[TWS2 AAR] The Prodigal Son

[Boustrophedon]

Awesome although I'm no Japan-expert you seem to have done quite some homework on the era and culture... Good to show a family tree as well

[dezikeizer]

Great start and great updates. I'm very interested in seeing what happens next. +rep

[Lysimachos]

Chapter 6: In Search of a Purpose

We set sail and Aki, the province of my birth, my childhood and adolescence, was left behind. I had a sizeable number of Samurai with me, but no home. I decided it was best to offer our blades – for now – to a warlord, who would appreciate our efforts and reciprocate accordingly.

The Ouchi clan was an ally of the Mori and I was aware that Lord Ouchi was waging a war against the two dominant clans of the westernmost island Kyushu, the Sagara and Shoni clans. To my knowledge the island had been one battlefield for the past years, with different clans vying for control, many of which broke down under the weight of their own ambitions.

I was certain that Daimyo Ouchi would welcome every help he could get against his numerically superior enemies and I asked Takakage to set sails for Bungo province on the eastern shore of Kyushu. "Take care, little brother," I bode him farewell and without looking back I stepped from the ship into my new life.

* * *

I send a messenger to Funai castle, but we were told that Nagano Munekata, the Ouchi commander in Kyushu, was expected to return with his army from Higo province in western Kyushu. Munekata was Ouchi's most important Samurai, a trusted man, who was responsible for most of the clan's troops. I didn't want to sit around waiting and left the coast to march upcountry. Before my little army came far, we met the Ouchi host.



I took only my Hatamoto, the bodyguard, and rode ahead.

I recognized the Taisho from the distance, not only because he was dressed to stand out. He was a man who commanded respect. "Munekata-san, I salute you."

"You carry the Mori banner, so I welcome you as a dear friend," he responded. "What is your name? Has Motonari-sama sent you to help?"

"I am Takamoto and I have come of my own accord. I am looking for a purpose for my sword and those of my companions and I believe you can provide us with that."

"Indeed I can, Takamoto-san. Every able Samurai is a welcome sight in these dire times."

Munekata ordered his army to continue their march towards Funai castle, his main stronghold in Bungo. I watched the Ouchi warriors march by, while the Taisho explained the situation to me.

"At the time all we control are Bungo and Buzen, our foothold in the northeast. Not long ago we also controlled the provinces Higo and Hyuga. The commander in Hyuga, south along the coast from Bungo, has just betrayed his clan and will not take my orders anymore. Higo on the other hand I had to leave behind."

Munekata pointed to the southwest. "The Shoni army threatens Higo from Satsuma province on the southwestern tip of the island," his finger wandered to the northwest: "while the Sagara stand in Tsukushi in the north. Each of these armies is stronger than mine. I couldn't sit in Higo and wait to be caught in the middle."

[Lysimachos]

Awesome although I'm no Japan-expert you seem to have done quite some homework on the era and culture... Good to show a family tree as well

Great start and great updates. I'm very interested in seeing what happens next. +rep

Thank you. I really need to get to work on the next update for the Legacy. It may sound strange, but last night in a dream an idea came to me, but I already forgot it again.

[mocsing]

Great AAR!
The Taisho isn't some kind of temporary Shogun?

[Lysimachos]

Great AAR!

Thank you!

The Taisho isn't some kind of temporary Shogun?

I guess you mean Taiko? Taisho is just a word for General, at least that is how I know it. :-)

[mocsing]

Yeah, I meant that sry

[eregost]

Brilliant AAR, keep it up! There are so few dedicated AARs in the Shogun 2 section and this saddens me. This game has so much potential for story that you are rightly exploiting

[dowdpride]

this is awesome! i cant wait for the next update. hopefully, he can return and get rid of his stuck up prudish father!

[Radzeer]

Very good story, I'll be definitely following this. +rep

[Lysimachos]

Yeah, I meant that sry

No problem

Brilliant AAR, keep it up! There are so few dedicated AARs in the Shogun 2 section and this saddens me. This game has so much potential for story that you are rightly exploiting

this is awesome! i cant wait for the next update.

Very good story, I'll be definitely following this. +rep

Thank you, guys, some encouragement is always nice

hopefully, he can return and get rid of his stuck up prudish father!

Yes, and I especially hope the old man lives long enough

[Lysimachos]

Chapter 7: A New Home

Nagano Munekata turned his horse around, facing the street to Funai castle. "You asked me to give your Samurai a purpose, Takamoto-san. I have a suitable task." He put the mount in motion and beckoned me to follow.

"I told you about the renegade garrison down in Hyuga. It is a nuisance I sadly cannot deal with myself. I'd like you to take care of that situation in castle Saito for me."

Munekata made eye-contact. "You can keep Saito, but I expect you to follow my call when battle comes."

