Takeda - A Shogun 2 AAR (Completed)

[Robin de Bodemloze]

This is the first AAR I've ever read. I think it may spoil me and cause my expectations to be set too high, but this is amazing work - especially the screenshots. The quote in your signature hooked me. Nice idea. Keep it up!

Wow, this is indeed an excellent work. I'll be following this closely. Im hoping you will finish this. Great Job!

Thanks guys! Your feedback motivates me to keep going

Working on the next couple chapters and will hopefully have something before the weekend. Watch this space

[Robin de Bodemloze]

XIII: Fields of blood

1553 – Summer

Harunobu looked out onto Suruga Bay from the throne room balcony – it had been almost two years since Suruga was added to the Takeda lands, and the people had gradually warmed to their new masters. The winter of 1551 was an especially punishing one, and talk of insurrection had been rife throughout the old Imagawa capital. Still, the first sprigs of spring had sprouted before simmering discontent had caused the disgruntled peasantry to rise up against their former masters. Harunobu had been sceptical of his brother’s faith in the enigmatic monk Fuyutsugu, but any fears were put to rest when messengers arrived telling of the fall of Sunpu castle. As a matter of courtesy a letter was sent to Owari, telling of the Takeda’s well intentions keeping order on the Imagawa’s behalf, but owing to the recent death of old Yoshimoto or otherwise, no reply came. In any case, red and black Takeda banners were already flying upon Sunpu castle by the time the letter had arrived.

Opening the latest of a series of pigeon messages, Harunobu turned his thoughts to his brother. Nobushige’s troops had done well to capture an unguarded Toyama castle, but had chosen to remain there instead of advancing on Kaga province and the Ikko Ikki heartlands. Typical Nobushige, the young daimyo thought, recalling an earlier exchange when he had urged an immediate assault on Kaga. Lack of understanding of the enemy was the cited reason for the refusal, much to Harunobu’s displeasure. Nobushige was an able general, he thought, with no less guile than even Kansuke, but lacked the steel to be a legendary warrior. Maybe that boy from the Yamagata family would instil some urgency in him.

* * *

Until a week ago, little had happened for over a year since we took Toyama. The Ikko vermin had stirred up a mighty host of men, numbering some five thousand according to the latest reports, spread across Omi, Echizen and Kaga. Although the they were poorly trained, their sheer numbers would make for a testing foe. Aniki had repeated urged me to press the attack and march into Kaga - if only he know what we knew here.

Takanaga had, thankfully, been less of a disruption than I had anticipated. He had acted with credible obedience lately, and had taken well to his responsibility of drilling the troops. His father had been head of the left cavalry under father, and during recent exercises it was a welcome sight to see that he had inherited the family expertise. The head of the Ikko Ikki, Shimozuma Jutsurai, was a reputable general, and now that we faced him in battle, we would need every man, Takanaga included, to be at his best.

I looked out onto the plains where we had encountered our enemy. The sky was a soft blue, and clouds drifted along idly with the wind. On our right was a calm sea, lapping gently at the shore. A nearby fishing village was deserted – its residents clearly keen to avoid becoming collateral damage of our conflict. On the left were the rolling hills of the Miyagawa river valley and the main road to Hida. The battlefield itself was covered in a soft carpet of short but lush grass, dotted with sparse clumps of trees. Wisps of dandelion floated through the air, dispersing from the scatter of flowers on the Miyagawa river banks. It almost seemed a pity we should resolve our fates here, as soon enough these picturesque scenes would become polluted with pools of blood, the foul stench of gore and the sound of hundreds of dying men. The prize for victory here would be little, I thought, mindful of the enormous host of men the Ikko Ikki had held in reserve, but the cost of defeat would be grave for not just my own honour but the entire clan.

Around mid-morning, the Ikko Ikki emerged from behind a hill. Squinting my eyes I scanned the enemy ranks. Despite being a rabble of peasantry, radical monks and honourless ronin, it was clear to see that these men had been well organised by their leader. At the rear of the army, a large orange banner signalled the location of my adversary. Shimozuma Jutsurai had formerly been Chikugo-no-kami, a recognised swordsman and an able administrator from Kyushu, but discontent with the bureaucracy had driven him to Echizen, where he became enamoured with the Ikko Ikki’s poisonous cult, subsequently becoming its foremost military presence. That would end today, I thought.

Our foe had resolved to make a stand around an abandoned farm on a gentle hill some eight hundred paces away from us, and it became quickly apparent that we would have to take the fight to them. Splitting the troops in two, I placed Takanaga in command of four companies of yari and all of our cavalry. It would be a good test of his temperament and character, I thought, even as I realised the inherent risks in trusting him.

