Its funny many here come up with the terrible japanese tanks from WW2.
BTW the strongest and most advanced japanese tank in WW2 was the Type 97 Chi-Ha.
This "super tank" had 25mm frontal armor......Even the soviet T-70 or the german Panzer II had better frontal armor then these strongest japanese tank.
The Type 97 Chi-Ha failed against the M4 Sherman tank. In WW2 the japanese tanks lost every single battle against the US army tanks or Soviet tanks. With 25mm frontal armor the japanese tanks were often dstroyed by enemy machine guns. The history of japanese tanks in WW2 is a history of complete failure.
Wonder why you never heard of any japanese tank aces? They simply dont exist. Apart from a few american half tracks or Stuart light tanks the japanese tanks never destroyed anything.
I remember reading a book about the pacific theatre. there was a tank battle described. 13 japanese "medium" tanks attacked an american Position. The US army send in a sherman tank. It was a "Duell" 1 sherman vs 13 japanese tanks. Sherman easily won the "Duell". He destroyed 8 of the 13 japanese tanks the last 5 retreated.........very impressive combat statistic.
Japanese tanks had the weakest armor of any WW2 tank and were unable to penetrate the shermans armor. And People want to add These faction into CoH2.
About japanese tanks in WW2: Believe me guys they were just garbage and "stoneage" compared to US or soviet tanks.
Germany was the only axis faction in WW2 that had good equipment on there land army. Japanese land army equipment in WW2 was even worse then european WW 1 equipment.
Instead of making CoH about the pacific theatre better make a game about WW1 because you cant Balance the terrible japanese Equipment against the other factions.
I highly doubt if anybody would challenge you about the lack of a Japanese battle tank - but I think this misses the point. In the environment in which they operated, the Japanese did not need a huge battle tank.
And it is the environment which makes me question, if Relic could develop a scenario with the Japanese: the mountain ranges of North Burma are not sympathetic to game design (IMO), with their narrow passes, especially if it involves working with mules.Relic have already stated, per QD, that they do not work well with animal models. Equally, it is hard to see Relic bringing in bicycle units for the Japanese.
The US Pacific Islands hopping, may well only result in thin variants of
Beach Assault, or
Pointe du Hoc. with Japanese camping.
The Commonwealth retreat from places like Singapore is likely only to be campy; and equally, subsequent battles like Kohima, or the Chindit blocks would also be campy - though they could reintroduce gliders, I suppose, FWIW.
The advance back down through Burma - "the Road to Mandalay" - is small action stuff, and would not involve battle tanks.
Therefore, reluctantly, I see little future in a Japanese faction.
In particular, I do not want to see the OKW fighting on Iwo Jima or Saipan, any more than I want to see a Japanese army on Kholodny Ferma, Semoisky or Langreskaya