Recap / Guangdong Flavor

Guangdong Recap:
Index | Suzuki's Guangdong | Yasuda Crisis | Sony's Guangdong | Matsushita's Guangdong | Fujitsu's Guangdong | Lam Haau-cyun's Flashbacks | Opium Trade War | Hitachi Coup | Hitachi's Guangdong | Flavor Events | General Oil Crisis and Guangdong Riots | Imperial Japanese Army's Guangdong

At the end of the day, numbers tell a story...

"Thought thousands of miles apart, we are still able to share the beauty of the same Moon together."

— Yang Lok-chi

Guangdong is no monolith. Within it, millions of souls wake up each day, each facing their own unique struggles and joys. From the bustling room of the Legislative Council to the unforgiving streets, Guangdong offers a glimpse into some of their perspectives, which may have long-reaching consequences down the line.

Every year, the Chief Executive, no matter who, must manage four annual goals: the economic review, China relations, Japan relations, and the Product Cycle. In the first mission, Takashima Masuo, the Japanese Consul-General, will review Guangdong's economic progress and report it back to Tokyo. Meet the objectives and Takashima will praise the Chief Executive, with shareholders feeling more confident in Guangdong's potential and setting new economic growth goals for the next year.

Another point of concern is the Chinese consulate, led by Consul-General Song Zhiguang and Political Attaché Wang Jingxu. Neither of them are all too friendly to Guangdong or the Chief Executive, still resentful of Japan's occupation over China and considering Guangdong an artificial colony that is unworthy of respect. While managing China's opinion of Guangdong, the Chief Executive will need to work with the two, hearing complaints among the oppressed Chinese citizens and compromising with China's wishes to maintain good relations. Of greater note, having more frequent interactions with them might spill secrets about their private life, which may prove useful later in the decade. On the other side of the coin, Takashima and General Nagano Shigeto expect the Chief Executive to satisfy Japan's own interests. In particular, Nagano is none too pleased about Guangdong's lawlessness, repeatedly pushing for a greater IJA presence that would threaten the power of the Chief Executive. It may be undesirable, but appeasing Nagano's interests may be necessary at times.

Last but not least is the Product Cycle a 100-day period, where the Sony, Matsushita Electric, Fujitsu, and Hitachi will present a product and drum up sales through a fierce race in quality control and advertising. If successful, the parent company's wealth and PR will skyrocket, giving them an edge over their rivals. The race starts each year from 1962-1972:

• 1962:
  • Sony: TC-962 A, a radio with input-output settings and the ability to use magnetic film to record a consumer's favorite broadcast.
  • Matsushita Electric: W-31, an air conditioner that can mitigate heat of a hot day, though it drips water as a side-effect.
  • Fujitsu: FACOM-222, a mainframe computer that can put input and ouput data at a speech much faster than traditional pencil and paper.
  • Hitachi: HITAC-201, a mainframe computer that's cheaper and easier to use than its competition.

• 1963:
  • Sony: TV5-303, a portable, black-and-white television.
  • Matsushita Electric: RQ-303, a tape recorder with high audio fidelity.
  • Fujitsu: Type 600, a telephone with a crisp and clear receiver for better communication.
  • Hitachi: ST-3500, a cheap black-and-white television whose only gimmick is being cheaper than the alternatives.

• 1964:
  • Sony: TA-1120, a stereo amplifier that allows people to set up their own recording studios and listen to the transistor at a better quality than before.
  • Matsushita Electric: T-100, a nine-transistor radio that's remarkably cheaper than its predecessor.
  • Fujitsu: FACOM 603-F, a data storage unit, where a single tape can hold piles of critical records in a fire- and water-resistant metal casing.
  • Hitachi: KH-920L, a nine-transistor radio with louder and better-quality speakers.

• 1965:
  • Sony: TFM-110, a new eleven-transistor radio.
  • Matsushita Electric: TC-96G, a small, color TV that isn't too appealing on its own, but will serve as a stepping stone for better color TV models in the future.
  • Fujitsu: FACOM 230-100, a computer that could perform calculations much faster than an average human and at a fraction of the price.
  • Hitachi: RA-189, an air conditioner with a far simpler control dial so that adjusting the temperature is much quicker and more convenient.

• 1966:
  • Sony: CV-2000, a device that can record a TV channel at a certain time for one hour.
  • Matsushita Electric: NE-7000, a washing machine that reduces the time needed to wash, scrub, and rinse clothing.
  • Fujitsu: PCM-24, a set of transmission equipment that use pulse-code modulation to convert analog telephone signals into digital signals, making communication clearer, reducing the power needed to provide the signal, and decreasing the cost of telephone infrastructure.
  • Hitachi: HITAC 8100, a computer that can detect input errors and warn users about them, improving user-friewndliness.

• 1967:
  • Sony: DR 4-A, a pair of headphones that lets consumers enjoy their music in private.
  • Matsushita Electric: NE-700, a microwave oven that can heat food faster than a conventional oven.
  • Fujitsu: CPM-12M, a carrier set of transistors that can handle the calculations needed for automatic dialing.
  • Hitachi: HM-110, a home bathtub that is small enough to fit inside an bathroom, hold 200 liters of water, and use an onboard heating unit.

• 1968:
  • Sony: Trinitron, a color television that uses aperture mask technology to improve video quality and screen size.
  • Matsushita Electric: MC-1000C, a vacuum cleaner that is small enough to maneuver around corners and carry up stairs.
  • Fujitsu: FACOM 230-60, a computer that maintains the same size as previous models, while using integrated circuits to increase processing speed.
  • Hitachi: MX-105, a lightweight and convenient x-ray machine that can be used in places that aren't near a hospital.

• 1969:
  • Sony: ICC-500, an electronic calculator that can instantly perform calculations up to 14 digits.
  • Matsushita Electric: TH-30PU, a color television that sacrifices some screen size and video quality in exchange for being cheaper than the competition.
  • Fujitsu: FACOM-R, a microcomputer that is small enough to fit on a desk, yet uses integrated circuits to not sacrifice too much processing power and allow it to store up to 4000 words.
  • Hitachi: H-7830, a television screen that can be attached toa computer and show the inputs and outputs of a computer's processing, allowing the user to spot errors much quicker.

