For Honor or For Glory? A Tokugawa (Matsudaira) AAR Updated Jan 8th

[waveman]

Grettings all, I'm starting another. This, obviously, will be a Shogun 2 AAR, and it will place during the Segoku Jidai. I will be playing as the Tokugawa clan of Mikawa. My goal is to try to survive and even thrive as a vassal of the Imagawa, to expand as they fight their way to the seat of the Shogun. Willl the Tokugawa and (/or) Imagawa be victorious? I have no idea.


I will be playing with a few mods:
Darthmod: I enjoy the various tweaks and the slightly longer battles, and especially the colored unit cards
Allies Democracy: I desperately want diplomacy to make sense in this, and so far I'm liking it
Some camera mod; I don't remember which because I downloaded it before Shogun went and died on me (camerazoom.pack)
Morning Sun: The big one. This mod adds way more provinces and clans, as well as Korea. It also changes the game to 12 turns per year, so a lot can happen every year. And honestly it needs to with all the extra stuff added. It makes the game a hale of a lot more chaotic, which I enjoy! Plus, realism! Also, many of the "major" clans start with either multiple provinces, a vassal, or both, although some do not. The Takeda have both, the Chosokabe and Date neither; the Imagawa have one province but five or so vassal clans.
A mod to change prestige (fame) levels: I think Darthmod and Morning Sun were conflicting (or maybe Allies Democracy?), which made for a rather funny and awkward first-start: I had captured about 5-10 regions and realized we were approaching realm divide..... I would have been swarmed by 20 or 30 or even more clans, tens of thousands of soldiers, so thus the cf_prestivelevels.pack

Unit size: 1.15. Don't ask how I arrived at that particular scaling because it doesn't really make sense. Still, I think it matches the scale of the campaign quite well. A single-province clan can raise up to 2000 men, with another 500 garrisoned, while great clans have the potential for tens of thousands


"In these troubled times
The world breaks fiercely apart
What is life or death?"

The man sat, kneeled, looked at what he had written. He studied the birds in the sky, so free of the trappings of fate, the doom that confined him. The world was changing - that was for sure, but even the technology of the gai-jin would probably be unable to save him. He picked up the naked blade that lay beside him, admiring its exquisite beauty.... He had tried. Tried to be as ruthless as he felt he needed to be. Perhaps he had gone too far, been suspicious when he should not have, attacked where he should have befriended. It was too late now. Others were coming. His death in Shikoku meant nothing to the clans running rampant on the mainland...




Introduction

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

If asked to describe Abe Sadayoshi in the year the Christians number 1545, it would be considered a difficult task. He was unscrupulous in his methods, yet unfailingly loyal to his lord Matsudaira Hirotada. He hated the foreigners, the gai-jin, and their religion, yet was entranced by their technology.He was a man at odds with the greater part of his clan, but then so too was his lord. His goals for the Matsudaira often conflicted with those of Hirotada, yet he never once considered rebellion or betrayal. He was robust and strong, yet prone to desease. His face was considered handsome apart from a smattering of pockmarks and scars.


Describing Matsudaira Hirotada would be simpler. The Daimyo of the Matsudaira had been installed, and indeed protected by the Imagawa clan of Suruga to the north. They had protected him as a vassal since the assassination of his father, and eventually ordered him to fight the Oda - which he did. While many in the Matsudaira clan favored the Oda, Hirotada was determined to keep his word to Imagawa Yoshimoto, for the Matsudaira clan owed their very existence to him. Now 19 years of age, Hirotada would stay true, as he was sure his father would have wanted.


The divisions within the clan were not easily overcome, and many of the Matsudaira abandoned Mikawa for the Shibata , who were allies of the Oda. Their province of Nisshin lay between Mikawa and the Oda of Owari. South of them were the Hachisuka of Kaito, vassals of the Oda; to the north were the Akechi clan of Kano and, yet farther north, at just touching the feet of the Chugoku Mountains, the Toyama.


Northeast of Mikawa along the coast were the Udono and Ii clans, both also vassals of the powerful Imagawa, and the Asahina clan, loyal retainers of the Imagawa Yoshimoto. These all pledged support to the Matsudaira under Hirotada, but they were not on the fontlines.


Hirotada did, however, have one more important retainer at this point: a cousin, Matsudaira Hidenaga, who had remained loyal throughout the splitting of the clan. In addition, Hirotada had already produced an heir with his wife Tatsuko: a boy called Ieyasu, who was at this point 2.



In the opening weeks of 1545, the Hirotada received a message directly from Imagawa Yoritomo himself, instructing him to attack and defeat an army of the Oda. He immediately dispatched his retainers Matsudaira Hidenaga and Abe Sadayoshi to summon the warriors of Mikawa to war.

