UESUGI - Way of the Sword and Bow

[Adam99]

Ouch, bit of a nasty one that. Think your going to have churn out replacements and dig in. If Shimazu's got no heirs left you'll have to try and track him down and try and catch him.

[patdj]

Can you somehow hit him into his backland?

[Wishazu]

UESUGI ~ Second Battle of Shinano

Winter, 1576 The Shimazu came at Shinano again as I knew they would. I believed they would wait untill spring to start another offensive but I had everything prepared nonetheless. Reinforcements had poured into Shinano for the last few weeks from Kozuke, Kai, Echigo and Musashi. This time there was not such a disparity in numbers, though in that regard the enemy still had the edge.



We met the enemy at the same location, as anyone wishing to move through Shinano to the Kanto must use this pass. I even deployed my army in a similar formation to the previous engagement, this time though I had secreted some Yari Cavalry in a position where they could quickly move unseen into the rear of the enemy. As the Shimazu came forward, my line fell back up the hill shortly to draw them in and my Yari Cavalry took their place overlooking the enemy advance.



As their front line approached they hesitated in their advance, I think they could plainly see they were going to have a real fight on their hands this time. They didnt begin to move forward again untill their commander came to the fore to personally lead the attack.



The Yari Cavalry lying in wait didn`t have to wait too long to make themselve`s useful. My Cavalry Archers, mauled as they were had managed to draw out an entire unit of Samurai Archers. The Yari Cavalry pounced and smashed into the rear of the unit whilst the the Cavalry Archers charged the front. The enemy archers were swiftly butchered.



Back at the frontline and in the meatgrinder, the Shimazu Taisho reconsidered his chances and decided to flee. He didn`t get very far before being impaled through the back with a 9` long Yari.



The rest of his army followed their dead leader`s example and the Yari Cavalry made short work of them too. A few Shimazu mounted units still roamed the area but the skirmishing that followed wasn`t very serious.



This spectacular victory has temporarily shifted the balance of power in this region in my favour. I must now maintain the initiative and strike back at the Shimazu to maximise the potential gains from this battle. As soon as the weather improves Lord Shimazu will find me knocking on his door.

Spring, 1577 Preparations continue for my counter-attack into Shimazu held Mino next month. I received an envoy from Tokugawa Ieyasu today, I had not forgotten the insult he showed me in sending back my last envoy`s head and I felt very much like returning the favour but decided to be the better man.



Lord Imagawa had time to reflect on his rash behaviour last year and decided the time had indeed come to end of our dispute. I agreed as I can always deal with him(the Imagawa) after I have finished with the Shimazu. The envoy also brought information - agents working for Ieyasu, deep behind enemy lines have engineered uprisings across Shimazu territory.

Summer, 1577 I had been informed that Lord Shimazu was still in Mino when I attacked but was disappointed to find he was not commanding the army that opposed me, he had in fact moved to join a larger force in Hida. I destroyed his army here and will order an attack on Hida when I`m sure there are no other enemy troops lurking in the area to cause any problems in our rear. Word of these two defeats inflicted on my enemy must have reached the ears of the peasant class as the uprising against Lord Shimazu appears to be growing.




Overview
Things have improved slightly and I`m gearing up to punish Shimazu very soon.

@ Sasaki Kojiro - Kenshin is being sent directly to the front mate and is being given command of my largest forces, his +3 honour bonus is going to do very nicely. With regards to the weather in the first battle of Shinano, it was a fine day.

@ Caravel - Yes I am playing on expert mate, though I usually find that hitting engaged enemies in the backside will still rout all but the hardest enemy troops. The guys my monks hit must have been knackered cos my guys already fighting them were tired and they hadn`t had to march uphill but I barely made a dent. However I didn`t realise untill I just rechecked, I thought I was fighting a rank 2 general, actually it was rank 4. Still I would of expected my monks to cause alot of damage.

@ Adam99 - Pinning him down is the hard thing to do at the moment lol. However all the revolts going on in his territory may really help me in that regard.

@ Patdj - Believe me, I`ve tried mate. I gave up after all my agents kept getting instantly caught and executed lol I`m just going to stick to good old stabbing him in the face

Cheers again guys, I may have another update in a few hours, otherwise it will be tomorrow.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Doing nicely...a win in Hida and another in totomi and you should be shogun.