Alchemists from Matsumoto had recently improved fire arrows to the point where they could be used reliably in battle, and today our archers each carried five of these infernal things. The pitch used to ignite the arrows gave off a foul smell, and was tolerated only for the devastation they would bring on our enemies. As our archers lined up in front of the enemy, I leaned forward in anticipation as they let fly. Volleys of these fireballs sailed through the air, leaving dark trails of noxious smoke as they plunged into the enemy ranks.

Suddenly, one of my bodyguards alerted me to movements on our right wing. I was about to order Takanaga to move his men forward when I realised the cavalry were already on the move. Our horsemen would make light work of the enemy archers they were headed for, but Takanaga had neglected the mass of spearmen who stood a mere fifty paces further back. Cursing the boy under my breath, I ordered our men forward at full speed, in the hope that we would intercept the enemy yari and allow our cavalry to fall back.

The enemy left had contained a band of yari wielding ronin. Our ranks of ashigaru were brave men, but would inevitably be outmatched by these savages who had little to lose save their lives. As the enemy pushed our men backwards, I signalled to Takanaga to order his men forward again, hoping to salvage something from this chaos. Barely recovered from the shock of his mistake, the boy looked at me as if I had committed some act of great folly, but fortunately several of his bodyguards had served in Harunobu’s retinue, and these men beckoned the cavalry to charge again.

“Formation! Lock tight! Spears down! Fight with some heart you spineless women!”

Even from a distance, Takanaga had been clearly audible, and I suppressed a wry smile as our men, egged on by Takanaga's unexpected taunts, somehow found the strength to push the Ikko ronin back up the incline. At the same moment, the cavalry charge had arrived, and barrelled into the mass of orange-clad men, sending limbs and bodies flying in all directions. Having recomposed himself, Takanaga waved the cavalry back for a new charge, again to devastating effect. Perhaps there was hope in this battle yet.

I was snapped out of my fixation with the events on the right wing by a loud crash followed by the terrible cries of our men. Turning back I was mortified to see that an enemy unit of cavalry had ploughed headlong into our row of archers, causing many needless casualties. Kicking myself for my lapse in concentration, I frantically urged the spearmen in front of me forward, hoping that they would catch the enemy cavalry and allow our archers to fall back. I had berated Takanaga with little mercy, but I had allowed my own vigilance to slip, and these men had paid for my mistake with their lives.

The battle ground on as the sun rose high in the sky. Takanaga seemed to regain his confidence as he began to directing our cavalry with panache, orchestrating incisive flanking manoevers into the enemy infantry. Slowly and surely we had begun to gain the upper hand. The Ikko did have a contingent of reserves behind the farm houses, but the momentum was with us now.

Our men advanced up to the summit of the hill, where they were met by the remaining Ikko infantry. The two sides merged into a swarming ball of red and orange. For a moment, the combat was even, but soon the Ikko, having seen so many of their clan killed, began to falter.

And then, for the first time, the main Ikko banner moved from its position, and I caught a glimpse of Shimozuma Jutsurai charging into the fray. Father had always taught us that the general who engaged himself first would inevitably lose, and I felt a rush of excitement as I urged my retinue forward. We would take the head of this man, and end this battle once and for all.

As we charged into the flank of the Ikko general’s bodyguard, I began to search for the distinctive bronze menpo that marked my target. An enemy bodyguard lunged wildly at me, only for his sword hand to be severed by one of our men. I slew one of the Ikko bodyguards who was engaging one of mine, only to be immediately met by the katana of two others. A reflex parry averted the first blow, but then I felt a sharp jolt of pain on my left shoulder. As I turned to face my assailant, blood started to trickle down my armour. The haughty look on the man's face was quickly replaced with one of disbelief as my blade met soft flesh and bone, his chin taking a different trajectory to the rest of him.

As if out of nowhere, I suddenly came face to face with the Ikko general. Time seemed to slow for a moment as I blocked out the raging pain in my shoulder, and focused on the man who had caused all this bloodshed. The clattering of steel and cries of men suddenly seemed distant as I closed in on my foe. As our swords met so did our eyes, mere inches from each other. With a roar we pushed apart, and continued our deadly dance. After what seemed an eternity of furious hacking and parrying, blood from my shoulder had stained my entire left side. Then, I landed a glancing blow against his chest armour. The blade slipped and cut deeply into the back of his horse’s head, causing it to let out a terrible primal shriek, and blood spurted out in thick, dark wads. The animal lost its footing and lurched forward, causing the Ikko general to lose his balance, presenting his back to me. My reaction was almost instant, if not all together conscious, as I plunged my katana into his neck.

We would finally be victorious today. I raised my right arm, katana in hand, and let out a deep battle cry. As I did so, however, it felt like my entire left side had been split open, and the the world around me collapsed into a black swirl...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Campaign screens

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Map

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Diplomacy

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Arts

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Boustrophedon]

Nice AAR repped and subbed!