So I'm sure that looks confusing, but I think once I've put some maps etc up it should clear up! I'm going to be following Abe Sadayoshi for this AAR. He's got an interesting future so far.



A few other notes: Family and clan names will be coming first such that in the name Matsudaira Hirotada, "Matsudaira" is the clan/family name and "Hirotada" is the personal name. I am aware that samurai often changed their names, but I think that is outside the scope of this AAR and for simplicity's sake I will not be delving into that. I believe and hope that using the full names will make things clearer, or remind readers where a chatacter's affiliation lies.

I may also change the way I name allies and refer to them as a vassal based on their size and strength relative to a given ally, and there's probably other stuff as well.

I will be using a Western calendar. I read a Japanese book called Taiko (about Toyotomi Hideyoshi, it was quite good and I have read it at least twice) and the greatest problem I had with it was that I couldn't tell what part of the year it was; even the name changes were easier to keep track of.

That first map is a bit messy; the rest will be cleaner!

ALso, I never seem to be able to pick a topic with easily pronounced names...

[waveman]

***reserved for stuff as I progress***
Regional divisions of Japan. May come into play later; will be used as geographical context


Province names are in all caps; some provinces have two major castles, like TOTOMI

Relevant castles in S Chubu and the eastern portion of the Kansai. The Shibata are in Iwasaki, the Hachisuka in Hachisuka-Jo, the Oda in Inazawa, the Akechi in Akechi-Jo; the Udono hold Kamino, the Ii Hamamatsu, the Asahine Kakegawa, and the Imagawa Sunpu.

[Alwyn]

Great start! I enjoyed the way that you have introduced the clans and the characters. I imagine that playing as a vassal clan could be a rich source of story-lines.

[waveman]

Thanks! It does indeed get quite interesting.

[waveman]

1. Nisshin no Takakai,
The Battle of Nisshin

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Abe Sadayoshi and Matsudaira Hidenaga rode at once to their estates in northern and southern Mikawa. Sadayoshi dispatched messengers to his own retainers to raise call the gun'yaku and levy all of the jizamurai and ashigaru that they could. Within days he had assembled some 700 men, including his own personal retainers. He immediately marched them to the border of Mikawa and Nisshin, where he was to meet with Hirotada and Hidenaga.


Sadayoshi sat contentedly as he rode at the head of his column. 700 fine men of Mikawa, over 100 of them samurai, were following him. As the new year was bursting into life many would soon be dead. He sighed. So glorious, so serene.


As he reached the crest of a small hill, he could see the rest of the Matsudaira forces drawn up in front of their camp. Some distance away were there was another, small force; both armies were simply observing one another.


After ordering his men to march down and join their Daimyo, Sadayoshi kicked his horse into a gallop to determine what was going on.
He rode to the no-bori, the great flag that denoted the presence of Hirotada. The Daimyo and Hidenaga were gesturing at a map. Sadayoshi leapt off his horse and bowed to Hirotaga. "Hirotada-tono, I have arrived. I bring 700 men."


"Good, Sadayoshi-san," replied Hidenaga. "As you can see the Shibata have positioned men to stop our advance into Nisshin and to threaten our flank if we attack the Oda. The young lord can fill you in on the rest; I must go see to the deployment of my men." He left with a nod.
The 19 year old lord of Mikawa stood, gesturing at the small force in front of his army. "As you can see, the Shibata are here, and with them Matsudaira Mitsuname. They have by all accounts less than a thousand men, yet they still stand before us!" He glanced at Sadayoshi. "How many men did you say you bring?"
"Seven hundreds, my lord."

Matsudaira Mitsuname


"We have over twice their number! How could they still stand against us? Fully half of that army, that rabble, are members of our clan."
Sadayoshi nodded. "While it may pain you to slay members of your clan, rebellion and betrayal cannot be tolerated. The Matsudaira will be stronger after this purging. I believe we should attack at once!"


Hirotada sighed, and sagged slightly. "That is what Hidenaga advised as well. I had planned to fight the Oda clan, not my uncle. Very well, sound the advance. Deploy your men on the right flank. We will crush my uncle!" He stood straighter now, and turned to face Sadayoshi. "I have more good news. I made peace with Hachisuka Masakatsu a week past. Now go see to your men."

"Very good, my lord." Sadayoshi returned to his horse to direct his men. It is good to see that Hirotada has some fire in him, he thought. We may yet be able to mold him into the image of his father. Peace with the Hachisuka protects our southern flank for any advance into Nisshin - and perhaps even farther.

