Tokugawa 1580 Campaign

[Togakure]

It is summer in the year 1580, and I, Tokugawa Ieyasu, am faced with hard decisions regarding the preservation and growth of my noble clan. My holdings consist of a mere three provinces: Totomi and Mikawa on the mainland of Honshu, and Hizen on Kyushu.

SITREP (Situation Report):

I am challenged by a split empire: Hizen, my most productive province, is isolated and supply lines are reliant on transport by sea. Though I have ports in all of my provinces, this is precarious. The Shimazu under Yoshihisa have been quiet, but it is only a matter of time before they move against Hizen, as they have ever believed the island of Kyushu to be theirs by right. Hizen represents a significant investment: in addition to the port, we have built a Spear Dojo, Famous Sword Dojo, and Battlefield Ninja Dojo, and improved the farmland 100%. But a wise ruler does not become attached to such things ... .

In central Japan, Mikawa and Totomi are surrounded by whimsical, untrustworthy rivals. The wily Oda Nobunaga and his forces border our western and northwestern fronts in Owari and Mino. Takeda Shingen's ambitious and impetuous heir, Katsuyori, commands formidable forces northeast and east of us, in Shinano and Suruga. Both clans have adopted Christianity and are poised for expansion. Fortunately for us, Lord Oda has Ikko-Ikki rebels with which to contend, and Lord Takeda has both the Uesugi and Hojo clans seeking to expand into his territories. And they both remember that I am Tokugawa Ieyasu.

STRATEGY:

I do not think it is wise to continue with my forces and holdings split. I also believe that maintaining my unpredictable reputation is key to survival in these delicate times. The income Hizen provides is substantial, however. There is a way to consolidate our empire in central Japan and maintain--even improve--our income and production capabilities. The key is Owari. The Oda capital is Japan's richest province, and also has superior training facilities. It is a river province and easily defended. Taking Owari would reduce the Oda threat significantly, depriving them of their richest province and best troop production facilities while adding them to our own, and secure our western borders with a river province and citadel. I anticipate that the Oda will expand immediately, leaving Owari vulnerable to attack, and I have at my disposal the best warriors, man-for-man, in Japan--my Battlefield Ninja.

I will send an emissary to Katsuyori and propose an alliance. I will raze Hizen and order Honda's entire garrison to Mikawa. The koku yielded from liquidating Hizen (2931 koku) should keep us afloat until Owari comes under our control, and make Hizen less tempting to the Shimazu. They will not likely attack immediately anyway, as the withdrawal of our troops will surely baffle them, at least for a while. I will redistribute my forces so that all of my Battlefield Ninja are in Mikawa, poised to attack Owari at the first sign of Oda negligence. As their numbers will be small when they do attack, hopefully the Oda will not take them seriously and will counter with a similar number of men. Once Owari is taken, Tadakatsu-san can then move in with his army, lay siege, and repulse any Oda counterattack. I will immediately dispatch an emissary to Owari, seemingly to begin alliance negotiations. My shinobi and strategic ninja will police Mikawa and Totomi, ready to move into Owari to quell any potential uprisings after our takeover there.

I will begin producing Yari Samurai in Totomi to better balance my archer-heavy armies, and begin building a Tea House in Mikawa where I can produce shinobi without interefering with the flow of troop training. In Totomi I will first build border forts so I can more effectively monitor Shinano and Suruga. Then I will build a citadel. Once Owari has been secured I will use its facilities as my primary troop production center, which will allow me to shift Totomi's focus from military production to my "secret weapon" as soon as the citadel is complete--a Geisha House. Ah, my beautiful and loyal lady Toda, such a precious inspiration you have indirectly given me.

STATISTICS - CAMPAIGN BEGIN:

ECONOMY:

Treasury: 2000 koku (+2931 from the liquidation of Hizen assets)

PROVINCE: INCOME: EXPENSES: NET:

Hizen 1016 396 620
Mikawa 720 336 384
Totomi 355 576 -221

TOTAL: 2091 1308 783

Farming Income: 1491
Trade Income: 600
Mine Income: 0
Alliance Income: 0

Our harvest this year was average.

