For the Ikko! A Shogun 2 AAR

[Monk]

This will be a story driven AAR that hopes to blend the gameplay of Shogun 2 with a rather basic narrative. I'll be playing as the Ikko-Ikki from the new Ikko-Ikki Clan Pack released by CA, which I highly recommend to campaign enthusiasts. Unlike my last AAR, i have played from the start with the intention to record the events transpiring, therefore, i have maps from all eras that i wish to write about. No more sloppy edits this time!

With that said, please allow me to present:

For The Ikko!
A Shogun 2 AAR.

I. Birth of a Republic

There is little doubt that the Sengoku Period was never about the common man, nor his plight. There may have been many honorable samurai who felt for them, or those who are believed to have ruled their lands wisely, the Lord who could claim to speak (and act) in the name of his people was rare. As battles waged across the isles and blood fueds spiraled into full scale wars between the clans, there was no doubt what the main motivator for many men was: Power. The Ashikaga Shogunate could not hope to contain the boiling cauldron that was the Japanese political system. Many powerful Daimyo believed it was time for a new Shogun, one who could control the clans. Still others believed their opportunities lied elsewhere. Why march upon Kyoto when you can carve out a sizable fiefdom, far from the eyes of the imperial court?

Yet it was not in these far flung provinces or unheard of provinces that the biggest threat to the power of the Shogun, and the very authority of the clans, would rise. Believe it or not it was in the very backyard of the capital, in a manner of speaking.

Japan, lands of the Ikko and their surrounding provinces highlighted
1545

The Ikko-Ikki had begun as an uprising of peasants, buddhist monks, shinto priests and lesser nobles. Men and women, people of all walks of life who found themselves united behind a single purpose and belief: disdain for the terrible violence that now gripped the sundered nation, but more than that, the teachings of Ikko appealed greatly to the downtrodden and the common man. Being told that all are equal in a land hopelessly divided by class and birth is a very powerful message. Having been driven from Omi province nearly seventy years prior to the start of this chronicle, they were for decades largely disorganized and interested in very little except self-sustainment. The teachings of the Ikko were primarily that of non-violence. Even after the violent uprisings in Kaga and Echizen province that expelled the samurai masters of those provinces. Perhaps they saw it a means to an end: Non-aggression without being defenseless. The victory was quite the ecomplishment, for the pair of provinces were effectively ruled by peasants. A first for Japanese history! But there was little indication that the Ikko wished anything but to remain neutral in the conflicts that were raging outside their borders, that is, until 1546

For it was during that time when a new power had risen in central Japan. The Hatano and Takaoka, two minor clans residing to the north west of Kyoto, signed a military alliance with one another. On their own they were of little concern to anyone, but together their alliance was a true force to be reckoned with - having clashed briefly with the powerful Yamana, and even stealing away territory from that famed clan. Led by the Daimyo of the Takaoka clan, Takoaka Yoriyasu, they had set their sights upon the lands of the Ikko-Ikki. Though not a true threat in the normal sense of the word, the Ikko resided upon some of the easiest traversed and extensive trade routes in the north. It was said that Ikko traders had contacts with nearly every major clan of Eastern Honshu, ensuring the collective enjoyed comfortable, if not immense, wealth. It would be the new Alliance's greatest triumph, to conquer the famed Ikko-Ikki...

To say that their first foray into Echizen was a disaster would be overstating it. In fact, not a single bow was notched until the following year simply because there was no fighting! Hatani Hidemichi marched into Echizen with the purpose of claiming the land for the alliance. But the march from Tango castle was long, having to pass through Wakasa on the way. By the time he reached the borders of the ikko lands, word had already reached his foes. Before him lay a host that could easily outnumber his own - the Ikko armed forces were little more than trained peasants, but one look at them as they stood proud on the field, banners caught high on the winds, and you knew they were ready for battle. Letters from the march make Hidemichi's opinion clear on that fact alone.

With not enough supplies to continue on and capture the province, as well as facing a numerically superior force.. and looking at an early chill of autumn nipping at his heals, Hidemichi retired from the field and marched back to Tango castle to gather the rest of the Alliance. It would take much more than the Hatano clan to overcome this obstacle. Unfortunately for him, Suzuki Sadayu, commander of the Ikko-Ikki force sent to halt Hidemichi's advance, was not so easily deterred. Sadayu launched a quick strike into Wakasa province, even as the alliance forces were in general retreat. The speed of the Ikko advance caught the defenders off guard, and Sadayu was able to bypass nearly all opposition and secured the provincial capital. Hidemichi, having been completely outflanked on his march, found Wakasa castle in the hands of the Ikko upon his arrival - embarrased, the Hatano general continued his retreat to Tango.

As winter approached and still no major fighting had taken place, the Takaoka Alliance was looking weaker by the day. Though they'd won great fame in their battles against the Yamana, mere peasants had not only deterred an invasion of Echizen province, but also managed to mount an effective counter-attack. But the Takaoka were not so easily demoralized, and as the cold winter tightened its icy grip on the land, they used the opportunity to build their forces near Miyazu in Tango province. There they gathered all their power in one great army, ready to march. Takaoka Yorimasu devised a plot to force the Ikko from Wakasa, and use the coming winters as a shield. He'd set out in late August, just as Autumn was on the cusp of dawning, win a glorious victory over the Ikko and winter in peace while he brought up additional forces. It's quite a shame that he never got to insitute his plan, for in the following spring while Yorimasu was still busy gathering his army, Sadayu entered Tango province almost unchallenged and attacked the encampments at Miyazu.

Battle of Miyazu
April, 1547
Beligerents: Ikko-Ikki vs Hatano, Takaoka clans (Takaoka Alliance)
Commanders: Suzuki Sadayu | Takaoka Yorimasu, Hatano Hidemichi

The encampments at Miyazu were in the shadows of a great mountain range, the foothills of which the Ikko had used to their great advantage as they advanced through the province. Moving through the trees and using the hills to disguise movement, Sadayu had approached within a three miles of the camps before anyone had known otherwise. Yet another great embarrassment heaped upon the alliance by the humble commander of peasants. Alliance forces were scrambling to get organized when Sadayu's banners went up on a nearby hill-top, and their response was confused and lumbering. A terrible rainstorm had taken to the skies, making visibility and coordination near impossible. The result was the Hatano moving out while the Takaoka were still trying to gather up their forces.



The Ikko in contrast suffered none of the disunity or disorganization that their foes did. As the Hatano advanced upon the Ikko positions unsupported, they came under heavy, concentrated fire from concealed archers. The shooters? Samurai of all things, ronin sympathetic to the Ikko plight had answered the call of defense less than a year ago in Echizen. Hidemichi had suffered enough embarrassments from these "peasants." First the determent from Echizen, then being outflanked on the march to Wakasa.. and now, mere ronin were firing on his men? If he had kept his head, he would have seen the Ikko position was a powerful one and awaited his allies. But he didn't. Mind blotted with anger and rage, he threw his forces at the hill...



The banners held high against the thundering sky, armor soaked through with rain, and a heavy warcry on the wind the Ikko charged down to meet the Hatano. Though they were technically far outnumbered by their enemies, surviving reports that reference the Ikko are filled with exageration and myth. Some dare make the claim that they had archers climbing to the top of the trees to get shots over the huge host! In reality the Ikko had used a combination of stealth, trickery and guile to obtain a very favorable position on the battlefield...





And it became clear that as the lines collided, though these may be peasants, they fought far harder than anyone could ever expect. Outnumbered at least two to one, Ikko divisions repulsed every attempt made by first the Hatano, and later the Takoaka, to climb the hill. The Ikko won small victory after small victory in the foothills of Miyazu, and each won sent morale soaring. Finally, the Alliance's line shuddered and snapped in half as the Ikko managed a break through. In a panic Takao Yorimasu himself charged his bodyguards forward in an attempt to close the breach. He was dragged from his horse and disappeared amidst a sea of orange banners...

