I just tried MI Oda 1580 on expert. Man it is not easy - I feel it is even tougher than 1530 and 1550. (change the difficulty to 5-star)
Nobody wants to ally with me.Tokugawa, my historical loyal ally turned onto me in the very first season, including multiple groups of their notorious battlefield ninja. OK, I expelled these SoB with heavy casaulties. And shameless Tokugawa ninja targeted my innocent priests right since the first season. I tried to forgive him and propose a ceasefire -- and my priests head comes back! And guess what - the game asks me to insert disk 2 but there is no such file calling "Tokugawa_head_on_the_plate". Bug.
Then, Takeda also attempts to attack Mino in all possible ways - and along with Tokugawa, his loyal ally who had almost no defense in Totomi. Ok, I defeat their ambition about one time every year with Oda Nobunaga, everytime with 800 vs. 1800 or so. Evil Takeda always let Tokugawa to do the charge first, while their cavalry attempts to sneak onto my back. But they were mauled by my H4 ashigaru in the woods, combined with one unit of YC charging downhill flanking.
After the routing of Tokugawa, Takeda quickly charged all kinds of cavalry on me, and I had to give up chasing Tokugawa or I will end up in the bottom of the valley. My large number of elite ashigaru was a perfect match of their heavy cavalry. My muskets broke their morale fast and tones of horses were on the run.
The ronins in Kawachi was the biggest threat I had to deal with first, or they are going to invade my lands non-stop. I attacked them in 1580 winter under heavy fog, with all my available arrows shooting down 227 of the monkie/archery bastards who dared stand infront of the bridge, and gloriously retreated with no loss when the timer runs out.
The second season I came back with Hashiba (Toyotomi) Hideyoshi, 800 vs 400. Sacrificing one unit of Naginata and yari ashigaru, I depleted their arrows and shot dead more monks who charged at my sacrifice. The enemy routed after they know there is no chance to defeat my 3 yari cavalry and ocean of ashigaru. They retreated - Kawachi was conquered with 97 total loss.
That's not the end - an Ikko Ikki revolt occured in Kawachi the next season. However, they voluntarily retreated into the castle seeing my 800.
In the meantime, Mori had quickly advanced to my border, and Shimazu got their foot stand in Shigoku fast. They are allied, so there is no hope for divide and conquer. Hideyoshi commands the poor in number and quality, but pretty well balanced army to challenge Mori as in real history. Having no good generals and numbers, Mori's monks are largely moving corpses facing with my guns and horses.
Mori is gone by 1885. But Shimazu has almost conqured the entire Shigoku. I sneaked onto Sanuki and Awa when they are busy dealing with Tosa. The ronins in Tosa were easily done for, but suddenly a revolt occurs. And all Shimazu's soldiers there turned ronin! Bug?
The report of 1886 says I am the largest clan in Japan. But with divided forces in three regions and 6 provinces, I am actually weaker than any clan on the borders - fighting 4 at the same time. Shimazu collected 1500 men of 90% Nodachi in Nagato, even after they lose about 1200 in Shigoku mysteriously. Hideyoshi's divided 900 had no way to defeat Shimazu Yoshihisa using that kind of crappy troops. But, suddenly Shimazu decided to attack me with only 700 vs. my 400 in Suo - darn high-morale ND got poorly slain to 50 left. Then, Hideyoshi marched all 800 onto Nagato - and lord Shimazu retreated on the battlefield.
By this time the Shigoku army have sneaked onto Buzen of Kyushu (as the ronin Tosa is not that aggressive temporarily). Needless to say I sold everything all the way through. Lord Shimazu was poorly surrounded in Nagato and had no place to flee. Kez... Ehhh... The 3000 army of Shimazu vanished in only 2 major fights in Sanuki and Suo. Kyushu is left with scattered Shimazu army to be conquered!
[This message has been edited by Maltz (edited 10-18-2001).]
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