Mongol Invasion Campaign

[Martok]

I did it on normal, of course I'm not a great cavalry commander so I autoed most of my battles.

What bugs me is that you have no control over your reinforcements. Time, place, numbers, unit types, etc., are all determined by the game. I'm sure that many simply look upon that as a challenge and enjoy it as such, but personally it drives me nuts!

[Wasp]

Ah Martok, that irritates me too, especially on bridge battles where the enemy reinforcements would just appear on my side of the map - a place their original force strived to get to!

It would've been nice, yeah..

[Martok]

Ah Martok, that irritates me too, especially on bridge battles where the enemy reinforcements would just appear on my side of the map - a place their original force strived to get to!

It would've been nice, yeah..

Actually, I was referring to the Mongols' inability to control their reinforcements on the campaign map.

Your point is valid as well, however -- it's one of the few things in the game that I really wish would've been improved.

[Wasp]

Actually, I was referring to the Mongols' inability to control their reinforcements on the campaign map.

Your point is valid as well, however -- it's one of the few things in the game that I really wish would've been improved.

Oh, right

Well it was very late..

[ReluctantSamurai]

Ah Martok, that irritates me too, especially on bridge battles where the enemy reinforcements would just appear on my side of the map - a place their original force strived to get to! 

I do believe there is a patch to fix this issue.

There's always the historical camps, Drisos

Several of them present quite a good challenge

[Spongie]

...especially on bridge battles where the enemy reinforcements would just appear on my side of the map - a place their original force strived to get to!

Though it's quite fun once their main force has routed, you cross over to their side and fleeing units which entered the battlefield on your original side have to cross the bridge to rout off it. Right into your warrior monks. Crunch!

[Drisos]

Thank you all for nice reactions, and mostly thanks for reading! It was a pleasure playing the campaign.

I'm still in doubt which one to try next. Might try mongols, though I still don't like the idea. Well, I have time to think. No time for gaming this week anyway.

[caravel]

Gah! Playing as the Mongols is enough to tax one's sanity. I gave up on them after my first few attempts.

I've won the mongol campaign at least three times on the hard difficulty, never tried it on expert though. Personally I don't find it that difficult if you get off to a good start. I usually attack with the mongol units and defend with the korean ones where possible.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Gah! Playing as the Mongols is enough to tax one's sanity. I gave up on them after my first few attempts.

All of the mongol troops are good though, and their cavalry is simply devestating.

[TosaInu]

Yes, they are good.

All mongol forces are ashigaru though, that means that they are more prone to routing. Of course, the MHC (Mongol Heavy Cavalry) doesn't rout quickly. It has a high morale and very good combat.

The infantry isn't as though as the Japanese one. The cavalry is far superior, the infantry is less good. It's far from worthless though and can deal a blow.

The thunderbomber can be devastating and Korean skirmishers are best on hold/hold imho.

A tactic that usually works is to deploy your infantry out of harms way, skirmishers on hold at the front, deploy the MHC behind that or on the flank and send the MLC (Mongol Light Cavalry) forward to sting, provoke and wear out.
Remember that the MLC is a fast unit that can do decent melee too, hit and run charges on missiles work great.

March the infantry/MHC body up after some minutes. The skirmishers will throw their javelins and the Japanese will attack. Move the MHC around and backstab.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

My tactic is generally:

Make a line of infantry with a line of cavalry in front
When you get close to enemy, charge the cavalry into some ranged units
charge the infantry in behind targetting their yari samurai

If you time it right the ranged units rout just as your infantry is hitting the flanks of theirs. Instant rout, chase them down and kill them. It helps that the mongol heavy cav can probably rout a unit of yari samurai on their own.

The rebellions are what bug me most. I'm the frickin mongols, can't I slaughter a few cities and scare everyone into accepting our rule?

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Drisos you made me reinstall shogun

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I'll add my campaign here (expert, normal settings etc). First I have to say I'd forgotten how awesome the ashigaru crossbowman are:



See all the dead bodies

This was defense of Buzen first round. I put my archers, YS, and YA in the woods and the crossbowmen on the hill (as you can see). I'd concentrate all fire on a single unit and rout it, starting a chain rout. The morale truly is the weakness of the mongol troops. Of course since I couldn't chase them down they kept coming back and getting shot again. Good battle.

