Hojo ~ Verge of Disaster

[patdj]

Nicely written.

Watch out if expanding towards north/north-west. With the Shimazu wave wobbling over Honshu like Flubber in person you should spare to give Oda the death blow. I would recommend to turn your head eastwards or prepare to fight a two-border war against Uesugi AND Shimazu.

[Thermal]

nice advice, I'll listen






Autumn, 1546 And I decide to give my captains more responsibility, more authority, and with it the residence in Shinano successfully assaulted Etchu with such force that the enemy fled by autumn the next year! instead of fight like real men should. With the rapidly less distant Shimazu my strategy was different now, many advisor told me pushing against Shimazu with large Uesugi armies behind me could be fatal, and so At any costs I was to destroy my eastern foe before I could build up in the west, my armies and loyal buddist monks were posted everywhere, which made me quite angry when some foreign catholic fool offered me something rather preposterous.



Not only the demand that we change religion, but also offering us the most dishonorable way of warfare, death by gun! And so it wasn't surprising that this 'trader' was sent on his way, not before considering he be shot with his own weapon! With foreigners away from our lands matters returned to the Uesugi, they were building there armies up as well as they could manage and there regions were expanding, I was now to risk destroying them completely, delay would only make there destruction harder to achieve and an attack was made, and an imitation movement was performed after attacking Kozuke.



As my army rushed into Kozuke the Uesugi rushed into Musashi on an alternative route, what there information cannot of told them is that I quickly headed back with my force, in the knowledge we could outnumber them and destroy there army, leaving Kozuke as an easy picking. On first inspection of the scene as my army quickly deployed across the bridge a tremblingly strong army approached us, some tall men in outfits rich in red, wielding a two-handed katana, about the same size as the user. These strange men had never been seen before and my men and I were cautious in consequence.



What was clear is that they could still be, like many infantry killed easily by arrow fire, I wasn't wrong as There crimson apperal was soon ripped to shreds in the prospect of arrows penetrating there rather flimsy armor, a surprise given first impressions. And like there previous attempt to capture Musashi the Uesugi were driven in taking the bridge, there predictability much to my liking. The battle felt as if it was destined for the defender as Uesugi's normal archery hordes were suppressed in occupation by damp weather and there best infantry cut down through there poor defense, the battle on the bridge however was a long and ravaging one. The Uesugi fought as one as there entire army stormed the bridge and charged frantically into my speciality, warrior monks, the clash was devastating in effect.

On one side enemy spearmen were flung into the air as my favoured warrior monks swung at the targets. Limbs spewing out from victims, Heads rolling across the middle of the chaos and many a toe and finget sliced through as the injured opponent attempted to fight hand to hand. On the other side the remainder of what were known as the 'Red swordsmen' by now thrashed there weapons into my spearmen cutting some practically into two with the odd archer attempting to fire and pierce the eyes, throats even hearts of my heroic warriors. The balance was still in my favour however as I lead my men and compressed the enemy even though they had conquered the bridge.



Soon the kills were to overwhelm my foe and there inevitable defeat had been wrought forward, the battlefield was not a pretty sight, none of it was, but the overall outcome was like gold dust as Kozuke was left unguarded.





With the amazing way my men fought, I promoted a monk to be a high commander, a legendary swordsmen, and we analyzed the 'red swordsmen' corpses in order to craft weaponery like theres, recruitment of my warrior monks could be converted to recruit some of these swordsmen too, the man I chose certainly knew how to use his sword!



And so with the defense of Musashi successful Pillaging Kozuke was all to easy, I didn't fight there but reports tell me the win was achieved with near to no loss, my views had certainly got more tolerant with age. In my youth I was frustrated by just a few deaths in my army. But I've learned death is a part of war, luckily there were near to none in Kozuke. I often wondered how long would I live? I felt well and I didn't want to die at the climax of my reign but I was approaching the age of 60 sooner than I could believe.

Top priorities for capture were now Hitachi and Shimosuke in my command, however my captains in the newly captured Etchu were already contemplating the invasion of Kaga, And they did so without a fight as the rebels agreed to live under my rule, I was proud of there efforts for my clan but I was always brought back to the harsh reality that Shimazu were stronger than I when my reports came back each year....





Regardless we had best more fertile lands than the Shimazu, better men too as I didn't need to encounter them to know how good my troops were in comparison with any other. But I am looking into a future I probably won't be around to see, and whilst torn as to what to do, Oda could suppress Shimazu while I finish off in the East, and for the first time the glimmer of conquering all of Japan had appeared and that my son himself was in reach of doing it all himself.