Order of Battle: Rising Sun is a DLC expansion for the base turn-based strategy game, requiring the core title to play. Released in 2016, this content shifts the focus to the Pacific Theater, putting players in command of the Imperial Japanese forces starting with Pearl Harbor. Core gameplay involves managing limited resources to field unique, powerful units like the A6M Zero and Yamato battleships across new campaign scenarios, balancing naval and army assets as Allied resistance increases.
This expansion immerses the player in the initial campaigns of the Pacific War, beginning with the air raid against Pearl Harbor. The primary command responsibility involves managing the combined might of the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Army. Players will utilize a force built around powerful naval assets, including formidable battleships and aircraft carriers, alongside hardened ground troops seasoned from prior conflicts.
The narrative structure reflects the early stages of the Japanese offensive, where the strategic initiative rests with the player. However, the campaign dynamically adjusts, mirroring the increasing difficulty as Allied resistance stiffens throughout the scenarios.
The central strategic challenge revolves around limited resource management under wartime conditions. Success in the tactical engagements hinges on the player's ability to construct a well-balanced military force utilizing the unique unit roster available exclusively to the Japanese forces in this expansion.
Distinctive unit types that define the tactical landscape include the renowned A6M Zero fighter aircraft and the massive Yamato-class battleships. These specialized assets provide unique tactical advantages that must be leveraged effectively across the new campaign maps.
As an expansion, this content is not standalone; it requires the base game to function. It introduces a new, dedicated campaign narrative and a faction-specific roster of units, enhancing the overall strategic depth available to existing players of the parent title. The fundamental mechanics of movement, combat resolution, and turn structure established in the base game remain consistent.
The gameplay emphasizes naval and air power projection, demanding careful consideration of fleet composition and carrier operations, balanced against the needs of the ground forces. The unique unit characteristics necessitate adapting established strategies to suit the strengths and weaknesses of the Imperial Japanese military doctrine within the turn-based tactical system.