[Erwin Rommel]

As I did so however it felt like my entire left side had been split open, and the the world around me collapsed into a black swirl...

NOBUSHIGE-DONO!!111

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Nice AAR repped and subbed!

Thanks!

NOBUSHIGE-DONO!!111

You asked for the unexpected

[Kaiserina Kratos]

This is excellent writing! More Please! More! More!

[Nordic Hussar]

Those pictures rule!
The Uesugi have certainly grown... Watch your back and the back-stabby AI

Good story too, as always.

[Robin de Bodemloze]

This is excellent writing! More Please! More! More!

Those pictures rule!
The Uesugi have certainly grown... Watch your back and the back-stabby AI

Good story too, as always.

Thanks guys! Thanks for reading, and critique and suggestions are welcome as always

I expect the Uesugi to polish off northern Japan fairly quickly. Things could get very interesting once that happens and they decide to expand southwards...

Anyways, next chapter is ready. Enjoy!

[Robin de Bodemloze]

XIV: Into the abyss

1553 – Autumn

I came to consciousness slowly. My dreams were torturous, so I was glad they were over, but what had replaced them was no better. I could feel the veins in my head pound against every nerve in my body, but most of all I felt the pain in my shoulder. When I opened my eyes the blinding rays of the afternoon sun caused me to squint, and for a moment I was lost, not knowing where I was or why I had slept so late in the day. The familiar bustle of any good Takeda camp – the cries of men and horses, the din of weapons being sharpened, armour being mended – was not to be heard. Instead an eerie silence surrounded me. As I reached to right myself, a bolt of agony shot through my left side. My left arm buckled, leaving me to collapse in a heap on the hard wooden floor.

“Nobushige-sama!” came the cry of a soft feminine voice. Masako rushed into my chamber, offering a hurried bow before kneeling to help me. As I climbed arduously back onto the bed, I recalled how her father had sold her for thirty pieces of silver. He had been a minor retainer to one of the old Hojo families in Sagami, and in a desperate attempt to secure the lives of his family, had been quick to offer her. Since then she had travelled with the troops, living in a tent besides mine and assisting me with the daily chores. She rarely spoke, but when she did her words were refined and told of a sophisticated education. I had scant need for a maid girl, but was grateful for her company at times.

I watched absent-mindedly while Masako changed the bandages on my shoulder. My clumsiness had caused fresh blood to stain the linen, and her nimble fingers worked elegantly to replace them, maintaining a reserved smile all the while. Immense pain exploded in my arm each time she made contact in the wrong places, but I did my best to keep a straight face. It would not be proper to show weakness in front of a servant like so.

“Nobushige-sama,” Masako said while finishing off the knot on my bandage, “Yukitaka-sama has been waiting outside. I asked him to remain in the guest quarters since you were resting.”

Head of the Sanada clan, Sanada Yukitaka had resisted our conquest of Shinano feverishly, but submitted after a long struggle, and was now one of the elder statesmen in the council and one of our best warriors. Harunobu had requested he travel with me on this campaign, and he had served in my bodyguard, much to my advantage and delight. I was eager to see him, not least to find out what had caused the strange turn of events I found myself waking to. Pleasantries were curtailed and I launched into a barrage of questions – it was just as well the older man had as much patience as he did brawn.

As Yukitaka recounted the battle against the Ikko Ikki, memories came flooding back as I recalled the scene – the rolling hills of Etchu, the smells of the sea, the sounds of the melee, the assault on the hill, the slash against my shoulder, Shimozuma Jutsurai… It had apparently been three days since that battle, and I had slipped in and out of consciousness repeatedly thanks to the blood that I had lost. My shoulder – indeed my life – was saved only through the expertise of our doctors and the meticulous care I was given by my servant girl.

“So, what of the men? Where are they now? Why is the castle all but deserted?”

Yukitaka, wearing a confused look on his face, paused, and then swallowed his words. Sensing something was wrong, I pressed for an answer.

“Why, Nobushige-sama,” Yukitaka resumed hesitantly, “You ordered Takanaga to lead the men to siege Kaga?”

Fury boiled inside of me while I made Yukitaka repeat himself, barely believing what I had heard. The fact of the matter was that I did not remember anything after the battle, but there was still no way I gave such an order. Takanaga had again proven to be the nuisance I had suspected since our siege of Mishima, and now threatened to undo everything we had struggled to gain. Worse still, he had defrauded the troops and soiled my name in the process.

“Where are the men? My men? Have they travelled to Kaga too?”

“No. The guard remain in the cavalry quarters.”

“Good. We ride for Kanazawa immediately.”