Opposition crumbled once the leader of the alliance was dead and a route ensued. Tango province fell the next day as the battle weary veterans of Miyazu marched into the provincial capital, but the victory only caused new problems to rise. With the Alliance shattered and their lands now under firm control of the Ikko, the weary commander began to realize an obvious truth.

The Ikko now directly controlled a number of provinces in north-central Japan, good farmland and even better trade routes. While Suzuki Sadayu had battled for his people's survival in the north, new powers were rising beyond the Ikko borders. The Hattori in the south, Uesugi in the East and Yamana in the west. None cared much for the Ikko beliefs and way of life, and all would have loved to have added their lands to their own growing list of conquest. When he returned to Echizen, Sadayu called together the two most powerful men who he knew he could trust. Shonyo, head Monk and leader of the Ikko religious sect and his top advisor, Shimozuma Jutsurai.

What was actually said within the meeting of those men is not known, but we do know the result. After weeks of continued meetings, they at last emerged and set about the institution of a new form of government. The three men used their combined military, economic, and spiritual influence within the lands of the Ikko to bring together all of the cities and towns beneath one central authority. The Ikko Republic, as it would later be known, was formed as a result of their efforts. The people of Echizen and Kaga provinces had largely been forced to govern themselves ever since declaring independance, but after the Ikko's sudden emergence from their citadels, training of the populace and organization of the counter attack against the Alliance - there was little in the way of resistance to their continued support. Partly due to just who was in charge of the new collective government: Shonyo, the same man who sheperded the populace's souls would now protect them from mortal enemies as well.

With the power of the clans growing, his and the rest of the new council's power would be put to the test...

[Populus Romanus]

Awesome! The Hattori are going to be one tough nut to crack. Luckily the Asai and Hatano are a buffer, but they box you in to the west and south! Interestingly enough, though, it looks like you won't be dealing with your usual Takeda powerhouse. Also, what is going on with the Shimazu?

[Monk]

Awesome! The Hattori are going to be one tough nut to crack. Luckily the Asai and Hatano are a buffer, but they box you in to the west and south! Interestingly enough, though, it looks like you won't be dealing with your usual Takeda powerhouse. Also, what is going on with the Shimazu?

Glad you enjoyed part one.

This game has been a wild ride thus far, seriously. How is it that every time i sit down and do a play through, crazy stuff happens? The Shimazu situation is just one example. So long as I don't botch up the presentation I think anyone who reads this will be in for a real treat.

Next post from me in this thread will be part two, expect it in a day or so.

[A Nerd]

That was a great read! I look forward to the next installment, and perhaps a download of the new DLC! :D

[Monk]

II. Forged in the Fire.

Assuming the direct responsibilities of administration of the provinces was not a task the Ikko had originally planned, nor wanted. But in the wake of the great victories won in Tango province and the might of foreign powers becoming ever stronger, Shonyo - leader of the ikko sect - had to face the cruel reality. Without strong central leadership, the sacrifices made in the war against the Takaoka alliance would be in vain, and soon, Echizen would lie beneathh the rule of one of the many petty warlords who surrounded him.

But his own desire, and by his own admission, ability to lead a new administrative body was perhaps suspect. He was also worried that the new Ikko Republic, as many among the common folk had taken to calling it, would be seen as nothnig but a glorified clan. No different than the other powerful entities who were even now locked in a vicious struggle for survival. It was due to these apprehensions that he empowered Shimozuma Jutsurai, his number one advisor, as the head of the economic and administrative duties that came with ruling multiple provinces. Shonyo would continue in his duty as the head of the Ikko sect and spread the truth of the religion to the rest of the Isles, only one question remained: Who would lead the armies? The people spoke loudly in their desires, they wanted the same man who had driven the Hatano from Echizen to continue to lead their armies. Suzuki Sadayu was empowered as the leader of all Ikko armed forces and militia. Together, these three men represented the power of the Ikko, and formed a council that would steer direction the republic, for good or ill.

The trinity proved incredibly efficient, though they were three men from completely different walks of life, they were united in their intention to defend their ever growing state. The Ikko Republic stood as a bastion of peace amongst a war torn country. Jutsurai proved to be a wise administrator, and beneath his watchful eye harvests were more bountfil than ever. Trade agreements were signed and the economy boomed. Yet beyond the borders of the republic, the worst of the Sengoku Jidai was playing out. In the center of Japan, the Hattori and the Tokugawa were waging a full scale war for control. Sparked by the aggressive expansion of the Hattori, Tokugawa Ieyasu, vassal to the mighty Imagawa had launched a lightning fast campaign against the weak west of the Hattori, utterly destroying the Hattori western guard at the battle of Mino Fields in 1549.

The Hattori Daimyo rallied his men and marched, but was ultimately defeated once more at the Battle of Anotsu in southern Japan, causing his entire western flank to fold. Ieyasu pressed the Hatori hard, but was stopped short of going further by the entrance of the Asai into the war on the side of the Hattori. The war was particularly bloody, seeing two of Japan's largest battles of the Sengoku (to that point) all within a year of one another. Trade over the central part of Honshu completely broke down due to the heavy fighting, and refugees began to stream northward, spurred by tales of a better life in the Ikko. Unfortunately.. the tales of wealth and prosperity were not only known to the commons. As the war began to escalate, Asai Hisamasa began to turn his eyes northward. Not as well wealthy or able to absorb losses as his Hattori allies, he was quickly running out of money as the campaigns grew bolder, and the battles grew larger. When the Hattori won a victory at the Second Battle of Anotsu in 1550, he used this as the perfect chance to launch a campaign against the Ikko.

He had hoped it would be a swift campaign. Sweeping into Echizen from Omi and winning a decicive victory that'd reward him the riches he so desperately needed. Unfortunately for him, elements sympathetic to the Ikko still survived in Omi province. Ever since the movement had been driven north, they'd continued to feed information to the Ikko Council when they could. When Hisamasa left Otsu castle in late summer of 1551, it wasn't long before Shonyo himself learned of their intent. Suzuki Sadayu was dispatched to the border with a force totaling 2200, comprised primarily of ashigaru. He was ordered to wait for the Asai to cross the border and engage them, to avoid appearing antagonistic. But as the Asai drew closer, spy reports indicated they had a distinct advantage over the Ikko in terms of numbers. Modern estimates put the Asai army at around 3500 men...

Sadayu couldn't simply wait for a reason, on the 6th of September he crossed the border into Asai territory and laid an ambush along the roads. His actions on that day would have far reaching consequences...

The Battle of Omi
September, 1551
Beligerents: Ikko Republic vs Clan Asai
Commanders: Suzuki Sadayu | Asai Hisamasa

The Asai marched northward through a natural valley, where the foothills of the mountains met a nearby forest. Hisamasa had opted to take a less traveled path in the hops of slipping into Echizen undetected. Had he stayed on the main roads, perhaps he would have bypassed the Ikko entirely.



Unfortunately for he and his men, he walked right into the Ikko ambush. Hidden behind a high cresting hill, a detachment of Ikko ashigaru, supported by archers and monks, laid in wait. Hisamasa was still convinced he had the element of surprise on his side - scouting was neglected in favor of marching quicker. He was in his own territory afterall..



It wasn't until the warcry of the Ikko rose above the trees, and bright orange banners were caught in the wind that Hisamasa finally saw what was happenening, but by then, it was far too late.