They invaded Chikugo, but I'd foolishly left only three units there, trying to concentrate some force in Higo. I figured taking it back would be bloody so I sacraficed the three units there. Killed 110 lost 180. I figured I'd be looking at a worse ratio assaulting it.

Defense of Hizen was a fun battle. Ashigaru crossbowmen did well. Like Drisos I concentrated my main force in the woods at the center position. I was foolish with my cavalry archers though, didn't realize I'd need them to chase the enemy down. The enemy rallied at least 8 times and had fresh reinforcements at one point, but they never charged en masse and I was able to focus on individual units and rout them.

The three ronin provinces were taken without consequence. I built a few troops port provinces.



Attack! I think the selected unit ended up being sent to Chikugo instead. Chikugo I thought would be tough but ended up easy. They had 5-6 infantry and 5-6 light cav. I had 5 archers, 5 ys, 1 ya, 1 crossbow, 1 yari cav. I sent the ashi units over as bait, they routed, sent them again. Shot down 1.5 infantry units in the process. Sent my yari cav over and ran them in a big loop around the enemy. They chased with three units. Sent the yari same over and engaged the three remaining infantry. Sent the archers in behind. Yari cav finished their loop, wove through a couple mongol units and slammed into the back of the enemy line. Rout.

Second defense of Hizen. Enemy engaged in archery war. Enemy lost badly. This time used CA to chase effectively. My general was rank 2 now which made it easy.

Assault on Chikuzen. Outnumbered them three to one. Easy victory.



This scared me. Thought that reinforcements were on there way. But I got the victory screen next turn.

[Wasp]

Wow, that's one short campaign!

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Short and sweet

Drisos, as I recall there's a "bug" where routing units get a charge bonus. Since mongol cav have a good charge they can indeed cut you up.

I wonder if your mutsu problems were a result of moving your daimyo over to kyushu. I think distance from daimyo is factored in. I didn't move mine over there in my campaign, also I assaulted the castle right away.

I played a mongol campaign before this one, but it's not as fun. I enjoy slaughtering the hojo with my cavalry and the thunder bombers/skirmirshers are cool but the campaign has some annoying features. Rebellion after rebellion, reinforcements arriving randomly. My first year of reinforcements was a single unit of mongol heavy cav. My second was a single unit of korean guardsman. Bizarre since I'd looted plenty. Ended up autocalcing to a finish. While I was fighting in Shinano I got three stacks of reinforcements in Hizen

Oh well, the hojo campaign is a lot of fun.

[Drisos]

I thought my campaign went quite well, but now you kick them within a year! Very impressive to beat three full stacks in just a few battles!

I wonder, why are the Ashigaru's Crossbowmen so good? They fire slower it seems, but if you use up their ammo they've killed more than when you do with a unit of SA.

I recall loads of rebellions too, in the mongol campaign. Indeed the people probably didn't like mongols. But, the mongols would've simply slaughtered the entire population to make sure no one rebelled..

I'll go try it sometime. Yet, will have to wait for a week or so.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Well, if you'd chosen to defend buzen and hadn't gotten that mutsu rebellion you might have done so as well.

[Martok]

Very cool, Sasaki. I congratulate you on your victory over the invaders!

I played a mongol campaign before this one, but it's not as fun. I enjoy slaughtering the hojo with my cavalry and the thunder bombers/skirmirshers are cool but the campaign has some annoying features. Rebellion after rebellion, reinforcements arriving randomly. My first year of reinforcements was a single unit of mongol heavy cav. My second was a single unit of korean guardsman. Bizarre since I'd looted plenty. Ended up autocalcing to a finish. While I was fighting in Shinano I got three stacks of reinforcements in Hizen

Oh well, the hojo campaign is a lot of fun.

That's precisely what I was referring to when I said I don't like playing as the Mongols. Reinforcements are too unpredictable -- you never know what you'll get, nor how much. (I'd actually forgotten about all the rebellions til you mentioned them just now.)

[Drisos]

Ok. Going for a Mongols vs. Hojo campaign now. Wish me luck!

Here's the story.

- The Mongol Horde vs. Hojo
- Expert.
- Conquer all regions.
- Standard unit size: 60.
- Morale, fatigue, restricted camera and limited ammunition on.
- Time limit off.