Sadayoshi left most of his spearmen with the main body of the Matsudaira force. Their enemies, the Shibata, had fortified a small hill and were waiting resolutely on its slopes. Hirotada had been reluctant to attack, but after Sadayoshi's reinforcements had arrived - including several hundred bowmen from the foothills - he signalled the attack. Three yumi-shu, some six hundred archers, advanced to the foot of the hill, followed closely by nearly one thousand spearmen, 200 of whom were Mikawa samurai. Sadayoshi himself led a yari-shu of 280 ashigaru and his own retinue right, to the north flank of the hill, as the archers began their deadly exchange.


The barage goaded Matsudaira Mitsanume to lead an attack down the hill. Sadayoshi could see the mounted samurai charge, followed by some ashigaru, and another yari-shu dispatched to the north face of the hill to counter his own advance. At a wave of his warfan his own ashigaru engaged them. As soon as the Shibata soldiers were pinned, he lead his retainers in a devastating charge that quickly broke them.



By this time, Hirotada and Hidenaga had broken the majority of the Shibata force. Matsudaira Mitsuname had retired to the top of the hill with the battered remnants of his guard. As the result of the battle was a foregone conclusion, he and Shibata Katsuie resolved to charge one more glorious time. Katsuie and his men were cut down by the yari ashigaru, but Mitsuname lead his men farther north towards the archers. A man to his right went crashing down, man and horse pierced by arrows, but the rest crashed through the Matsudaira lines.

Hearing the cries of dismay, Sadayoshi barked an order to his men and countercharged the treacherous Mitsuname. Sadayoshi recognized Mitsuname as the man decapitated the ashigaru taisho with a vicious stroke of his tachi and turned to head for him, but his son Nagehisa cut in front of him and crashed into Mitsuname, whose horse was bowled over with a shriek. Nagehisu sat on his horse, grinning, as an ashigaru finished Mitsuname, then removed his head and presented it to the boy. Matsudaira smiled ruefully at his son. "A fine trophy!" he called, swelling with pride. The boy was only 14, just come of age! To take the head of an enemy lord in his first battle was a fine honor indeed!





"Thank you father!" Nagahisu seemed to be in shock, unable to believe his great fortune.
"Go!" Shouted Sadayoshi. "Go present it to Hidetada-sama!" Kicked out of his shock, Nagahisu hurried to comply. Sadayoshi followed.

The province of Nisshin was open, the Shibata crippled with only a skeleton garrison in their stronghold of Iwasaki, the rebellious Matsudaira punished, the Hachisuka at peace. There was only the small castle garrison to contend with, and some 1000 Oda raiders in south Mikawa - for now at least.

jizamurai - samurai of the land, not entirely separated from peanantry
ashigaru - common soldiers
ashigaru taisho - samurai commander of ashigaru unit
shu - unit, formation, detatchment
tachi - long sword, larger than a katana, often used by cav

[Alwyn]

Great chapter! I enjoyed the last glorious charge and your description of the individuals fighting, with Nagehisu's gruesome trophy. I like the use of Japanese terminology, as it adds authenticity; the explanation of the Japanese terms at the end of the chapter was helpful for me.

[Tigellinus]

I love this.

I'll say more soon. Right now I need to sleep. But, this is fantastic!

[waveman]

2. Nisshin

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Hirotada had examined the heads of the fallen Shibata and rebel Matsudaira, and distributed a hefty reward to Nagahisu. But they waited very little time, and most of the army immediately pushed onward to the castle of Iwasaki. Whoever held that castle controlled the fields of Nisshin, and Hirotada want intent on taking it before the Oda could reinforce the weakened Shibata.
An elated Hidenaga reported that the Oda had in fact withdrawn from Mikawa and even Nisshin, apparently abandoning their Shibata allies. Emboldened by this, the Matsudaira forces advanced even more quickly, and emissaries were dispatched to the Akechi clan to north in an attempt to establish friendly relations and perhaps even trade. Sadayoshi himself was named diplomat, while the rest of the force began a hasty siege.


He rode in the dead of night, accompanied by only two companions, Matsudaira Moriakiri and Okubo Moritoki, intent on completing his diplomatic mission as quickly as possible. On their second day of travel they reached the small mountain temple that was to serve as their meeting place.


Akechi Mitsuhide was already there, watching as the Matsudaira men dismounted. Sadayoshi waved his companions to the tree line and approached the daimyo of the Akechi.
He bowed and they greeted each other, then Sadayoshi sat, awkwardly. Finally, he spoke. "I am told that you served with distinction in Oda Nobuhide's conquest of Mino, my lord. If I may ask, what was it that drove you from the Oda?