Ikko forces came streaming from the trees in perfect timing, slamming into the side of the marching column before the Asai could redeploy.



The Asai daimyo tried desperately to organize and put his men into some semblance of formation. But just as his efforts seemed to be paying off - the second wave appeared from behind the battle line. The entire Asai force was now trapped in a deadly vice.





The chaos of the melee prevailed as the Asai found themselves fighting in every direction. Trying desperately to hold onto their positions wherever they might've been. Surviving reports from the fields at Omi paint the picture of a battle that quickly became disjointed. The Asai were forced into tight formations, isolated from one another and completely picked apart. Somewhere in the battle, the Asai front guard had managed a break through - with Hisamasa at its head they pushed through the grip of the ambush and turned to see their comrades being completely decimated. The Asai Daimyo chose to quit the field with what little forces he had left instead of turning to fight, effectively dooming nearly 3/4 of his army to their fate.

Despite having the advantage of surprise and completely surrounding the marching column, the Ikko suffered greatly at Omi. Many veterans who had survived the campaigns against the Takaoka were left dead or dying after the ambush - but the victory was worth the price in Sadayu's eyes. His aggressive actions prior to the battle, however, would have a number of consequences. The Asai pleaded with their allies, the Hattori, for aid against "the aggressive actions" of the Ikko-Ikki. In public, the Hattori flatly denied the request for aid. However, the result of the coming battle, combined with half-truths spoken by Hisamasa and his aids would be more than enough fuel for the Hattori at a later date... As Sadayu pushed deeper into Asai territory, the Hattori cut all ties with the republic, closing their borders to trade.

Battle of Tsuruga
December, 1551
Beligerents: Ikko Republic vs Clan Asai
Commanders: Suzuki Sadayu | Asai Hisamasa

Sadayu however continued to press the Asai, culminating in a second battle outside of Tsuruga. Though his men had been battered at Omi, he had directly recieved a number of reinforcements in the following weeks. Because of this, while the Asai had barely a quarter of the men they did at Omi, Sadayu's force was stronger than ever.



Hisamasa was undeterred. The Ikko were now in a position to directly threaten his capitol at Otsu, and if he couldn't stop them here, then his days were numbered. Little did he know, those within the population who were sick of the Asai's war with the Tokugawa had begun demonstrations in Otsu. A riot broke out and civil order was breaking down. Even if he could win here at Tsuruga, he'd be in for a shock when he returned to the castle.





The battle was joined, but was short lived. Sadayu entrusted the most seasoned of his troops with holding the main line against the Asai vanguard, the same men who had managed to break through the ambush just two months before. All the while the flanks would wrap around the sides to catch the Asai in a vice. It worked, largely due to the Asai's own desperation. Hisamasa threw his men at the Ikko, determined to break through, working against his own efforts. He never saw the flank attempt coming.



He and his men paid for it with their lives. Reports of Tsuruga are sketchy and few and far between, but those that have survived claim that barely a hundred men loyal to the Asai banner managed to survive the battle, so complete was their defeat. Hisamasa himself was slain in personal combat with Sadayu, trying in vain to break through the Ikko line. His death would matter little in the grand scheme of strategy, except to add another name to the list of daimyo Sadayu had defeated. By the battle's end, he was a living legend, and his men heaped great praise upon him.

The Ikko-Ikki marched into Otsu in January of 1552, restoring order and being greeted as those who would bring peace back to Omi. They had even won great respect from Tokugawa Ieyasu, who sent Sadayu a letter of gratitude and friendship, congratulating him on his conquests. Now the Tokugawa were free to redouble their efforts in the south against the Hattori, which they did the following season. Ieyasu struck back and annihilated the Hattori at the Third Battle of Anotsu. The Ikko were strong, and now had a strong friend - but with such power comes the eyes of those who would challenge it...

[Populus Romanus]

Excellent! Tough battles ahead for the Ikko Ikki.

[Monk]

III. Aggressive Actions

The Hattori Clan had never trusted the Ikko-Ikki movement, even though their ideaologies were not completely opposed to one another. Since their rise to power and unification of central Japan, the Hattori had made no secret of their intention to unite the nation under a new power, and do away with the old shogunate as it currently was. Their brave new order had won them few allies among the rising powers of the Isles, and they'd been forced to fight for their survival, much as the Ikko-Ikki had.

After his defeat at the Third battle of Anotsu, the Hattori Daimyo pulled his forces back to Osaka castle to rebuild and plan his next moves. Tokugawa Ieyasu was more than willing to allow the Hattori a rest, for he himself had not escaped the battle completely unscathed either. His forces had suffered such high losses he didn't exactly have the advantage. Even so, The Republic of the Ikko was feeling increasingly pressured by the war raging on their borders. Ieyasu wrote to Shonyo as he wintered in the south. Though not supporting their movement or their ideology, he extended an offer of friendship and trade to the Ikko. After the battles against the Asai, many of Japan had taken note of the fledgling power rising in the center of Honshu...

It was not an offer of an alliance, per say, as the Tokugawa were still beneath the vassalage of the Imagawa clan, Ieyasu could not make a public statement of friendship and support. But his private approval did much to reassure the Ikko administration of their position.


"Amongst a sea of chaos, a great example has been set for the rest of Japan. Your soldiers are honest, your people are happy, and your words true. Though I cannot call you friend, I hope I am never forced to call you 'enemy'." ~Tokugawa Ieyasu, 1552


Having dealt with the Asai, Suzuki Sadayu returned to Fukui, the newly established capitol of the republic, to explain his actions at the Battle of Omi. Though he'd disobeyed the directive to hold his position, Shonyo and the rest of the ruling body saw the wisdom in his actions once enlightened. More over, he was rewarded greatly for having defeated not one, not two, but now three powers personally on the field of battle. To say the people loved him is a complete inadequecy. There was the belief, at the time, that if Shonyo should pass unexpectently that it should be Sadayu, and not his partner in administration Jutsurai, who should succeed the beloved leader and lead the republic. The people loved him, the army supported him, it would almost be an afterthought. Such dreams of granduer would be put on permenant hold in the May of 1553.

For it was then that Tokugawa Ieyasu and his forces mounted an offensive into Yamato province, then controlled by the Hattori. The campaign lasted for nearly three months of small scale skirmishes before the two sides met at the First Battle of Yamato Fields. Ieyasu was crushed, his forces completely routed. Leading the Hattori clan at Yamato was Hattori Yasunaga, brother to the Hattori daimyo and famed warrior who took part in all three of the battles at Anotsu. Yasunaga was like an expert swordsman, slicing through the Tokugawa incredibly quickly, with little effort. He'd scattered their forces and restored the influence of his clan, which had been waning after their defeat a year before. With the Tokugawa threat dealt with, the Hattori turned north, intent on dealing with the Ikko-Ikki, just as they had so many other powers who had attempted to resist their march.

Sadayu returned to Omi and rallied together the armed forces of the Ikko. He set out in Autumn of that year, and completely shocked the Hattori clan. The veteren commander not only snuck into Iga province from the dense forests bordering Omi, but he captured the city after only a week's siege. The Hattori daimyo was furious, Yasunaga had been cought out of position due to rumors of a Tokugawa counter-attack that never came. He raced north, only to find Sadayu and his army camped at the borders of Iga - waiting, daring him to attempt a break trough.. Unwilling to assault the Ikko positions he returned to Yamato to winter until spring... Setting the stage for the greatest battle of the Ikko-Hattori war.