MILITARY AND STRATEGIC AGENTS:

Note: The honor values shown take into account the commander's prestige bonus.

Hizen:
- 60 Yari Cavalry, Honor 2, Honda Tadakatsu, Rank 4, commanding
- 240 Samurai Archers, H3
- 60 Yari Samrai, H3
- 36 Battlefield Ninja, H2
- 1 Emissary (H0), 1 Ninja (H0), 1 Shinobi (H0)

Mikawa:
- 240 Samurai Archers, H1, Mizuno Nobutomo, Rank 2, commanding
- 60 Yari Samurai, H1 (my son and sole heir, Tokugawa Nobuyasu, Rank 2, commanding this unit)
- 36 Battlefield Ninja, H1
- 1 Ninja (H0), 1 Shinobi (H0)

Totomi:
- 11 Heavy Cavalry, H7, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Rank 6, commanding
- 240 Samurai Archers, H4
- 180 Yari Samurai, H4
- 120 Yari Cavalry, H4
- 36 Battlefield NInja, H3
- 1 Emissary (H0), 1 Ninja (H1), 1 Shinobi (H2)

***

To be continued ...

[Togakure]

Autumn, 1580. As I anticipated, the Oda have shifted the majority of their troops out of Owari to Mino, and from Mino to Hida, leaving only a small garrison of troops in Owari: 60 Samurai Archers, 60 Yari Samurai, and 60 Teppo Ashigaru under an insignificant commander. My emissary spy reports that these troops sport the best weapons (W3 upgrades), but they will be no match for my Battlefield Ninja. I have placed Asano Tadatoshi, Rank 1, in command and ordered him to attack Owari with our entire compliment of Battlefield Ninja (108 shadow warriors). Honda Tadakatsu waits in Mikawa, and will take command of Owari once it has been secured by Asano's ninja. My sources report that a 5-star Oda general is in Mino, but I do not yet know if it is Nobunaga or his most able lieutenant, Hideyoshi, who commands there.

Katsuyori is in Shinano now, and his combined armies in Shinano and Suruga pose a very serious threat to me here in Totomi. My emissary is in Shinano so, Buddha-willing, he will succeed in his mission to persuade Katsuyori to ally with us. Meanwhile I am braced to defend Totomi against a potential Takeda attack, with 300 Yari Samurai, 300 Samurai Archers, 120 Yari cavalry, and my hatamoto contingent. Considering the quality of the Takeda troops, we will be hard-pressed if they attack. We cannot afford to lose Totomi ... .

Construction of Border Forts in Totomi and the Tea House in Mikawa are underway and due to complete next season. Each province is strictly policed by both ninja and shinobi. We hope for a fruitful harvest. Our treasury has decreased from 4931 to 4281, and profit estimates for next season are a pitiful 115 koku. Much rests on the successful capture of Owari ... .

The Shimazu lost no time in redeploying troops away from Hizen's borders as soon as Honda and his troops were withdrawn. I doubt they will attack until next year at the earliest. The continuing income will be very helpful.

My third emissary is currently travelling from Bizen to Harima in search of Lord Mori. An alliance with Lord Mori will help to put political pressure on Shimazu in the long run, as Mori-sama represents the only organized opposition to Shimazu west of Oda lands.

I think I will go hawking and free my mind of these concerns for a short while.

[Togakure]

Winter, 1580. Yosh! I had gambled on the Oda to be careless, but am pleased to learn that they were instead, foolhardy. Asano and his ninja arrived in Owari to find that the Yari Samurai and Teppo Ashigaru reported to be garrisoned there had been ordered elsewhere, leaving Owari protected by a single unit of Samurai Archers. Upon discovering that their opponents were ninja, they fled the field without a fight and retreated to Inuyama castle. Asano Tadatoshi-san has been promoted to Second Rank, and the honor of his ninja forces has increased. As planned, Honda Tadakatsu's army now occupies Owari in addition to Asano and his men, and the castle is under siege. Mikawa is now defended by only a small garrison (60 archers and 60 Yari Samurai), but I am comfortable with this. Katsuyori has agreed to the alliance. While I trust him about as far as I could throw him fully armored, I am confident that he will not attack for at least a few seasons. If my guess is right, he will capitalize on Oda confusion and attack Mino. This will serve us well ... in the short run, at least.