• 1970:
  • Sony: TC-1010, a tape recorder with a cassette input and electret microphone, where it can store audio directly into a cassette.
  • Matsushita Electric: SP-10, a turntable that spins the receiving plate to play music and, to Matsushita's surprise, creates an oddly satisfying scratching noise when it is paused.
  • Fujitsu: FACOM 230-75, a computer with processing speeds up to 7 times faster than the 230-60 model, as well as greater capacity to detect errors and either retry or reconfigure the code to fix the problem.
  • Hitachi: HITAC 10, a microcomputer that uses advanced integrated circuits to match the processing speed of a mainframe computer, but keep a smaller size. Notably, it's also the Sphere's first computer to support SHOGEN, a programming language that enables the computer to be customized, according to the consumer.

• 1971:
  • Sony: CF-2500, a portable stereo with four speakers to deliver high quality sound, while remaining portable enough to fit in one's hand.
  • Matsushita Electric: SD-1802A, an electric rice cooker that can cook rice and rice cakes in mere minutes. For the latter reason, this device is also nicknamed the "mochi maker".
  • Fujitsu: FACOM U-200, a microcomputer that can match the processing power of a mainframe computer and perform large industrial processes without being so large.
  • Hitachi: HITAC 8700, a very powerful computer with the largest network of integrated circuits than any other model known previously. Instead of a magnetic tape, it now uses fully digitized memory to store 8 MB of memory instead of just 512 KB.

• 1972:
  • Sony: VO-1700, a color video recorder with enough space to record hours of TV programming, where viewers can pause and rewind them.
  • Matsushita Electric: TH-6600FR, a color television that uses a system of infrared signals and receivers so that it can be used with a remote control.
  • Fujitsu: FACOM230 '8', a mainframe computer that uses fully digitized virtual storage and more integrated circuits to create a powerful device at a relatively cheap price.
  • Hitachi: HM-1201A, a modem that can link two computers through a transmission line, letting them exchange information at 20 byers per second, far faster than any method seen previously.

Marketing is a tough, yet exciting race in Guangdong, which may potentially spill out to the rest of the world, if the companies are allowed to venture outwards.

---

These events provide examples of:

• Ain't Too Proud to Beg: When the Chief Executive confronts Song over shipping delays at the ports, Song apologies and says the most he can do is send a notice to the ports. However, when the Chief Executive threatens to get Takashima involved, Song immediately pleads him not to do so, which the Chief Executive may or may not listen to.
• Armor-Piercing Response: The Chief Executive does not agree to Song's request that a Chinese delegation should visit a Chinese community that isn't part of the official tour, appealing to security reasons. Song immediately questions this justification, rhetorically asking if they can't keep their capital safe and if Wang should investigate. The question makes the Chief Executive briefly lose his temper and demand Song to "cut the bullshit", before realizing his mistake, much to Song's satisfaction. From then on, the Chief Executive may cave to his request.
• Army Scout: Sony's PTRG helicopter is exceptionally light weight and armed with both thermal and night vision cameras to spot enemy positions. When deployed, it performs its scouting duties well and evades anti-air fire.
• Badass Boast:
  • If Sony's PTRG tanks were used, they will try to sell them the Republic of China, where the military and bureaucratic officials express skepticism over their logistics and survivability. The Sony representative assures that the tank factories are close enough to meet the logistic demands and that the vehicles were already tested by the IJA, concluding that they are thinking about choosing either reliability or novelty, when Sony offers both.
  • After a meeting, Wang reminds the Chief Executive how much he hates police incompetence, especially given that they chose said career path. He remarks "make sure your men can keep up", a vague threat that leaves the Chief Executive puzzled at whether Wang knows more than he is letting on.
• Be Careful What You Wish For:
  • Deployed on the frontlines of the Indonesian Civil War, a Japanese soldier bemoans about the heat and mosquitoes, hoping to see some actual combat. However, once his unit is given a Fujitsu tank and sent off to battle, he witnesses his unit slaughter an entire village of innocent people, much to his horror.
  • If Fujitsu's tanks are chosen for the Indonesian Civil War, a group of soldiers will express excitement on using a new weapon. However, their enthusiasm is cut short when it arrives and they complain about all the unnecessary changes they've made to the standard tank model, particularly grumbling about its overuse of electronics. A Guangdong representative summarizes that they do not like the "overengineering" and send the feedback to the Chief Executive.
• Beneath the Mask: Even as Yakuza members in Kōshu outwardly project satisfaction at the profits they've made from protection rackets, the ease of their success is tinged with a small amount of fear that the people will retaliate one day.
• Beyond the Impossible: Exploited in the advertising for the Type 600 telephone, which claims to have done the impossible of improving the audio quality of its calls, claiming that it isn't even a telephone compared to its historic counterparts.
• Bigger Is Better:
  • Subverted with the FACOM 230-60, which uses integrated circuits to provide four-to-ten times the power, while retaining the same size as previous models. This allows companies to implement the new computers without sacrificing more space.
  • Inverted with the FACOM-R microcomputer, which also uses integrated circuits to produce a computer that can sit on a desk rather than occupy a whole room, all in the first step to make computers more practical and distributed, even if the design can only contain 4000 words.
• Blaming the Victim: When Miyazaki points out the rising crime statistics, the Chief Executive pulls out another statistic disproving Miyazaki's claims and the argument that the Kenpeitai need to be empowered. Nagano rhetorically asks if he'll say the same thing to a Japanese widow whose husband was murdered, but the Chief Executive blames the victim for getting himself killed by walking through a dangerous neighborhood. Nagano is unimpressed with the response and threatens to get Tokyo involved, which may be enough for the Chief Executive to heed their request.
• Blatant Lies: After a Japanese soldier is arrested for brutalizing a citizen, Nagano brushes off the matter and offers a meager promise to handle the issue in military discipline. The Chief Executive doesn't believe him for a second and knows he's going to sweep the matter under the rug, but Nagano abruptly leaves before the discussion can continue.
• Boring, but Practical:
  • If the rifle design for the Malayan Emergency meets four of its goals, soldiers will praise it, not for its unique features, but for its ease of use, fire rate, and reload time. In the end, the weapon is considered highly effective in the jungles of Malaya and for elite forces, with generals and military staff giving serious consideration to adopting the design.
  • There are various product cycles where the companies play into this strategy to maximize the possible rewards for the lowest risk:
    • Hitachi's HITAC-201 computer for the 1962 cycle is nothing extraordinary in capability, but it is easy to use. Its only distinguishing feature is its low cost, due to the use of slave labor in Manchuria, potentially undercutting Fujitsu's presence in the computer market.
    • Hitachi plays into this strategy again for 1963 with the ST-3500 television. It does not push any technological edges like Fujitsu, nor seek affordability like Matsushita and Sony. Komai regards the former to be elitist in its pursuit of technology and the latter two to be insulting their customers with the cheap quality. The ST-3500 is designed to have wooden paneling, clicking dials, and satisfactory image, enough to satisfy an average customer.
    • The RA-189 air conditioner for 1965 doesn't offer any vast technological innovations, simply iterating on previous Matsushita designs and improving them with a rotating dial and fasting cooling time. While Hitachi recognizes the dominance Matsushita has in the air conditioning business, they seek to prime themselves in the event Matsushita declines and leaves a power vacuum behind.
    • In 1966, Matsushita advertises the NE-7000 washing machine, capable of washing whole loads of clothing at different settings, according to the customer's needs. The advertisements acknowledge that it's not as precise as hand washing, but it's extremely efficient and saves hours of labor.
      