Masako, who had been listening to our conversation outside, moved to kneel in front of the doorway, arms stretched, begging me to stay and tend to my injuries. In my rage I stomped out, brushing her aside crudely, causing tears to stream down her sculpted cheeks as she fell against the doorframe. I would come to regret the act deeply later, but now my mind was on one thing only – saving good Takeda men from Takanaga. I would send for the girl later, I thought as we left the tenshu.

* * *

Breaking into a gallop, we sped over the bridge crossing the Miyagawa River. As we passed the site of our last battle we did our best to shield our noses. Feral animals had dug up the shallow graves we prepared for the enemy dead, and the combined stench of rotting flesh and animal waste was unbearable. Few odours were worse than that of death on a battlefield, but this was certainly one of them.


Takanaga and I had argued over laying siege to Kanazawa castle some weeks before. He had aggressively advocated an immediate siege of the giant fortress, only to be reduced to silence when I pointed out that the Ikko Ikki had close to three thousand men in Echizen. Should we occupy Kanazawa with anything but a full force of men we would become lambs at the slaughter, trapped in a cage of our own making – a fate to which Takanaga had now consigned us through his disobedience. Masako had bandaged my shoulder well, but continuous riding had made the pain maddening nonetheless. It would be the least of my worries should we fail at Kanazawa, I thought, as we pressed on.


We arrived at Kanazawa castle shortly after daybreak. My heart was filled with anger and anguish in equal parts as I saw that Takanaga had ordered an all out assault on the castle walls. Neither I nor my men had slept a wink during the night, but despite our fatigue none of us preferred the long sleep of dead men – for us or our brothers. I spotted Takanaga’s banner and spurred my horse on furiously.

As I reached Takanaga’s position, I broke off from my bodyguard and rode up to him, furiously scolding him for his transgression. As we argued over the din of arrow fire, a volley of fire arrows lit up the sky behind me, setting the first gate ablaze.

Despite my protests and Takanaga’s senseless justification of his actions, both of us saw that the assault had begun proper, and the best we could hope for was a clean victory today so that as many of men could be readied to defend Kanazawa as possible when the Ikko Ikki inevitably came to reclaim it. A second flurry of fire arrows had set the second gate on fire, and the infantry moved in for the kill, taking great care to avoid the burning timbers as they crammed through the narrow gateways.

The garrison at Kanazawa was not large in number, but this being the site of the Ikko rabble’s Honganji, it included the fearsome Ikko sohei. Wielding razor sharp naginata, it was these men who now posed the biggest threat to our men. These men dressed similarly to the warrior monks common to our Uesugi allies, but instead of devoting their thoughts to the righteous Shinto gods, allowed themselves to be consumed by the crazed beliefs of their wicked cult. Nonetheless, they fought with all of the ferocity expected of their kind, and our men became bottled up at the gate to the second kuruwa.

I ordered a unit of ashigaru to scale the walls left of the gate in an attempt to flank the monks, but this only served to dent their morale marginally, and soon after a band of residing ronin had barrled into the melee, restoring parity.

Frustrated, I tugged at my reins and was about to charge into the fray when Yukitaka stopped me, reminding me how I had slain my opponent in the last battle. Over the racket of the fighting and burning wood, the old samurai yelled at me, “Nobushige-sama, arrows! Use arrows!”

Takanaga and I had advanced to the first kuruwa of the castle by this point, followed by our bodyguard. As I shouted encouragement to our men facing the fearsome Ikko sohei, Sanada Yukitaka offered the solution to our problem. Despite their obvious skill with the naginata, the sohei were lightly armoured and would be vulnerable to missile fire. At my signal, the archers adjusted their aim, and wave after wave of dark shafts descended upon the white of the Ikko defenders. Before long, their resistance weakened, and our men pushed them back through the mass of dead bodies and broken arrow shafts.

Our men celebrated with wild abandon as we finally took the tenshu some two hours later. I could not begrudge them - they had won a good victory today. I only hoped that their general’s idiocy doesn't mean we would all die defending it tomorrow.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Campaign screens

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Map

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Diplomacy

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Arts

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Radzeer]

First of all, this is very good stuff.

Your writing is excellent and your screenshots are well selected and nicely edited. The additional campaign information pics are very helpful too. The only thing I would recommend is to avoid so many spoilers. Putting each pic in a separate spoiler leads to too many clicking which disrupts the reading.

A more general note (since you asked for it ) is that Shogun 2 AARs need time to gain an audience. RTW and MTW2 have been around forever, many people own and mod these games, so those AARs get picked up faster. Also, unless somebody is familiar with Japan, a lot of the names could be confusing for a typical western reader, so it takes extra attention to follow the story. (This is a general issue, not your AAR's fault or anything.) This may be one reason why many Shogun 2 AARs end prematurely.

Overall, I think you are doing a great job, with a good balance between writing/plot and pics. Apart from the spoilers I could not really find anything to be critical of. Great job!