The Second Battle of Yamato Fields
March, 1554
Beligerents: Ikko Republic vs Hattori Clan
Commanders: Suzuki Sadayu | Hattori Yasunaga

Sadayu set out in late Febuary, 1554, intent on siezing Yamato province. Spy reports gathered from Ikko sympathizers had unfortunately painted the picture of an uphill struggle. Yasunaga had camped ten miles north of provincial capital and laid in wait for the Ikko forces in the fields, just a stone's throw from the very place he'd defeated Tokugawa Ieyasu a year prior.



Ikko-Ikki forces arrived on a chilly spring day, a cold breeze striking their face as they marched forward. Hattori battle-lines drawn in the distance. Sadayu was confident of his ability and of his men, but doubt lingered still. Yasunaga had chosen a flat area of ground to await his enemy, he was not a man known for fighting on even playing fields. Just as the though crossed his mind, whistling arrows slammed into the left side of his marching column...



An ambush! Two hundred bow samurai sprung from the trees, charging and ripping into his line. Sadayu deployed, sending his samurai loyal to the Ikko and his own limited cavalry force against them. But these were men, veterens of Anotsu - men who had united south-central Honshu beneath the Hattori banner. They did not go down easily, nor quietly. For every hattori man killed, the Ikko paid double in blood. All the while, the far off Hattori lines redeployed, heading for a mountainous treeline..



Yasunaga used his best men, his veterens of countless campaigns, as a delaying tactic. He withdrew, offering them no support, and set up his lines on the crest of the hilltop forest. Though outclassed, the Ikko easily outnumbered the delaying tactic and were able to cut through the samurai.. but Sadayu was chilled by the cold attitude shown by his adversary. He'd thrown away good soldiers simply to take the hilltop. He almost withdrew, then and there!



But he was Suzuki Sadayu, destroyer of the clans. Hero of the Ikko-Ikki! He could not retreat, not without a fight. He pushed forward, through the tree line as a rain of arrows came down upon his advance. Finally the Ikko burst from the trees and charged the Hattori line! The two sides, who had maneuvered, outmaneuvered and ambushed one another for an entire year now met in a full scale battle.



It was pure chaos. No battles he had fought properly prepared Sadayu for the hell of that forest. The main battle lines fell in the opening at the top of the hill, where the Hattori made their stand, but dozens more skirmishes dotted the treeline. Archers, spearmen, swordsmen, all clashed with one another, in groups as few as five or six. Orginization quickly broke down, but the Hattori were on their back heels. Despite being confused and disorganized, the Ikko-Ikki charge was as strong as ever. Sadayu was everywhere along the line of battle, trying to keep his men in the fight. Even leaping into the fray himself at one point.

At some point in the battle, the Hattori line was buckling, Sadayu was organizing his reserves, trying to get a second charge together that might've broke through.. when an arrow slammed into his chest. The hero of the Ikko-Ikki, the "commander of peasants", legendary figure in the war against the clans.. fell from his horse, and lay dying on the fields at Yamato. What had started as an effort to gather a second push against the enemy, turned into a desperate struggle to save a hero. The Ikko line folded in on itself in response to a hard Hattori counter push, breaking in half. Men fled for their lives in the chaos that followed, but few were able to escape. Sadayu himself was carried off the hilltop by his retainers, there, as the Hattori closed in on the hunt for survivors, he comitted seppuku. The man who had lead the Ikko movement on the field of battle for nearly ten years was dead.

The battle was a disaster for both sides. Yasunaga could take little comfort in the death of Suzuki Sadayu, mainly due to the fact he'd taken such heavy losses. Not even Tokugawa Ieyasu himself could inflict the damage that the Ikko did at Yamato Fields. Though he remained in firm control of Yamato, he could not hope to press on Iga. The following season he was called away, back to Osaka to deal with a new problem. The invasion of the western Hattori lands by the Amako... it was the perfect time for the Ikko to strike, an opportunity they would capitalize on in the coming years.

[Populus Romanus]

Ouch! Sadayu is dead? That is baaad news. Interested to see what happens.

[Monk]

Ouch! Sadayu is dead? That is baaad news. Interested to see what happens.

I'm not going to lie, when he got hit and I heard the "Our general has fallen!" alert.. my heart sank a bit.

Glad you are enjoying the story as it continues!

[Populus Romanus]

Hey Monk, how is this AAR going? It has been a long time since the last update.

[Monk]

Sincere apologies to those who were following this, but the summer was far busier than I ever anticipated it would be. Mostly due to some big events that cropped out out of nowhere and I couldn't avoid them. However, if anyone is still reading this, I want you to know that I haven't forgotten about this! I still have the save-games and all my notes, as well as enough replays to cover the next 15 years of the chronical before I even need to play a turn.

You can expect to read about the final battles in the Ikko-Hattori conflict coming this Sunday. And from there on, updates every 3 days.





The Ikko Republic has lost its greatest hero, but the Hattori clan has not escaped the conflict without casualties of their own. Locked in a struggle for survival, which power can capitalize on the other's weakness and claim dominion over central Honshu?

Or shall both fall prey to a new threat, rising in the east?

[Monk]

IV - To Avenge the Fallen

In the wake of Yamato fields the Ikko-Ikki were completely thrown out of the province. The remnants of the armed forces still left in region were forced to retreat north with the Hattori hot on their heels. Yamato was lost and Yasunaga, In-field commander of all Hattori forces, was keen to keep the pressure on. Though he himself was called away to the west, his lieutenants easily seized their clan's former capital at Iga. with the Ikko lacking a strong unified leader in the south, and with reinforcements nowhere close enough to support the disorganized militias, the Hattori rolled up the southern part of Honshu quite easily.

Iga and Yamato were back in Hattori hands by the first chill of winter.

The first snow fall at Todaiji,
Clan Hattori territory
November, 1554

Though the campaign had proven to be an utter disaster, the Ikko Republic had been damaged far more by the loss of Sazuki Sadayu, the hero of the Ikko movement and beloved of the people. As Commander In-Field of all Ikko-Ikki, he was more responsible for the spread of the movement than any other man alive. Apart from Shonyo himself, perhaps, and there were citizens of the republic who would even contest that! But there is one thing none could contest, and that was the effect Sadayu's death had on the holy man. Shonyo disappeared into seclusion upon news of his most trusted general and friend's passing, none saw him save his advisors and Shimozuma Jutsurai, the de facto head of the Ikko administration.

Records of meetings held by the two men are hard to come by, and what transpired isn't fully clear. But as months passed, Jutsurai began to make more and more public appearances. Always having stayed in the background, he was far more active after the death of Sadayu. Proposing far more local edicts and ordinances, relaxing restrictions on trade, and further increasing payment and compensation for peasants who answered the call of the Ikko-Ikki to battle. Despite his militaristic background and reputation, he was the unifying force the Republic sorely needed. The army was in shambles, not only from the southern campaign, but from over five years of near constant campaigning. Jutsurai was responsible for the rebuilding and recruitment efforts that sprang up across the republic. Greater temples and dojos were built where men could dedicate themselves, not only to the Ikko faith, but to the pursuit of war. It wasn't long before he had the Ikko-Ikki rebuilt, and a new battle cry ready to be tested on the fields.

"To seek battle while knowing little of war is foolish. To know war and not seek battle is equally as foolish." ~ Shimozuma Jutsurai

The Republic had shifted its focus, under Jutsurai's leadership, a much more proactive stance in regards to external threats would from this point would be taken. No longer would the motto of the Ikko-Ikki be to capture and defend. When a threat was perceived to the republic, the Ikko-Ikki would attack. The people offered little resistance to this change. Many had died in the south, their greatest hero amung them! As the period of mourning passed, a powerful thirst for revenge took hold. It is not at all unlikely that rabel-rousing efforts played a huge part in that. But historians have found little evidence to paint Jutsurai as anything but a savior of a fledgling power.

