Chapter List and Settings
This AAR is now closed. I'm sorry, but I could never work out the differences between the two games in a satisfactory way.
From “The Tokugawa: A Brief History” by Meiko Harada.
1545: An Untimely Death
Following his father's assassination in 1536, Tokugawa Hirotada (b. 1526) was under the protection of a loyal retainer, Abe Sadayoshi acting as regent. The regent allied with the Imagawa and with their help installed Hirotada as Daimyo at Okazaki castle in Mikawa. The alliance with the Imagawa brought the Tokugawa into conflict with the Oda clan. Shortly after Hirotada’s coming of age in the Spring of 1545, the Oda daimyo, Nobuhide sent forces into Mikawa province to take the land by force.
The Tokugawa clan had minimal forces and faced certain annihilation. Sadayoshi, with Hirotada’s approval approached the captain of the enemy army. Negotiations were short, the captain and most of his forces joined the Tokugawa clan, decidedly richer than they were before. Now armed with a sizeable force, Hirotada marched to Owari province and was met by Nobuhide just outside Inazawa, the Oda capitol. The two forces were evenly matched but Hirotada started with the high ground and had a few more bowmen. The Oda started the battle with more and better trained spearmen, but by the time the reached the hill’s crest, the Oda yari ashigaru had been severely whittled down in numbers and the Tokugawa now had the numerical advantage. Just as the Oda forces were about to rout, Nobuhide and his trusted general charged their horses into battle. The gambit nearly worked, but the Tokugawa forces had simply killed too many men. Nobuhide was struck down by a common ashigaru.
The Oda would have their revenge, however, as a stray arrow managed to find its way to Hirotada, hitting him directly in the throat. He was killed almost instantly
From “The Patient Falcon” by Kazu-ko
Tatsuko looked up from her soup as soon as she heard the horsemen approaching the castle gate. Her hearing was most acute, though she went to great lengths to hide this fact, and she could tell instantly from the captain’s order to open the gate that something was very wrong. “Meiko,” she called to her attendant, “bring Ieyasu to me immediately.” The attendant hurried off. Tatsuko had been the daimyo’s wife for only three years, but she had paid close attention to all the rumors and discussions of war with the Oda, though always feigning disinterest, as her mother had taught her. Her mind began to plot her next moves. Clearly the horsemen were messengers and their tone carried a hint of panic but not of immediate danger, so the Oda were clearly not on the castle’s doorstep. There was only one possible explanation for the horseman’s panic.
Meiko arrived with young Ieyasu just ahead of the messenger and the Daimyo’s most trusted minister, Abe Sadayoshi entrance to dining hall. As soon as the pair arrived, Tatsuko and her attendant bowed reverently to the young boy. “My lord and master,” she said, “I am your most humble servant and will protect you with my life, for you now are the honorable Lord of our clan.” Sadayoshi’s face went white as he and the messenger followed suit. Tatsuko observed this and allowed a brief smile. Her mind continued to plot. She had a lot of work to do.