Lugotorix's Comprehensive Uesugi Review and AAR!

[Lugotorix]

Whether you're new to the series, or just looking for an AAR, this is a good place to start if you're considering playing a northern faction. I'll include pics soon.




First, thanks to Gamestop, Sega, Japan, and CA for this absolute diamond of a game. There are so many facets I could cover initially, but I'll start with the AI, before I get into game-play and the AAR. It was the late 50's in southern Japan. It was a very cool time to be alive and in this place. Two armies take the battlefield, one cavalry heavy, one elite spear and peasant heavy.



Do you, the enemy, A: Charge into the waiting columns(more on that later) of Uesugi Warrior Monks and Naginata armed Samurai B. Try to find a weak spot in the formation, where you can pierce with your Katana cavalry at the general or perhaps the archers...C. Taunt and goad the enemy into attacking your cavalry, thus pulling them into your equally sized force.



If you're the AI for CA's game, the answer is C. and then B. I was surprised myself, but there I was, watching cavalry enemy play russian roulette, in a scene reminiscent of The Deer Hunter escape. I've got the replay to prove it also. The AI is in fact so keen, that they didn't get tangled in my spear walls, and eventually forced not one, but two false charges. Yes, they went for my general in a thin opening that appeared when I finally charged the infantry with mine.



I'll give you some background. The Uesugi have a deceptively bad starting position. Half of everything in the game is movement points for northern factions, Date, and Uesugi respectively, and you have to initially overextend yourself to take on the Jinbo, your first real enemies once you've dealt with the civil war. The formulation of the alternate feudal Japan in which the Uesugi have just sacked Sado and invoked the Shogun's Ire, is entirely dependent on an alliance with the Takeda that's persisted since the opening turns to freaking 1562. The Nanban are out in full force, even gave me a matchlock when they set up shop.



The trouble for the Shogun all started with two events, one the Anekagoji wars, and two, the Hojo's brilliant decision to annex Kozuke, the province of my vassal the Yamanagouchi Uesugi (sp?)
Following the massive Imagawa, Takeda, Hojo, Uesugi, Date triumvirate alliance, which lasted years upon years, and formed at the beginning of the game, I was forced to abandon my vassal, for fears of alienating the Takeda, which I shared a precarious border with. It asked me to join the war on my vassal's side, and I declined, in favor of remaining within the alliance. While I sat back and took it, the other member's of the alliance became more and more powerful, while I forced on enjoying the game and the arts trees. Then, an emerging faction in North Shinano, the Anekagoji, gave me a precursor to invade what was formerly two Takeda fiefs, Higa, and North Shinano. It was this war that made me.


Firstly, it gave me the funds to build a war machine and finance the Naginata/Monk/Peasants/Archers in Echigo, roughly in that order. Second, the Takeda would routinely move full stacks through my territory, building trust. I know it's hard to believe that in a game, but consider this; Out of that original super-alliance that existed, only the Takeda and I remain (The Hojo keep re-emerging in Satomi lands). Everyone else was wiped out when the alliance broke into two camps. Our empire spans from Ugo in the far north of Japan, to the island between Sekkoku and Honshu. Over forty provinces united.


Where were the Takeda going? Echizen, where the Ikko-Ishi (who I imagine are a monastic uprising, although they had no monks) emerged. Once again, Takeda actions gave me a pretense to further expand. There's a almost a Takeda corridor up there, and Echizen is still separated from the roads of the rest of the Uesugi. I even got to fight an allied battle with Shingen himself (not Kenshin though, his adopted son Tomougi or his brother )


Side-note; The retainer's in this game are truly amazing; They include but are not limited to; Fugi Chef, Armored War Dog (they're back ), and Katsuhiro, a tastefully done Seven Samurai reference. While I was building Kenshin into the five star he is now (he once fought against and killed Date Harumune, outnumbered, peasants against Samurai, and overqualified by two stars) I kept hearing Katsuhiro saying "You sir, are REALLY GREAT." in my head.


After I had carved a vast swath across western Japan that left me feeling exposed (and I was, the Takeda could have broken the alliance and wiped me out, just like they had later betrayed and destroyed the Imagawa, just after a peace treaty was finally made between the Imagawa and I) The Satomi and Satake emerged, and I felt I had my justification to reclaim Kozuke from the Hojo, who were finally under the pressure they had put me under. Speaking of vassals, they are devoted to you to the last, and from my experience with the Satake, they recover into battle-ready full stacks very quickly late game.


First, I politely canceled the alliance. No answer, they're still friendly, then worried. By this point, the Satomi were having a fair go at the Hojo, so I wasn't worried about resistance, just retaliation by the very powerful Date and Takeda, who were allied with the Hojo. So I invade, and the Takeda join me, and the Date join the Hojo. Suddenly it's civil war across half of Japan, and I'm a minor player.


