Japanese Armour - A Scarce History
It isn't often you see people pay mind towards Japan's ground forces, since they have been long overshadowed by the grand past of the navy or perhaps the graceful nature of the air services. Modern media has influenced Japan's history regarding their performance in air and sea so greatly that people fail to acknowledge the struggle that the army endured on the ground as the Second Great War ensued.
Unlike the might of battleships and the elegance of the fighters, Japan's tanks were generally quite modest in comparison. The properties given to armored vehicles did not compare to their counterparts. They operated to meet a single goal, never to overachieve their expectations or mark a known place in history. Alongside this, it was not very common for tank-against-tank battles to take place. The war in the Pacific did not grant any tank battles of epic proportions (such as the battle of Kursk) as the generally uneven terrain of the Pacific islands prevented wide scale deployment of armoured vehicles. It was uncommon to see more than 15 armored vehicles skirmishing at the same time. Only on rare occasions did large numbers of tanks engage in combat with one another. This turned out to be advantageous for Japanese tanks, as they were more efficient in the form of infantry support and ideally operated in smaller numbers.
Unlike the might of battleships and the elegance of the fighters, Japan's tanks were generally quite modest in comparison. The properties given to armored vehicles did not compare to their counterparts. They operated to meet a single goal, never to overachieve their expectations or mark a known place in history. Alongside this, it was not very common for tank-against-tank battles to take place. The war in the Pacific did not grant any tank battles of epic proportions (such as the battle of Kursk) as the generally uneven terrain of the Pacific islands prevented wide scale deployment of armoured vehicles. It was uncommon to see more than 15 armored vehicles skirmishing at the same time. Only on rare occasions did large numbers of tanks engage in combat with one another. This turned out to be advantageous for Japanese tanks, as they were more efficient in the form of infantry support and ideally operated in smaller numbers.
It wasn't until after Japan had awakened the sleeping giant that was the United States, that the undeniable reality had become all too real. By 1941, Japanese armored vehicles had near-reached the peak of their effectiveness. Up until the Attack of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese had been able to perform effectively with their Type94 37mm anti-tank gun. Potential opponents such as the Stuart, Carden, T-26 and BT tanks were all prone to penetration by the gun in combat. There was no reason to progressively adapt until a threat of a superior force, such as the United States, reached the shores of the Empire. The most versatile and effective anti tank gun utilized by the Japanese was the Type1 47mm, used on the Type97 Chi-Ha Kai medium tank. While it was able to get the task done, Japan knew that much more was required if they were to equally match the growing American threat in the Pacific. The U.S. were capable of sending M4 Sherman tanks in force, at a remarkable rate, unrivaled by Japanese production lines.
During the year 1943, the Japanese devised a restriction on newly produced tank models. The idea being to hold new Types for stationing around the home islands of Japan for a fortified defense against an allied invasion. Modernized tanks such as the Type3 Chi-Nu and the Type1 Chi-He were never deployed on the front lines, thus holding no official combat record. Other projects, such as the Ha-To or Chi-To were also planned for home defense, yet the United States had already begun bombing raids on the island, crippling the production rates of many armored vehicles. It was for this reason, that Japan's strongest armored vehicles did not have a chance to be fielded and take their rightful place in modern history books.
Implementation in War Thunder
How would the Japanese tank tree play out in-game?
At this point in time, there are unfortunately no plans for an independent Japanese ground forces tree. On August 28th 2015, Gaijin Game Designers Vyacheslav Bulannikov and Konstantin Klimenko confirmed that as of yet, Japanese vehicles will be implemented into other nation's tech trees through premium vehicles. Work on an independent tree has not yet started nor will begin anytime soon. Weeks before, Gaijin also mentioned that an independent tree is all-together unlikely. This, of course, came as a disappointment to a large portion of the playerbase, and thus started the community-made project for the recognition of Japanese tanks.
Our goal is to persuade Gaijin through sheer research and evidence, that such a critical power as Japan deserve their rightful spot on the Ground Forces tab, instead of being declined alongside an independent French tech tree. This project will and can only be successful through solid community support.
With a small team of assistants, this project will eventually flesh out the Japanese Ground Forces section of the official forum. This will give the playerbase a concrete and reliable source of information regarding Japanese tanks.
A strong argument against the idea of competitive Japanese tanks is how they can be compared to any other nation in their respective tiering. Japanese tanks can be described as the "jacks of all trades yet masters of none", or in layman's terms, having average qualities in most areas, yet nothing vastly superior to others. They are vehicles that only skilled players can use to proper effectiveness, with the average player possibly finding themselves at a crossroads when they decide to grind down the tree. The introduction of the tanks in Tier 1 are generally mild, compared to competitors. Tier 2 and 3 is where Japan gets vehicles that can actively compete against others, yet lacking substantial armor. The most challenging tier that a Japanese tank player will have to endure will be Tier 4. It is here where Japanese tanks will lack a wide range of selection, relying on their armament and mobility to be effective on the battlefield. However, if players reach Tier 5, Japanese tanks could be said to be "diamonds in the rough", receiving post-war vehicles and features comparable to that of the German "Leopard 1".
Japanese Ground Forces Visual Tree
(OUT OF DATE - TO BE UPDATED SOON)
Members of the Project
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How to Support Us? |
Project Lead
• Mai_Waffentrager Moderator Support • wotertool Assistants • Orlunu • Priest5000 • blankfile • Nomad_Gaming • Azumazi • CmdrNomad Design Aid • Mostafox • Currus_loricatus |
Any kind of support is appreciated. This site will exist as a symbolism and a reference to the Japanese Ground Forces. You can support the project yourself by posting in our forum on the Contact section of this website. But we will also be extending the project via threads on the Official Forum within the next few days - so keep your eyes open!
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