      Fujitsu offers the PCM-24 transmission equipment, which simply converts analogue telephone signals into digital signals using a process called pulse-code modulation. Though it may appear boring at first, it provides a clearer signal and significantly reduces the power necessary to transmit the signal, hence reducing the costs of running telephone lines.
      
      The HITAC-8100 computer doesn't offer any improvements in processing power but instead focuses on user-friendliness such as warning users of input errors, with a goal of reducing training time to operate such a system.
    • In 1967, the NE-700 microwave oven is one of the first small scale microwaves that can be used within the household to heat food faster than any oven. While the technology already exists in restaurants and isn't breaking new ground, the household one allows people to cook their own meals cheaply and quickly, suitable for Guangdong's fast-paced life where more and more are at work.
      
      Fujitsu produces a CPM-12M carrier set that uses transistors to make telephone transmissions more efficient, where it handles the calculations needed to reach a direct number on a large scale rather than relying on switchboard operators manually connecting calls, making telecommunications significantly more efficient. Compared to their other products, like the FACOM-222, but it gets the job done.
      
      Hitachi's HM-110 home bath is a simple bath with external water storage and an onboard heating unit that is cheap enough to let the less wealthy have a warm bath.
    • Matsushita produces the MC-1000C vacuum cleaner for the 1968 cycle, building on already-existing vacuum technology to make a sleek and portable device, allowing the middle class to use a device that would be traditionally used by industrial companies.
    • In 1969, the TH-30PU color television uses the same technology established by previous Sony color televisions, but makes it cheaper in exchange for a minor decrease in image quality and size in order to appeal to the working and middle classes.
      
      Meanwhile, the H-7830 text visualization interface is a simple screen that can be attached to an existing computer, but it allows the user to see and adjust inputs and outputs in real time instead of waiting for a printout, a minor improvement that will become a staple for computers going forward.
    • In 1971, Sony manufacturers the CF-2500 portable stereo, which builds on existing stereo and cassette technology to produce a stereo that can be carried around by hand rather than the large stereos previously confined to a single room.
      