This new direction was in direct opposition to Shonyo's teachings, who was conspicuously more and more distant from the Ikko-Ikki movement after 1554. Still the leader of the people's faith, he secluded himself in the mountainous region of Echizen, surrounded by monks loyal to him and the Ikko. From time to time he would make pilgrimages to the capital city, but for the most part, he distanced himself from Jutsurai's administration. Strangely, he never condemned it either. If he had, it is unlikely Jutsurai could have taken the people in the direction he did.

Jutsurai, meanwhile, consolidated his power as Shonyo withdrew from the public eye. As the new year dawned upon Japan the Ikko Republic was well on its way to recovering from the debacle that was the previous campaign. However, there was a growing concern that it simply could not sustain further fighting. The Ikko-Ikki needed time to settle down and catch their breath before any further expansion could be seriously considered. Jutsurai knew that if another forray into the south was made it would need to be quick and precise. Lucky for him, the Hattori clan was suffering far more than the Ikko-Ikki was.

In the Aftermath of Yamato Fields and the recapturing of Iga, the Hattori had been forced to fight five major battles along the breadth of their realm. Initially, this paid off when they obliterated the Yamana clan in north centeral Japan, but the political fallout made them no friends. Their list of enemies had grown quite large through their war-mongering reputation. Perhaps the only power in central Honshu who had not fought them was the Ashikaga forces in Kyoto, and even there tension was starting to mount! The time for Jutsurai came in 1555, when Hattori Yasunaga was killed in battle on the border with the Tokugawa. Spread thin and their most dangerous commander now out of the way, the Ikko-Ikki would strike...

The Battle of Todaiji
Jan, 1555
Beligerents: Ikko Republic v Clan Hattori
Commanders: Matsunaga Hirotsugu | Hata Shigehira

The Battle of Todaiji was an altogether small engagement. Counting to its credit likely only half the total number of troops per side that fought at Yamato fields, yet its impact was substantial. Stretched thin and facing increasingly desperate times as they fought in all directions, central Honshu was ripe for the taking. The Ikko-Ikki launched a brutal assault upon Iga in 1555 that secured the province with relative ease. Matsunaga Hirotsugu, commander of the Ikko-Ikki in the south, managed to take the Fortress at Iga in a daring night raid, suffering little casualties. His victory, and subsequent march into Yamato, set the stage for Todaiji, and the carnage it inspired.



Arriving in late January the fields were frozen over and a terrible chill cut straight to the bone as the Ikko-Ikki made their way foward. The road to Todaiji was not at all easy, a winter march is deadly if not properly undertaken, and the Ikko-Ikki had suffered greatly through their trek. Still, they stood proud, ready to do battle with the republic's enemies. The Ikko were never ones to shy away from their duty in service, and the dicipline instilled by Jutsurai's reforms only drove that home further. Another gift of the reforms was the presence of Ikko-Ikki cavalry. A first for the republic!



Led by a promising new warrior by the name of Hajikano Yukiie, they were the pride of Jutsurai but an unproven investment, as Todaiji would be their first true taste of blood. But to men like Hirotsugu, they represented a danger. Until now the state itself had armed and trained all who took up arms for the Ikko-Ikki, these men were wealthy enough to provide their own arms, and were afforded greater training than your average foot soldier. Thought it was true Samurai had carried the Ikko banner in battles previous (some to great honor!) they were always ronin. Hirotsugu and others like him, worried a dangerous precedent was being set...



Across the field, blocking the road toward Kii province was Hata Shigenhira, with the rest of the Hattori forces at his command. A man of some tactical skill, he had served honorably and was responsible for organizing the push that drove the Ikko remnant forces out of yamato, some years prior. Though he had not had true battle experience, he was sadly the best the Hattori could muster after so many losses. Yet as the Ikko-Ikki advanced upon him, cold wind biting at his face, he began to wonder if he could hold back the tide.

Hirotsugu would give his adversary little time to think about what he could or could not do. Ordering the cavalry to swing wide around the left, he marched his men forward under the covering fire of the archers and slammed his men home, meeting the hattori toe to toe, just as the Ikko-Ikki had done at Yamato. The difference now, was that they were on even ground and the fight was fair. Even so, the men of the Hattori clan stood their ground tenaciously, even as the banner went high and Yukiie's cavalry charge hit home, breaking the line into a number of different areas of action, they held the line.



Hirotsugu couldn't believe it. Even broken, the Hattori made the Ikko-Ikki fight, tooth and nail for every last inch. Step by bloody step, his men were continuing to push forward, but they were suffering two, sometimes three men felled for every hattori soldier slain. He couldn't sustain this pace, and he knew it! Battlefield reports indicate Hirotsugu sent word to Yukiie multiple times, ordering him to charge his men against the hattori rear - but the cavalry commander couldn't comply. His men were locked in a vicious struggle in and around the left flank with the Hattori cavalry, and were suffering heavy losses.



Just as it appeared the Ikko-Ikki would be forced to withdraw, the site of yellow banner, caught high in the wind caught Hirotsugu's attention. Yukiie had managed a break through and was barreling down hard on the Hattori flank. His men came crashing in, breaking the lines even further and forcing a total route! The men cheered over the broken bodies of their enemies as Yukiie led the cavalry on to persue the routers. The day'd been won, the cavalry had proven beyond any doubt their power and place within the Ikko-Ikki forces. But Hirotsugu was unconvinced. Matsunaga Hirotsugu was no fool. Correspondence from the general paint the picture of a paranoid and resentful man. He believed Yukiie was deliberately holding back the charge, today its impossible to tell if this was indeed the case, as battle records of the Sengoku era cannot always be reliable. What is known, however, is that casualty reports from the Tokugawa front paint a very disturbing picture. The Hattori cavalry divisions were decimated in the fight against Tokugawa Ieyasu.. It is unlikely they could have delayed Hajikano Yukiie and the rest of the Ikko cavalry for so long..

In the aftermath of Todaiji, Hattori resistance in central Honshu completely collapsed. Hata Shigehira escaped the battle, or is to believed to have as his body was never found - but no further records of a man by his name appear in history after that point. The Ikko-Ikki pressed their advantage, and by 1558, had completely whiped out all Hattori resistance in the central Honshu, including retaking what the Hattori clan had "stolen" from the Yamana. Pushed out of their homelands, their greatest heroes dead, and the tide turning against them, the Hattori Clan sued for peace. Jutsurai accepted their offer in the Iga Accord of 1558, and a time of peace was once again brought to the Republic.

Jutsurai would use this great victory as proof, not only that his army reforms had been much needed and highly effective, but that the Republic should aggressively seek out its enemies and deal with them upon the field. There is little evidence that anyone opposed that view, peacefully or otherwise. He had defeated the enemies who had brought down the great Sadayu, who could argue? And if they did, he now had the power to "quell" such arguments.

As soldiers of the Ikko-Ikki consolidated and secured their vast new holdings, a new threat began to make itself known... One far greater than the Hattori Clan had ever been...

[Populus Romanus]

Wow Hattori are on the run now!

[Hamata]

Yeah but look out for the red giant

[Monk]

V. Takeda Shingen

In the wars against the Takoaka Alliance and the Asai, the Ikko Republic could always claimed that defense, not conquest, was their primary reason for maintaining an effective fighting force in the field. After the terrible battles of the Hattori-Ikko conflict and the assimilation of much of central Honshu beneath the Ikko-Ikki banner, that was no longer the case. The Ashikaga Shogunate in Kyoto had been observing the fledgling power with great interest, but after the fall of the Hattori that interest had turned to concern. With the Ikko faith being carried by traders and commoners across Japan, who was to say how far this new movement would spread? Though an even more pressing question troubled the Shogun. Who could stop it?

