ODA ~ From Such Humble Beginnings

[Wishazu]

Thanks Ares I`ll be posting the next update tomorrow.

[gollum]

i play without disbands and without manual pillaging. So if i was in your place i d give up the holdings around Aki while making sure that in the process the bulk of my lower quality forces gets destroyed in order to get out of debt. Then i would take whoever is worth keeping back to Owari and start a new. As long as you hold Owari and Mikawa there is hope, especially if you can get some teppo in your hands.

Nice AAR.



!it burnsus!

[Wishazu]

ODA ~ Desperate Gamble

Summer, 1563 Survivors from Buzen have turned up in Aki. They were able to enlighten me as to exactly what happened during the battle. It appears that as reported, Genshin was attempting to lure away a large formation of enemy infantry so that our own infantry would have a numeric advantage in the centre. He had also placed a small reserve force on the far right flank concealed in a small wood, they were to wait for the Shimazu forces to be fully engaged across the centre before hitting them in the rear. However the enemy general was more cunning than Genshin gave him credit for and had also kept a large force of swordsmen in reserve, concealed by the heavy fog they moved quielty forward and were able to hit our own ambushers in the rear. The impetus of the charge carried to the centre of our lines where they burst through. With no one left to plug the hole and the army cut cleanly in half the outcome was a foregone conclusion. Genshin was able to return to the centre and organise a hasty withdrawal but was caught up in the confusion and killed. The survivors were able to escape to Chikuzen where they linked up with the local garrison. Realising all was lost they moved on Hizen. There they were able to steal enough ships to take them back to Aki. It would appear that all is not lost in the east. Apparently the victorious Shimazu army was severely bloodied and if reports are correct they do not have the manpower to threaten Aki in the near future. We may have lost the battle but perhaps Lord Shimazu has learned that a war with me will be very costly indeed. I have despatched an emmissary to see if Shimazu is willing to discuss a ceasfire. I need time to rebuild and re-arm.

Winter, 1563 My emmissary reports success. Lord Shimazu agrees that further bloodshed is pointless and has agreed to a ceasefire.

Summer, 1564 I have received a message from a samurai in my service in Chikuzen. He has organised a revolt there without my orders and taken the province from Shimazu. It appears the ceasefire will be over and my reputation will now suffer as a result. If by some miracle this man survives his adventure in Chikuzen I will order him to commit seppuku.

Autumn, 1564 Well the forces loyal to me in Chikuzen have been wiped out, as was to be expected. I doubt Lord Shimazu will believe any explanation I could give him for this unfortunate event. Katsuie has been told to prepare defences and wait for the Shimazu assault.

Spring, 1565 Reports from the west indicate that the new Lord Imagawa has been killed in battle and his clan has disintegrated. It would seem his rebellion was never really able to gain a foothold anywhere. I must look elsewhere for allies.



Autumn, 1565 As I write this I am trapped under siege in my castle in Mino. My spies had reported no build up of troops along our border so we were unprepared for the attack by the Saito. I took my army into the field but we were outnumbered and my army was swiftly defeated. I can only hope that Nobunaga will get here soon to relieve me as there is very little food.



Winter, 1565 Nobunaga arrived yesterday and drove off the Saito army. I have sent an emmissary to broach the subject of an alliance with Lord Hojo.

Spring, 1566 This last winter has affected me more than any before, I guess I am just getting too old for campaigning now. I am not ready to retire yet as I find this exhilirating despite my advancing years. With the army depleted in Mino I consulted with Nobunaga and we decided to abandon Mino. This was a fortuitous decision as we returned to Owari just in time to see off a large force of Ronin and bandits. I received word this week that Lord Hojo has declined to enter into an alliance with me.

Autumn, 1566 Received a proclamation from the Emperor. He has declared his support for a new Shimazu Shogunate and requires me to submit. I have refused.



With increased bandit activity in the region, the Hojo increasing in strength on my borders and the Shimazu closing in from the east I have decided to risk everything on a desperate gamble. I have abandoned the provinces around Owari and invaded Kyushu via Hizen. Shimazu has left his soft underbelly dangerously exposed and I cannot pass up this chance for glory. I have not abandoned Owari however, a strong garrison will remain, it is afterall my homeland. The Shimazu forces in Hizen fled to their castle before I could destroy them, I have placed it under siege.