      Additionally, the SD-1802A electric rice cooker, nicknamed the mochi maker, is a simple device that cooks rice and makes rice cakes, automating the process of making one of Japan's favorite snacks.
    • Matsushita spends the 1972 cycle building the TH-6600FR color television, which uses a remote control with infrared signals to change channel and volume. It's a bit clunky, needs a separate power supply, and isn't as flashy as the other potential products, but it is far more user-friendly and has potential to become a staple technology from that point onward.
• Broken Record: Two individuals stuck in traffic bemoan how the radio keeps playing the same twenty songs repeatedly. It's sickening enough that the passenger pulls out a TV5-303 from the glovebox to watch some television, even if there isn't much worth watching.
• Bystander Syndrome:
  • If Hitachi's tanks are deployed in the Indonesian Civil War, a logistician will be dismayed by the tanks tearing up the roads, which will delay logistical attempts to fuel the tanks and open them up to enemy attack if they try to repaid the routes. However, he decides that he is in no position to complain and that it is the soldiers' problem now.
  • While the Chief Executive finds some relief when Long Yun and the NPA are put down, he knows that there is still instability from China and that their loyalty to Japan is questionable. Despite this, they do not confront the issue because it is not Guangdong's immediate problem.
• Cassette Craze: The TC-1010 tape recorder adds a cassette input and microphone so that a separate device doesn't need to record and transfer it to a cassette. It takes advantage of the popularity surrounding cassettes, ever since they've hit the scene, and particularly appeals to journalists and interrogators who want to have crisp recordings.
• Cathartic Exhalation: The Chief Executive gives a big sigh of relief when Long Yun is confirmed to have been killed by collaborationist soldiers, ending the NPA threat.
• Caught on Tape: Once the RQ-303 tape recorder hits the market in 1963, it is used to make discreet recordings under a pile of books in an unassuming office in Honkon, where various business deals are agreed upon in Guangdong's ruthless corporate world.
• Challenge Seeker: If Japan and America negotiate an end to the trade embargoes, Guangdong's business leadership eagerly await the opportunity to expand to the OFN's markets, even if they expect some pushback in the form of boycotts and protests. They stand up to the challenge, viewing America as a stagnant market waiting to be challenged with new products.
• Classified Information: There are multiple PTRG reports on the self-propelled artillery used in the Colombian Civil War, which have various details redacted as classified information.
• Collateral Damage:
  • One of the biggest disadvantages of Sony's SPART module is its propensity to cause collateral damage when it is deployed in Colombia. On the second day that one is deployed, its barrel melts and loses the velocity needed to fire its rounds, killing eleven friendlies when they fall short. Combined with its fragile autoloader and poor combat against a helicopter unit, it's obvious that improvements need to be made.
  • Hitachi's SPART relies on extensive bombardments to devastate target areas, even if they are not an enemy. When tested near Cali in the Colombian Civil War, 40 civilians are killed by the SPARTs and their inaccuracy, enough for New Grenada to voice complaints that are ignored by the PTRG.
• Common Tongue: The HITAC-10 microcomputer is one of the first to make use of the Sphere's common simplified programming language, SHOGEN, to enable greater customization for the user, in addition to its small design being easy to transport, even if it needs to be connected to a large system of machines and processors.
• Controllable Helplessness: To avoid being delegitimized, the Republic of China turns down all efforts for Guangdong to assist in the Western Insurrection. This means the player cannot do anything in the war and have to rely on the Republic on handling the issue. Fortunately, since the odds are so heavily stacked against Long Yun, the player will usually not have to worry about this out-of-universe.
• Cool, but Inefficient: Color television technology exists, but the major problem is delivering it to the market because it has poor picture quality and low resolution. Fortunately, Sony comes up with a solution with aperture mask technology and overcomes the disadvantage with the Trinitron color television.
• Crazy Enough to Work: Suzuki personally doubts the utility of the PTRG rifle designs for the Malayan Emergency, but it is possible for them to meet most of even all of their goals to be considered a worthy venture. If all five goals are accomplished, the rifle becomes widely adopted throughout the CPS to fulfill its niche role, rewarding the responsible company in Guangdong with great prospect profits.
• Crippling Overspecialization:
  • Germany's electronics sector is a pioneer in computer science and Siemens delves heavily in computer research, but their efforts primarily restricted to the military-industrial complex. This leaves a vacuum for the Guangdong companies to muscle in and ingrain themselves in the Einheitspakt's markets, especially since there is a booming middle class whose demands aren't met by the German companies. While there is some long-term worry that Erhard's reforms in Speer's route will create potential German competitors, there is almost no worry if Bormann is the Führer, as it will take even longer for Germany's own electronic companies to catch up.
• Cutting Corners: Matsushita's offer for the 1962 product cycle is the W-31 air conditioner, advertised as a cheap investment to mitigate the hot and humid summers so that workers can remain productive. However, there is little consideration for those working in the factories and the water that may leak from the air conditioning units.
• Cynic–Idealist Duo: Upon receiving a new T-100 radio, one individual bemoans how the technology isn't new and that all the broadcasts are government approved, while the other is excited about the low prices of the radio and the communication it could provide.
• Death by Irony: Discussed by a group of Chinese soldiers who can been given a Sony SPART for training. While they appreciate the significantly improved fire rate, they have qualms about using machinery from a state they see as illegitimate, so the corporal half-seriously jokes that they could use this very gun to destroy Guangdong when the time is right.
• The Determinator: If Guangdong has a restrictive policy against refugees fleeing the Western Insurrection, a Ningyuan merchant waits for hours in the rain before being turned away, while an engineer from the same city is left through. However, the merchant does not give up hop eand plots to enter Guangdong through Guangxi, when the border is less patrolled, even if it has has to go hungry. To him, anything is better than being in a refugee camp or a frontline.
• Didn't Think This Through:
  • Sony's PTRG rifle in the Malayan Emergency is advertised to the Republic of China as a convenient weapon that can use multiple ammunition types and ease their lack of standardization in the military. However, one of the military men points out that they are already making improvements in equipment cohesion through more orthodox means, therefore calling the rifle a dated invention. The Cheung Kong executive can only promise that more progress can be made to circumvent that.
  • While an engineer boasts to his audience about merging multiple PTRG rifle designs together, the IJA are less than impressed and interrupt his speech early to complain about the vastly more expensive design, which will require extensive logistics to account for and has no reason to replace their simpler models. The engineer does not dispute this and his counterargument is his insistence that the team met their planned expectations.
  • Sony's PTRG tank has an infrared camera to spot enemy soldiers, but they never counted on the humid jungles of Indonesia giving off noisy heat signatures that render the cameras functionally useless.