Even as the Ikko-Ikki had struggled for the very right to exist against the Takoaka and Asai decades ago, another power had been building in the east of Honshu. As Suzuki Sadayu lay dying on the fields of Yamato, Takeda Shingen was leading the final push to defeat the Uesugi coalition and uniting the eastern isles. Shingen, once ruler of only the mountainous province of Kai, had won great fame in his conquests across Honshu. The Uesugi, beneath their daimyo Uesugi Kenshin, had appeared destined to take control of much of the islands. Built upon an alliance of the Date, Uesugi and the Hojo, the coalition was nigh unstoppable going into 1550 - when it ran directly into the fledgling Takeda clan. Completely annhihilating the Hojo in the opening seasons of the conflict, Shingen brought to his support the Imagawa clan and their Tokugawa vassals. United, the new alliance utterly destroyed the Uesugi Coalition and brought Honshu beneath the control of the alliance's leader: Takeda Shingen. By 1560, he had accepted the unconditional surrender of the Uesugi.

The Takeda Alliance, 1558 with Noto province highlighted, conquered a year later
Members: Takeda - Red, Imagawa - Grey, Tokugawa - White.

Shingen was content in his vast conquests, and why should he not be? Having issued forth from Kai as a means only to secure the protection of his clan, he had won a worthy peace. Together with the Tokugawa and Imagawa, he controlled all of East Honshu accept for the Date clan in the north. Though if records of the Takeda clan are reliable, the Date paid regular tribute to the Takeda, and appeared to want no conflict with the powerful clan.

The Shogunate's dilemma was even greater than a Republic of peasants controlling the cities and roads beyond Kyoto. Where the Hattori had looked to unite much of the center before, now an even greater power had risen in the lands beyond central Honshu. The Ashikaga could feel the winds of change blowing, but instead of turning into them, the Shogun decided he would fight it with all his might. In 1559 as the Takeda cleaned up the last traces of coalition resistance, Shingen was invited to the imperial court by the Emperor. Or so he believed. Upon arriving to the Imperial Palace he soon discovered that it was the Shogun who had invited him, and not the Emperor. Interestingly there is absolutely no record of Shingen accepting the invitation, nor of his journey to Kyoto. There, if folklore is to believed, he listened to the please of the Shogun, which all boiled down to one request: Destroy the Ikko-Ikki.

This likely would never have been known for certain had the great warlord not decided to journey to Echizen, capitol of the Ikko Republic in the fall of 1559. His arrival was greeted with the fanfare you'd expect from a public figure like him. Tales of Shingen's heroism and conquests were no secret. He was practically a legend to the common-folk, and when he arrived, he recieved the type of treatment you'd expect from a national hero. Even Jutsurai, who knew Shingen to be a cunning warrior and potential enemy, showed great respect to Shingen upon their meeting.

Takeda Shingen was in awe by the respect shown to him, no matter whom he spoke to, all treated him as if he was a member of the Republic itself. He and Jutsurai met and discussed much, records kept of that meeting have survived surprisingly well, but they are of the mundane type. The two men postulated, and showed each other diplomatic courtesy respective of their positions, but few things of importance were discussed. Shingen left the meeting making just one request of the Ikko Administrator - to meet with the reclusive Shonyo. Jutsurai was surprised by the request, but honored it all the same.

The Takeda warlord and Shonyo met on a cold afternoon, far from the city of Echizen in the mountainous stronghold of the Ikko-Ikki monk. There, the true discussion between the two powers took place. Though Jutsurai was the leader of the Republic, Shingen showed far more respect for the aging holy man than he did the de facto administrator of the Ikko-Ikki. Shonyo returned the respect shown to him and as the two talked, it was clear that neither truly wished ill or war to spring forward between the two powers. Shingen revealed the Shogun's desires to see the Ikko destroyed, but this was no surprise to Shonyo - his movement threatened the very foundation of power that had taken root in Japan. Even in the Takeda lands.

Though Shingen could not support or declare the Ikko-Ikki a friend, as his own ideaology was radically opposed, he knew that the war with the Republic would not be easy. And neither man trusted the Shogun, that was for sure. The two parted their meeting, agreeing to do everything in their power to keep the peace. To facilitate this, Shonyo returned to Echizen after almost five years in seclusion. His voice would once again push for a non-aggressive stance in the Ikko-Ikki. Jutsurai was unnerved, he had spend great efforts in modernizing the army, and now, his hands were being tied. Still, above all, Jutsurai was loyal to the Ikko-Ikki: and Shonyo was the Ikko as much as anyone could ever be.

The Ikko-Ikki republic established tenative trade rights with the Takeda Alliance. However, even as the people began to be comfortable with the peace, it was not meant to last.

Artist Depiction of the Great Famine of 1561

Japan was in crisis. Two decades of warfare through-out the islands had created a great need for food and supplies. Armies needed to be fed, great citadels could not be built without proper supplies, and in 1561 those supplies were running low. After three consecutive years of sub-par harvests even the most frugal of clans saw their storehouses running dry. There simply wasn't enough food to go around and public order began to break down as a result. The words of the Ikko-Ikki which taught equality were now on the lips of every man and woman with a growling belly. Riots broke out in many territories neighboring the Ikko Republic, demonstrations against the samurai warlords who held power. In many of these the demonstrators were rounded up and imprisoned or otherwise put down, but in Settsu and Noto provinces, this was far from the case.

Settsu was home to Osaka, a city hit hardest by the famines, and when riots broke out in late Feburary of 1561, the Hattori clan - who's power was already drastically weakened by wars and supply shortages - were unable to maintain their grip on the city. Ikko-Ikki sympathizers riled the crowds and captured the city, declaring their allegiance to the Republic. On the other side of the republic, Noto province had a much similar fate. However.. the Noto peninsular on the north side of Japan had recently been captured by the Takeda. As one can imagine, Takeda Shingen was not at all pleased by this. In the interests of diplomatic relationship, he requested Noto to be returned. For the first time since the death of Sadayu, there was complete agreement between Jutsurai and Shonyo. Noto was the property of the Ikko Republic.

Shonyo could not justify turning his back upon people who believed in the Ikko as strongly as these people did, they had been forced to rise up and take action, much as he and the rest of the Ikko-Ikki had done. Not out of a desire to conquer, but out of necessity. Jutsurai was in agreement, but for different reasons. He believed that bowing to a clan, even an honorable one like the Takeda, would be seen as a weakness...

Shingen responded quickly if the Republic would not return what lands were rightly his, he'd take them back by force.In the summer of 1561 he launched a campaign into Noto. Local Ikko forces were smashed and routed with little difficulty and the province was quickly re-secured by the Takeda Clan. Shingen was pressing his advantage on Kaga, the very heart of the Ikko Republic. Perhaps both parties were indeed reluctant, but war had come anyway.

The Shogun's two most powerful threats were about to have the biggest war the Sengoku had ever seen...

The Battle of Komatsu
September 1561
Belligerents: Ikko Republic vs Takeda Clan
Commanders: Hajikano Yukiie vs Takeda Shingen

Kaga province was directly to the south-west of Noto, and was one of the original homes to the Ikko-Ikki rebellion, home to the fanatical Kanazawa sect of the Ikko-Ikki, it had provided some of the finest warriors who had ever served in the Republic's wars. Takeda Shingen was determined to end the war against the Ikko as quickly as possible. In fact, after he had captured Noto he had sent peace envoys to the capital at Echizen. It was no surprised that after seeing their brethren subjugated and slaughtered that the administration was in no mood to talk.

