Hojo ~ Verge of Disaster

**Thermal** · 01-26-2009, 23:31

I realize i must tread carefully now, early success can be ruined by later disaster, and so i use my spies to create more havoc than ever before, dishonorable perhaps, but needless deaths when simple subterfuge is the all that is needed is a waste of good men.
My spies are so numerous and so efficient, the Takeda shogunate will be plagued for his lifetime with local peasantry who hate his rule with a godlike passion...

They were freed a few seasons later, within this time I declined an offered alliance from the Uesugi, and accepted one from Oda and Shimazu clans, any potential allies will be invaluble when surrounded by these rebel scumbags.

Imagawa must have control of Aki now, he will likely be the strongest of all factions soon...

And after the Takeda's fall, i realize that i must face the men i gathered in order to restore Izu and defend my border efficiently....and my son came of age that same year, fate perhaps? that he be tested straight away, this battle held great things for my Son. And his report only encourages me to believe hes a general even worthier than of myself.

'Izu was a hilly and small region, the day was so windy that i was blinded at certain parts of the day, the weather fine until the battle, when a menacing grim coveted over the horizon.

My Father, my Leader generously sent me his best spearmen and archers to fight alongside me, the peasantry we faced were organized groups of archers and levies, but they were strong enough to destroy the Mighty Takeda warlord, and so nerves began to attack me, as much as i hate to confess. Finally upon going up one hill, by a cluster of trees the enemy were sighted, unprepared were both sides, as i marched my army frantically into cover while my opponent fired confused shots in an attempt to attack us in our weakest position, something they did with minor success, 7 of the best Samurai spearmen fell to the ground, i felt so responsible, so guilty, i knew of them not, yet under my command did they die, i assembled my archers on higher ground with rampant anger, and soon a missile war began.

My archers were superior, i cannot lie and say it was me, but them who saved the day, the rebels were in disarray for most of the fight, and there hesitation and constant reforming lessened there firepower and increased my own mens confidence, that i secretly stole from them upon the battles beginning. Soon so few enemies existed that i myself charged the spear men into the last of my enemies levies, they had us running around Izu for so long that we were all exhausted and sceptic, but eventually, the day was finished, and for the first time i killed a man today, it didn't bother me i felt nothing as a skewered some old ashigaru on my spear, nothing but the sweet smell of success with each and every blow we inflicted.

After what must have been the longer part of the day, the result was clear, and i had earned Izu in the name of my Father and for the Hojo's honour!'

With this superb result, re-building soon began and a peaceful few seasons went ahead, but as the nearby Uesugi grew stronger, i eventually used sabotage against them too....
Musashi with a colossal good quality army, a fine commander and a river crossing would be suicidal on any battlefield, only my incite of rebellion has not had the desired effect, but merely aid the rebels even more, my situation is strong now, but without movement soon, it could turn dire.

There retreat, unless it provokes Uesugi to attack, is not desirable....

I may have to consolidate with my son on this one, and my personal advisors, among this court, what do you think? I am turning into an old man now and a second opinion is always welcome when in my Clans interest.

**patdj** · 01-27-2009, 00:42

When I played the Hôjô I was rather lucky because my foes crushed themselves, leaving me a rather plain path to advance. My route was 1. Suruga, 2. Musashi, 3. Shinano. I did this with 3 major armies, if I recall right, but I am sure that I did not have such a strong Imagawa against me, I think Oda kicked him badly rather early, while Uesugi had it on with 2 times reemerging Takeda and half his provinces in rebellion. I would move to Uesugis backland with Shinobi to force him split his main battle forces.

**Thermal** · 01-27-2009, 20:34

Good idea patdj

also what i forgot to include was that i went to attack musashi, but on the same turn he moved a bigger army in there, and called of the attack, i couldn't of won.

**Thermal** · 01-29-2009, 19:26

Just so everyone knows, i'm still very much doing this campiagn but finishing the next section on the weekend when i have more time and less aches!

**Wishazu** · 01-29-2009, 23:12

Looking forward to the update mate. :)

**Thermal** · 01-31-2009, 04:57

The seemingly eternal, dull seasons grated against my desire to conquer, but a wise and patient man I must be, conquering Shinano will plague me with rebellion and assaults, Suruga Is defended viciously yet evidently worth little and Musashi is quite possibly the most heavily guarded area in Japan at the moment in both land features and army....

After a whole year of nothing but setting down crops I needed to find something to do, something I would enjoy and something that would benefit our nation as a whole, a project, a challenge, a.....