• Didn't See That Coming: The Chief Executive expresses surprise over the Indonesian Civil War, wondering if the nation was always that unstable.
• Difficult, but Awesome: For the 1962 product cycle, Fujitsu rolls out the FACOM-222 mainframe computers, a device that requires reading a 200 page manual to fully comprehend and baffles the Yasuda employees. After being guided by Fujitsu instructors for a few days, however, they become excited and curious at the prospect of using the computer to store vast amounts of data and complete calculations, far more so than typical pencil and paper.
• Digital Piracy Is Evil:
  • Many major film studios complain about Sony's CV-2000 VTR, a device that lets consumers record up to one hour of footage and use a magnetic tape to replay their favorite shows. They point out that people may start abusing the device to record and sell movies on the black market as a form of piracy. Unfortunately for them, Sony dismisses these concerns.
  • Sony's V0-1700 color video recorder lets a user record, pause, and rewind video data from a color television, capable of storing hours of footage in a cassette. This restarts more complains of video piracy, but Sony ignores them once again.
• Dramatic Irony: While Song is getting tea, the Chief Executive sees one of the Consul-General's old photos from the Second Sino-Japanese War, pondering what Song was like and who he was fighting for. He ultimately concludes he must have been fighting for the collaborators, as he doubts that an opponent would gain favor in Nanjing and especially so, if he fought for the communists. During the investigation subplot, it's revealed that Song really is a CPC double agent.
• Dude, Not Funny!: The IJA representatives are not impressed by Sony's SPART models from the PTRG, commenting on the high price and how it would cost an arm and a leg to field one battalion. The Sony representative tries to lighten the mood by awkwardly joking that it would only cost an arm. Nobody reacts positively and the skeptics only further criticize the electronics and their vulnerability to sandy conditions.
• Empathic Environment: Some events show the Chief Executive's reaction to Puyi's successor in Manchuria, where their thoughts are revealed on a flight back to Guangdong. As the Chief Executive looks out their window, The color of the clouds and weather reflect their opinion on Manchuria's new leader.
• Enemy Mine: Every year up to the Oil Crisis, the companies not controlled by the player will try to buy seats in the Legislative Council and wiggle some power away from the Chief Executive, balancing the game so that the player doesn't keep playing unopposed.
• Evil Is Petty: The Chief Executive is frustrated that the Japanese government would delay an exposition, as the Zaibatsus and the Japanese Prime Minister are trying to sideline him. Takashima admits that the delays are petty, but recommends that he just tolerate the hindrance, which the Chief Executive can agree to.
• Exhausted Eye Bags: Lam and many of his GPF colleagues are sent to fight the NPA in an escalated Western Insurrection, so they develop eye brags from the exhaustion and despair of fighting for an artificial nation. Many choose to desert and Lam, while sympathetic, remains only because he knows his prior collaboration will doom him to reprisals from the NPA anyways.
• False Reassurance: Guangdong is completely unprepared for the NPA, if the Republic of China is defeated in the Western Insurrection. Guangdong has always focused on economic growth over security because it was once surrounded by friendly Sphere allies. The Chief Executive tries to assure everyone that the situation is still under contorl, but the investors and generals do not calm down and are desperate enough to send the Guangdong Police Force to the front lines.
• Firing Day: Invoked as a threat to the R&D team responsible for the rifle design, if they did not incorporate feedback from the PTRG for the final product. If the rifle meets three of these goals, the threat is considered a success, with the Japanese Prime Minister authorizing more public trials, above average reviews in military journals, and Suzuki considering more potential weapons from the companies.
• Foreshadowing: By 1971, various elements of Guangdong's underworld notice the seething anger from the people they exploit, which even affects the police's activity. While they all take the opportunity to profit, there is an underlying sense of something big coming, alluding to the upcoming Riots.
• Glass Cannon: A Chinese pilot praises Sony's helicopter as being worth its weight in gold. Despite being made in Guangdong, he acknowledges its agility and ability to lock on to targets to destroy them with a barrage of missiles, where it can escape before the enemy can counterattack. However, he also knows that the helicopter has little armor, so he needs to fly aggressively, but carefully if he wants to survive.
• Hoist by His Own Petard: Hitachi will attempt to bribe the Chief Executive, provided they aren't Komai, to select them for the yearly product cycle. This can backfire on the Chief Executive, if they accept it, as Hitachi use the product cycle to strengthen their wealth in preparation for a coup attempt.
• Hold the Line: If the NPA invades Guangdong, the state's only chance of survival is to hold off their forces long enough for Japan and the rest of the Sphere to take down Long Yun. If they do, the restless Chief Executive feels a sense of relief when a PTRG commander confirms the NPA's defeat, while the status quo uneasily returns, with the Chinese begrudgingly going back to work and the Japanese waiting for the confirmation of stability.
• Honor Among Thieves: As the Yakuza's protections rackets start bringing in greater profits in Kōshu, one boss appreciates the honesty displayed by an enforcer, who pressured a stall owner to give up his gold watch and brings it back to the gang to be sold rather than keep it for himself.
• Hypocrite:
  • The Zaibatsus can freely interfere with the Chief Executive's business, but when the Chief Executive enforces tariffs on everyone except for the Guangdong corporations, the Zaibatsus are outraged and get Japan to pressure Guangdong into voluntary export restraints. Takashima admits that it isn't fair and the best the Chief Executive can do is either accept payment for his cooperation or weaken his relationship with Japan by declining the request.
  • Also, the Zaibatsus hate having business competition in the Home Isles and quash them without mercy, but they decry their inability to compete in Guangdong and demand the Chief Executive to make room for them. The hypocrisy is even worse considering that they have the rest of Asia to exploit, but Takashima comments that they won't listen and the Chief Executive can reluctantly indulge the request at the risk of losing the other companies' investments.
• I Am the Noun: Hitachi declares themselves to be the future with their KH-920L Transistor Radio, due to its large and powerful speakers producing a clear sound, dismissing comparisons to a Matsushita design as a fleeting glimpse of the future.
• I Can't Believe I'm Saying This: Wang and the Chief Executive don't agree on much, but when the two of them meet to discuss the territorial control of the Triads and Yakuza, both agree that the long-term goal should be reasserting government control. When the Chief Executive says that the police would currently fail if they tried, both simultaneously say that more funding is needed. When Wang agrees to have a meeting next week, the Chief Executive has to resist remarking that this would be the first time he would be looking forward to meeting him again.
• I Warned You: If the rifle design for the Malayan Emergency does not meet at least two goals, Suzuki will call it proof that the electronic companies have no place among weapon manufacturers and that the design was dead on arrival.
• Iconic Item: The flashy opium dealer in the underworld events is always seen with his cardboard suitcase. By 1971, he still has it out of a sense of nostalgia and to keep up appearances as a dealer, even if he keeps his goods stashed elsewhere.
• Illegal Gambling Den: A group of gangsters in Makao bicker and gamble under a low-hanging light, while they discuss the latest crime wars during Guangdong's latest financial and political corruption heights.
