fighting the Soviets over control over the Kuriles islands and Sakhalin Island, and I could easily see that fighting spreading over to Japans Hokkaido Island. At the very least I could see all sorts of naval actions and air strikes going round the sea and coastline of Japan in the Twilight War, as well as quite a few Soviet nuclear/EMP strikes to knock it out of the war and deny its facilities to America.

[Canadian Army]

Originally Posted by RN7

Has anyone ever done an orbat on the Japanese armed forces or a write up on Japan in Twilight 2000?

Yes, I have done an orbat. The orbat for the Ground Self-Defense Force is done, but I ran into problems with the orbats for Maritime Self-Defense Force and Air Self-Defense Force, due to lack of material available.

I think in Twilight 2000 the Japanese are actually fighting the Soviets over control over the Kuriles islands and Sakhalin Island, and I could easily see that fighting spreading over to Japans Hokkaido Island.

In Twilight the Soviets invade Hokkaido.

[RN7]

Originally Posted by Canadian Army

Yes, I have done an orbat. The orbat for the Ground Self-Defense Force is done, but I ran into problems with the orbats for Maritime Self-Defense Force and Air Self-Defense Force, due to lack of material available..

Do you want to post up that orbat as I'd like to have a look at it. I had done a Japanese Army orbat but it was on my old labtop which died just before Christmas when the hardrive finally collapsed on it. I hadn't copied on to memory disk so I haven't got it on my other labtops. I do have a fair bit of information about the Japanese air and naval forces from the 1980's to early 1990's period but there in books. I'm in America at the moment and wont be back in Ireland till the end of next month so I can't have a look at them. But there is a fair bit of information online about the airforce and navy. Even wikipedia can be quite helpfull for ship classes.

Originally Posted by Canadian Army

In Twilight the Soviets invade Hokkaido.

I haven't read through every T2K sourcebook I have in great detail. Which one is that invasion in?

[Canadian Army]

Here are the Orbats, I have also included some preliminary info about the Red Army of Japan. As for were are the details about the Soviet invade Hokkaido are listed; I can't remember where I read it, but I know it was not cannon. Right now I have a project due for my Scout Group; which I lead, but once that is done I will look though my back issues of Challenge Magazine and see what I can find.

[RN7]

Those Orbats looks good to use in a future article about Japan. I'd like to give one a go in the future but I think working out Japans level of participation in the Twlight War and exactly how much nuclear or conventional damage it took would cause a few arguments.

[rcaf_777]

Originally Posted by Canadian Army

I can't remember where I read it, but I know it was not cannon. Right now I have a project due for my Scout Group; which I lead, but once that is done I will look though my back issues of Challenge Magazine and see what I can find.

The Challenge Magazine Article in question is called the Rockets Red Glare

[TrailerParkJawa]

If I recall correctly the Traveller 2300 timeline indicated much of the Japanes merchant fleet survives the war and they dominate trade for some time in the Pacific. I never agreed with that point of view but if you take it as canon source then it give room to biuld lots of oppurtinities for interactions with Japanese post 2000.

[Cpl. Kalkwarf]

Originally Posted by Canadian Army

Here are the Orbats, I have also included some preliminary info about the Red Army of Japan. As for were are the details about the Soviet invade Hokkaido are listed; I can't remember where I read it, but I know it was not cannon. Right now I have a project due for my Scout Group; which I lead, but once that is done I will look though my back issues of Challenge Magazine and see what I can find.

when ever I open up any of those all get is some gibberish and page breaks. ??

[Canadian Army]

Originally Posted by Cpl. Kalkwarf

when ever I open up any of those all get is some gibberish and page breaks. ??