Mitsuhide frowned. "Normally I would say you are overstepping yourself. But seeing as the information will no doubt increase your master's confidence in my word, I will tell you. When we invaded the Inokuchi of Mino, my mother was passing through the lands of the Asano clan. They happen to be allies of the Inokuchi. We defeated the Inokuchi, but then the Oda decided to execute all of the prisoners we had taken. The Asano captured my mother, and when they heard this they executed her. I simply want revenge, and this seemed like the most advantageous time for it.
"
"I understand, Mitsuhide-tono."


"Good. Now what is your offer? I must return to Akechi-jo soon; Nobuhide is not a forgiving man. I expect he will invade soon."


Sadayoshi quickly explained that for the moment Hirotada was offering a trade agreement with the Akechi. "Soon, we will be ready to launch an offensive against the Oda themselves."


Mitsuhide looked sharply at Sadayoshi upon hearing this. "When."


"I cannot say for certain, but within the next two months. We must consolodate our land, tend to our wounded, raise more men. To attack the Oda with less than two thousand would be foolish."


Mitsuhide nodded. "It would at that. Very well, your master can have his trade. I hope to see your banners, and mine, gracing the provinces of Owari and Mino soon. You may leave now."






The ride back passed uneventfully. Matsudaira Moriakiri plied Sadayoshi constantly with questions, while Okubo Moritoki rode largely in silence. Perhaps, mused Sadayoshi, he assumes that he will get all of the answers he desires if I answer Moriakiri's questions.


In any case, Moriakiri was disappointed by the results of the meeting. "Trade?" He scoffed. "We have plenty of trade, more merchants than Mikawa could possibly need."


"This is true, Moriakiri-san, but the point is not the trade itself - although we will not deny any source of income we can get. More money means more men, and more men means we fight the upstart Oda."


They all smiled inwardly at that thought. More land, more glory, and surely the Matsudaira would soar in the esteem of the Imagawa. They continued to ride in silence, each in his own thoughts. Sadayoshi waited until it seemed that Moriakiri would ask him yet another question, and cut off the younger man.


"An alliance, you see, is not possible at this time. That is for Imagawa Yorimoto to decide. Instead, we are working to cultivate mutual feelings of friendship with the Akechi. A combined attack on the Oda with them would be most advantageous."


"I see," muttered Morioki.


Moritoki grunted. Sadayoshi gestured for the man to speak. "We do not need the Akechi. In a few months we will have the men to challenge the Oda directly, especially if the Imagawa send aid as they have promised. We would then hold dominion over everything west of the Yahagi-gawa, making us their most powerful vassals."




As they neared Iwasaki-jo, the three riders visibly relaxed, for the Tokugawa mon of the encircled hollyhock leaves flew from the ramparts. It was a welcome sight. Hirotada enthusiastically set his men to rebuilding the infrastructure of Nisshin and called for more men to be raised in Mikawa. Fortune seemed to be favoring the Matsudaira.




Within the month, Oda Nobuhide had marched with over three thousand men on Akechi-jo and slaughtered its garrison. Mitsuhide himself had committed seppuku just as the Oda soldiers had claimed his walls.

Yahagi-gawa = Yahagi River, west of Owari, diviging Chubu and the Kansai
mon = clan/family crest


Thank you both. THought you'd appreciate the terminology Alwyn! It is interesting writing about such a warrior culture, especially with events like that last charge

[Alwyn]

I like the idea of exploring the character's motives and the reasons for their choices. That's a brutal ending - I wonder what the consequences of the killings at Akechi-jo will be.

[waveman]

Many and far-reaching. ..
as will hopefully be revealed within the next 12 hours, depending on how my studying goes

I was going to say tonight, but that's pretty ambiguous with all the different timezones of people

Ok maybe ALL may not necessarily be revealed, but it does involve Inazawa, the capital of the Oda

[waveman]

Coming soon: Part 3, Inazawa-no-tatakai

Comemerative piece by Hashimoto Koetsu, completed in 1550

[waveman]

3. Inazawa-no-takakai, The Battle of Inazawa

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

With the bulk of the Oda forces in Akechi, HIrotada called a council of war. The meeting soon came to the conclusion that the Matsudaira should immedeately strike at Inazawa, the Oda stronghold in their home province of Owari. Taking the Oda capital would deal a significant blow their morale and the esteem in which othre clans held them. It was also a step necessary to curb their growing power, as Oda Nobuhide had already expanded west of the Yahagi-gawa.