• Innocently Insensitive: Wanting some small talk, the Chief Executive asks Takashima how he likes Guangdong. Takashima reluctantly states that it is interesting and very active. When asked for more detail, Takashima states that he likes the food and weather, but misses home and wishes he had the fortune of a higher position in the Foreign Ministry or a "good ambassadorship". While Takashima didn't mean to offend, the Chief Executive sees it as proof that the Japanese don't respect Guangdong and resolves to change that perception.
• Irony: Hitachi runs Guangdong with the most blatant disregard for human life out of all the major corporations. They can also produce a mobile televised x-ray station, which is a lightweight x-ray machine that can be easily deployed in the rural countryside with the goal of improving public health.
• Jerkass Has a Point: Wang can often be rude to the Chief Executive, with the latter only begrudgingly seeking Wang out on matters of policing and security. However, there are some good points he raises during the Chinese consulate interactions:
  • During a meeting, Wang points out the GPF's lackluster intelligence gathering and how the Chinese consulate and Kenpeitai do better jobs. When the Chief Executive tries to defend them, claiming they are doing their best managing growing metropolises, Wang counters how his work often involves cleaning up the mess of the GPF.
  • The Chief Executive tries to criticize Wang for being too rigid in his opinions, but Wang correctly points out that the Chief Executive is also very inflexible and passes the entirety of the responsibility of border management to their Chinese counterparts. He asks the Chief Executive to at least acknowledge the hypocrisy, as they grow rich from the corporations, and to finally offer some assistance to border guarding.
• Job-Stealing Robot: A Honkon business introduces more and more FACOM 230-10s after their launch, due to their ability to quickly perform calculations and not ask for anything, other than to do their job. Such implementation increases when Fujitsu offers a rental option, making every office filled with them, to mixed reception from the employees they replace.
• Lack of Empathy: If Matsushita's tanks are deployed in the Indonesian Civil War, a corporate supervisor will be pleased by their combat success and call the design a success, completely unsympathetic to the soldiers who are dying along the way.
• Let No Crisis Go to Waste:
  • The outbreak of the Colombian Civil War catches the eye of the reigning Chief Executive. Combined with IJA and IJN demands for modern equipment, the Chief Executive revives the PTRG, which had laid dormant since the Yasuda Crisis and inspires excitement from some military officials.
  • The Chief Executive sees the Indonesian Civil War as an opportunity to test various proposed designs and use the data to market them, without a slightest care for the actual conflict.
  • The invasion of Guangdong by the NPA causes the markets to plummet, but journalists like Yoshiko find huge success in reporting the war effort.
  • The Oil Crisis poses a great risk to Guangdong's domestic industry, so the Chief Executive exploits the ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts by commissioning the PTRG again for oil grants that could ease the situation.
• Loophole Abuse: Fujitsu's PTRG helicopters are exceptionally powerful, but very expensive. Japanese commanders fear that they will be reprimanded if they lose one, so they only assign them to areas where the infantry have already cleared much of the opposition and thus defeat their original purpose.
• Lost Common Knowledge: Invoked by Ibuka as something to avoid, with so much of humanity's knowledge jand Fujitsu's trade secrets dependent on paper records that can be destroyed. Therefore, he develops the FACOM 603-F data storage unit, which can hold a warehouse worth of records on a single tape in a metal casing resistant to fire and water.
• Meet the New Boss: When Ruan Zhenduo in Manchuria is replaced by Gu Ciheng or Aisin Gioro Yuyan, the Chief Executive predicts that nothing will change. He expects the Prime Minister to be beholden and opposed by so many traditions and interests that nothing will change from Zhenduo's administration.
• Narrative Profanity Filter: When the PTRG rifle only meets two goals, a group of soldiers will bemoan its failure, complaining "they do not even know who's making the [EXPLETIVE CENSORED] thing".
• The Neidermeyer: The lieutenant delivering the PTRG rifles to Japan is a crude boss and his private hates him back. They get into an argument over how to carry the crate of weapons and, when the private suggests that he should carry the "junk", the lieutenant threatens to slash his pay. When the private rhetorically and defiantly asks if the Diet is wasting their money, the outraged lieutenant calls him an imbecile and puts him on two weeks punishment detail.
• No Sympathy: The ascension of Katakura in Manchuria will inevitably ruins the lives of everyone living there, as he aggressively militarizes the country. However, none of the Chief Executives are concerned about this, instead seeing an opportunity to overtake Manchuria economically as Katakura ruins his own economy. Ibuka is downright celebratory at the development, only concerned that Morita or Matsushita could exploit the situation for themselves. The only one who expresses sadness is Komai, not for any care of Manchuria's denizens, but because Katakura will bring ruin to the economic model that he looks up to.
• Occupiers Out of Our Country: If Long Yun defeats the Republic of China, thousands in Guangdong will protest on the streets, demanding an end to the Japanese occupation and foreshadowing the brewing social tensions that lead to the Guangdong Riots.
• Oh, Crap!:
  • A normal meeting between the Chief Executive and Takashima is interrupted when the otherwise silent Nagano confronts the Chief Executive about a shootout in the docks, where the police shot through a crowd and mounted a staggering number of casualties to get a few armed smugglers. This, Takashima's presence, and the potential for Song to hear about this catches the Chief Executive off-guard, who is left sputtering and may be forced to grant Nagano's request for the IJA to train the police.
  • When the Western Insurrection escalates and spreads to western Guizhou, shock spreads throughout Guangdong, as intelligence agencies rapidly try to assess the situation, and the corporations and army are put into high alert. Everyone is aware of the NPA's threat to their state and there is little they can do, since China declines any offers of assistance.
  • During an NPA invasion, Yoshiko reports on the exodus of wealth in reaction to the conflict, in which she can barely stomach the thought of wealthy finally giving up on the state.
  • If Nanjing falls to the NPA, the State of Guangdong will declare a start of emergency, well-aware that Manchuria and itself are the NPA's next targets. Panic sets in the factories, while the IJA and PTRG hastily prepare their border defenses for the incoming fight.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: The usual and constant political scheming within Guangdong comes to a sudden when something dramatic happens to Japan during the Oil Crisis:
  • Everyone is stunned by the Jushin Coup and the appointment of Higashikuni Naruhiko as Prime Minister, with a cabinet of Imperial family members and "apolitical" advisors. With the YSK dead, everyone recognizes the ramifications this will have throughout the Sphere and that Guangdong's benefactor in Japan is headed for an uncertain future.
  • Matters are even worse when news of Mutō's coup and martial law breaks out, to the point that the Legislative Council suspends itself, as everyone with business or connections in Japan are frantically calling to check on their safety. The Chief Executive is also startled at hearing gunshots in the background of a few calls and witnessing footage of Japanese soldiers manning barricades and shooting at opposition, in one of the few recordings that made it out of the last flights of the country.
