Installed Shogun Total War the other day.
Been having a really fun campaign. Started as the Green Clan (Shenazu?) and secured the two islands in South Japan, quickly smashing the Imagawa who only managed to inflict one defeat on me. I then turned my attention to the Mori (Red Clan), where I broke my alliance with them and allied with their enemies the Takeda. During this time, I heard reports of clans in Northern Japan falling to the Hojo who were on the war path, and that this clan had adopted the disgusting foreign ways of Christianity.
With my Takeda armies I smashed the Mori across several seasons of campaigning. They were soon defeated, and I killed Lord Mori in a final stand, wiping his clan out.
With Mori out of the way, the Takeda were the only faction standing in the way of domination of Southern Japan. They were down to just three provinces, all surrounded by my newly conquered Mori provinces (Which ironically they helped me take). In one fell swoop, I wiped out the Takeda, and like Lord Mori, Lord Takeda made an honourable final stand where he died in the field.
With Southern Japan conquered, my spies in the North were reporting the whole of Northern Japan, and most of the centre, had fallen to the Hojo Clan. The Emperor declared his support for the Hojo. The stage was set for a North-South Civil War, with the added factor of religion coming into play
I pushed into the final few rebel provinces in Central Japan, and lined my battle hardened forces up for the offensive against the Hojo. One of my by now very skilled Ninja's killed Lord Mojo, leaving his only son and heir in charge of the Clan. This sparked a wave of rebellions across Central Japan in Hojo territory, in particular the Ikko Warrior Monks rose up in anger at the Hojo's embrace of Christianity
I took advantage of this instability and threw my armies into the attack. One of my heirs led a large army to conquer the province East of Kyoto, one of my heirs led an Army to the West and my Daimyo took the biggest army into the province surrounding Kyoto itself with the aim of winning over the Emperor. The Hojo Army near Kyoto fled, leaving the ultimate prize- the Emperors Palace, to me where he declared his support for the Shimazu. The Hojo Army to the West fought and was destroyed, and the Hojo Army to the East fled to their castle.
The Hojo then mustered a huge army and attacked my forces near Kyoto. The stage was set for an epic clash that would ultimately decide the fate of Japan. My forces were led by my Daimyo, their forces led by their heirless Daimyo. My outnumbered forces set up a defensive position on some high ground, with some warrior monks in hiding.
I waited in my defensive position overlooking the plain anxiously. The soft rain pattered off my men's armour and before long we could hear the thunderous footsteps on the approaching army before we could even see them. Slowly I could see their banners rising over the ridge line, the silouettes of a few men soon turned into the silhouettes of thousands.
The first clash of the battle came when his horse archers were sent ahead to scout out and harass my forces- my Yari cavalry dealt with them swiftly and decisively.
Then came his main battle line. They took heavy casualties from my archers while marching in a solid line towards my forces. My Warrior Monks sprang their trap, taking on their Ashigaru Spearmen on their flank and quickly causing a rout. My cavalry men flanked their forces to target their archers, while the bulk of my forces waited until the enemy line was close enough before launching an epic charge to meet the bulk of the Hojo army approaching up the steep hill.
They were soon routed and hunted down like dogs. Their Daimyo made a dishonourable retreat and was soon hunted down like a pig by my cavalrymen and slain while attempting to flee the field. A pathetic death for the leader of Japans biggest clan. A long line of dead lay across the battleground away from where the main clash took place. The remainder of my force marched slowly and deliberately across the battlefield, systematically hunting down and destroying the handful of remaining units brave enough to remain standing.
With their Daimyo dead, the Hojo territories covering the whole of Northern Japn soon dissolved into Petty Kingdoms and Rebel provinces. My spies report that the Usegi Clan has made a emergence to the North led by a young and inexperienced Daimyo, but they are weak. With my last major obstacle out of the way my forces now prepare to steamroll their way Northwards with the Emperor's support, crushing anyone standing in their way.
Sorry, I got a little bit carried away