---
::: mw-parser-output
::: {.eu4box style="width:330px; height:auto; float:right; clear:right"}::: heading
::: {style="font-size:larger; padding: 3px 0px; text-align:center;"}[Country guides](/wiki/Country_guides "Country guides")
:::
:::
::: {style="font-weight: bold; text-align:center;"}[Major powers](/wiki/Major_power "Major power"){.mw-redirect}:::
------------------------------------------------------------------------
::: {style="columns:105px 3; column-gap: 5px;-webkit-columns:105px 3; -webkit-column-gap: 5px;-moz-columns:105px 3; -moz-column-gap: 5px;"}[France](/wiki/France "France")\
[Germany](/wiki/Germany "Germany")\
[Italy](/wiki/Italy "Italy")\
[Japan](/wiki/Japan "Japan")\
[Soviet Union](/wiki/Soviet_Union "Soviet Union")\
[United Kingdom](/wiki/United_Kingdom "United Kingdom")\
[USA](/wiki/USA "USA")
:::
::: {style="font-weight: bold; text-align:center;"}Regional powers
:::
------------------------------------------------------------------------
::: {style="columns:105px 3; column-gap: 5px;-webkit-columns:105px 3; -webkit-column-gap: 5px;-moz-columns:105px 3; -moz-column-gap: 5px;"}[Argentina](/wiki/Argentina "Argentina")\
[Australia](/wiki/Australia "Australia")\
[Belgium](/wiki/Belgium "Belgium")\
[Bulgaria](/wiki/Bulgaria "Bulgaria")\
[Brazil](/wiki/Brazil "Brazil")\
[Canada](/wiki/Canada "Canada")\
[Czechoslovakia](/wiki/Czechoslovakia "Czechoslovakia")\
[Guangxi Clique](/wiki/Guangxi_Clique "Guangxi Clique")\
[Hungary](/wiki/Hungary "Hungary")\
[Manchukuo](/wiki/Manchukuo "Manchukuo")\
[Nationalist China]{.mw-selflink .selflink}\[Nationalist Spain](/wiki/Nationalist_Spain "Nationalist Spain")\
[Netherlands](/wiki/Netherlands "Netherlands")\
[Poland](/wiki/Poland "Poland")\
[Republican Spain](/wiki/Republican_Spain "Republican Spain")\
[Romania](/wiki/Romania "Romania")\
[Sweden](/wiki/Sweden "Sweden")\
[Turkey](/wiki/Turkey "Turkey")\
[Yugoslavia](/wiki/Yugoslavia "Yugoslavia")
:::
::: {style="font-weight: bold; text-align:center;"}[Minor powers](/wiki/Minor_power "Minor power"){.mw-redirect}:::
------------------------------------------------------------------------
::: {style="columns:105px 3; column-gap: 5px;-webkit-columns:105px 3; -webkit-column-gap: 5px;-moz-columns:105px 3; -moz-column-gap: 5px;"}[Austria](/wiki/Austria "Austria")\
[Chile](/wiki/index.php?title=Chile&action=edit&redlink=1 "Chile (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Colombia](/wiki/index.php?title=Colombia&action=edit&redlink=1 "Colombia (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Denmark](/wiki/Denmark "Denmark")\
[Finland](/wiki/Finland "Finland")\
[Greece](/wiki/Greece "Greece")\
[Ireland](/wiki/Ireland "Ireland")\
[Mexico](/wiki/Mexico "Mexico")\
[Norway](/wiki/index.php?title=Norway&action=edit&redlink=1 "Norway (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Peru](/wiki/Peru "Peru")\
[Portugal](/wiki/Portugal "Portugal")\
[Shanxi](/wiki/Shanxi "Shanxi")\
[South Africa](/wiki/South_Africa "South Africa")\
[Switzerland](/wiki/Switzerland "Switzerland")
:::
::: {style="font-weight: bold; text-align:center;"}[Micro powers](/wiki/Micro_power "Micro power"){.mw-redirect}:::
------------------------------------------------------------------------
::: {style="columns:105px 3; column-gap: 5px;-webkit-columns:105px 3; -webkit-column-gap: 5px;-moz-columns:105px 3; -moz-column-gap: 5px;"}[Afghanistan](/wiki/Afghanistan "Afghanistan")\
