Overview
New to MP? Want to try out Manchukuo with it’s newly updated focus tree in Waking the Tiger? Well this guide is for you! Here I will discuss a variety of strategies and ways that Manchukuo can become a considerable force in MP for 1.5!
Conditions of this guide
Conditions of this guide: In this guide I am assuming you are in a semi-historical game with rules and with a competant Japan who knows his way around focuses/research/micro and overall build. In this guide I am assuming that Japan cannot join ww2 until 1941, and must declare on China by 1938 I’m also assuming that their are no special rules for Manchukuo besides staying Fascist and loyal to Japan.
(I’m also assuming this is a vanilla game)
Overview of Manchukuo
Manchukuo is an integrated puppet of Japan and is an invaluable member of the East Asian Co-prosperity sphere. Manchukuo can do a variety of things thanks to it’s very open open ended focus tree. However, Manchukuos job is not to run wild in MP; Manchukuo should always listen to what Japan wants them to do. Manchukuos main job is to be an extra micro for Japan and either focus on a certain topic (like tanks or planes) or just be another infantry micro. I will discuss a variety of ways that Japan may want you to act and how you can perform well. I will also discuss focus path and research path as well as PP options and decisions.
Starting out as Manchukuo
Manchukuo starts with 38 steel and 10 alluminum, all of which the Japan player will take from you but that’s ok. Manchukuo has 2 research slots and below I will discuss what to do with them, and Manchukuo initially has 1 civilian to build with (assuming Japan trades with you). Manchukuo also starts with 1 military factory.
Early Focus/Decision Path:
Here is the list of initial focuses you want to choose accompanied by their respective decisions:
1. Pacify the Country Side (and do the decisions to remove the bandits for 180 days each, the 1500 guns lost because you are lazy is not worth it)
2. Trade Delegation (50% bonus)
3. Expand the Textile Industry (2 civs)
4. Law University (extra research slot)
7. Army Modernization (30 army experience)
8. Obedience (PP +120)
9. Finish Five Year Plan (unlocks a decision)
Build up our Aviation Industry: Gives -10% air research, Military Factory Construction speed +5% and airbase construction speed +5%. This option is a good option if you are going to build planes for Japan or help Japan research planes.
Invest in the Automotive Industry: Gives -5% research for armor and military construction speed +5%. Good option if you are planning on doing armor for Japan.
A general program of Industrialization: -5% industrial research and Civilian Factory construction speed +5%. If Japan is not having you do anything special then this is the option to go.
After Finish the Five Year Plan you have a couple of options to choose from, and whichever path you take will depend on what Japan wants you to do. In the other chapters I will go over what Japan may have you do at this point and their respective focus paths.
Tank meta:
So Japan wants you to do Tanks? At this point you may want to go and do Mission with Germany. By now you’ve probably researched at least Light Tank 1s and 2s and probably should or can start Medium 1s (try to time it a little before Germany does his mediums). From “Mission To Germany” go ahead and complete every focus to “Chinese Panzers”.
Closer Ties With Germany (1 offmap Civ)
Give Falkenhausen Citizenship (Falkenhousen becomes a general for you who has 2 attack, 2 defense, 3 planning bonus, and 3 supply + Infantry Officer trait)
Now complete “Chinese Panzers” which unlocks a armor designer and a 50% bonus to tanks (note: Make sure you have already begun researching Medium 1s before you finish this focus). At this point jump to the mid-game focuses chapter.
Plane meta:
So Japan wants you to do planes? After completing “The Five Year Plan” and choosing the aviation option go down to MAMC in your focus path (Mukden arsenal gives you +1 mil). MAMC essentially allows you to pick an air designer. By now you probably have already finished F1s and you need to get the air agility designer if you’re researching F2s for Japan. Unfortunatly you have no 50% bonus for planes so you probably just have to hard research F2s. See the next chapter for the continued focus tree.
Infantry meta:
Aka, the generic meta, Japan just wants you to help with micro. Maybe Japan is doing 40 widths and he wants you to just build 10 widths to fill the line, maybe you’re building 7-2s and are going to focus on a single front, maybe neither of these options are true but you’re definitly doing Infantry… Regardless, if you aren’t doing tanks nor planes, follow this meta.
After choosing the generic option from “The Five Year Plan” you have a multitude of options. Follow the next chapter for focus path.
Mid-game focuses (aka complete these before China War ends ~mid 1939)
All of the options before this section will lead you to here.
If Japan plans on giving you any piece of the pie after China, make sure you have completed the focus “National Cooperation Government” in which you gain cores on all of China. Cores may not seem like a big deal… Well actually they are, like a huge deal. What? You need me to explain? Ok well here’s the jist:
Whenever you annex a country you lose 50% of the factory spaces which means you may lose upward to 50% of the factories in a state, which is a pretty big deal. Also if you have cores you have access to about 1000 times more manpower than if it was a colony state. So this means that if you have cores on China, Japan can give it to you and you retain all the factories and can use all its manpower from whatever states he gives you.
To get to National Cooperation Government follow this path:
Alliance with the Kwantung Army (removes the pesky spirit Kwantung Veto and gives you a 50% land doctrine bonus)
Chinese Leadership (10% more stability/war support)
National Cooperation Government (cores on all of China)
Now if you feel like you can wait on those focuses for better ones, then by all means do them, here are some examples:
Invite Japanese Investors (2 civs and unlocks captain of industry)
Expand the Railways (+1 Infrastructure in Manchukuo)
Social Research Unit (extra research slot)
Develop Aluminum Sources (1 50% bonus towards excavation research and a add alluminum decision)
Expand Showa Steel Works (2 civs and a add steel decision)
Hoankyoku (+10% stability)
Mukden Arsenal (+1 mils, if you haven’t already done it for plane meta of course)
After you have finished the coring of China, do all the focuses on that half of the tree that I have already mentioned ^^.