Our troops immediately occupied the Border Forts in Owari, allowing us to observe the Oda troops in Ise, Omi, and Mino. It was Hideyoshi who had been in Mino, but he has since moved to Hida. Oda Nobukane, Rank 2, currently commands 360 Yari Ashigaru and 120 Teppo Ashigaru in Mino. Though they are mere ashigaru, I will not underestimate them as they have excellent weapons (W3) and are honorable (H4 and H2, respectively)--but they are still ashigaru. The commander likely to lead the Oda counterattack is in Ise: Ishida Mitsunari, Rank 4. I find myself wishing I was in Owari instead of Honda, as it would give me great pleasure to capture that sushihead, and bury him up to his neck in spoiled natto, so that passersby could saw at his nape little by little until he was dead. His cries would be more pleasant to my ears than the best shakuhachis in Kyoto. His forces are small: 120 Yari Cavalry, 60 teppo, and 60 archers. 60 Yari Samurai and 60 teppo garrison Omi under a Rank 1 general of little consequence. All-in-all, I think Honda's 60 Yari Cavalry, 420 archers, and 60 Yari samurai, along with Asano's 108 ninja, should have no problems repulsing a counterattack, even if all of these troops were to storm the province.

The harvest was poor. Though I am tempted to raise taxes to punitive levels as a consequence of such blatant peasant laziness, I will refrain, as the loyalty level in Owari is low (60%), and an uprising, while not likely to cost us the province, could cost valuable samurai lives putting it down. Our treasury currently stands at 4050, but with the capture of Owari our projected profits for this season are 1077 koku. Cash flow looks to improve immensely.

The Tea House in Mikawa has been completed, as have the Border Watch Towers in Totomi. I have ordered the construction of our citadel in Totomi to begin. In Mikawa, I will build the necessary prerequisites for an eventual Battlefield Ninja Dojo to replace the one we sacrificed in Hizen. This will avoid having to interupt the training of regular troops in order to produce more ninja, which take so much longer to train. Also, in the interim, it will allow us to train No Dachi samurai when the required Sword Dojo has been completed, and strategic ninja when the required Ninja and Infamous Ninja Dojos are complete.

Totomi continues to train Yari Samurai, as Honda's army is still precariously archer-heavy. The port in Owari was destroyed in our attack, but we can shift Yari samurai and archers from Mikawa into Owari, and from Totomi to Mikawa, as more complete their training. When Owari falls we will be able to produce even better troops there.

The emissary in Harima has sent a message by pigeon, that only a small force of rebels could be found there. I suspect Lord Mori moves against Tajima, so I have ordered the emissary to proceed there. The honorable emissary who convinced Katsuyori to ally with us now moves to ally with Lord Uesugi and Lord Hojo as well. Koku will ever be a concern until we are able to expand, and the alliances will bring income. It will also create political consequences for any lord that breaks the alliance.

Now Honda and Asano must bring Owari under our full control. After a hot bath and some rice, tea and pickles, I will retire to my private quarters to ponder strategic options, to follow the assimilation of Japan's finest province. And then, some celebratory pillowing! Yosh!!

"Chacha-chan! Hayaku desho!!"

[Togakure]

Spring, 1581. I am beginning to believe that Oda command has completely lost their maruborus. Mistunari did indeed lead a counterattack, comprised of all Oda forces from Mino, Omi, and Ise. Apparently however, the might of the Tokugawa caused them to soil their fundoshis, for as soon as they arrived, they turned tail and ran to Inuyama, where they now sit, cowering. I've heard that Honda should take more frequent baths, but I never realized he smelled that bad ... . Given the results, I think I will order him to continue his infrequent cleansing, though I think his wife will not thank me for it. Ishida Mitsunari is dead. My only regret is that I could not listen to him singing duets with a saw.