[Albania](/wiki/Albania "Albania")\
[Bhutan](/wiki/Bhutan "Bhutan")\
[Bolivia](/wiki/index.php?title=Bolivia&action=edit&redlink=1 "Bolivia (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Communist China](/wiki/Communist_China "Communist China")\
[Costa
Rica](/wiki/index.php?title=Costa_Rica&action=edit&redlink=1 "Costa Rica (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Cuba](/wiki/Cuba "Cuba")\
[Dominican Republic](/wiki/Dominican_Republic "Dominican Republic")\
[Ecuador](/wiki/index.php?title=Ecuador&action=edit&redlink=1 "Ecuador (page does not exist)"){.new}\[El
Salvador](/wiki/index.php?title=El_Salvador&action=edit&redlink=1 "El Salvador (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Estonia](/wiki/Estonia "Estonia")\
[Ethiopia](/wiki/Ethiopia "Ethiopia")\
[Guatemala](/wiki/Guatemala "Guatemala")\
[Haiti](/wiki/index.php?title=Haiti&action=edit&redlink=1 "Haiti (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Honduras](/wiki/index.php?title=Honduras&action=edit&redlink=1 "Honduras (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Iraq](/wiki/Iraq "Iraq")\
[Latvia](/wiki/Latvia "Latvia")\
[Liberia](/wiki/Liberia "Liberia")\
[Lithuania](/wiki/Lithuania "Lithuania")\
[Luxemburg](/wiki/Luxemburg "Luxemburg")\
[Mongolia](/wiki/Mongolia "Mongolia")\
[New Zealand](/wiki/New_Zealand "New Zealand")\
[Nepal](/wiki/index.php?title=Nepal&action=edit&redlink=1 "Nepal (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Nicaragua](/wiki/index.php?title=Nicaragua&action=edit&redlink=1 "Nicaragua (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Oman](/wiki/index.php?title=Oman&action=edit&redlink=1 "Oman (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Panama](/wiki/index.php?title=Panama&action=edit&redlink=1 "Panama (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Paraguay](/wiki/index.php?title=Paraguay&action=edit&redlink=1 "Paraguay (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Persia](/wiki/Persia "Persia")\
[Philippines](/wiki/index.php?title=Philippines&action=edit&redlink=1 "Philippines (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Saudi
Arabia](/wiki/index.php?title=Saudi_Arabia&action=edit&redlink=1 "Saudi Arabia (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Siam](/wiki/Siam "Siam")\
[Sinkiang](/wiki/index.php?title=Sinkiang&action=edit&redlink=1 "Sinkiang (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Tannu Tuva](/wiki/Tannu_Tuva "Tannu Tuva")\
[Tibet](/wiki/index.php?title=Tibet&action=edit&redlink=1 "Tibet (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Venezuela](/wiki/index.php?title=Venezuela&action=edit&redlink=1 "Venezuela (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Uruguay](/wiki/index.php?title=Uruguay&action=edit&redlink=1 "Uruguay (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Xibei San Ma](/wiki/Xibei_San_Ma "Xibei San Ma")\
[Yemen](/wiki/index.php?title=Yemen&action=edit&redlink=1 "Yemen (page does not exist)"){.new}\[Yunnan](/wiki/Yunnan "Yunnan")
:::
:::
::: {#toc .toc aria-labelledby="mw-toc-heading" role="navigation"}::: {.toctitle dir="ltr" lang="en"}
[ ]{.toctogglespan}:::