Late game focuses (1940 onwards)
Manchukuos tree is long. It goes well into the 1940s and there are some good focuses left. If you havn’t already, finish the German Tank focuses all the way down to Combined Arms Warfare.
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Now that you have finished that it should automatically skip the “Renegotiate The Unequal Treaties” and you then can go down and finish Imperial Legacy which gives you +10% stability. You can also do conquer Tibet if the game rules allow it.
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On the left side of the focus tree you can do “Second Five Year Plan” (in 1943) and then do the final, +5% bonus for production at the end “National Defense State”. You can also, if you haven’t already do the neglected focuses from the beginning of the game: Mukden Military and Collective Farms. If you reach 50 factories go for the final research slot (5th one) ASAP.
If you ever find yourself with no focuses to do, pick a continuous focus to help in an area. If Japan wants you to become better than a Imperial Protectorate and become a Imperial Associate (which means he will no longer recieve 65% of your mils, instead he’ll recieve 0%), than go for the autonomy continuos focus. If you want to build some synths do the construction one and so on so forth.
How should I use my PP?:
Here’s what you should do with your PP for the game:
first 187.5 PP be spent on Free Trade
150 PP should be spent on a military theorist
earn the army expert and Infantry expert before China War (300 PP) to help out Japan micro
Later gain the other two army advisors (300 PP)
150 pp on Industrial advisor, then another 150 pp if you are doing tanks or planes
When you can go for the Captain of Industry and change your economy law… do it… (300 PP)
What to do about crises?
Well I would just get them out of the way before they take affect. I found that the strikes crisis can give you +5% stability if you are successful with the second option (80-20 chance) it also uses -125 PP. As for draft dodging I solved that crisis with the first option of -75 PP. These suck and drain your PP but they’re much better than having them evolve to even worse crises (you can even be drawn into a civil war if you let them get to out of hand).
What about decisions?
I found only four good decisions for Manchukuo.
The first is the “Improved Worker Conditions” (+13% stability over 180 days) you’ll probably do this more than once over the course of the game (100 PP each time).
Develop Liaotung Iron Ore Deposits (adds 16 steel in 90 days, 25 PP and uses 3 civs during that time) you get another one of these from a focus
Develop Kirin Bauxite Deposits (12 alluminum in 60 days, 25 pp and uses 3 civs during that time)
What should I research?
Manchukuo begins the game with 2 research slots, and the first things you want to research depend on what exactly you’re doing. (Note: License everything from Japan, it costs 0 factories).
Tank meta:
If you’re doing tanks then obviously the first research will be Great War Tanks and continue down the tank track until you finish light tanks 2. With your second research slot go down mobile warfare (right side) until it completes (~1940). Once you hit Medium 1s, research them before you get your 50% bonus and then use the 50% bonus on Medium 2s. Use you’re third research slot for Industry and electronics.
Plane meta:
If you’re doing planes then research planes… If Japan wants you to micro the entire air war (which I recommend you not to do so) then research air doctrine, but if Japan wants you to also be an infantry micro then go down either superior firepower or mass assault (whatever floats your boat) but start that after you complete guns 1. Use your third research slot for Industry and fourth for better Infantry equipment. Don’t forget about decryption and encryption
Generic meta:
First slot should go towards either Superior or Mass Assault (whatever floats your boat) and one towards guns 1. Afterwards continue down whichever doctrine and research industry and whenever you can research infantry equipment upgrades. Also make sure you get radios and decryption/encryption to help in combat.
How to be an effective Manchukuo agaisnt China
I am assuming Japan doesn’t go to war with China until December of 37 and there are a few things as Manchukuo you can do but remember: LISTEN TO YOUR JAPAN PLAYER! Manchukuo should likely build 10 width infantry for the China war to grind XP and help Japan cover any holes. If you are going to do tanks later then perhaps, you can take all of Japans tanks and build some of your own to make 1 division of your own to fight China. At this point in the game Manchukuo cannot do very much but likely Japan will give you some troops to micro as his own which will certainly help you. Before you used to be able to use paratroopers but that is rather limited now so that’s a no go :(.
How to become Japans tank micro
As I said earlier you are to be Japans tank micro, this means you will go down the mobile warfare doctrine and research tanks and build them. If Japan keeps most of China Manchukuo should build 40 width light tank divisions, they are fast, effective and cheap. But if you have the industrial capacity, then produce mediums. You should have around 2-4 40 width tank divisions by the time you go to war with the allies (1941) (if they’re mediums). When Japan kills China make sure you two coordinate how you’re going to split the mils, typically it’s best to have Manchukuo with everything (because they have cores) but the coast and Yunnan and Sichuan should go to Japan. If you and Japan find it worth it to go and build synths, go ahead, but make sure you have researched the upgraded synths and leave a few slots open. Japan could also build mediums to assist you if needed. If you are a competant micro taking Singapore and breaking the Dacca line should be much easier than before.
Here is a basic template for Tanks in Asia:
13 Tanks, 4 SPAA and 5 motorized.
Conclusion
I hope this guide helps you feel good about being Manchukuo for once (trust me you will love your 40 width tanks) and I hope this improves your overall ability as a hoi4 player.
Best of luck
~ MJ
UPDATE and future edits!
Hi all, I have recently updated the contents of this guide and may elaborate more on how Manchukuo can be an air manager! Thanks for reading!