Hideyoshi has returned to Mino, but with only his 60 Yari Samurai and 60 teppo. Omi stands ungarrisoned, and Ise is occupied by a single, green archer unit. The Oda's Christian cathedral stands in Ise, and razing it and the archer dojo there will add needed koku to our coffers. As there is now no significant threat to our besieging army in Owari, I have ordered Asano and his ninja to raid Ise. We will not ocupy it just yet--full control of Owari is imperative. But we can deprive the Oda of their ability to produce troublesome priests, and give our ninjas valuable experience.

Oddly, Takeda has not moved from Shinano. This causes me mild concern, as he could be contemplating an attack on Mikawa, which is still very lightly garrisoned. I cannot afford to risk Totomi by diverting troops to Mikawa, and Honda needs his troops in Owari to maintain order there. Though I could order Asano and his ninja to Mikawa, I will instead gamble that Katsuyori will honor our alliance, considering he also has the Uesugi and Hojo to worry about. When Inuyama falls we can begin training troops there and increase the garrison in Mikawa. Furthermore, Mino would be a more lucrative and strategically valuable province to take, and Hideyoshi's paltry forces could not stand up to even half of what Katsuyori has stationed in Shinano.

My emissary in the east has sent word that Uesugi troops occupy Kozuke, but Kagekatsu-sama is not there. He is proceeding on to Shimotsuke, where the Uesugi daimyo was last reported to be. It has been rather quiet in the east, and in this time of Sengoku Jidai, peace is a disturbing thing ... .

Lord Mori was not in Tajima, which was occupied by a group of about 300 rebel samurai. I have ordered my emissary there to patrol Tajima, Harima, and Bizen until he finds Mori-sama, as i am fairly certain he will move against the rebels in those regions.

Apparently my orders to begin building the Ninja Dojo in Mikawa were not heeded. The steward reportedly was drunk and forgot. I have ordered his ability to urinate impeded, and that he be fed sake until he expires. Drunkenness is no excuse for shirking one's duties. The new steward has begun the dojo with unprecendented gusto. The building of our citadel here in Totomi has begun, costing us a whopping 1500 koku. Our treasury now stands at 2175 koku, with an expected profit of 1431 next season. Another reason why raiding and razing Ise seems a sound decision ... .

I have sent my third emissary to Omi, destination Yamashiro, then Iga. I need to know what Nobunaga is up to. That he would allow Owari to fall so easily seems odd, though he has ever been a wanton and unpredictable fellow.

I have considered our extended strategy and, all things remaining relatively as they are regarding the Takeda and the east, we will secure Owari and then focus on Ise. Ise's farmlands are rich, and the province serves as a gateway into the heart of Oda lands on the way to Kyoto. Securing Ise will allow us to assess the situation in Kii, Yamato, and Iga. I am looking forward to a preliminary report from Asano-san. All are reasonably profitable provinces, and two have extra benefits: Kii can train superior buddhist monks, and Iga is famed for its ninja. Our strategy must remain flexible however; the Takeda pose the biggest threat to any clan on the mainland, and an opportunity to cripple them must not be overlooked. I will watch them very closely. If they make a mistake ... .

I've ordered continuous production of shinobi in Mikawa. They will be very useful in stabilizing newly-conquered provinces and destabilizing the now poorly defended Oda territories.

Shitzu ... unless I hurry, I will be late for the Noh play being held in my honor at the golden pavilion. Chacha never ceases to remind me how it is important to balance work with play, and she is very wise.

[Togakure]

Summer, 1581. The transition from spring to summer has been relatively uneventful. Asano's ninja took Ise without contest, and razed the Archery Dojo and Cathedral for 700 koku. The lone archer unit retreated to the small castle in Nagashima. Asano reports that insurrection is guaranteed unless they leave the province.