- [[ 1 ]{.tocnumber} [ Overview ]{.toctext}](#Overview)- [[ 2 ]{.tocnumber} [ Technology ]{.toctext}](#Technology)- [[ 3 ]{.tocnumber} [ Diplomacy ]{.toctext}](#Diplomacy) - [[ 3.1 ]{.tocnumber} [ Alliances ]{.toctext}](#Alliances) - [[ 3.2 ]{.tocnumber} [ Sliders ]{.toctext}](#Sliders) - [[ 3.3 ]{.tocnumber} [ Ministers ]{.toctext}](#Ministers)- [[ 4 ]{.tocnumber} [ Intelligence ]{.toctext}](#Intelligence)- [[ 5 ]{.tocnumber} [ Economy ]{.toctext}](#Economy) - [[ 5.1 ]{.tocnumber} [ Trading ]{.toctext}](#Trading) - [[ 5.2 ]{.tocnumber} [ Industrial Production ]{.toctext}](#Industrial_Production)- [[ 6 ]{.tocnumber} [ Military ]{.toctext}](#Military) - [[ 6.1 ]{.tocnumber} [ Army ]{.toctext}](#Army) - [[ 6.2 ]{.tocnumber} [ Navy ]{.toctext}](#Navy) - [[ 6.3 ]{.tocnumber} [ Air Force ]{.toctext}](#Air_Force)- [[ 7 ]{.tocnumber} [ Events ]{.toctext}](#Events) - [[ 7.1 ]{.tocnumber} [ The Xi\'an Incident ]{.toctext}](#The_Xi.27an_Incident) - [[ 7.2 ]{.tocnumber} [ Pitman Act ]{.toctext}](#Pitman_Act) - [[ 7.3 ]{.tocnumber} [ Forging the United Front ]{.toctext}](#Forging_the_United_Front) - [[ 7.4 ]{.tocnumber} [ Transfer Industry to the Interior ]{.toctext}](#Transfer_Industry_to_the_Interior) - [[ 7.5 ]{.tocnumber} [ Operation Zet ]{.toctext}](#Operation_Zet) - [[ 7.6 ]{.tocnumber} [ Recall of German Mission ]{.toctext}](#Recall_of_German_Mission)- [[ 8 ]{.tocnumber} [ War ]{.toctext}](#War) - [[ 8.1 ]{.tocnumber} [ Communist China ]{.toctext}](#Communist_China) - [[ 8.2 ]{.tocnumber} [ Guangxi ]{.toctext}](#Guangxi) - [[ 8.3 ]{.tocnumber} [ Japan ]{.toctext}](#Japan) - [[ 8.3.1 ]{.tocnumber} [ The Fading Sun ]{.toctext}](#The_Fading_Sun) - [[ 8.4 ]{.tocnumber} [ Civil War Resumes ]{.toctext}](#Civil_War_Resumes) - [[ 8.5 ]{.tocnumber} [ USSR ]{.toctext}](#USSR):::
In 1936, China faces many challenges. Among them, internal corruption
and cronyism, the communist threat, and perhaps the most dangerous of
all, the Japanese. However, China in 1936 has a huge potential for
success, and it all depends on how you play it. Unfortunately, China is
imperfectly modeled in the game, with some critical end game events
missing (e.g. after the defeat of the Japanese, etc). Thus, players
should consider using the
[China_Improvement_Pack](/wiki/China_Improvement_Pack "China Improvement Pack")
.
- **Advantages**
- High Manpower
- High IC
- Large army, with more easily acquired
- Large land mass
- Powerful friends
- Good sliders
- **Disadvantages**
- Lacks resources
- Bad techteams
- Bad starting technology
- Little space to conquer
- Bad leaders
- Bad ministers
- High initial dissent
- Powerful enemies
Nationalist China begins the game severely behind technologically. In
addition, war will begin very early for China, which means that early
technology research is critical. Early Infantry (1936), Rear Area Supply
(strategic deployments), and a [land
doctrine](/wiki/Land_Doctrine "Land Doctrine") are very important early
research goals in order to have a reasonably capable military power.
Grand battleplan doctrine is an excellent choice for land doctrines. It
eventually maximizes the efficiency of the hordes of infantry that you
are going to possess and fits in with your two land doctrine research
teams. Also you can perhaps steal some blueprints from Japan which you
should constantly try if your bankroll allows it. The German General von
Falkenhausen is important to use early in the game, as he will leave
China in February 1938 during the war with Japan. He\'ll complete
anything he\'s still working on when you get the recall event, and then
leave, so keep him busy as much as you can.
