Help with Historical Campaign battle: Shizugatake [Archive]

Foonslice

09-09-2001, 05:57

I've been playing Sogun for ages and have completed Campaign mode with most clans. I've also completed every other Historical campaign apart from Toyotomi Hideyoshi. I simply can't beat battle 2: Shizugatake.

For those who need a reminder, you start off with your army split into two incredibly inconvenient sections. One section is facing Arquebusiers and Yari units and consists of Yari Samurai & Yari Ashigaru, along with some yari cavalry. The other section has loads of archers along with an unacceptably small group of Yari Ashi', which are simply not enough to hold off the advancing Yari Cavs.

This battle would be quite easy to win if these were the only enemy forces on the map, I could pull back and better arrange my forces. Unfortunatly there are two groups of Battlefield Ninja on the field between my groups and pulling the archers back will get them killed to buggery.

Any help here would be appreciated, ta very much. Like I said, I'm very experienced with Shogun so I don't need anything obvious pointed out (like "hey man don't charge Yari Cavs with your archers") but I think that this battle is very hard.

Mind you this is only the second of six in this Historical Campaign so who knows what I'll think of the next four!

kain

09-09-2001, 07:06

I had trouble with this one because my general (in the unacceptably small unit of No-Dachi) got attacked and killed by the BF Ninja in the opening seconds, so after getting murdered violently a few times the first thing I did was to re-deploy my Yari Cav + Naginata Cav next to my general. These should be able to run down the ninjas although you still have to be very careful.

Then line up your archers in 2 rank units to get the max. number shooting at the enemy cavalry. All the archers should already be in range. Like you say there is no point in trying to pull your archers away - they will get attacked and routed. Advance the unit of Ashigaru towards the closest unit of enemy cavalry (as you collide you should be partially in a forest which makes things easier for you) and leave them alone as they slice up the Yari Cav.
When the rest of the enemy cavalry charge at your archers drop your bows and counter-charge them. Do this before they reach level ground as all you need to do is hold up the enemy cavalry until your Yari Cav/spearmen can get there. The enemy will also lose their charge bonus (which is basically what Yari Cavalry rely on). Leave your archers in a long line 2 or 3 ranks deep as you charge as you will get many more men in combat.

On your other flank pull all your Yari spearmen and Yari ashigaru back up the hill slightly and closer to your archers, but still facing the main enemy group (ie the spearmen and gunners). Once your Yari Cav. have dealt with the BF ninja send them over to help out your archers. Try and get a flank charge. Also send up a unit of Yari Ashigaru as fast as you can to assist your archers. You must not let the enemy cav. cut through your archers as they can then charge all your close combat units in the rear and downhill.
Your archers will most likely be mauled and left useless but that is just something you have to deal with. Any archer units left over when the enemy cav are destroyed/routed can be grouped and used as close combat units. Charging downhill they are still pretty effective.

Never charge any of your cavalry into enemy units in the large forest directly forwards of your position. Your cavalry units will have been seriously weakened by the BF Ninja but are still very useful in close combat.

By this time the enemy arquebusiers will have started shooting at you. Arrange all your units in lines 2 or 3 deep and slowly (ie march - 1 mouse click) advance downhill towards the rest of the enemy. Send what is left of your cavalry round to the right. As the armies close the gap break into a charge. This bit is tricky as the enemy still outnumbers you and has quality close combat troops (No-Dachi) whereas you have ashigaru (YES!!! praise the lord!!). I think I won with some luck as the battle suddenly ended even though I looked like I was losing - maybe you have to kill a certain % of the enemy army. Charge some of your cavalry into the enemy gunners that will most likely have taken up a position on the low hill behind where most of the combat is taking place. Charge the rest (preferably the Naginata Cav.) into the rear of the enemy's close combat units.

Yes the level is a bitch.