Winter, 1566 The siege in Hizen is over. I am going to stay here as another winter`s campaigning may be the end of me.

Spring, 1567 Naito Hidemasa, the commander of the survivors of Genshin`s army has attacked Kyushu from Nagato and taken Buzen without a fight. Loyalists once again revolted in Chikuzen and Nobunaga assisted them in bringing the province back under my control. I have led the rest of the army into Chikugo and taken the province once again without a fight. Lord Shimazu must place great emphasis on his troops abilities to run as it is almost impossible to catch them. Uesugi has accepted my offer of an alliance.

Autumn, 1567 My son, Nobuharu has finally entered service with my army. I hope he will bring honour to our name. Nobunaga and Hidemasa have attacked Bungo and placed the castle under siege.

Winter, 1567 My sons all appear to be growing up fast as Nobukane has entered service with my army in Aki. I hope he will learn well from Katsuie. I could not sit idly by this winter whilst my subordinates are gaining glory in the field. I attacked and took Higo. It will not be long before all of Kyushu is under my control. I only hope I will live long enough to see it.

Spring, 1568 My emmissary in Musashi is dead. This can only be the work of Lord Hojo. He was however too late to disrupt the birth of my alliance with the Uesugi. I have however had cause to celebrate this season. My young wife has given birth to another son, we have named him Hidetsugu. Hideyoshi has now entered service with my army and is currently stationed with the garrison in Aki.

Summer, 1568 Nobunaga informs me that the long siege in Bungo is finally over. I now control the sea lanes to Shikoku.

Autumn, 1568 Hideyoshi has joined Katsuie in Bingo. Nobunaga has attacked and taken Hyuga.

Winter, 1568 I have attacked and taken Satsuma and placed the castle under siege. The main enemy force has fled to Osumi and are contained there. I received a message today from my spies in the west, Lord Hojo has been murdered and his son now rules the clan.



Spring, 1569 I attacked and destroyed the last free Shimazu forces in Kyushu. Surrounded in Osumi and with nowhere left to run I finally got the battle I had been waiting for.



It was a rather short affair but the Shimazu did not go down easily. We had to kill every last one of them.

Autumn, 1569 Naito Hidemasa has ended the siege in Satsuma. I feel it would now be prudent to quit public life and allow Nobunaga to begin taking control. I have begun to feel aches in every joint and constant bouts of sickness. The end is near, I can feel it.

Spring, 1570 All resistance in Kyushu has ended and the entire island is now mine. I will not continue further with this journal but I will ensure that it is passed to my son when I die.



Overview
Well I`ve abandoned one half of my empire. I was going to abandon Aki but when it came to it, Kyushu was just too tempting to resist. My next move is going to be to move on Shikoku and take that island, then I will probably just try to and do a straight sweep across the map

[patdj]

A tactical masterpiece!

I'm in a trance of deep admiration.

[gollum]

You pulled it off - it was the right thing to do since Kyushu its a dead end and always as such safe. From now it falls into line after this you ll take the upper hand pretty quickly especially as you make some money.

Nicely done.

!it burnsus!

[Thermal]

woo! you work fast, great turn around, though it is a poor area for money generally

[Wishazu]

Cheers guys. The decision to abandon everything around Owari to invade Hizen came to me in a moment of clarity haha. It took all of about 5 seconds to decide to go through with it.

There is one worrying factor though in this campaign. I have seen a couple of Hojo Geisha`s moving about. They havn`t bothered me yet...

[gollum]

There is one worrying factor though in this campaign. I have seen a couple of Hojo Geisha`s moving about. They havn`t bothered me yet...

They will eventually - also Hojos frontier seems to start the weeping of teh northeast. better reach Kawachi asap and barricade in Kawachi/Harima/Tajima.

As for the area being poor its deceptive - you can make tons of money especially if you accept both the Portuguese and Dutch and queue uo both their trading posts. Kyushu plains are also very lucrative.

Barricade and start building ninja houses with eventually aiming for your own Charlies Angels. Remember to spy on the Geishas to see who they are targeting and if its your daimyo and heirs start port hoping to avoid them. Enemy geishas get only worst in time as they accumulate experience - and you are still far off from reaching the geisha house of Hojo it seems.

!it burnsus!