Nobunaga is in Iga with less than 100 men, but we are unable to determine the specific nature of his troops. They have built a large castle there, so it seems they intend to use the province as a production area. Kii is under the control of a small group of rebels, type undetermined, and Yamato is devoid of military troops. Hideyoshi and his 120 men have moved to Omi, with a small contigent of Oda troops shifting from Hida to garrison Mino. I received report that the Oda were attacking Echizen, but specifics were not available.

Asano-san has requested permission to raid Iga with his ninja, to destroy any troop-producing dojos there and to try and corner Nobunaga. I have agreed, but reminded him that no retreat would be possible and he would have to win in Iga, or commit seppuku along with his entire squad of elites. As I expected he would, he replied even more enthusiastically that he and his men would greatly appreciate the honor. He understands bushido well.

Katsuyori still stands like a mountain in Shinano. Perhaps he has learned the lessons taught by his father better than I expected. Whatever the case, he is beginning to annoy me. I have ordered the garrison in Mikawa to be increased with the new troops being produced in Totomi, but it is still very small. Inuyama castle in Owari is about to fall, so we should be able to begin producing troops there next season. Katsuyori has not allied with any other clan however, so this bodes well for us. While his army is arguably the mightiest in Japan at the moment, he isn't in a position to take on all of the clans.

My emissary has located Uesugi Kagekatsu in Shimotsuke and will soon be granted an audience. He reports that the Uesugi have allied with the Hojo, which should unnerve Katsuyori-sama. They have both also allied with Lord Shimazu. Uesugi troops were reported to have been attacking the northeastern province of Dewa, but no information on whether they were successful in taking that province was yet available. Still no sign of Lord Mori in the west.

By next season, assuming he survives his attack on Iga, Asano-san should be able to give a general report on the status of Yamashiro province, and Kyoto. Though we would have heard if Nobunaga had taken the capitol, it is my hope that he has at least weakened it. It was last reported that large numbers of Ikko Ikki monks occupied both Yamashiro and Osaka Castle in Kawachi.

Hizen still remains under our control, despite the lack of a garrison. The Shimazu have begun producing troops in Chikugo however, so I believe it will not be long now before Hizen is invaded. But this was a sacrifice I decided to make last year, and I will not regret the decision. Owari is practically ours, and the exchange is more than fair.

I will now go to the temple to offer prayers for Asano-san's success.

[Togakure]

Autumn, 1581. Buddha-be-praised, Asano Tadatoshi and his ninja live, and Iga Province is under their temporary control. In his confrontation with Nobunaga, he was surprised to find that 47 rebel Samurai Archers and 60 Yari Cavalry invaded Iga simultaneously from Yamashiro, which he later learned had been captured by Oda troops but then retaken by the rebels, with the Oda troops besieged. Nobunaga, impetuous as ever, looked as if he was going to stand and fight our ninja with only his 10 hatamoto. But, after a brief standoff, he thought better of it and retreated to Ise. The rebels also retreated, leaving Asano in control.

The Oda had been busy in Iga, building a Spear Dojo, Horse Dojo, Famous Tea House, and Ninja Dojo in addition to the large castle. Asano and his men razed them all, recovering anything valuable in the process. To avoid triggering a revolt, he and his men have moved into Omi province, where Hideyoshi and his 120 men are still garrisoned. They should not prove to be a problem. Taking Omi will allow him to return safely to Owari, though the province will not yield anything of value as the Oda have not developed there.

Nobunaga has been greeted with a peasant revolt in Ise, and has only his hatamoto and the single unit of archers to deal with it. He is an able warrior and formidable tactician however, so my guess is he will put down the rebellion. If he does not, and Asano takes Omi, he will be cut off from Oda-controlled lands unless Iga revolts in his favor. This would be a very fortunate result, ridding us of a dangerous and very unpredictable Daimyo. But there will still be the clever and resourceful Hideyoshi, who will surely assume Oda leadership, should Nobunaga fall.

