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John 3rd -> The Darkest Hour: Treaty Mod Japan (8/4/2014 9:34:51 PM)
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After taking several months off from playing AE, it is time to jump back into the game.
Many of you may know that for the last 6-8 weeks the Reluctant Admiral Design Team has worked and created two all new Mods for our August Forum to play. Much of the work centered around my Thesis work in Grad School when I wrote "Between the Storms: The Impact of Naval Disarmament on the United States Navy--1921-1936." The work that FatR, Juan G, JWE/Symon, BK, Red Lancer, and a batch of other people centered on Yamamoto's rise to naval Minister in 1937. Instead of moving to command Combined Fleet he followed what his mentor wanted (and LIVES to tell about it). The work done there focused on those last couple of years prior to Pearl Harbor.
I've been quite proud of how well RA has done and all the changes, twists, and modifications we've made to it over the last few years, however, I always felt something was missing. FatR and I worked on the Perfect War Mod and brought a lot of ideas forward that had been in my research for the Thesis. Unfortunately that Mod has yet to be completed so I decided to take some of the work done there and create a pure vanilla Scenario ONE campaign that simply added a few new shiny toys for all sides to enjoy.
This is what the Treaty Mod is. It is DBB-Based with only a few news ships added to the OOB. Here is the Scenario Description:
Scenario 45 The Treaty Mod
The Treaty Mod
ALTNAV 1922-1937
The Treaty Mod for AE has been created to reflect a slightly different outcome of the historic Washington and London Naval Conferences: 1922-1937. With little changes and tweaks to the Treaty System, a slightly a-historic outcome is produced. It should be noted that no changes are made to any major power from 1937-1941.
The Washington Conference
Charles Evans Hughes blueprint for disarmament gets out and the Japanese stonewall a Naval Conference for a full year. The Conference does take place in 1922 and disarmament is agreed upon, however, there are additions allowed due to the added time to get the meeting going. The whole Mutsu Debate is scrapped due to Mutsu actually being ready and deployed at that point. While maintaining the 5-5-3 ratio between Great Britain, the United States, and Japan, there are several new outcomes:
1. The Japanese then argue to keep either a Tosa or a pair of the Amagi Class battlecruisers. The Americans carry the day in arguing for the Lexington-Class battlecruisers being completed. They gain the Ranger and Constellation (while scrapping BB Mississippi to maintain balance), Great Britain gets the option to build a pair of Super-Hoods (while additionally scrapping Royal Sovereign), and Japan completes Amagi-Class Ishitaka.
2. The whole subject of CVs is reworked:
a. Allow two 'experimental' CVs (two Hosho's and two Langley's)
b. Two BC conversions are allowed but further treaty tonnage is added for one more CVL to be built by both Japan and USA. The Americans build the King’s Mountain (proto-Independence Class) and the Japanese back off the failed Ryujo design to build Ryukaku (a proto-CVL as well).
The London Conference
Moving on to the London Conference (1930) and the subject of Cruisers is re-worked:
1. Japan--at all costs--sticks to its goal of 70% for CAs (instead of 60%). This allows for GB and USA to build two more CAs (USA: Burlington and Rome) while Japan gains one.
2. Great Britain--who nearly scrapped the treaty due to the issue of CAs and CLs--stands firm over its argument and forces a larger tonnage for CLs. USA adds USS Anchorage and Dallas.
3. Both Japan and the United States were looking at hybrid Cruiser—CVs and they force Great Britain, following the example set with the Washington BC—CV Conversions, to allow for two hybrids each in the early-30s. USA builds CLV Charlotte and Jacksonville, GB builds CAV Melbourne and Wellington (sold/given to those respective navies), and Japan finishes up with CAV Kushiro and Tokachi.
***It should be noted that to take maximum advantage of the revised Treaty tonnages, Japan converts several of the oldest CLs into fast ML, builds additional Myoko-Class CAs and keeps the Mogami Class as 6” CLs.
As war clouds gather on the horizon, the United States makes several important decisions (1) to slightly reinforce the Asiatic Fleet with an additional CA, CL, and 4 modern DDs, (2) Admiral Hart also decides to follow his inner thoughts and begin development of Cebu as an alternate anchorage, and (3) the Scouting Force, commanded by Vc-Adm Wilson is sent south to protect the Philippine reinforcement TFs going to the Philippines (The Pensacola TF) and the empty TF returning from the Philippines (The Chester TF).
Japan deploys its few new ships to protect the Invasion TFs coming from Babeldoap and Cam Rahn Bay as the Kido Butai steams towards its rendezvous with destiny at Pearl Harbor…
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