• Outside-the-Box Tactic: While most companies are focused on making computers more powerful, Hitachi experiments with connecting multiple computers together with the HM-1201A modem, using transmission lines to exchange information up to 120 bytes per second.
• Passive Aggressive Combat: Song makes the Chief Executive wait over half an hour outside his office. When they finally meet, Song tries to mess with the Chief Executive again by offering to read him the personal gripes of the Chinese citizens of the week, delaying another meeting the Chief Executive needs to attend, if he accepts.
• Playing Sick: In a meeting to discuss investment protocols, the Chief Executive is not happy to see Wang attend instead of Song, who is supposedly too sick to attend. Knowing that the discussion will not be productive and accusing Wang of being too ignorant to understand the subject manner, the Chief Executive reveals his suspicion that Song is playing sick to skip the meeting, though Wang denies such a thing.
• Pragmatic Villainy:
  • No matter the Chief Executive, they will be favorable to Takagi become Japan's Prime Minister because his free market reforms and breakdown of the zaibatsus appeals to their interests. By comparison, they oppose Ikeda's triumph because it represents a continuation of a status quo where Japan's market remains closed-off and Guangdong neglected by them; the only real benefit from this arrangement is Japan not appointing another Suzuki.
  • While filling in for Takashima, Nagano asks the Chief Executive why the IJA can't deal with Guangdong's organized crime. The official response is that it is a matter of sovereignty, but both know that it's really because the Chief Executive doesn't want to deal with the economic and societal backlash of using extreme force.
  • Nagano and Miyazaki strongly argue that Guangdong's crime and rebellion can only be cured if the Kenpeitai's authority was expanded, proclaiming them to be Japan's best security force and condescendingly pointing out the Chief Executive's failure to contain the situation himself. Despite the heavy pressure, the Chief Executive may reject their proposal because the Kenpeitai's violence is well-renowned and he doesn't want the baggage that comes with that.
• Pulled from Your Day Off: While most people spend the Chinese New Year joyfully reunited with the family, one Matsushita factory worker, in all possible paths, has to keep working because of an elevated demand on the holiday and he can't risk losing his wages. Despite this, the worker is depressed that he won't see his mother, and the most he can do is write a letter to justify his absence and comfort himself with an old poem she recited to him as a child.
  Though thousands of miles apart, we are still able to share the beauty of the same Moon together.
• Quality over Quantity: Inverted with Hitachi's PTRG helicopters. They're powerful, but so expensive that not many of them can be fielded, which is regarded as a huge disadvantage by the military command. It also doesn't help that it's difficult to repair their electronics, further dwindling their numbers.
• Reaction Shot: At the end of a product cycle, an event fires about how the various people involved react to its imminent launch. The engineers sit at their desks awaiting instructions, the executives pace nervously, the customer support staff anxiously wait for the calls to start, the factory workers enjoy a rare break from their work, and the shops see a long queue of customers awaiting their 9 AM opening to grab the latest product on offer.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: When Wang receives another report of an ROC citizen getting beaten by a police officer and thrown into a cell, he storms into the Chief Executive's office and tears into him for not addressing the previous dozens of complaints about Police Brutality. He points out that people cannot earn a living when imprisoned, questioning whether their only crime is being Chinese, and demands the government actually make the effort of prosecuting the long list of officers who have been documented for abusing their power. He concludes the speech by promising to continue compiling the list, until the government acts.
• Refuse to Rescue the Disliked: Takashima agrees with the Chief Executive that a wealthy Japanese adolescent should be punished for assault, but he's more inclined to spare him a sentence because his rich parents are not going to be happy about it. After some imploring by the Chief Executive, Takashima agrees to let the Chief Executive do what he wants with the kid, provided that he won't get blamed for the scandal.
• Rule of Symbolism:
  • Whampoa is an Island Base and former KMT military academy repurposed for the IJA, right at the heart of Guangdong and near Kōshū. It serves as a symbolic reminder to the people that the IJA are ever present, trampling over the KMT's legacy, and a triumph for Japan over China.
  • Ownership of Sony's TA-1120 stereo amplifier is said to represent the technical proficiency, wealth, and power of Guangdong's ruling class with a small, yet complex device favored by audiophiles, covered in a polished chrome finish.
• Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: One of the first meetings between the Chief Executive and Takashima involves dealing with a young and rich Japanese man who got drunk and assaulted someone. The Chief Executive wants to briefly jail him, not wanting to set a precedent where rich, spoiled brats can do whatever. However, Takashima points out that the parents aren't even entertaining the notion because it would reflect badly on themselves. It's up to the Chief Executive over whether he should stick to his guns or indulge the request.
• Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: When a Chinese citizen is beaten and robbed by the police, Song angrily confronts the Chief Executive and ignores his half-hearted promises to investigate the matter, stating that Wang and his detachment will find the culprits, despite not having the authority to do so. The Chief Executive can either go along with this a promise to handle the issue or he can condemn Song for overstepping.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here:
  • When the NPA invades Guangdong, much of the Guangdong Police Force are called to the frontlines as a desperate line of defense. However, many officers defect or desert the police force, not wanting to die for something like Guangdong or face reprisals from the NPA. One event details Lam and two colleagues chasing after a defector into the marshes for hours, with no success.
  • If the NPA invade Guangdong, tens of thousands of the wealthiest Japanese and Zhujin, and many of the state's corporations will try to evacuate to Japan and Taiwan. Even the largest companies start moving their assets out, despite their promises otherwise.
• Serendipitous Survival: A Japanese tank driver is not thrilled to drive a lightly armored Matsushita tank in the Indonesian Civil War. When a battle commences, the driver sees every other tank in his unit destroyed, while his tank is the only one to miraculously survive. He might have celebrated, had he not looked back on the senseless destruction before him.
• Settling the Frontier: Discussed in a metaphor by Matsushita, comparing the development of their TC-96G SAGA color television to settling the Transamurian steppe. The mission may seem unappealing and challenging, especially with the small, ugly, and expensive nature of the television, but it will chart the course of technological breakthroughs in color television, to a point that Matsushita's competitors will try to replicate it.
• Shell-Shocked Veteran: If the PTRG tanks do not meet 2 goals in the Indonesian Civil War, the engineers will take the data they've collected to discuss improvements that could be made. However, the soldiers can only focus on the flag draped coffins of their fallen comrades, knowing that the losses were pointless and there are no rewards for the survivors' service. As the rain pours heavily in the night, the soldiers bitterly think how the PTRG will send them out to another foreign conflict and treat their lives as expendable for the sake of profits.