So, in March of 1545, Matsudaira Hirotada marched into Owari and assaulted Inazawa. Reinforcements from Mikawa had marched straight past Iwasaki, through the Nisshin, formerly owned by the destroyed Shibata, and into Owari. It seemed that in his rage Oda Nobuhide had stripped Owari of men to hasten the destruction of the Akechi, for there was little resistance as the Matsudaira took Inazawa.


Lands under direct control of Oda before invasion; Hachisuka are allies


Matsudaira territory before invasion of Owari

The Matsudaira men immediately began repairing the walls of Inazawa, for its seizure would surely provoke Nobuhide into an attack - especially since his heir, Nobunaga had been captured as well.


Nobuhide's banners were soon spotted by Hidenaga's scouts; they reported that he had brought just under 3000 men south into Owari. Either he had learned little in the way of proper garrisoning or he was confident in his suppression of the Akechi to have left very few men at Akechi-jo.





March 27th, 1545, Inazawa-no-tatakai, the Battle of Inazawa.
Dawn, the hour of the rabbit




Matsudaira Hirotada stood, facing north. In a matter of hours, the Oda would be visable. He turned his gaze to the walls of the castle and frowned. There was simply not enough tikme to repair the sections that had been damaged in his attack only a week previously. Small pockets of resistance had needed to be crushed, the wounded had needed tending to, and provisions had been stockpiled.


His two fudai stood behind him. Seeing their lord's worry, Sadayoshi and Hidenaga looked at each other, nodded. Hidenaga cleared his throat, pulling Hirotada away from his thoughts. They bowed.


"Walls are not the only defenses of a castle, tono," said Hidenaga.


Hirotada sighed. Yes, many of you are fond of that saying. I trust in the strength of the men of Mikawa, but the Oda are much stronger than the Shibata. And Oda Nobuhide is a clever man."


Sadayoshi and Hidenaga shook their heads. Sadayoshi spoke up. "My lord, Inazawa is a great castle to have taken. It is of the utmost strategic importance as it commands one of the few crossings of the Yahagi-gawa." Hirotada looked confused now, unsure of how this could possibly relate to the impending battle.
"The Yahagi, tono, is key."

"The moat?"


"The moat. Usually it is meant to disrupt an attacker's advance, or to hold him back entirely. If we allow Nobuhide to cross our wall of water he can attack our walls with impunity and will no doubt select the weakpoints. Therefore we propose to hold him at the northern crossing."


Hirotada mulled the plan over. "If you both endorse this plan, then it shall be done." The two fudai nodded in affimation. "It is settled then. I shall pray then to Hachiman, then, and Amaterasu, for the sun shall soon rise at our backs. When Nobuhide is within sight we well begin deploying.


The hour of the rabbit (5-7 AM) passed calmly. Soon, however, the vanguard of the Oda forces was spotted, and the soldiers of Mikawa were roused. As per the plan decided on earlier in the morning, the majority of the yari-shu and all of the horsemen filed out of the castle to block the southward advance of the Oda. The Oda scouts were checked by this and held back until Nobuhide's force was ready to commit its full might, then began launching a series of sorties across the banks. The yumi-shu, left in the castle for its elevation and over, loosed several flights of arrows into their ranks. At a wave from Hidetada's war-fan, the Matsudaira ashigaru surged forwards to clash with their Oda counterparts and the light cavalry at their head on the banks of the Yahagi-gawa.




A Matsudair yari-shu charges the first Oda forces to cross the river; on the far bank more Oda forces can be seen forming up

Fudai: long-standing retainers
Yahagi-gawa: Yahagi River
yumi-shu: bow unit/formation
yari-shu: spear unit/formation

[Alwyn]

I like the way that you used the maps to illustrate the strategic movement before the battle. This looks like an exciting battle and you have a good eye for screenshots. I look forward to finding out what happens next.

[waveman]

3.2 Inazawa-no-tatakai part 2

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Abe Sagehisu sat atop his horse next to his father, peering intently at the battle as it began to unfold in the shallows of the Yahagi. It had begun as two small skirmishes. In the north, a contingent of Oda cavalry had crossed, ostensibly to harass the Matsudaira, but had been pinned by a Matsudaira yari-shu. Further west, at a bend in the river, Oda and Matsudaira ashigaru had engaged in a delicate combat with each other. Soon, however, more and more men were committed to both conflicts by both commanders and a vicious melee developed. Formations were largely abandoned, especially in the river, where sprays of water and mud added to the confusion of battle, and all the while arrows continued to rain down amidst the combatants.
Sagehisu gestured impatiently at the battle before them. "How much longer will we wait? We should attack them! We could easily push them back into the river."
His father grimaced. "Victory comes to he who has patience. Patience for the opportunity to strike. There will be more than enough heads to take, and I suspect the moment is coming soon."
"We should go now!"