If you aim for maritime power, go for carrier warfare! Again you can
steal blueprints and your aerial research teams are at least better at
researching carriers than your maritime research team is at researching
battleships. Also you can upgrade the air groups and with your absurdely
slow research progress that\'s a lot faster than researching and
building new models to keep up with your competition.
If you play with tech team takeover, then you obviously have some more
options. Decent research teams are to be found in Mengkukuo, Manchukuo,
Communist China, Siam and both of the possible Koreas (and of course
Japan, but you already need some progress to even get to them).
Especially Manchukuo and Korea are interesting since they are relatively
easy to get to and provide teams for your most important weaknesses:
Navy and Naval doctrine research. The rest of the chinese warlords have
even crappier teams than you do.
The first alliance Nationalist China can create is the United Front.
After the defeat of Japan, the United Front will likely be dispersed.
China is open to various options, including joining the Allies, Axis or
Comintern. Generally, an Axis alliance is the most sensible, since
advances against the Soviet Union and Allies are on China\'s doorstep.
The free slider moves China receives depend on selections made during
events. Assuming historical events, by 1937, China will receive the
following:
- 4 Hawk moves (Pitman Act, Marco Polo Bridge Incident, Transfer
Industry, Operation Zet)
- 2 Interventionism moves (Make promises, Forge United Front)
- 1 Open Society move (Make promises, Forge United Front, less the
Marco Polo Bridge incident)
- 2 Democratic, and 1 Political Left moves (Make Promises, Forge
United Front).
For ideological reasons, China cannot move to maximum Free Market, but
receives considerable benefits from the current position. It is however
fairly easy to maximize Free Market:
- In 1936 and 1937, make shifts to Democratic (creating the Market
Liberal government).
- In 1938, maximize Free Market.
Nationalist China\'s starting ministers are quite poor, and worse yet,
cannot be changed. In 1937, new ministers come available: **Armaments
Minister:** Bai Chongxi provides +5% IC, and +10% industrial research
**Minister of Security:** Walther Stennes requires +5% consumer goods
need, but this is better than the -3% IC penalty Chen Guofu provides. In
1939, Head of Intelligence He Yaozu becomes available (IC +5%).
Additional Chiefs of Staff also come available, including Jiang Baili
(+20% Org regain) and Bai Jchongxi (Manpower growth +25%)
China will produce a considerable amount of money due to constant
dissent levels that need to be paid down. This money could help some
steal blueprint actions.
China has a relatively strong economy for a regional power.
China has a fairly severe lack of resources, including energy, rares,
and metal.
Early industrial production as China is not wise, since the war with
Japan will begin in just 18 months from the beginning of the game.
The backbone of the Nationalist China army is infantry and
[militia](/wiki/Militia "Militia"){.mw-redirect} .
China will not be able to build any Navy until Japan has been defeated.
China will not be able to build any Air Force until Japan has been
defeated. After that, a single specialization (TAC, for example) is
possible.
Nationalist China has a large number of events.
On March 30, 1936 (the date may vary), Nationalist China will have a
very important event:
- Make Promises and Hedge Bets: Make peace with Communist China,
returning to regular borders. Dissent lowers by -5%, democracy
slider moves 1, interventionism moves 1, and open society moves 1.
Relations with all neighbors improve.
- Arrest the Traitors: The United Front will never forge, and the war
with the Communists continues. Dissent climbs by 10%. Isolationism
adds 1, political right 1, and open society moves 2. Nationalist
China will become Fascist. Additionally, wars with neighboring
states is increasingly likely, particularly Tibet.
- Forge the United Front : Dissent climbs by 15%. Alliance with all
neighbors. Sliders: 2 to democracy, 1 to political left, 1 to
central planning, 2 to interventionism, 2 to open society.
Based on dissent and slider moves, making promises and hedging bets is
the best move. While early war may be a preferred strategy by some
players, choosing the \"Make promises\" options does not preclude
declaring war at a later time when China is better prepared and more
organized.