"You have an agreement, Munekata-san."

* * *

So my humble army and I went back to the coast and followed the road into Hyuga province.



The renegade forces inside the castle obviously had the numerical superiority, but each and every one of my men was a well trained and equiped fighter and so we were filled with a healthy confidence in our ability to overcome them.

I divided my army in four groops: The smallest group was my mounted bodyguard, formed by handpicked Samurai. I pride myself with being a decent enough swordsman to estimate the skill of my men. From the remaining Samurai I gathered the most skilled archers in one group, while the others received the heavier armour and were armed with Naginata sword-lances. The same weapon was wielded by the Sohei who accompanied my... expedition.

Then we approached up the hill housing the castle. Its defences were in farely bad shape as a result from earlier fighting.



My plan, if you want to call it so, was quite simple. I knew that there were archers inside, so first I send mine forward in a loose formation to involve them in a shootout. This was supposed to divert the enemy arrows from the rest of us, who left behind the horses and proceeded to attack from the flank.







We were about to earn ourselves a new home.

[Aonghus G. Friedhold]

Is that the first battle of the story? How wonderful! Absolutely riveting stuff, this.

[dowdpride]

omg cant wait!

[dezikeizer]

Great update, and a very nice start to the battle.

[Kallum]

Good to see you back again my old friend, nice writing so far!

[LuckyLewis]

A very nice AAR. Your latest update was especially good. +rep

I like how you are using Mori, one of my preferred clans, quite under rated in my opinion.

[Populus Romanus]

Lysimachos, is this also on .Org? Excellent work!

[Lysimachos]

And again, thanks to all of you!

Is that the first battle of the story?

You should know the answer to that question, no?

I like how you are using Mori, one of my preferred clans, quite under rated in my opinion.

I had been thinking about writing a Shogun 2 - AAR, even before I got the game and I had quite a number of ideas for the general setting. So, I started different campaigns, playing around and getting to know the game and I realized that some of my ideas wouldn't really work with the game, but when I played the Mori, it came to me and they just fit the bill: Motonari is one of the oldest starting Daimyos and he already has one adult son (and two soon to be) at the start, so I wouldn't need to wait 20 years before I could make the heir "go rogue" (I think it actually became 10 years, though); also, since they are close to both of the smaller islands I had good choices for exile destinations that are clearly distinct from the homeland of the clan.
I think the Mori are underrated, because the bonus to ships is not as "cool" as those of other clans, but since most units are generic it doesn't make so big a difference. I also like their simplistic, yet significant Mon (although I had to search some time to find out what it actually stands for; it may be used in some future chapter) and you can't go wrong with the colour red , not to speak of a protagonist who walks into battle with a headband... (disregard this )

Lysimachos, is this also on .Org?

Not as of now. I rarely visit the TreasAARy, so it didn't really suggest itself to repost the AAR there. I have to admit that I am one of the (many) guys who almost exclusively visits the EB subforum over there (which has to be about the most active subforum the .org has). I am aware though that it may be the fault of people like me that the TreasAARy is not as active as it should be.

[Lysimachos]

Chapter 8: No Quarter

"Go, get them, Samurai!" I thrusted the blade of my Katana into the sky. My men answered in unison with a loud shout and fell into a quick march, rushing towards the rampart.

As a precaution against the regularly occuring earthquakes were the foundations of japanese castle not vertical, but incline. These incline ramparts allowed an attacker as a side effect to make an assault without a lot of auxiliary equipment. Although fortifications provided the defender with an advantage, the battle would still be decided by skill with weapons and not with engineering.

My men quickly ascended the fortifications. The enemy commander obviously decided not to position his troops directly at the mostly damaged wooden walls, but to charge into us, as soon as we reached the hilltop.











At first I stayed back, because as the commander I had to make sure that all went according to plan, but once we had engaged the enemy Ashigaru along the whole front, I went around my bodyguard and entered the fray from the right side. I was eager to take a few heads myself. After all, I had a reputation to lose.

I rushed through between two of my Samurai, setting my sight on one of the Ashigaru. It was not an equal fight, if it was one at all. I saw the anxiety in his eyes, while I had lived through my share of sword-fights and was confident – perhaps even too much so – in my abilities. He raised his cheaply made sword,but before he could strike, I quickly lunged forward and slashed my blade into his underbelly, cutting a wide opening through which his intestines and life alike escaped his body.



He remained standing for a moment, the incredulity written on his face. I kicked him and he caved in without offering resistance, falling to the side and making way for me to press forward.

Those peasants, who barely knew on which side to hold their swords were no match for us. We quickly decimated them, isolated them in small groups in which they lost their one strength, coherent formations.



Then we cut them down to the last man. No quarter asked, no quarter given.