Re: The Touch of Fear - [Oda AAR] (Updated 10/03/2015)
Chapter Three: The Tiger of Kai
Winter 1546: The Battle of Iida
Muneyori sat garrisoned in Inokuchi, providing a considerable military presence to offset any thoughts of rebellion from the local populace. The first thought that came to him was to mobilize immediately to provide support for his daimyo when reports had reached him informing him that Mikawa province had been under siege by the Imagawa. Muneyori’s thoughts never seemed to end; he couldn’t decide what to do, if he should do anything at all. His last order from Nobuhide was to conquer Mino province, and since then no word has come from his Daimyo. Muneyori paced back and forth endlessly unable on a decision while uneasy thoughts crept into his mind, was Nobuhide dissatisfied with me? Should I march back south and reinforce him against the Imagawa? Should I wait for orders to arrive before acting?
He came to a significant breakthrough in all his pacing, Muneyori would have to take matters into his own hands. Muneyori instantly assembled his forces in Mino province providing a large enough garrison to defend Inokuchi if need be. He was going to take destiny into his own hands. Muneyori marched his forced towards South Shinano, a province in the mountains equipped with an impressive stone quarry. This precious commodity of sturdy stone would bolster the Oda clan’s economy and provide a significant chokepoint into Eastern Honshu.
Muneyori arrived at Iida and for two seasons the Kiso clan, masters of South Shinano province remained inside devoid of supplies of any sort. He had no intelligence on the Kiso clan, their affiliations with other clans, possible alliances and their military strengths. They could be biding their time, waiting for reinforcements from elsewhere to relieve them. Muneyori grew displeased at the resilience of the Kiso clan, be patient he kept repeating in his thoughts, Nobuhide would never grow anxious. The heavens surely favoured the Oda clan, for how would they have come so far without it.
The Kiso clan rallied forward after two seasons of siege, their men limping forward. Signs of exhaustion were apparent, their men could barely stand up straight, and their only focus was putting one foot in front of the other. Muneyori estimated that the Kiso clan’s force was equal in size from what he had seen marching out of Iida to meet them in open field.
Muneyori positioned his force atop a sizable hill, with an incline that proved to be a challenge even for his own men to scale. The Kiso clan slowly advanced the hill while arrows continued to plummet from the skies. By the time the Kiso clan had reached the top to meet Muneyori’s men they were exhausted, bloodied and few in number and yet they charged into Oda lines, an honorable path into death.
The Kiso Daimyo did little to encourage his men, sitting at the bottom of the hill unable to witness the massacre that was occurring to his own force. He attempted to flee the battle upon witnessing the Oda Mon appear at the crest of the hill overlooking him. He had no more men to sacrifice, only a handful of bowmen and his personal retainers, defeat was imminent that he understood perfectly. Muneyori urged his men forward, charging downhill to slay the cowardly Kiso who would not meet death honorably from Oda hands. Muneyori abruptly ordered his men to stop charging and form battle formations once again. The Kiso daimio was fleeing straight into a fairly thick and dense forest from which an army had emerged suddenly, however it was not bearing the Kiso Mon.
This unknown force doubled that of which Muneyori had fielded that battle. They all bore the colour red and black, looking like bloodied demons from afar. Muneyori gritted his teeth together, this would be a challenge even for Nobuhide’s aptitude for battle. The Kiso daimyo and his remaining men were greeted by the unknown force with a hail of arrows and was met with a cavalry charge swiftly afterwards. The Kiso daimyo could not escape death after all, only escaping death from an Oda blade. Muneyori was startled by the turn of events, what would become of South Shinano now.
The unknown force then sent forth cavalry forward towards Muneyori’s force with signs of peace. One man broke away from his other companions and surged forward towards the Oda lines, his steed a hair’s length away from feeling the end of an Oda yari.
“I am Shingen of the Takeda Clan, who is in charge of this great host of men?