Shortly after the beginning of the war with Japan, the USA will decide
if it will send aide to China. If it does, China will have the option to
accept the aide (1 Hawk move and a new tech team) versus declining (1
dove move). The choice is obvious. Random \"lend-lease\" caravans will
arrive that improve Chinese base IC by +6.
If Nationalist China follows historical events and does not engage in
early war mongering, days after the Japanese declaration of war, this
event will fire:
- Forge the United Front: 1 move to interventionism, 1 move to
democratic, 1 move to left, 1 move to open society. -5% dissent.
Alliance with all neighbors.
- We do not need them: 1 move to isolationism, 1 move to Right, 1 move
to closed society. +5% dissent.
The United Front allows Nationalist China to gain military control over
her neighbors, in order to better deploy their forces.
China is able to move its industrial base to the interior of the
country, protecting it better from Japanese aggression. This move
provides a Hawk bonus, and increased metal and rares production.
Shortly after the onset of the war, the Soviet Union will choose whether
or not to send assistance to Nationalist China. China recieves an
airbase upgrade, a TAC, an INT, 1 hawk move, and 1000 supplies. Refusing
results in 1 dove move. The choice is obvious.
In the Spring of 1939, this event will fire at Japan\'s request to
Germany. China will not be presented a choice, and will loose their
German tech team von Falkenhausen and the General von Falkenhausen. At
this point there might be an event screw-up. Even if you already annexed
Manchukuo, the event will fire and Japan will seek recognition for a
state that doesn\'t exist on territory they don\'t control. The only
remedy is hacking the japanese, german or nationalist chinese event
file.
Nationalist China begins the game at war with Communist China. In HOI2,
Communist China was very weak, and easy to defeat. Beginning in
Doomsday, however, Communist China is much stronger, and will make gains
in early fighting. Significant gains against Communist China will be
difficult until Nationalist China can upgrade its infantry to 1936
(fall/winter of 1936). At times Communist China will leave Xingjiang
weakly defended, and if you can seize this province Communist China may
offer it along with Pingliang in a peace settlement, if this is done
before the Guanxi clique war commences in the summer. Generally,
however, the war with the Communists will end by April due to the Xi\'an
event.
In the summer of 1936, the Guangxi Clique will declare war on
Nationalist China *assuming* China did not forge the united front in the
Xi\'an incident. Making significant gains against them is not difficult,
so long as the entire Chinese army is dedicated to the war effort, and
1936 infantry has been researched and upgraded. After a few victories,
offering peace through an event is possible, and China has two options:
- Offer Peace: Includes the secession of many key Guangxi provinces.
The secession of territories will provide enough new IC for a fourth
research slot.
- Continue war: This will ensure that some of the other Chinese
warlords join their Guangxi side, which is beneficial in terms of
being able to annex all warlords without independent declarations of
war. This will, however, ensure a very early declaration of war from
Japan. Also, the far away Sinkiang is likely to join the war, which
would take many months to simply reach with ground troops, let alone
annex. Shanxi will typically side with Guanxi Clique (as it did in
the Central Plains War) while Yunnan and Sinkiang could go either
way. Sinkiang will also sometimes ally with Japan.
The most important war in the game for China is the war with Japan. It
begins in June or July, 1937, with the Macro Polo Bridge Incident. China
will gain 1 move to Closed society, and 1 move to Hawk. If China did not
engage in early warmongering, an event to forge the United Front will
fire, with all warlords becoming allies. Although their troops are very
poor, 1918 infantry, they can help bolster defensive lines when under
military control.
China\'s first goal in the war is purely defensive: survive the Japanese
offensive. Every Chinese beach must be guarded by a 3 division stack of
soldiers (2 infantry and 1 militia - on normal difficulty or lower 1
infantry and 2 militia will suffice) in order to protect against
Japanese amphibious assaults. Depending on game version and gameplay, a
defensive war could last as long as 2 years, before China will have
produced enough raw manpower to begin counterattacking the Japanese.