Buddhist Temple. What better way to motivate my peoples and train superior warriors than to build such a fine building? Work went ahead straight away with barely a second of hesitation, I myself lead the construction team, adding my own personal designs to make this thee great temple of Japan, with only the location of the shogunate being any contest for it.

I forgot about war for a year or two, and saw that the magnificent temple was built, in just 5 seasons the paradise had been evoked, located on one of the only Sagami hills, by a lake and some large huts crowded around, the interior of my Temple was engraved with golden Letters and proverbs, pristine bamboo as pillars with an Obsidian roof that could fit half of Japan under it!

And it was while there, when training my first enthusiastic monks the art of warfare that I remembered about the spies that had been sent to Uesugi's inner provinces, and my reports indicated they were being weakened considerably, I came back to reality at last, not before another of my shinobi, telling me the Imagawa have recently conquered Shinano and are even weaker!

War brought out the worst in me, yet i felt a duty to engrave a legendary legacy for my peoples. But in the end while pleading it was best for our clan, i met my own wants and attacked the weaker Imagawa, those who were friends not so long ago and left the Uesugi alone simply through numbers, I didn't want any long winded fight and I could at least hope this would spell the end of all wars outright.

But then, I failed my peoples again, i couldn't face the Imagawa shogun in battle, I had betrayed him, we both knew it, and while we outnumbered him secretly I wanted my men to lose just as a way to comfort myself, pathetically in the knowledge that he had gotten his revenge.

But he retreated and Suruga was ours The commander sent me this letter;
'Lord Imagawa rode down the musky hills as a lone rider and eyed my units of spearmen with eloquent curiosity then finally shouted out.
'Where is your master?'
I failed to reply, I didn't know the answer
'If he wants this territory, then he can have it, there is no way we can fight an army like this, you must quadruple are numbers, so have your land this day coward'
With that he flew against the wind on his stallion and merged into the sunset. And by orders we did exactly that, Suruga was indeed ours, no traps or ambush, nothing.'

Now I was more depressed than ever, and just when i was ready to go over the edge my son helped me like no other could, he told me he would help me train the monks and then lead them to battle himself, his experience a necessity and his motivation an inspiration and fulfilled his promise he did. Before we knew it Warrior monks and samurai Archery were embedded into every border of our territory, ready to strike like a tiger in long grass upon sighting an injured deer. Totomi Fell again without a fight, as Imagawa pushed up through Uesugi Rebels in an attempt to migrate from trouble, they clearly didn't want war and I let my cruel demeanor take advantage of that, taking and pillaging Shinano, and still he refused to fight.

Upon taking Shinano, this vast and mountainous province Kozuke was now incredibly vulnerable, with Shinano secure my son advised me that removing garrisons from Sagami and Kai was now much more feesible with less potential enemies, and I knew already that my greed and cowardice would lead me to Kozuke, compensating one dis honorable victory with another couldn't be more immoral, but upon arrival Victory was one thing my troops knew was unachievable.

The day was beautiful, if pathetic fallacy is to take place in life then we were sure to do well, but we were not favoured, as the first Uesugi flag was sighted masses of rebels were too, my shinobi were now so effective they ruined my best laid plans, even worse I left my bodyguard at Kai, to arrogant to bring them and so I guided the Archers through the Kozuke passes, the Rebellion lay still and now that victory was out of the question, so was letting Uesugi keep there province, and letting the rebels rule over this territory was now even more preferable than letting the Uesugi have it and expand any further.

I faced a military genius it would seem, as my men were quaking after approaching the Uesugi and there barking commander, but we were puzzled, only the commanders spearmen were on the field, reports suggested more and i took this into account in diversity as there was cover nearby. Before even realizing it my men were charging into his men half-heartedly, few men there may have been, but even with the use of a wedged charge to the rear, his spearmen inflicted brutal casualties to my disheartened soldiers.

It was only when the commander fled that the rest of his army emerged, they were red in anger, with hate cascading from there faces. And this ruined there abilities, his archery charged into my spearmen but to no avail that they did so.

After there defeat, the rebellion began to move back, and without even realizing we had won the battle, All of my worries suddenly went away as i felt that God helped us, and that we were chosen to lead japan to an era of peace and prosperity!

It was hard to take in the deaths we suffered, but the dead will be remembered as great men and there bodies to be sent back to Sagami for burial by the temple.

After the battle I pillaged Kozuke with my men, and then withdrew, while the heroic blood ran through me, while the God's favored me running the risk of spreading my forces to thin was too high.

And for what was an uneventful time, recently My clan has expanded marvelously. And I'm proud my peoples have stood by an old fool like me, when I could have lead them to there deathbeds.