"Silence, fool!" barked Sadayoshi. "Who do you think brings more honor to his familly, to his clan: the warrior who charges blindly, or the one who bides his time and brings victory time and time again?" At this, Sagehisu was silent.


Oda men surged through the river, while the less numerous Matsudaira poured down the slopes of the banks of the Yahagi, and the water was dyed red.






A gesture from Hirotada, and the Matsudaira horsemen, samurai all, broke away from the castle and forded the river. They formed up on the opposite bank.
"Men of the Matsudaira, my loyal followers," yelled Hirotada, "you are known to be brave and ferocious. Let us show these Oda dogs this ferocity!"
"HOI" came the chorused yell of approval.
Hidetada spoke again before donning his horned kabuto, black like the rest of his armor. 'Hidenaga, you will strike the enemy in the flank. Hit them hard and break them fast. I will strike at the rear of the enemy's light horse. Sadayoshi, you will guard my flank. We attack in the Flying Goose Formation" He secured his mempo and drew his lance. "Ride!"



The horsemen leapt forward. The horses tore through the river and surged in a wave into the rear of the embattled Oda. Matsudaira Hidenaga's contingent thundered into the Oda's flank and the line rippled in shock. Seconds after, the daimyo of the MAtsudaira and his men came crashing into the Oda rear as well, giving them no time to reform, and that was the reason for the Flying Goose: each of its components was staggered so they struck in quick succession rather than at once. While it was less immediately destructive than a full charge, it had two advantages. It maximized confusion in enemy units if executed correctly, and it allowed for more tactical flexibility. Hirotada used this first attribute to his advantage; Sadayoshi, the second.






Hirotada's charge tore through the Oda spearmen as they desperately tried to turn towards their flank - thus exposing themselves by not facing the rear - in an attempt to help their beleaguered comrades. Instead the Matsudaira rode freely over them, slaying many of the footmen and horsemen outright.


Sadayoshi, riding just behind Hirotada, saw the Oda general wheeling to counter his lord's charge, and barked "Left! We take their commander!"




The two bodies of horsemen soon collided, and the Oda samurai were taken by surprise. Now Sadayoshi lost sight of the battle. Men, horses, and horos of friend and foe alike shut him in a surreally colorful world of elegant and brutal violence. He kicked his horse towards on Oda samurai, and it rammed its shoulder into the Oda horse. The Oda samurai, unbalanced, swung wildly at Sadayoshi with his sword, who swayed out of the way and delivered a powerful slash of his own aimed at the man's underarm. Sadayoshi's aim was true and he was rewarded by a bright spray of blood. Sadayoshi himself was soon pushed out of the heart of the melee by his retainers, and from its edge he was able to survay the battlefield, or at least part of it.




Where the Matsudaira charge had hit home the Oda were crumbling, reeling in shock, scrambling desperately over themselves - and their dead - to try to regain some form of cohesion, but the combined attack of infantry and cavalry was too much for them. They broke.
A few hundred Oda soldiers threw down their weapons and attempted to break away, but they were largely ridden down. Their retreat freed Hidenaga's men to come to the aid of Sadayoshi, which was desperately needed, for his men were faltering. The new arrivals locked the battle into a stalemate. The Matsudaira had a slight numerical advantage, but all the Oda samurai needed was to hold them off long enough for their superior infantry to grind through the defending footmen. One by one, men were cut from their mounts, neither side willing to give to the other, yet neither coming closer to victory. On the riverbanks the infantry fight continued, tactics long since abandoned.


Sadayoshi wiped sweat from his eyes. Damn! Where were Hidetada's men? A surge in the volume of the infantry battle distracted him momentarily, and when he looked up yari ashigaru were streaming from the bank towards his position. Desperately he wheeled his horse to face them, squinting through the sweat and blood that caked his face.


Thank the gods! They wore the white, black and blue of the Matsudaira!




Now the Oda lines were bending, weakening. Their men gradually falling, the samurai pulled from their horses and killed in the frothy shallows. The Oda samurai fell as they fought to preserve a lane of retreat for the rest of hte army, the archers were whittled down by the Matsudaira archers in the castle. Finally, the Oda lines could take no more and collapsed. Hundreds of Matsudaira men fell hungrily upon them, eager to bathe their yari in the blood of their foes.