An early snowfall in Kaga had made the march particularly difficult for the Takeda force, which was a well balanced mix of archers, ashigaru and samurai. Near the small town of Komatsu, Shingen had hoped to secure a campsite and perhaps wait out the weather until a clearer day. However, his scouting forces found the town nearly empty. No one in sight, not even the smallest child or the stray bark of a dog. As his cavalry branched out, screening through the nearby forest, they soon discovered why.

A huge Ikko-Ikki force was waiting in the dense woods, and as the Takeda horseman caught sight of them, they came under concentrated archer fire. Word was quickly passed to Shingen, who began to organize his men into battle formation. He had not expected to see the Ikko-Ikko here of all places. He'd counted on them staying closer to Kanazawa. Instead, Hajikano Yukiie, having been promoted after the battle of Toadiji, had snuck his men down from the provincial capital and had meant to catch Shingen in a deadly ambush. The Takeda forces had narrowly escaped a disaster through the use of scouting.

Shingen assumed direct command of his cavalry divisions and led them into the forest. Through masterful feints, he managed to keep the Ikko-Ikki pinned in place, with Yukiie unable to commit forces one way or another. The Takeda faked charge after charge, paralyzing the Ikko as infantry entered the forest.

Yukiie pushed forward as Shingen withdrew back to his lines, meeting the charge head..

The two sides smashed together forcing the Ikko-line off balance within moments of the first action. A gap had opened in the center of the Ikko line, forcing a charge from the reserves. The warrior monks charged into the gap, intent to shut it and stop the takeda. Their ferocity tore into the Takeda center and forced Shingen on his heels. In desperation, he led his cavalry around both flanks, probing for any weakness.

But weakness was not something an Ikko force displayed. Screaming loud and chanting their great battle cries. They met the dreaded Takeda cavalry in combat, holding their ground despite the legendary charge of said force.

Near the center a leafless, frozen tree had become the focal point of the worst of the carnage. The finest foot samurai in service to the Takeda clan went toe to toe with the Kanazawa Warrior Monks. Famed for their skill in the bow, the monks were also incredibly dangerous with in close combat. As the Ashigaru struggled near and around them, the very presence of such warriors filled the Ikko-Ikki with pride and inspiration, inspiring greater deeds of heroism.

Such heroism even brought down the mighty Takeda Shingen. As he withdrew from an engagement and repositioned, an arrow struck his neck, sending the warlord down into the ground unceremoniously. Yet even his loss did not deter the enemy enough to end the fight. Baba Yasutane, one of Shingen's most trusted generals, took up the mantle of his fallen daimyo and continued to press the attack.

The Ikko-Ikki were being pushed backward. The flanks were giving way, and the center - which until that point had been anchored by the ferocious warrior monks, was thinning. Without reinforcements Yukiie knew he couldn't hold, the Takeda had simply brought too many samurai for his forces to counter... that is where reality must give way to folklore, for no reports survive to add proof to this story. According to legend, the leader of the Ikko Monks approached Yukiie and demanded that he withdraw his forces. The warrior monks were holding the center, and could hold it long enough for the Ikko-Ikki to withdraw safely.

Did Yukiie recieve "permission" to withdraw? Was he demanded to? The fact remains that he did, leaving the warrior monks alone in the center against the entire Takeda Force. He withdrew as many men as he could just as the flanks collapsed and disappeared deeper into the forest, escaping into the country-side with the survivors and leaving the rest of the holy men of Kanazawa to die. Takeda clan battlefield reports from Kaga tell a freightening tale, that even completely surrounded the monks refused to give up, refused to surrender, and made the Takeda pay for every man they slew with ten of their own. It is likely a heavy exaggeration...

The battle of Komatsu ended just a little after 4:00 pm local time, but thousands of men lay dead by its end, among them the warlord who had united eastern Honshu. Hajikano Yukiie was forced to pull back and so was the interim commander of the Takeda campaign, Baba Yasutane. He returned to Noto Province, forced to wait for reinforcements to press against Kaga again.

In the aftermath of the battle two immediate things took place. The first would be the spread of the epic Komatsu, popularized by many artists and poems of the time, it tells the story of the brave monks who held the line at the battle, despite all odds, and gave their lives to protect the retreat of the common man. The second: a new man would succeed to power in the Takeda Alliance. A man who was about to embark on a course of action that would unite all of the Republic against him.

[Populus Romanus]

Wow! War with the Takeda was not what I was expecting, I had no idea that they had grown so powerful. It will truly be an epic clash then!

[Monk]

VI. The War for Kaga

Takeda Shingen was dead, Japan's most famous and powerful warlord lain low by the humblest of warriors, the Ikko-Ikki though none within the Republic celebrated his death. The Takeda Alliance and the Ikko-Ikki were reluctant enemies to one another from the start, social disagreements, and the right of control of Noto had kept them apart and ultimately lead one of the finest tacticians in the east to his death. All of Japan mourned the loss of such a legendary figure, even his enemies in the Republic.

With Shingen dead power in the Takeda Alliance passed to his son, Takeda Michinori. A skillful and rutheless soldier, Michinori had spent his early twenties fighting against the Date in the North. When peace between the Alliance and the northern clans was finally brought about, it is rumored that Michinori had his greatest rival from the clan assassinated. Now at the age of 31 (a child in comparison to Jutsurai and Shonyo, who were both in their 50s!) he assumed control of the largest political entity in Japan. He wasted little time. Within two weeks of his taking power he sent calls to both the Imagawa and Tokugawa, requesting their entrace into the war. However, the warlord would be denied.

The Great Famine gripped the land and strained supplies to their breaking point. Both clans had warned the Takeda not to engage in warfare while their ability to fight was hindered, but Shingen had gone forward with his invasion plans regardless. Michinori could hardly be angry with the responses of his allies. Baba Yasutane, commander in-field of his troops, had been forced to pull back all the way to Hida province near the heart of Takeda territory! With supplies limited and a bitter winter on the horizon, Michinori's campaigns would have to wait, but paths to vengeance are varied - and not all require an army. On December 13th, 1561 in the mountains of Echizen, Shonyo was reportedly meditating with two of his most trusted guards and advisors. Early the next morning all three men were found dead, and no sign or trace of their killer(s) could be located. His death would send shockwaves throughout all of Japan, not just the Republic. Shonyo, leader of the Ikko-Ikki movement, the man who had started everything with his teachings was gone. Murdered by a man too cowardly to show his face. Many clans rejoiced at the news, as the Ikko-Ikki's republic was a direct threat to their authority and ability to rule. But just as many regretted the death of such a great man. Tokugawa Ieyasu is said to have been one of the latter. No proof or evidence ever linked Michiyori to Shonyo's death, but that didn't stop Jutsurai..

The forests near Kanazawa, late September 1563

Jutsurai cast Michinori as the man who had taken Shonyo's life, as if the Takeda Daimyo himself had stepped across the border and assassinated the aging monk. To him, there was no difference, and the people of the Republic were soon convinced as much. Shonyo had been something of a symbol for the republic since its founding, almost a fatherly figure. As the people mourned him, Jutsurai's campaign of vengeance against the Takeda took root easily. More importantly, he was no the final member of the original Republic 'trinity'. With few men as powerful as he left, he was the Ikko-Ikki. More so than anyone else could ever claim. And soon, the people believed his words just as sure as a sun rise. Michiyori was responsible. The Takeda were responsible.

1562 dawned and the famines began to passed. Bountiful harvests once more blessed Japan and the clans began the slow march to recovery. While the crisis would not be officially declared over until a year later, the worst had passed. Meanwhile in the eastern half of Honshu, the two sides in the Ikko-Takeda war began to rearm..