[Robin de Bodemloze]

XV: Now or never

1553 - Winter

Surprisingly, and fortuitously for us, the Ikko Ikki did not come for Kanazawa castle for another month. By then the first snow had fallen, and the slopes around the castle had been covered in a grey-brown hue. I had castigated Takanaga for his lack of discipline in front of Yukitaka and the other councilmen who were with us, but suspected that my words would have little effect on the boy. Several of the older generals had demanded his head for forging my orders, but now more than ever we needed every capable fighting man available, and that much he was, at least. He would get the chance to redeem himself in the defence of Kanazawa, or he would die trying. I gave little thought to which was the preferred outcome.

Taking Kanazawa had depleted our troops, but thankfully not more expensively than I had expected. In the following month two companies of Obu Toramasa’s newly formed Akazonae arrived, much to my delight. The Wild Tiger himself had not travelled, but his fearsome red-clad cavalry were a much needed boost to our cause. We had also secured the help of a good group of men sympathetic to our cause from the nearby villages, and these men were formed into two companies of yari and one of archers. At a total of just over two thousand we halved the Ikko number, but it was the best we had as we stood beneath the towering Kanazawa tenshu.

“Nobushige-sama! The bird has returned!”

Scouts had spotted the orange-clad Ikko rabble from a distance, and thanks to their prompt message we had ample time to prepare ourselves. As I finished arranging defences around the castle, memories flashed by as if to remind me what was at stake: the defeat of the Murakami, Kansuke’s masterful ruse at Odawara, our victory in Etchu which almost cost me an arm, the maid girl who helped ensure it didn’t... As I turned to look at Yukitaka who was on my left, he nodded back gravely. The gravitas of our stand today was not lost on either of us – all those victories in the past would count for little should Kanazawa fall today. We would seize the day today, or allow it to be our last.

Through the winter mist I could barely make out the dark rectangles of Ikko troops crawling towards Kanazawa. I squeezed the hilt of my katana as I made the final orders to the men. They were many, but we would be the better warriors. We would need nothing less.

Our tactics were made simple by the enemy army –a great number of enemy missile troops meant we would deploy behind the tenshu and allow the enemy to waste their ammunition from afar. The real battle would be fought as they sought to take the tenshu. The enemy outnumbered us and would hopefully seek to storm the castle. As they approached I scanned the horizon for the enemy general – Shimozuma Nakayuki was the son of Shimozuma Jutsurai, and would surely be after my head above any other. To my disappointment I saw he had taken up position far beyond the range of our arrows as his men advanced.

As the bulk of our infantry crammed under the shadow of the tenshu, the captain of our cavalry approached me. There were three companies of archers to the enemy’s left who were unguarded by yari, and denting their firepower would help to secure our western flank. I was against sallying out so early in the battle, but relented after his repeated pleas. It was not until the cavalry were outside the castle gates that I realised my mistake – these archers were the elite ronin of the Ikko army. I watched in horror as the two entire companies of cavalry were torn to shreds by the shafts of the Ikko ronin. These men had bought us precious time while the archers rained down arrows upon the enemy, yet their sacrifice was disproportionate and ultimately in vain. Harunobu and I had known many of them having served in their ranks as youngsters, and it filled me with a great sorrow that they were no more. Tomorrow we would mourn these brave men with full honours, I thought – I hoped.

The enemy infantry began their assault, and our archers who had lined the walls of the upper tier let fly, painting the sky black with a wall of arrows. Twisted screams filled the air as the Ikko fell, yet true to their typical fanatic abandon, they pressed on, making good progress up the walls. The enemy had spread their assault across the eastern and southern faces of the castle, and more of our men were dispatched to counter the threat. To say we were being stretched would have been an understatement, and the irony was not lost on me that the only reason we hadn’t been inundated was the strength of the Ikko castle.

The southeast corner was breached first and the first Ikko soldiers trickled over the walls. The arrow fire from our archers had been constant, but the enemy were numerous. Two companies of yari were promptly ushered through the eastern gate and dove into melee with the attackers. Shouting words of encouragement from above the gate, Takanaga and his bodyguard braved the shower of arrows as they ushered our infantry this way and that in response to the constant flood of Ikko soldiers. Despite some desperate fighting and threatening to break on several occasions, our men held their ground valiantly, and the immediate threat was abated.

Meanwhile, the ronin who vanquished our cavalry had begun to climb the main gate of the castle. While they were fearsome warriors, their bulky armour made for a slow climb, and each man who clamoured over the walls was immediately greeted by a host of our men and dealt with admirably. At the same time, the men who had held the southeastern corner had migrated to the main gate, extending our numerical advantage. After some fierce fighting, the Ikko ronin finally began to retreat, and I let out a heavy sigh of relief.