• Small Name, Big Ego: If the PTRG rifle meets only two goals, the R&D team will call it the best weapon design in all of Asia and a proud weapon for the Japanese army. In reality, best case scenario is their design getting a few seconds of consideration before being turned down for higher quality guns.
• Spotting the Thread: One day, Wang's wife surprises him at work and they converse, where the Chief Executive thinks it is odd that she would show up and that Wang is seemingly at ease. He even goes on to ponder whether this was an arranged conspiracy to demonstrate Wang's soft side to the Chief Executive, foreshadowing his cunning and participation in Song's plan to undermine the Guangdong regime.
• Starting a New Life: During the Western Insurrection, a Chinese woman is smuggled into Guangdong by trucks bringing refugees there, where they all hope to find new job opportunities in Kōshu, no matter how hard it will be. If the Chief Executive has a generous border policy, the woman is last seen with a Mitsubishi flier and ready to settle down.
• Suicide Mission: The soldiers operating Matsushita's PTRG helicopter are aware of its large size and lack of armor, commenting that being sent on it would be a suicide mission.
• Superior Successor:
  • Sony's ICC-500 electronic calculator offers a replacement for the ancient abacus by creating a small, if still heavy, computer to conduct simple calculations for the benefit of accountants and other office workers.
  • Matsushita advertises the SP-10 technics direct drive turntable as an upgrade to the old vinyl records, capable of delivering high-quality sound on a consistent basis and producing an oddly satisfying sound when the record is stopped.
  • Fujitsu's FACOM 230-75 has processing speeds up to seven times faster than the previous model and a larger memory, enabling the inclusion of error detection and correction code to allow for automatic reconfiguring after an error.
  • The FACOM U-200 Microcomputer represents another significant step in making computers smaller, wielding the same processing power as computers from a decade prior, while being small enough to fit on a desktop.
  • Also from Fujitsu, the FACOM230 ‘8' Series computer makes the switch to a fully digitized memory, removing the need to use magnetic tapes and saving a considerable amount of physical space, cutting costs for the user.
  • The HITAC-8700 Series Mainframe is Hitachi's most powerful computer at the time of its launch. Boasting an enormous increase in processing power and a transition to a fully digitized memory that keeps it affordable whilst being fully backwards compatible with previous Hitachi models.
• Switching P.O.V.: Fleeing from the Western Insurrection, a merchant and an engineer from Ningyuan meet each other and await the chance to be admitted into Guangdong. However, if a selective border policy is set by the Chief Executive, their paths will diverge and take place from their perspectives. For the merchant, he plots to escape the camp and sneak into Guangdong through Guangxi. For the engineer, he undergoes culture shock in a Guangzhou bar and is confronted with the subtle racism of its Japanese residents.
• Taught by Experience: After aching through the Yasuda Crisis, Japan and Guangdong realize that they need to diversify their markets or else suffer through another economic catastrophe. Thus, the Guangdong companies start eyeing up Latin America and the Mediterranean, since neither are entirely within America's or Germany's spheres.
• They Don't Make Them Like They Used To: A veteran Japanese pilot does not like Sony's model because their controls are different from the older models, their roles are too night, and they stick out from the squadron. For the foreseeable future, the pilot imagines that he'll have to master a seldom-used helicopter that will become obsolete as soon as the repair costs get too high for the Sphere to keep using them.
• This Is a Competition: Such sentiment is expressed by Sony as a motivating factor behind their innovation, which is why they have faith in the TFM-110 radio's greater efficiency and power.
• This Looks Like a Job for Aquaman: In most aspects, Matsushita's SPART is on par or even worse than existing IJA vehicles. Its attack range is pitifully short and it requires extensive logistics to feed its ammunition demands, which has hurt the IJA on two separate occasions. However, it's one redeeming quality is how easily it can traverse across poor road quality, where one SPART survived and destroyed a helicopter ambush because it was evasive. Thus, the report concludes that the SPART is unviable in most other contexts, except in the rough terrain of Colombia.
• Too Dumb to Live: A group of Diet legislators want to visit the countryside of Guangdong, completely ignoring the fact that it's filled with thieves, robbers, and communist partisans, with Guangdong's security unable to guarantee their safety. The Chief Executive does an Eye Take at such a foolish request and Takashima isn't happy either, but they may have to oblige the request because they won't listen otherwise.
• Took a Level in Cynic: A factory worker, whose job is to press the logo of the company into the tires of his assembly line, reflects upon his time as a farmer in Guangxi before the Western Insurrection drove him from his home and he was accepted into Guangdong by a potentially more open border policy. He was hopeful at the time, but his job at the Yokohama Rubber factory has corroded his optimism, conditioning him to the smell of burning rubber and preventing him from seeing his family. He metaphorically compares the branding of the tires to branding himself and burning his hopes.
• Urban Segregation: The urban segregation along racial lines is so bad in Guangdong that Sony commissions the DR-4-A head phones so that people can listen to music without any social stigma, like playing Cantonese music in a Japanese neighborhood.
• Video Game Cruelty Potential: In the Western Insurrection, it is possible for the Chief Executive to only admit skilled refugees into the country, leaving everyone else in camps where they are exposed to the cold rain and risk death by exhaustion.
• Villain Has a Point: With a delegation of Japanese executives and lawmakers planning a trip through Guangdong, Nagano criticizes the police's planned security along the route, highlighting a lack of personnel around bridges, intersections and so on. The Chief Executive concedes that Nagano is correct in the assessment, but that his plan to have the IJA and Kenpeitai fill in, alongside his arrogance, is extremely grating. The Chief Executive may choose between accepting the help or passing the recommendation to the police.
• Weaksauce Weakness: Fujitsu's SPART is exceptionally accurate and has a fast fire rate, but its traversal is horrible. Even a small incline is enough to stump it.
• Who's Laughing Now?: After completing all five PTRG goals in the Malayan emergency, the spokesman for the rifle will present it to the IJA staff members, barely able to suppress his grin, and boast about proving the doubters wrong that the innovation would work. When a member of the audience asks about potential maintenance difficulties, the spokesman's prideful reply is "our ethos is to move fast and break things".
• You Are a Credit to Your Race: A Chinese engineer settles Guangdong during the Western Insurrection, but senses that his Japanese coworkers don't accept him as one of their own. At a bar, they rarely talk about him and the refugee finds himself alienated by the Japanization seen across Guangzhou. His only comfort is reading the news about the Western Insurrection and being reminded of why he moved to Guangdong from Ningyuan.
• You Remind Me of X: Kaya's ascension to the Japanese premiership is seen as a threat and shock to the Guangdong leadership, who did not foresee his faction growing in strength and worrying that he will strengthen Tokyo's bureaucracy to monitor their overseas territories, including their own financial activities. It all reminds them of Suzuki and his own attempts to regulate the corporations, especially when they see Shiina by his side and urging for "industrial contributions to pan-Asian solidarity". Under Kaya, anything short of appointing another Suzuki-like Chief Executive is on the table.

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