Battle of Kanazawa

November, 1563
Belligerents: Ikko Republic vs Takeda Clan
Commanders Matsunaga Hirotsugu | Suwa Akitsuna, Yamadara Fugumichi

After his withdrawal from battle at Komatsu, Hajikano Yukiie faced increasing scrutiny in regards to his willingness and dedication to the Ikko-Ikki. With his long time rival, Hirotsugu, being one of his biggest ditractors many in the Ikko Militia felt he didnt have the stomach for command. Although Yukiie had the support of Jutsurai, the fact of the matter remains that beneath his command an entire military sect of the Ikko had been lost. As reinforcements arrived from all over the Republic, it was Hirotsugu who was given command of them, and not Yukiie. The famed warrior was not at all pleased by the turn of events, taking orders from an old warhorse like Hirotsugu was almost too much for him. Still, he complied. Despite the tension between the two commanders, their position in Kaga province strengthened every day as men of the Ikko arrived ready to fight.

Takeda Michinori however was through with waiting. After two long years of rebuilding and rearming his forces were ready for another round in Kaga. However, the troops now beneath the command of the Takeda were not the samurai heavy armies that had seen action two years prior. Still in the process of training replacements, the army that marched into Kaga in late August was largely an ashigaru force. However, they had quite a surprise for their Ikko-Ikki enemies.



Guns, brought to Japan through trade with westerners were now deployed by the Takeda. What better way to test a new way of war than against your worst enemy? The Takeda force advanced quickly through Kaga, but the dense forests in and around Kanazawa prevented thorough scouting. The Takeda commanders were on edge as they moved through the province, and with good reason.



Blocking their advance was a huge Ikko-Ikki force, and unfortunately for the Takeda, they didn't spot them until it was too late.



A hail of arrows slammed into the Takeda lines from deep within the tree-line, drawing the takeda out of formation and jumbling their organization. They returned fire, arrows and bullets whizzing through the trees as the two sides raced toward one another. At the edge of the trees both sides struggled against one another. As they clashed it became clear that both sides were about equal. Like two super heavyweights the two armies slugged it out in the cool autumn shade. While Hirotsugu pinned the Takeda along the trees, Yukiie led the cavalry in a wide arch around the right flank. It was the same tactic they had employed in the final battle against the Hattori, and when they came charging home, not even the Takeda forces could hold back their tide.



It was a perfect flank attack. The Takeda force crumbled as both of the eastern generals tried to organize a retreat. Only Yamadara Fugumichi, who had been in command of the left collumn, managed to withdraw his men with some semblance of order. Suwa Akitsuna, who had been sucked toward the center of the line, fled for his life. As did many of his loyal troops! With the battle won, Hirotsugu attempted to press his advantage, but he would be denied.

Despite their defeat at Kanazawa the Takeda forces did not retreat from Kaga province. Fugumichi organized a successful harassment on the Ikko-Ikki camps while the rest of the Takeda army was still in disarray, buying them the preciously needed time to regroup. By the time he pulled back to regroup with the rest of his allies, the Ikko-Ikki force was exhausted, having spent days chasing a highly mobile force through the back woods of Kaga. Still, Hirotsugu declared it a great victory for the republic and vowed to press his advantage at the earliest chance. Yukiie, who had always been called a glory-hound by his superior, was praised for his timely and decisive charge. Though neither men could truly stand the other, they could perhaps admit they made a good team..

Second Battle of Kanazawa
March, 1564
Belligerents: Ikko Republic vs Takeda Clan
Commanders: Matsunaga Hirotsugu | Yamadara Fugumichi

Unfortunately, Hirotsugu would have to wait nearly four months to press his advantage. The harrassment of Fugumichi proved to be very effective. Units of sometimes four or five gunners and archers picked and prodded at the Ikko-Ikki every time they tried to advance. Using the trees and woods for cover, it proved incredibly difficult to pin them down in the open. When the first snows of the year came, it was all but impossible. However, Jutsurai had a surprise for his embattled commander. The Ikko-Ikki were not backwards or slow to adopt new ideas. When the Takeda had deployed guns against them, the Ikko were quick to adapt.

Fugumichi was in a tough position. His lines of supply had already been tested to their limit as his men wintered in Kaga, and with news of Ikko-Ikki reinforcements on the march from Echizen, it would be harder and harder to continue his harassment and irregular style fighting. As spring came, he knew he still had time to make one final push for Kanazawa before the Ikko-Ikki mustered enough strength to overwhelm him.. and push he did.



Unfortunately, his push was met with the thunder of the Ikko-Ikki gunners. As he advanced, Fugumichi found that his best troops, the samurai archers who had made his harassment so effective, were being targeted first! Almost on the exact same piece of land as the first battle of Kanazawa, the two sides clashed in a messy melee. Unlike the first battle, which had taken place rather neatly on the edge of the tree line, this battle saw the lines quickly collapse into chaos.



But this kind of fight was, by now, the Ikko-Ikki specialty. As the Takeda lines of communications broke down, Hirotsugu organized charge after charge. As the takeda center began to gave way, Yukiie came around the side with the Ikko Cavalry, pressing home - never once letting up the pressure. Fugumichi tried to hold in the center, but his men were getting beaten and picked apart. In front of them they fought fearsome warrior monks and brave ashigaru. To the left of them, cavalry harassed and charged home only to withdraw and do it all over. And to the right, Ikko gunners picked at their flank. Firing volley after volley. By early afternoon, the battle had ended.



Fugumichi was in full retreat. Hirotsugu had made good on his word and thrown the Takeda forces out of Kaga province. As more and more Ikko-Ikki arrived near the battlefield at Kanazawa it was only a matter of time until they went on the offensive.

[Populus Romanus]

Another great update!

The Takeda force crumblerd as both

Should that be "crumbled"?

[Monk]

Another great update!

Should that be "crumbled"?

Indeed. Thank you for the correction. I typically catch most of the glaring errors but its normal for smaller ones to slip through.

I'm glad you enjoyed this update.

[Monk]

Looks like this AAR is simply cursed.

The main Hard Drive that had all the replays, save files and screenshots related to this AAR died last night and i'm currently posting from my laptop. What does this mean? Well, it means I can't update this any further - since i can't exactly continue.

To those who have been reading: Thank you. I hope you enjoyed what I was able to complete before the technical failure. Must admit I'm a little upset this happened, this was shaping up to be an incredible end-game. The war with the Takeda had progressed for 6 more years after the last update but that's not all. I'd just hit Realm Divide.. The Republic was fighting a two front war against Takeda and Shogunate Forces - if the hard drive hadn't failed, i likely would have seen the fall of the Republic within ten years!

Once more, thank you for reading along and enjoying this story. Even though we didn't see the conclusion, Shogun 2 has some amazing narrative potential. If you haven't already I highly encourage the purchase of the Ikko-Ikki DLC, as well as Shogun 2.

[Populus Romanus]

So sad.

[mambaman]

What a shame-this was an excellent AAR and one that I was very much enjoying-told in a good factual narrative style almost like a good history book

Hope you do more mr-well done

[Monk]

What a shame-this was an excellent AAR and one that I was very much enjoying-told in a good factual narrative style almost like a good history book

Hope you do more mr-well done

I'm glad you enjoyed what I was able to finish. Its unfortunate my old HD died when it did.

This style is pretty popular and it happens to be my favorite for AARs. I really love the narrative driven stuff, intermixed with screenshots. In this aar i tried to make the reader forget they were, in fact, reading an AAR (in a sense) until they saw the screenshots. Its always a challenge and highly rewarding when I hear from readers what they thought.

Again, thank you for reading. Maybe I can be roused to do another should inspiration strike, seeing as I have a brand new HD in my desktop/gaming computer.

[mambaman]

Do do Monk-sign me up right here mr!