“TONO!! The enemy are approaching our rear!!”

Any satisfaction gained from routing the Ikko ronin was short-lived, interrupted by the urgent cry of one of my bodyguard. As we sped to the rear of the castle, we saw one of the enemy generals leading a host of archers to the rear gate of Kanazawa castle. These men would need to be stopped with haste.

Yukitaka put a hand on my shoulder as I weighed my options. “It is time to let the world fear the Takeda Akazonae. I will lead them in Toramasa’s absence.”

I looked at the old samurai. His wholesome chin and greying beard framed angular features, and his eyes burned with fiery determination. I was reluctant to commit more cavalry after the earlier blunder, least of all my most trusted samurai, and only relented after I was sure the opposition was no more than a mob of ashigaru guided by a lower general. To ensure Yukitaka would not suffer the same fate as the Kai cavalry I commanded a company of yari to cover him.

“May Bishamonten be with you. Go forth and make the Takeda name proud. Then make sure to return with safety.”

“Kagetora has nothing to do with our glory, my lord. I trust you will be impressed with our new troops.”

Old Yukitaka sped off with the rest of the Akazonae as I stood motionless for a moment. I let out a dry smile at his joke, and lingered at the castle walls to watch his men barrel into the enemy archers. Bodies flew in all directions as the horses parted the Ikko like water. Yukitaka had been the first man into the fray, and was now slicing through the Ikko in a blur of man, horse and blade. The enemy general was clearly shaken at the sudden turn of events, and as he turned to flee was cut down by Yukitaka’s men. For the first time this day, I thought we would have a chance.

As I returned to my position under the tenshu, I saw that the two companies of yari who had routed the ronin had followed the escaping Ikko out of the main gate and into the open. I cursed audibly and ordered Takanaga to support the men, only to find that he was battling Ikko archers who had scaled the eastern wall, unable to pull free. Two more companies of yari were ordered to support their allies, but my fears that they would not arrive in time were sadly proven correct. The enemy were badly bloodied, but our two companies of men were lost utterly. I looked over the eastern walls of the castle, and my heart sank to the sight of a seemingly endless stream of Ikko reinforcements. Our lack of numbers meant we could scarcely afford to be so uneconomical with our men, and I pinched myself in anger – for the second straight battle my lapses of concentration had caused harm to our men.

“Steady men! Keep your line! Cover your right! Thrust!” Now clear of enemy archers, a bloodied Takanaga yelled out instructions at the yari below as they engaged the enemy beneath the castle’s south-eastern corner. His voice was hoarse and barely audible now, but the men took heart from his presence and pressed on, gradually forcing the enemy back. I had sent these men as reinforcements but they had exceled in holding the enemy. Another of the Ikko’s generals had joined the fight, but was clearly hindered by being on horseback as countless yari threatened both man and horse. The Ikko’s lack of tactical acumen would be our saviour today I thought as the battle raged on.

As the tide of battle began to turn in our favour. I urged my horse forward and yelled to Takanaga to do the same, joined by our final two companies of yari. It was now or never, I thought. Onward!

I felt an odd calm as we descended from the main gate of Kanazawa Castle. Instead of the maddening scramble that typified the earlier part of the battle, there was only one goal now – to kill Shimozuma Nakayuki and rout his army of rabid peasants. As we left the castle ramparts I saw Yukitaka leading another charge against the enemy archers. His orange jinbaori coat now glistened bloody red in the midday sun, but he still fought with the ferocity of a man possessed. His horsemanship and skill with a yari were unmatched even among our own ranks, and should we prevail today we would be very much in his debt.

The next hour descended into a savage, bloody blur. I lost count the number of times I slashed or parried, or the number of men I had maimed or killed. Despite this, all the while it only ever seemed like there were yet more of these infernal Ikko. Wave after wave of them appeared out of the wintery landscape, and each time they were cut down by our men, only to be replaced by yet more of their kind. Our men were hardened veterans now, experienced from the bloodbath even if some had not slain a man before today, and made light work of their faltering foe even as they kept coming. Our ranks had been thinning, too, but victory surely was not far now.

The cavalry meanwhile made pass after pass, dancing like fireflies around the balls of melee scattered around the battlefield, charging into enemy soldiers wherever a flank could be found. Charge, pull back, charge, pull back – every youth of considerable upbringing in Kai was trained in horsemanship and cavalry tactics from a young age, and both were second nature to us as what remained of Yukitaka’s Akazonae, my bodyguard and that of Takanaga united to penetrate the enemy from all angles. Shimozuma Nakayuki had joined the battle now, but even he must have sensed it would be to no avail. He and his men had never seen anything like this before. It would be the last thing they ever saw.

