Japan the Liberator, part 3 of 7

View part 1 if you haven’t read earlier episodes.

Part 3: Overland expansion

Kamehameha lost the city of Samoa once again, and once again Japan captures it from the barbarians and burns it down. The newly-minted Samurai play a key role in the quick taking of this city.

The Japanese Caravel explores the coastline and discovers Hong Kong, once an independent city state, now controlled by the barbarians. A good liberation target.

The city of Satsuma comes under attack. The iron remains secure. I will suffer no harm to come to the iron, for it has become precious to me.

While a weary Samurai rests after taking a barbarian camp, other Japanese forces move south towards Hong Kong.

In Europe the Greek city of Corinth falls. By contrast Japan prepares for another wave of city expansions.

Japanese forces efficiently liberate the city of Hong Kong, whose people are duly grateful.

Land and sea forces combined to take Hong Kong, and more new lands beckon both forces onwards.

The lands around Satsuma remain dangerous, but not as dangerous as the lands around Istanbul, which has fallen to the barbarian hordes.

The mouth of this river looks like a good place to settle.

The city of Hanoi lay close to Hong Kong and was liberated in turn to create two independent allies of Japan.

Again a combined land a sea force enabled the liberation.

More enemies lie inland close to Hanoi, while in Europe the fall of Istanbul is followed by the fall of Constantinople. Somehow I feel that should have been the other way around…

Japanese forces secure the lands around Hanoi while from Europe comes news of the fall of Lyon. The Domino Effect is in full swing here.

The founding of Kagoshima secures new lands and new treasures, which must be defended.

Japanese settlers travel upriver from Kagoshima to found Nara. A brave settler makes a dash further inland, but changes course when faced with unexpected opposition.

Satsuma’s lands are looking secure, which is more than we can say for the French, as Paris falls too.

Nagoya grants access to the important resource of coal, which is looking more abundant in these lands than iron ever was.

There are further coal deposits in the north for settlers brave enough to venture there. With Paris fallen, London falls too. Who is left in Europe?

Kyoto continues to build Wonders as news comes that Dido is in the game and in control of the most player capitals. Who did she dispossess?

With Izumo, Japan has truly arrived as an inland power.

But why stop there? Nagasaki is founded, and we will probably stop there. For now.

Satsuma hosts a series of running battles as the barbarian push back against Japanese settlement.

Yet (not) another Polynesian settler appears. We really are going to have to put a stop to this.

Dido’s capital of Carthage falls as barbarians again threaten Hanoi.

Someone is fighting back against the barbarians. Was it Boudicca, or Dido?

Turns out it was Dido, and she couldn’t keep her capital. Japan’s inland cities are looking almost peaceful now.

Riflemen and machine guns keep Satsuma secure.

Japan’s new Frigate proudly takes to the waters. Did you see that little orange dot on the map? That’s right, Polynesia settled near our lands, again. Never again.