[Drisos]

Turn #1:

The Hojo do a desperate attempt to defend Chikuezen. Well... they don't stand a chance of course. I used only my 8 units of Light Cavalry actually. Lost 27, killed 552. Very easy win. Two of my units gain +1 honour.

Attacking Hizen now. Would be nice to take it, because it will keep them from sending in reinforcements by port. It will slow their reinforcements. Oh, btw, I'm leaving korean spear guys at home, don't want to give the Hojo extra armies by rebellion already..

[Drisos]

Turn #2:

Of course, some reinforcements arrived in Hizen while I attacked. Outnumbered 2 to 1. Should still be winnable though. I only need to rout them. The rest will probably we trapped in the castle.

Used the same tricks as used in Chikuezen. Attack lonely YS units from three sides, charge lonely SA and AC and YA. My Cavalry does all the work. Eventually the leftovers of his army mass rout and I chase down the remaining units. I regroup in the centre of the map, and take a rest while Hojo reinforcements arrive.
Their second wave is defeated very easily. Some YS try to engage, but they rout after a volley of my skirmishers. My cavalry once again chases loads of them down. Another easy win. Killed 977, lost 102.

My general is now 2 star. Good news. Most of my remaining cavalry now has h3.

Invading Chikugo now. Loyalty in Hizen and Chikuezen seems fine.

[Drisos]

Turn #3:

The battle in Chikugo was another easy one. They had more men, but their general messed up. They allowed us to cross the bridge unharmed. Then I moved my cavalry to the sides of their army. It split up, making it simple for me to attack YS units from front and behind the same time, instantly routing them. Killed 207, almost all. Lost 11.

The Hojo don't have defensive armies ready. But problem is, if I keep expanding now I'll have too few troops to keep loyalty high enough. I'll have to wait for reinforcements...

Moving 1 korean spear unit to Chikugo for loyalty purposes..

[Drisos]

Turn #4:

Gah. Boring. Nothing happens.

Castle in Hizen is now conquered.

Switching the stronger Hizen army for the loyalty-keeping Chikuezen army.

[Drisos]

Turn #5:

Ha! Reinforcements. In Hizen, Buzen, Nagato and Iwami. In Buzen the Hojo give up. Nagato and Iwami didn't even have a single Hojo unit. So, new territoy. Moving some from Nagato into Iwami, some from Buzen into Nagato, the reinforcements from Hizen to Chikugo. I'm attacking Bungo with the army from Chikugo, and some from Chikuezen and Buzen. Looking good for now, though in some time numerous Hojo reinforcements should arrive.

[Drisos]

Turn #6:

Ah! The Hojo attacked Buzen. Yet, the fight in Bungo was resolved first. So if I win in Buzen, it'll be seppuku for all of them. (I won easily in Bungo, they decided to retreat when I came close. Managed to catch one unit of AC, killed 57, lost 0.)

Gah! Too simple. They only bring 4 ranged units. My 3 light cavalry units make short work of those. Killed 227, lost 10.

No further attacks planned right now. Maybe next turn.

[Wasp]

Going well, I'd say

[Xehh II]

Yes, very good.

[Drisos]

Turn #7:

Lots of reinforcements are arriving in Aki. I send some troops from Nagato to Iwami, but still It will be hard to hold if they attack. Let's hope for reinforcements from my side as well...

Attacking Higo now. Overall loyalty still seems ok.

[Drisos]

Turn #8:

Attacking Higo was very simple. The Hojo didn't keep their army together, making it very easy to rout single units by attacking from the rear. This way I killed almost the entire army. Killed 298 (2 of them survived), lost 7.

The Hojo attacked Iwami, as I expected. I'm not sure what to do. It's about 600 vs. 1500. It could be done, but it's hard.
Ah, I won! Again, Mongol Cavalry did most of the work. I lost pretty much of them though. Ah well, lets hope we get some new from reinforcements.

Battle result:



Best not attack more right now. Enough trouble with loyalty already.

[Drisos]

Turn #9:

Ah. Reinforcements at last. In Nagato and Iwami. Including my first thunderbombers and Heavy Cavalry! I can now make a pretty rough defense in Iwami.

Attacking Satsuma now. It's a troop training region so will be good to take it.

[Wasp]

That translation seems a bit silly

Still, killing over 1400 - impressive!