Order of Battle: Morning Sun DLC

combined with rising sun they make a good team but should have a 3 or 4 set dlc to properly cover the whole of war

Morning Sun is a nice addition to the Pacific campaign and lets you take Japan on the tear through China in the early stages of WW2 the units are accurate and tbe supply system is top notch this is a add on i defintly recommend.

This is my second dlc here. My first was Winter War. Played just first scenario and it almost seems already obvious how better thought out and well made this is. Will update review later. EDIT: somewhere at the middle of campaign and I can confirm initial impressions.

7/10 - Good. Fairly enjoyable prequel to Rising Sun; Morning Sun focuses on the Second Sino-Japanese war from 1937 through to 1940, showcasing Japanese assaults/landings and conquests of China, and their attempts to cut China off from foreign aid. China might be outdated in terms of tech, but they do have considerable manpower to chew through, and they're complemented with a few foreign equipment - early Italian tanks, Russian planes and such for example, which is something you have to take into account as the Japanese get their own techs up and running. There's zero naval scenarios here, any interaction with the navy is brief, with the entire focus being on the land and air war, both of which are interesting challenges. In the air, you have the foreign planes to deal with, particularly the USSR's lend-lease and volunteer fighters (and later the American's) and these can be surprisingly strong opponents for those caught unawares. On the land, there's a variety of scenarios, often requiring rapid conquest married to fire-controlled type defences; Whilst most scenarios are pretty easy if you have a good grasp of the land mechanics, some can be particularly challenging either time-limit wise, or by the very nature of the scenario design - i.e. Having to fight a tight defensive line right on the coast as you're unloading troops, and being unable to actually move around to attack optimally until they're offloaded. The finale is a what-if scenario of Japanese victory in China, but it obviously doesn't carry over if you import your save into the sequel Rising Sun. Still, if you're looking for an opportunity to fight in a theatre of war rarely presented in gaming, this is an ideal DLC scenario pack to buy, just be aware that it is entirely land oriented, against a foe whose strength is purely numbers and foreign equipment rather than any semblance of tactics. If you plan to export your save to the Rising Sun scenario, then this game will make things a lot easier for you going forward as you'll be able to bring strong, experienced units to the fore, including trained pilots ready for Pearl Harbour. The DLC is flush with in-game currency, so you'll be able to build an army as large as you'd like - I was rocking over 3,000 prestige points fairly early on and it's only a shame that your money doesn't transfer over in the exported save or I'd be rocking it over the Pacific Ocean!

First campaign I played looking forward to more. Just a heads up, the new feature unit Construction Group unit is a one time thing in this whole campaign ... I would also have been nice if you got a list of unlockable scenario's. you can not (re)play a specific scenario from a campaign unless you have a save game from it.

I enjoyed playing this DLC for Order of Battle. It was a welcome change of pace, providing a look at an overlooked theater of WWII. Tanks and aircraft are not very capable during this time period, but over the course of the campaign you gain access to better models. There are some interesting units like the Sōkō Sagyō Ki flame-throwing tank (!) and Mongol cavalry. The maps are large and detailed with a good variety of missions. Recommended for those looking for something different in a WWII campaign!

Very interesting timeline for this DLC that I've just started to play. A lot of the weapon systems that are available are pretty "primitive" based on many other types of WWII games, but this earlier time period between China & Japan was one of the proving grounds for certain types of weapon systems that would be used in later years. The Chinese side apparently had a number of different countries contribute to their war effort, so you will likely come across a variety of weapons from many different countries while fighting on the Japanese side.

Great DLC that adds period thats not covered in games. OOB great little gem, yeah there are few bugs but there getting sorted, there lot input at forums and devs listen do there best. This add on kept me busy good few hours so far. I highly recommend buying this.

I don't think I've ever seen this setting in a game before since it's so (rightfully) controversial. That said...it's a lot of fun. The scenarios offer ~15+ hours of gametime if you're good. The maps are varied and encourage supply line extension and most maps have the opportunity for plenty of naval, air, and land warfare. It's also hard to dislike a game where you can direct your Mongols on horseback to cross the Great Wall to support your flamethrowing armored vehicle.

This expansion is a fantastic look into an "unexplored" war as well as the vehicles used in that war that is a great extension of the original game. Slitherine should be applauded and rewarded (buy it!) for touching a conflict so important to Japan's involvement in WW2 when others have not. The pros: 1. Many new units to play and play against including early tankettes, artillery, and early Japanese warplanes most Westerners familiar with the Pacific War may not have seen before. The Chinese have an interesting array of imported vehicles and guns as well. 2. Great maps that emphasize the challenge placed upon Imperial Japan's war ambitions, and how overextending your lines can lead to loss of supply and being surrounded by the superior numbers of the Chinese troops. The maps almost encourage you to overextend, not to mention you have a limited time to complete your missions (though I completed the first one well within the allotted time). 3. Music is much better/ suitable given the subject matter, and there are a few mechanics that may have changed since the patches, such as move / repair which I don't recall - but I could be confusing with Panzerkorps. 4. The campaign selection map is improved over games like Panzerkorps -- it's an actual map and it looks good. 5. The portraits are great and look like old photos of the period - the uniforms of the officers in the portraits are accurate. Cons: 1. Can't play China in the campaign --- yet. 2, Graphics or the engine itself seem to choke on occasion even on my relatively powerful system, and can get herky jerky at times. 3. Just a nitpick, but there are a few other early war weapons I have not seen yet in the game (although I have not played all maps yet and have some to go) -- such as the Type 92 Ni-Ku primemover (or other primemovers) that could be an upgrade from horses and trucks and allow towing artillery across rougher terrain, the Type 92 Heavy Armored Vehicle, and the Ki-1 and Ki-2 bombers. Armored trains would also be cool. Notes: SNLF dark blue uniforms (with white straps crossing chest - light colored helmets?) would be nice to see and a contrast to so many khaki colored uniforms on both sides. May pop up later in the game? Here is an example with a soldier in front of a Type 93 Naval Armored Car ("Osaka" in the game) https://ikazuchisen.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/img043.jpg?w=649&h=1024 ON THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS: I fully support being able to play China, but think it is not fair to judge the game on this missing aspect (though it should be clear before you buy the DLC). I have a feeling Slitherine will move to add a China campaign. To say this game is bad because it only plays from the Japanese side is like arguing that a game about Napoleon's conquests is unfair to every nation he invaded that you are unable to play. There are many games out there that "promote war and aggression" if you think about it - just this particular war between Japan and China raises particular emotions - AND by being a trailblazer here (few wargames touch on these scenarios / locations), Slitherine was bound to raise some hackles with this release, even if China had been playable. If you think about it, any country invaded in numerous games about Germany cannot fight back -- but these wars even from Germany's perspective are covered by serious wargame companies who want to cover all types of battles for a rabid fanbase that cares. This is the nature of WAR-GAMING - not to get someone all emotionally wound up (does anyone still get emotional over Napoleon's or Rome's conquests?), but to enjoy the simple strategies of war for what they were ... and all aspects should be explored. The War was 70 years or more ago. It is not "too soon". Let us explore these battles from all sides. China, the Commonwealth (Chindits), ANZAC, India, -- yes even Imperial Japan -- whatever Slitherine can provide.