Abe Nagehisu urged his horse forward, beyond the rest of his father's retinue and bowled over a group of Oda ashigaru, lashing out to either side of him with his sword. Blood spurted bright in the midday sun and a pile of bodies collected under his horse. He laughed in his glory. But a group of Oda soldiers surrounded him and though he dealt them grievous wounds an archer's wild sword stroke lamed his horse, opening Nagehisu to attacks from the other men.


Sadayoshi could only watch as his son was struck down. He grimaced and ledhis retainers in a charge. With brutal efficiany they reaped their vengeance on the Oda soldiers, and when more Matsudaira foot soldiers arrived the Oda men broke, throwing down their weapons and sprinting for the river. Few made it.

kabuto - helmet
mempo - face piece
horo - bag thing on back of horsemen for catching arrows or something like that


Thanks Alwyn. Especially with Uamine5's (I'll need to check the spelling of his name) map of Japan, some castles are of significantly more strategic importance than others, and likewise I'd say army positioning is more important too. It makes the campaign pretty interesting.

[waveman]

4. Aftermath

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Nagehisu was carried to Inazawa-jo on a stretcher. Over half of the Matsudaira's 2700 men had fallen in the battle. A thousand were dead, another 800 wounded. The Oda force of 3000 was utterly broken. Less than a tenth were able to escape the catastrophic battle, and Oda Nobuhide himself fell as well. So too did his brothers.


The Oda clan was now leaderless, and after a brief meeting Hirotada decided to march north and take Akechi-jo. Abe Sadayoshi and Matsudaira Hidenaga pleaded with their lord to take them with him, but he refused, stating that they were needed to guard Owari and continue to hunt down any Oda fugitives.


Abe Sadayoshi rode through a small village. He did not know its name, only that it had harbored some of the Oda soldiers who had escaped from Inazawa-no-Takakai. His samurai had ridden them down in the streets, easily overwhelming the poorly organized rebels. He hoped that this would be the last resistance to the Matsudaira. He turned to his men and ordered Matsudaira Moiriakiri to do another sweep of the woods while he and a dozen men rode back to Inazawa Castle. He needed to check on his son.


Sadayoshi had but one son. Another had died in infancy and his wife had died giving birth to a daughter. Nagehisu was his only legacy, and was still very weak from his wounds. Sadayoshi sat in the boy's room, examining a map of Mikawa and the surrounding provinces. Rumors had been circling that Imagawa Yoshimoto was raising a large army in the east, ready to push westward and begin a march westwards, perhaps even to Kyoto - eventually. For now, emboldened by the success of the Matsudaira, he was intent on subjugating the Hachisuka to cement his control over the lands east of the Yahagi. Only then would men be sent across the river. To the north and east of the Imagawa were allies, for a complex seiries of marriages and economic pacts had bound the Imagawa of Suruga, Takeda of Kai, and Hojo of Sagami together. Takeda were strong but poor, the Hojo cautious, and now the Imagawa were undoubtedly the strongest of the three.


In a few weeks' time there would be a gathering of the Imagawa vassals, but for now the Matsudaira had free reign on the former Oda holdings. Sadayoshi savored the thought. His master could become one of Yoshimoto's most important vassals, instantly raising the clan from the obscurity of simole provincial samurai.


A cough stirred him from his musings. Nagehisu groaned and opened his eyes. "Ah, so you are awake," said Sadayoshi.


His son moaned in reply. "I cannot move."
"It does not surprise me. You sustained many wounds during your reckless charge. Do you remember?"
Nagehisu nodded. "I was rash."
"Indeed. I can only hope that you have learned something from this," Sadayoshi said.
Nagehisu grimaced. "I have, I think. When will I be able to fight again?" he asked, and repeated his question when Sadayoshi didn't answer.


"The doctors say that they are not sure that you will recover fully. And if you do, it will be several months at the very least. "
"I see."
"Do not worry. By the looks of things Yoshimoto will be keeping us busy. Until then you must regain your strength. Perhaps you should improve on your calligraphy until then, to build your inner strength. Discipline is a virtue you should build upon."




Akechi-jo fell before too long, and across the Yahagi-gawa, the Asano clan seized Owari. With these two events the Oda clan were relegated to the dry pages of history. Oda Nobuyuki was executed by the Asano, while Nobunaga was sent to a monastery and the life of a monk.

Imagawa Yoshimoto held the meeting at Kamino-jo, the capital of Gamagori, held by the Udono. Under other circumstances it would have been held in Suruga, but the Matsudaira did not want to be called too far from their new holdings, and he could not deny them this request. Still, he could not hold the meeting at Okazawa in Mikawa; the castle was too run-down.