I don't know why that happen, since I can not get it to work, I will post the info:

Japan Air Self-Defense Force

Japan Air Self-Defense Force Air Staff Office

Air Defense Command: Fuchu, Tokyo
Air Defense Command Headquarters Flight Group
Defence Command Headquarter Squadron
Support Squadron
Electronic Countermeasure Squadron
Electronic Intelligence Squadron

Northern Air Defense Force: Misawa, Aomori
Northern HQ Support Flight
2nd Air Wing (Chitose Air Base)
201st Squadron
203rd Squadron
3rd Air Wing (Misawa Air Base)
3rd Squadron
8th Squadron
Northern Aircraft Control & Warning Wing
3rd Air Defense Missile Group
9th Fire Unit
10th Fire Unit
6th Air Defense Missile Group
8th Mobile Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Central Air Defense Force: Iruma, Saitama
Central HQ Support Flight
6th Air Wing (Komatsu Air Base)
303rd Squadron
306th Squadron
7th Air Wing (Hyakuri Air Base)
302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron
305th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Middle Aircraft Control & Warning Wing
1st Air Defense Missile Group
4th Air Defense Missile Group
13th Fire Unit
15th Fire Unit
Iwo Jima Air Base Group

Western Air Defense Force: Kasuga, Fukuoka
Western HQ Support Flight
5th Air Wing (Nyutabaru Air Base)
301st Squadron
8th Air Wing (Tsuiki Air Base)
6th Squadron
304th Squadron
Western Aircraft Control & Warning Wing
2nd Air Defense Missile Group
7th Fire Unit
Southwestern Composite Air Division: Naha, Okinawa
South West HQ Support Flight
83rd Air Wing (Naha Air Base)
204th Squadron
Southwestern Aircraft Control & Warning Wing
5th Air Defense Missile Group

Airborne Early Warning Group: Misawa Air Base, Hamamatsu Air Base
Air Warning Control Squadron
Air Warning Surveillance Squadron

Tactical Reconnaissance Group: Hyakuri Air Base
501st Squadron

Air Support Command: Fuchu, Tokyo

Air Rescue Wing
Akita Air Rescue Squadron
Ashiya Air Rescue Squadron
Chitose Air Rescue Squadron
Hamamatsu Air Rescue Squadron
Hyakuri Air Rescue Squadron
Kasuga Helicopter Airlift Squadron
Iruma Helicopter Airlift Squadron
Komatsu Air Rescue Squadrom
Matsushima Air Rescue Squadron
Misawa Helicopter Airlift Squadron
Kyunan Air Rescue Squadron
Naha Air Rescue Squadron
Naha Helicopter Airlift Squadron
Niigata Air Rescue Squadron
Nyutabaru Air Rescue Squadron

1st Tactical Airlift Wing (Komaki Air Base)
401 Squadron
404 Squadron

2nd Tactical Airlift Wing (Iruma Air Base)
402 Squadron

3rd Tactical Airlift Wing (Miho Air Base)
403 Squadron
41 Training Squadron

Special Airlift Group (Chitose Air Base)
701 Squadron
Flight Check Squadron

Air Traffic Control Service Group
Air Weather Service Group
Flight Check Squadron (Iruma Air Base)

Air Training Command: Hamamatsu, Shizuoka

1st Air Wing (Hamamatsu Air Base)
31st Squadron
32nd Squadron

4th Air Wing (Matsushima Air Base)
21st Fighter Training Squadron
11th Squadron (Blue Impulse)

11th Flying Training Wing (Shizuhama Air Base)
1st Squadron
2nd Squadron

12th Flying Training Wing (Hofu kita Air Base)
1st Squadron
2nd Squadron
13th Flying Training Wing (Ashiya Air Base)
1st Squadron
2nd Squadron

Air Basic Training Wing
23 Squadron
Flying Training Squadron (Nyutabaru Air Base)

Air Defense Missile Training Group: Hamamatsu, Chitose

Air Training Aids Group

Tactical Fighter Training Group: Nyutabaru Air Base

Air Officer Candidate School

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th Technical School

Air Development and Test Command: Iruma Air Base, Saitama

Air Development and Test Wing (Gifu Air Base)
Electronics Development and Test Group
Aeromedical Laboratory

Air Material Command: Jujou, Tokyo

1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Air Depot

Air Staff College

Air Communications and Systems Wing

Aerosafety Service Group

Central Air Base Group