[Wishazu]

UESUGI ~ At Last We Meet

Autumn, 1577 We launched a two-pronged attack on Lord Shimazu in Hida, me from Mino and Kenshin leading the army from Shinano. After apparently accepting our offer of battle, Shimazu Yoshimoto deployed his army but at the last minute withdrew from the field, concious of the terrain, and fearing a possible ambush, Kenshin advised patience. My enemy is fast running out of places to run to, it is only a matter of time, even so, I am getting old now and I wish to see my enemy dead before I leave this world. My spies have since reported that the Shimazu Daimyo is now in Echizen and though he is on the run he still maintains careful control over his forces elsewhere in the region. Proof of this came in an urgent dispatch from Date Teramune, the garrison commander in Shinano. Apparently the fake battle in Hida was just a ploy to keep us occupied whilst his forces in Mikawa launched another attack upon Shinano. Teramune reports that he won a spectacular victory, claiming 1,100 heads for the loss of only 150. I do not believe that my opponent can mount any more attacks for the time being, not from Mikawa anyway as Ieyasu has informed me of his intent to take Mikawa back for his clan, he alsorequested we renew our two clans old alliance. With the Shimazu currently the much larger threat, I have agreed to Ieyasu`s proposal.

Spring, 1578 Well news arrived of a new heir to the Shimazu throne, a boy by the name of Muneharu. I and my ally, Ieyasu, believed that Yoshimoto was childless. It matters not anyway, new blood cannot save the Shimazu now. I sent Kenshin to pacify Etchu, there had been many reports of bandit activity in the province and I did not want these vagrants raiding my provinces whilst my armies are occupied on the frontier. Kenshin reports that the bandits have fled to Noto.

Summer, 1579 I was taken by surprise today, a message arrived by pidgeon from Sado. I am shocked to learn that the garrison there has been defeated by a small conglomeration of pirates and ronin from Noto calling themselves the "Homma" clan. The men there are trapped under siege and have requested immediate assistance. If Sado is lost my heartlands will be wide open to pirate raids and banditry - reinforcements are on route and should arrive in time to relieve the garrison and drive the invaders back into the sea.

Autumn, 1579 Inspired to action by the site of the Uesugi banner flying from ships entering the harbour, the besieged in Sado sallied and combined with the reinforcements on the ships destroyed the Homma invaders. This action was combined with an attack by Kenshin on Noto to destroy the main pirate base. This objective was achieved but not before the pirates themselves were able to board there ships and escape, a fast ship was sent to shadow the enemy flotilla, it reported back to Kenshin a few days later that the pirates had dispersed and landed in various bays along Shimazu`s coastline. They are his problem now.

Autumn, 1580 After a year distracted with minor problems like the pirates etc. I can now return my focus to my enemy in Echizen. I have reinforced my army in Hida and Kenshin has defeated a large Shimazu contingent in Kaga, the remnants are now trapped under siege and will not be able to assist their master when I attack in the coming spring.

Spring, 1581 I am happier than I have been for many years. The attack on Echizen went ahead as planned. Yoshimoto had no choice but to face me.



This was not to be an easy battle, the terrain was perfectly suited to defence and the enemy knew there could be no escape for them. The beast is always more dangerous when cornered. Shimazu deployed his forces with his right flank anchored on some extremely high ground with a perfect view over the field of battle, his other flank was nestled safely in an area of woodland. On the right there was plenty of room for my cavalry to manouver but their bows were less than effective against the cover provided by the trees.



My adversary saw this as more of a threat than I meant it to be and weakened his right flank in response. I didn`t wait for him to realise his mistake and ordered my Warrior Monks to drive the enemy archers off of the high ground. Credit is due to the archers, they held out for a longer time than I thought but in the end the Monks ferocity was too much for them and they fled. Back on the my right, the Cavalry Archers got careless and were ambushed by Yari Cavalry hidden in the woods, most of my mounted troops escaped but casualties were heavy. Not realising he was already too late Lord Shimazu returned to his right flank to stop the rout but he was unsupported and isolated. I saw my chance and took, shouting a charge, I led my Hatamoto into combat with my opposite number and his personal guard. At 67, this was a bone jarring experience to say the least, but exhilirating all the same. Yoshimoto had just finished putting a monk to the sword when he saw me coming, I called to him "Yoshimoto Shimazu Sama, I am Uesugi Tomosada Sama, I am your nemesis. Face me now and die like a man or flee like the dog you are!", he replied "Give it up old man. Surely you are getting too old for this?" I`ll admit I had to stifle a chuckle at this, Yoshimoto was only two years younger then me. "But seeing as you are resolved to die today I will gladly send you on your way into the next life." We immediately set to at one another but i`ll admit it was no spectacular affair, two old men swinging swords at each other is far from glorious. Our men stood by and watched calmly, a sharp intake of breath from one of Yoshimoto`s guards was the only reaction when I put my enemy to the sword. He died without a word.