Abe Sadayoshi and Matsudaira Hidenaga sat in a hall outside of the main room of Kamino-jo with the other lesser retainers of the Imagawa and their vassals. The meeting was for the greater men only: Matsudaira Hirotada, Ii Naomori and his son Yasuharu, Asahina, Udono Nagamochi and his brother Michimori, and of course Imagawa Yoshimoto himself and his son Ujitane. These great men decided upon a simple plan of attack.
In April, Imagawa Yoshimoto and Asahina would land and invasion force of 9000 men to attack the Hachisuka clan. They would then march west on the Kanbe across the Yahagi, reinforced by the Ii, Udono, and Matsudaira as needed, since their lands were closer to the frontlines than those of the Asahina or Imagawa. With the plans settled, the lords returned to their lands to oversee the raising of their armies.

[waveman]

Author's thoughts

where this writing may be headed, possible introduction of a point of view. If you read this, I'd like to hear feed-back, if not the series will still continue

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I am enjoying this writing, but I am beginning to feel that the first-person narration is more my strongpoint. I am considering adding a first-person perspective of Ieyasu as he grows up (right now he is four or five) as a character in addition to Abe Sadayoshi at some point. Comparison: I feel like other pieces that I've worked on have featured a first-person pov and have felt more alive, so to speak. So hopefully the Matsudaira last long enough for him to grow to adulthood! He is at at the moment some 120 turns from the earliest possible age to come of age

[Alwyn]

Stunning chapters with beautiful screenshots! The dialogue between the impatient Sagehisu and Sadayoshi is brilliant. Your descriptions of units going into action in orderly formations, only to lose cohesion and end up in desperate melee feel authentic. Good idea about adding first-person narration. Even if Ieyasu is a long way from coming of age, I imagine that there are ways of involving him in the story.

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

This is great! I'm enjoying the story and the characters. If you're happier writing in first person, then that's the right thing to do, but I think your third-person writing is good too.

And the phrase "elegant and brutal violence" is lovely.

[waveman]

5. Defeat

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Hachisuka Masakatsu had soundly defeated the Imagawa invaion. 4ooo men were lost, and the 5ooo remaining were not nearly enough to defeat the Hachisuka. Asahina had been too eager for glory after the successes of the Matsudaira, and so had rushed headlong into an ambush with the bulk of the invasion force. Only Imagawa Yoshimoto's arrival had allowed them to salvage any of the army. The month of April was spent in a series of inconclusive skirmishes after the defeat at the Kaito-Mikawa border.



However, Yoshimoto's presence in the eastern portion of the Hachisuka lands meant that Hachisuka Masakatsu had to keep the majority of his forces there. Seeing the weakness, Yoshimoto ordered Hirotada to again raise his forces and attack the Hachisuka stronghold Hachisuka-jo. Hirotada complied. He stripped nearly all of his garrisons and the castle was soon taken. This left Hachisuka Masakatsu trapped between two armies, the smaller of which was in a fortified position. Since he could not attack the castle without being outflanked he led a desperate and doomed attack on the Imagawa armies.


The Hachisuka campaign was a success, but the losses suffered were so great that they brought an early end to Yoshimoto's march west. In the East, in Totomi and Suruga, this brought much sorrow, both because of the loss of so many men and in disappointment for their lord.


Yoshimoto himself seemed distracted, as if his mind was always caught up with analyzing the mistakes of the campaign. He made no moves to redistribute the lands that the Matsudaira had taken, only ensuring that they had properly garrisoned them against attacks from across the Yahagi-gawa. Sadayoshi was made Joshu of Inazawa, and was to oversee the province of Owari. Hidenaga was made joshu of Hachisuka-jo to oversee the former Hachisuka lands. Together they could guard against any of the clans across the river trying to invade the war-wearied Matsudaira, for the Asano were ambitious, the Kanbe hostile, and the Ikko Ikki enemies to the established order.


Towards the end of the year, Yoshimoto called Hirotada to another audience with him. He returned with a new name: Tokugawa. Tokugawa Hirotada. It was a reward for his clan's service in the wars with the Oda and his decisive victories, acknowledgement as a favored vassal and of his distant yet prestigious linneage. Sadayoshi swelled with pride to be serving such a man. It seemed that Heaven was favoring the Tokugawa, and Hirotada's wife Tatsuko bore him another son, Sukeyasu.


The end of the year came and passed. The Imagawa waited, the Hojo were under pressure in the East, and in Shinano Takeda Shingen and Uesegi Kenshin met in a great battle. The results favored Kenshin yet Shingen siezed a castle in a daring night attack before the winter snows closed the mountain passes, and the world waited to see what was to come.

Thanks Callaigh

[waveman]

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