Suddenly there was a great roar to our right. Steadying my mount, I turned to the sight of old Yukitaka raising the enemy commander’s head triumphantly, no doubt smiling widely underneath his menpo. As he rode on the severed head was tossed to a nearby ashigaru, who was instructed to hang it where all could see. Before long, the enemy general’s head was secured to a flagpole, leaking dark clots of blood while the Takeda banner beneath it fluttered triumphantly in the wind.

As we regrouped to charge again, I looked across the battlefield. Countless bodies of both the enemy and our own were strewn across the slopes in messy piles, and their blood painted pink stains in the frigid winter landscape. We would count the dead later, and there would be many – far more than was acceptable, but victory was ours today against all odds. As another company of the Ikko charged forward, half-heartedly now, I could see the whites in our enemies’ eyes. I saw fear, and I saw death. Their will to fight had left them, and soon their lives would soon follow. As I stirred my horse into full gallop over the sea of bodies, I was joined by Takanaga, Yukitaka and all of the remaining cavalry, and the plains shook with the thunder of hooves and the Takeda battle cry.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Erwin Rommel]

Awesome update. Lets see how you'll dodge from a severely depleted castle garrison if the Ikko sends another army..........or, maybe another clan might see this as a ripe moment to take advantage of your weakness, dun dun dun duuuuuuuuuunnnnn

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Awesome update. Lets see how you'll dodge from a severely depleted castle garrison if the Ikko sends another army..........or, maybe another clan might see this as a ripe moment to take advantage of your weakness, dun dun dun duuuuuuuuuunnnnn

....

Been playing on in the campaign. I feel like the more I write the worse my campaigning skills become.

....

[Ravenclaw2099]

Well written, I hope you find a way to put those Ikko savages to rest for good! Look forward to the rest!

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Well written, I hope you find a way to put those Ikko savages to rest for good! Look forward to the rest!

Thanks for reading!

[Robin de Bodemloze]

XVI: Brotherhood

1553 – Winter

The days passed easily in Suruga these days. The clan was shielded by the Imagawa, and lived in the knowledge that their allies’ attention was sharply focused on Kyoto. As the sun sank low in the sky, the council gathered in the meeting hall at Sunpu castle as the evening meal was removed. Kansuke was a good teller of stories, and his spies numerous. The latest batch of birds to return would serve as entertainment for the night as the aroma of rice and ume swirled between the wooden beams. The Takeda were accustomed to war, but the pleasures of peace were enjoyed while they lasted.

Formalities were quickly forgotten as the sake flowed and the clan elders became increasingly animated, with tales of varying credibility being told between bouts of hearty laughter. Intoxicated by drink and the curiosities of the western provinces, they had become oblivious of the locked frown on their daimyo’s forehead. Harunobu was keen not to spoil the lively gathering, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Nobushige had finally taken Kanazawa, but news had been scarce since. Had sending Takanaga been a good idea? Old Yamadera Nobuaki spent his days drunk with pride at his only son becoming a Takeda general, but it was no secret that Nobushige had been a reluctant facilitator. The memory of his brother’s disappointed expression was fresh in Harunobu’s mind – he did not fear making mistakes, but anxious would have been an understatement now.

The boisterous storytelling was disrupted by the sound of urgent footsteps. Sitting straight, Harunobu signaled for silence, and beckoned the messenger to enter.

“Harunobu-sama, we have word from Kanazawa. Close to five thousand men laid siege to Kanazawa castle on the fifteenth day of the…”

“And what?” Harunobu enquired franticly. The Ikko were many, but he had not anticipated a force of such size. The western front was at stake, but even that was almost secondary now.

“Our forces prevailed. Three thousand of the Ikko lay slain at the end of the day, and the younger Shimozuma is dead. Nobushige-sama and Yukitaka-sama led the troops in person, and one thousand five hundred of our men stand strong. Kanazawa is ours.”

A great roar was heard among the council amid sighs of relief. Nobushige-sama was a favourite – some would say the favourite – son of the clan, and losing him would have been nothing short of a calamity. As it was Kanazawa was safe in Takeda hands now, and the Ikko Ikki in Echizen and Omi would surely soon be ripe for the taking. The victory would be spoken of from shore to shore as the news inevitably spreads, bringing great honour to the Takeda name.

“Is my son safe? Did he bring shame to the Yamadera name?” The elders regained their focus and saw the frail Yamadera Nobuaki lean forward arduously. This man once led the vanguard of the Takeda cavalry, but prolonged illness and a litany of injuries had taken their toll. He had enquired of his son every day at the council, and they had witnessed the decline in his state as the days wore on.

“Tono, Takanaga-sama is safe, and Nobushige’s letter had spoken well of his performance.”