Gameplay is superb, the Date invaded at one point, were a few miles into Echigo; actually had to reload the peasant's vs. samurai battle (twice) on Normal. Strategic decision on the battlefield make a huge difference in game, as does foolishly throwing away Kenshin or your Daimyo; looking at you Thoro
Even if you have elite troops, they Will rout if you lose your primary general, even Uesugi Warrior monks.


Unit composition is well balanced and builds itself if you don't demolish buildings. For example, the first Samurai I received were Katana samurai. I had planned on never producing a single Katana samurai unit (ahistorical) but the opportunity presented itself too often, both in the southwest of Japan, and North Shinano, where I now have Katana cavalry. I've only looted one province so far, and that's because it was the iron reserves in Fukushima (very rich and valuable province); netted almost 8000 (that's enough to bribe a samurai full stack of Hojo rebels at 57% accuracy with a two star Metsuke). Basically when I invaded the four Date provinces, it was armies of 90% ashigaru against 100% Date Samurai. One has to really make use of their general's abilities in such situations. The Date never built No Dachi, despite having the capability to, and the Hojo never build siege, despite having the capability to.


Instead I used the koku to build a fortress in Echigo, and built the capital to the point where it can produce naginata, warrior monks, and warrior archers. Miyagi also has the ability to produce warrior monks. Other fortresses you acquire naturally, and along with buildings, are very balanced per region. In the end, the Date, and their last two remaining provinces self destructed under the pressure of rebels. When I finally busted into the Fortress in Ugo, after a long siege by Kenshin and a new general, held by rebels, I saw that they had looted the place completely.
I cannot stress this enough. If you want a short game, go for south eastern factions. Fighting's just as hard but it's faster paced. It take's allot of patience to maintain supply lines across large provinces, regions.


Conquering the north of Honshu, four provinces, at a strong grueling pace, sieges, the lot, took me seven years or so. I figure taking the Satomi's five provinces in the former Hojo area will take me one and a half at most. The Hokkaido trade post is owned by the Takeda, still haven't got one, although I have plenty of trade ships and a sizable armada. Just siezed the gold mines on Sado island and made the Satake my vassal. Vassalage is great fun. Great fun. My economy has reached the point where I feel confident to take on the Takeda if at some point they betray me, everything in the game works out that way, but I plan on going the naval route and invading Kyushu, who have hated both the Takeda-Uesugi alliance for years anyways. Everyone on Honshu is either my vassal, allied, or friendly, including the Amaki, who have recently been losing some ground, the entire Mori intentions, to the Hatano a huge bulwark faction splitting the islands in two, who have joined the Takeda as allies.


There are six major players left on the map. The two super-powers, about equal in size are the Takeda and I, the the Hatano and Amaki (consolidating the Yamana), the Hatano and Amaki are about equal in size, and then Sekkoku (The Chosokabe will be the only one's left after Takeda finishes the Miyoshi) Then Kyushu, which is in a violent civil war, but unified in one thing, the Takeda and Uesugi have got to go. The Oda, Kiso, Imagawa, Tokugawa, Hattori, they're all long gone, most of them destroyed by the Takeda, and will never re-emerge. This is the way realm divide was intended to work. Two superpowers, and their vassals, allies.


I enjoyed the polish and single culture more than any other Total War game; I've been playing since Shogun 1 and that's including Rome mods, which is a huge statement. I'm very impressed by the CAI, especially the Takeda funneling supplies through North Shinano for their northern war. Just felt realistic, just as the way generals are used now, how vulnerable they are, stand your ground, inspire, etc. seems more realistic. Major improvements in game-play realism.


Just for it's epic nature, and the way the BAI and CAI carry it off, as well as missions and the arts, appointing heirs, politics, intrigue elements of the game (Right around the time I slew Harumune, I also assassinated his son and heir) I give this game a 10/10. Any questions are welcome, as I said, I've invoked the Shogun's Ire, so a realm divide is coming soon, probably with the Satomi provinces under my boot.


Unfortunately, due to mistaking f12 for scrn, I'm missing alot of my early screenshots but I'll begin compiling those from the Hojo invasion onwards in this thread.
This game comes highly recommended, best, and most dynamic and epic total war game yet.



-Lugotorix

[Lugotorix]

HERE ARE THE AAR SCREENS IN ROUGHLY SEQUENTIAL ORDER LEADING UP TO AND THE SUMMATION OF THE BATTLE OF ECHIGO FIELDS, 1554, BETWEEN UESUGI KENSHIN AND HARUMUNE DATE; EPIC BATTLE WORTH VIEWING, ALTHOUGH JUST A TEASER TO THE CAMPAIGN AAR ONCE I GET SCREENS MANAGEABLE FOR VIEWING IN THREADS

LINK
http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/7...113?tab=public