Muneyori could not believe it, how could he have not recognized the Takeda Mon, master horsemen from Kai province. “I am in charge, what is it you wish to discuss?”
Shingen was an impressive man, towering over men with not his height but the charisma that seemed to radiate from him. “It seems that you have beaten the Kiso, and are the new masters of South Shinano, I humbly request that we open trade so that we may prosper from one another”
Muneyori’s thoughts seemed to travel at half speed; it seemed as if time slowed down under the presence of Shingen. He replied as intelligently as he could under such captivating conditions “Yes, very well I accept your offer. However I must ask you a question, do you know who it is that you are consorting with?”
“I presume that you are the Oda from Owari province? Is your daimyo not Nobuhide Oda?” replied Shingen in a calm and orderly manner, speaking with immeasurable confidence.
“How do you not know if it is Nobuhide speaking before you right now at this very moment?”
“Nobuhide’s reputation exceeds him, and I know that if you were Nobuhide then we would be meeting with blades instead of words” Shingen responded and gestured towards Muneyori before departing quickly towards his own men.
Spring 1547: The Battle of Sunpu
Shortly after the conquest of Totomi province, Nobuhide marshaled his men once more heading east towards Suruga province. His remaining force consisted of only half of what it was originally when it first met the Imagawa in Mikawa province. Nobuhide was utterly devoted to the destruction of the Imagawa clan, pushing forth even when every single advisor considered against. Nobuhide frowned at such cowardice, what useless advisors he had if they had no real ambition. He also frowned at the lack of Muneyori’s presence, this is what he needs to learn, to have real ambition, real resolve that is what the Oda clan requires if it is to reach greatness. His foul mood was over as quickly as it had started, this is why he was the one, the one destined to create real change.
During the march towards Suruga province, scouts returned to Nobuhide bearing intelligence regarding the Imagawa. The Imagawa had raised another force which remained encamped on the border between Totomi and Suruga while they attempted to recruit more men from across the countryside. Nobuhide smirked at the news, and ordered his men to abandon the road and enter the forest underneath the mountain side. Nobuhide assigned a handful of his own personal retainers to scout ahead in the forest, eliminating any scouts the Imagawa had assigned.
He quickly shuttered at the thought of having once feared the Imagawa, they were weak and only possessed a military with only one merit, numerically outnumbering foes. Unfortunately, their inept leaders could never make use of such a military. Nobuhide’s force marched through the dark, and dense forest completely bypassing the Imagawa force stationed at the border into Suruga province.
The Oda force arrived at the walls of Sunpu briefly before the Imagawa force could find its way back to defend their last castle town. Nobuhide had deliberately revealed that he had snuck past the Imagawa in order to cut off their retreat into Sunpu. This way he could defeat them on open field, well within the sight of Sunpu demoralizing all those willing to defy him.
The battle was short lived as Nobuhide positioned his force atop a steep incline, forcing the Imagawa to climb up towards certain death. The Imagawa general eager to return left his main force behind scaling on foot to reinforce Sunpu sprinted alongside his retainers. Their steeds heaved as they charged up the steep incline not expecting the Oda force to be awaiting his arrival. Before he could react in any way possible, he transfixed himself and his retainers into the Oda yari wall. His men was met with the same fate upon reaching the top, blood was flowing down towards the other Imagawa men and it greatly shook their morale, they had yet to learn of their general's death.
The Imagawa broke and began to flee once carcasses of their former brother in arms began to roll down the hill. Gravity as well as morale put an end to Imagawa resistance. Nobuhide walked his force into Sunpu with no resistance, the Imagawa Mon bloodied and tattered was dragged through the streets. Nobuhide looked up into the sky, knowing full well that news of the Imagawa’s eradication would bring a reputation to the Oda clan, all will know to fear us.
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Originally Posted by Merchant of Venice
It made for a really interesting twist though! 
& thanks for the input! 
great addition, I love how the character of Nobuhide is well defined and in line with the mentality of the time. GJ 