Shanxi provides a decent buffer zone between China and the advancing
Japanese military. A natural defensive line formed by the Yellow River
(between Yucheng and Jinan provinces) is an excellent last resort
defensive line. If Japan manages to conquer Anyang China will be
presented the choice to flood the area (reducing infrastructure and
industry along the Yellow River). Either way China will get 1 dissent.
Generally, this is not a good option since it hurts China in the long
run.
A minimum of 2 HQ units will be necessary in order for China to conduct
successful offensive operations. When China is ready for an offensive
campaign, it may be wise to allow Japan to annex Shanxi: this ensures
all capture territories in Mengchucko and Marchuria fall under
Nationalist China\'s control, and provides a land link between these
national provinces. If the war lasts long enough, Germany will create
Vichy France in the summer of 1940, which will cause Japan to demand,
and very likely receive, Indo-china. This will open up a Southern Front
of attack for Japan, which it will successfully exploit if allowed.
In HOI2, defeating the Japanese army was relatively easy, and could be
accomplished in a few months after the onset of war. Beginning in
Doomsday, the Japanese army became incrementally more powerful over
patch versions. In Armageddon, the Japanese AI became quite strong, and
the war can fairly easily last 4-5 years. China\'s main goal is the
annexation of Manchuria, and pushing the Japanese completely out of
Korea. With this accomplished, \"The Fading Sun\" event will fire.
Nationalist China has to be in possession of Nanjing, Beiping, Mukden,
Harbin, Pyongyang, Seoul and Busan. Then the event has a 50% chance to
fire every 10 days. There are a few screw-ups in the event files. For
example if you defended Shanxi and they are in possession of Beiping,
the \"fading sun\" will not fire, since you are not in possession of
Beiping and you cannot leave the alliance to kill off Shanxi since you
are at war. Another example is if the japanese conquer anything they are
not supposed to (communist china for instance, or if Mengkukuo is never
created and thus cannot be annexed). It won\'t be handed over to you per
event, thus creating japanese enclaves in the middle of the chinese
mainland. Apparently including it in the event has been forgotten, since
every other warlord is included in the event files. If you play with
tech team takeover, you might want to delay annexation of Manchuria and
the \"fading sun\" until the start of 1939. It\'ll give you a good naval
and aerial doctrine research team - things that you could really use.
Also you can change your ministers at will and erase the resulting
dissent with the \"fading sun\". These are your options:
- Humiliate the Japanese: Reduces dissent by -20%. War with Japan will
end, and Korea will be liberated as a Chinese puppet. Ironically,
Korea will start off with several technology advancements, and will
offer blueprints. All Japanese territories on the mainland will
become Chinese. The war with Siam continues, but they will offer a
separate peace. Japan will suffer a coup that transforms their
government into Left-Wing Radical.
- Total Victory: Causes 5% dissent, the war will continue as normal.
The Chinese Civil War will return, by event, *only if* the Japanese were
defeated on their homeland by the Allies and/or USSR. The Fading Sun
event, in itself, will not cause a return of the Chinese Civil War.
Technically, Japan must receive event 43, and then become a USA puppet
in event 45. That will then fire event 99, where Communist China can
decide to continue the Civil War. Alternatively, Nationalist China can
remove all its allies and puppets, and DOW them individually to unify
China properly. If you feel up to the task (which you should after
defeating Japan), you can also remove your puppets and leave the
alliance yourself and take them on alltogether. You\'ll only require one
DOW this way to annex all the warlords with the exception of Tibet. A
nice bonus for this would be the communist and korean techteams (if you
play with techteam takeover).
\
After defeating Japan and unifying China, the USSR is an enticing
target: it will not require a Navy, and plays to China\'s main strength:
its land forces. The Soviet Union is most vulnerable immediately after
the German declaration of war. In HOI2, the Soviet Union will be
ridiculously easy to defeat. In Doomsday and ARMA, the Soviet Union will
be more challenging, but still fairly easy. The key in these game
versions is to not join the Axis, as that will seriously impair
German\'s fighting ability. China will need to capture key Soviet
provinces such as Baku, Stalingrad, or Sverdlovsk to avoid the Bitter
Peace event, in which China would loose all of its gains!
:::