With Yoshimoto dead his guards immediately asked my men to perform the duty of Second`s for them as they committed Seppuku. My men agreed and happily sent them to meet their master. By now the rest of my army had surrounded the woods and were fighting hard to end the Shimazu resistance. A large group of enemy Samurai broke through the line towards the body of their master, perhaps they wished to recover it or at least die beside their Lord. They didn`t get the chance, before they could get very far they were cut off by my reserves and wiped out.



The day after the battle I got word from Kenshin that the siege in Kaga had been completed and the Shimazu troops there exterminated. There is now no Shimazu force on this half of the island that can threaten me. Now I must track down Muneharu and finish this war once and for all.

Overview
Yay, Lord Shimazu is dead but annoyingly an heir pops out of the woodwork at the last minute. I`m actually quite enjoying these battles against the Shimazu and I`m looking forward to a few more before the campaign is over. I have no radical plans now, at the moment I just want to find any large Shimazu armies, engage them and destroy them. I havn`t decided yet whether or not to destroy Imagawa. What do you guys think?

[patdj]

Nicely written.

As for Imagawa I would spare him as long as he is not a major thread and you can control his movements with a reasonable number of garrisons.

[Wishazu]

UESUGI ~ Winter 1581 - Autumn 1583

Winter, 1581 I have attacked and taken Wakasa from the Shimazu clan. This success was followed by Kenshin removing the rebel army from Mino.

Spring, 1582 Though the war with the Shimazu is going well, I am not convinced that they are about to roll over and die. Therefore, I have sent a small, mounted raiding party heading east into enemy Talima, they are carrying a small supply of pidgeons to carry messages back to me. They are to report enemy troop strengths and where possible, sabotage enemy infastructure whilst also attmepting to locate the Shimazu Daimyo. My son, Masamune has reached manhood and entered service with my army. I have ordered him to Shinano where he will take command of an elite unit of Cavalry Archers, he will also take overall command over the garrison there.

Summer, 1582 Maruoka castle in Wakasa has fallen to my forces.The first message from the raiders reported that they have encountered no enemy forces in Tajima and that they have burned all the farmland they passed on the way to Inaba. The raiding party have once again reported no enemy resistance in Inaba, finding nothing of value worth destroying. They will cross the border into Mimasaka in a few days time.

Autumn, 1582 Another message from the raiders, Mimasaka has suffered greatly under Shimazu rule and the province is mostly burnt out villages. There was no word of Muneharu.

Winter, 1582 Masamune has united the Shinano garrison with reinforcements from Musashi and Kai and has moved to Mino in response to a sudden surge of enemy activity in Owari.



The raiding party has sent a message from Bizen, they have still not encountered any sizable enemy garrisons. They found nothing of value again but they did manage to torch a line of borderforts.

Spring, 1583 The raiders passed through Sanuki without incident and are heading to Iyo.

Summer, 1583 The raiders report great success in Shikoku, a mine was burnt out in Iyo and they put most of the provinces farmland to the torch. With no enemy garrisons at all on the island they are operating with a free hand. I have ordered them to take a ship to Kyushu and report to me immediately upon landing. Still no word of Shimazu Muneharu.

Autumn, 1583 Well there has been no word from the raiders for over a month now, I can only assume they have been caught and/or killed. However, I now know the location of Muneharu - he has taken command of the forces in Owari. Though I wish to bring a speedy conclusion to this war by killing Muneharu, I am not going to mount any serious attempt to attack the province as it is perfectly suited for defensive warfare. I have attacked Omi whilst Kenshin and Masamune move into Owari. They have been ordered not to press for a battle, only to keep the Shimazu forces from leaving to support Omi.



My forward scouts first caught sight of the enemy army at around midday and immediately began harrassing them as they deployed to intercept our main army. Screened by the trees, the Cavalry Archers were able to inflict significant damage to the elements in the rear of the shimazu force whilst sustaing few casualties from the return fire.



With men dropping like flies and with no light cavalry to counter my mounted units, the enemy Taisho decided on a tactical withdrawal. This is a tricky operation in the best of times, but with my Cavalry so close it ended up as a full scale rout.



We have now almost completely surrounded Owari. Mino was attacked by a small party of Shimazu samurai that crept across the mountains but they were practically wiped out by a single unit of Cavalry Archers. My defenders took 230 heads and lost only 10 men themselves.

Overview
Though it looks like Shimazu is surrounded I am fully expecting him to run for it to another province when I attack Owari. I`m gonna build up a little more in Mino as if he does stay and fight I can expect heavy casualties from crossing the bridges. If he does stay and I kill him, I`ll take Yamashiro before finishing off the Imagawa.