Nobuaki sat back, breathing a sigh of sadness and relief. “Nobushige-sama is kind with his words as always. Still, I can be grateful my son’s impetuousness did not bring disaster upon us,” he croaked semi-audibly. As Harunobu looked sympathetically at the older man, a sense of relief filled him, but another emotion entered him as he contemplated the sight of some six thousand men in the midst of battle. Harunobu wished it was he who had presided over the magnificent victory at Kanazawa. It had been too long, he thought – peace was a wonderful thing, but dull in comparison to the glory of conquest.

“Tono, we must send reinforcements to Kanazawa lest we risk a repeat of this battle. Nobushige-sama is a skilled commander but even he should not be asked to rely on a depleted army.”

The council nodded collectively in approval of Kansuke’s suggestion, and all were surprised when Obu Toramasa leaned forward to speak, interrupting Nobukado who had moved forward to receive the order.

“Tono, send reinforcements as you wish but we must redistribute the men. Takanaga has proven to be a commendable leader of men, and deserves his own army. We must not allow too great an authority to fall into the hands of one man. He constantly demands supplies of grain for frivolous reasons, and Hida and Shinano provinces are being stretching thinly as a result – who knows if the demands are genuine in any case.”

Nobuaki, barely awake now, suddenly roused himself. He pointed his cane at Obu Toramasa and objected indignantly, “Foolish talk! Takanaga is but a boy and must not be burdened with the responsibility of command. He does not yet understand the nuances of leading men in battle, and asking him to lead our forces would only serve to harm him, or bring disaster to our clan. Tono, please ignore such unreasonable demands.”

“Nobushige is our best general besides you yourself, and must not be weakened at such a critical juncture. He has just won a great battle – what confidence would it inspire in the Kanazawa garrison if we were to reduce his command now? Sending reinforcements is of paramount importance!” It was Kansuke this time, admonishing Toramasa for his narrow-mindedness and lack of foresight. Kansuke looked at his daimyo intently, eager to get his position across at any cost. He would lead the reinforcements himself, he thought.

“Tono!” Obu Toramasa persisted, “do you not worry that Nobushige-sama may one day be regarded as a better general? Would you tolerate your clan being loyal to him and not you? Is that not why Nobutora-sama had retired from his position?!”

The council fell stunned. Speaking of the old Takeda lord was a taboo among the council, and Toramasa was certainly not expected to be the one to break it. Harunobu sat in silence and contemplated the sharp words, unable to respond. After a long uneasy pause, Harunobu broke his silence.

“The Ikko are broken. There is little need for further reinforcement in the west. Suruga meanwhile is garrisoned lightly while the Imagawa grow stronger by the day. Nobukado – send two companies of Akazonae and two companies of samurai, but that will be all.”

“Aniki!!” Nobukado rose in protest, stunned at the turn of events, but it would be to no avail. Storming out, Nobukado shot Obu Toramasa an angry stare, disgusted at the man’s lack of intelligence.

“Kansuke, send a messenger to the Imagawa, let them know our diplomatic relations are at an end.”

“Tono! The Imagawa have done nothing to wrong us. It would be foolish to severe ties at a time when Kagetora's support for us wanes. What would…”

“Enough! It is decided.”

The council sat paralysed as their daimyo turned to leave, taking little note of their remonstration. A joyful evening had been turned on its head in a flicker, and the Takeda retainers did little to hide their wariness as they dispersed into the winter night. They would cherish the good nights of sleep now, for soon it would be over thanks to their daimyo’s moment of madness. Soon the drums of war would beat again.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Campaign screens

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Map

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Diplomacy

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Arts

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Grimecraft]

a fantastic read. I have recently bought Shogun and this has given me a good insight to how this game should be played.
I await further instalments eagerly.

[ReD_OcToBeR]

That was quite the freaking victory last update! Many fell for the common good. lol I hope the men your sending will be enough against the new aggression. Hard days lay ahead. Great stuff. +rep

[SakyaIllidan]

I have been eager to buy Shogun!

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Putting on the finishing touches to the next episode. Thanks to all for reading and feedback or constructive criticism are welcome as always.

a fantastic read. I have recently bought Shogun and this has given me a good insight to how this game should be played.
I await further instalments eagerly.

Thanks! Hope I don't disappoint Your Tropico AAR started very promisingly - keep it up!

That was quite the freaking victory last update! Many fell for the common good. lol I hope the men your sending will be enough against the new aggression. Hard days lay ahead. Great stuff. +rep

Very kind words indeed sir. I have much to learn before I am at the same level as you or the other great AAR writers on TWC.

Okay I have an admission to make. That epic freaking victory was the result of my epic freaking cock up on the campaign map, invading Kaga without scouting ahead. I must say I'm impressed with the AI for what they did to me though. The funniest thing about that battle was that I originally planned to turtle on the top tier and just defend the castle, but was forced into sallying by an old friend....

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

the siege reinforcement bug

I have been eager to buy Shogun!

Get it!