Uesugi Kagekatsu has agreed to an alliance. His army is reported to be at about half its normal strength, which suggests he has recently been in battle with rebels, most likely in Mutsu. The twice honorable emissary who has engineered the alliances with both the Takeda and Uesugi now heads for Sagami via Musashi, to court the Lord of the Hojo.

Katsuyori STILL stands unmoving in Shinano. We have managed to double our garrison in Mikawa, from 60 archers and 60 Yari Samurai to 120 of each. But they would not be able to counter a full attack from Shinano. I must also consider the possibility of Katsuyori attacking me here in Totomi--the province is highly developed and a citadel is in progress--a rich enough prize to tempt the Takeda lord despite our alliance and Totomi's pitiful agricultural yield. The good news is, Inuyama Castle in Owari has fallen, and we now control some very nice troop training facilities there: a Famous Archery Dojo, Famous Spear Dojo, Portuguese Trading Post, Golden Palace, and best of all--a Legendary Swordsmith. Owari's farmlands have also been improved 60%, and the province is surrounded by a network of Border Forts. Unfortunately, the citadel has been downgraded to Fortress status as a result of the siege, but it still serves our cause well. We can now produce excellent archers in Totomi while simultaneously producing very good Yari Samurai and Ashigaru in Owari. Soon we will have enough troops to expand into new territory and hold them instead of raiding and pillaging.

The Ninja Dojo in Mikawa is due to complete next season. To avoid having to possibly interrupt military troop training in Totomi in the event that I need to train more emissaries, I have ordered that a Tranquil Garden be built in Mikawa. After the Tranquil Garden is completed, I will have them upgrade the castle and then build a Sword Dojo; following the completion of the Sword Dojo, another upgrade to the castle, and then an Infamous Ninja Dojo and Battlefield Ninja Dojo.

Still no sign of Lord Mori in the Harima and Tajima regions. I must now consider the possibility that he has focused his attention on the westernmost provinces of Honshu, or perhaps moved to take Shikoku via Sanuki. I have sent orders to my emissary in the region to expand his search pattern. The Shimazu are still quiet around Hizen. Reports suggest Lord Shimazu is in Osumi province, far to the south on Kyushu.

As with Lord Mori, I have no intelligence on Lord Hojo at this time. My most able emissary is on his way now to rectify this shortcoming.

Unless the Takeda do something surprising, the next season will be spent producing troops in Owari and Totomi, spies in Mikawa, and hoping that Asano is successful in his move north into Omi and eventually, home to Owari. Only Hideyoshi and a small force in Omi stand between him and a safe return. I wish him good fortune, but I don't think he will need it. He has proven to be a fine commander.

Ah! Chacha is calling and I can smell her fine shioyaki. All this thinking has made me quite hungry.

[tool Dude]

Nicely written Toga,

Nice storyline and liked tha way it goes as if you are taking part in your own history. Man...you sure spend a lot of time doin this. Really nice, keep it up.

So its been one year since 1580's summer...your daimyo Tokugawa Ieyasu have been invading Oda for quite a while. With Owari have fallen into your daimyo's hands there is no doubt that Oda is weakening and of course Iga have finally free from Oda's invasion. From now on tha ninjas from Iga will obey to you for your full support (if Hattori Hanzo were in tha game that would be awsome!). That really shows tha path on how capable of your daimyo to become tha great shogun of Japan.

Just wondering...will my Takeda Katsuyori attack and ruin Tokugawa's plans?
Be careful...he's one impetious general and yet silly though.

[Togakure]

Haha! Thanks m8 ... and yes you are right, I saved the game at the point in the story where I stopped because I got tired, but I did play a few more turns and Katsuyori of course did try to shag me. I won the battles but he hurt me bad, and was hurt bad in return. At the point where I stopped, Hojo capitalized on our mutual weakness and attacked Shinano in force. Given my limited ability to train troops quickly, I will be hard-pressed to resecure my borders. Lots of troops in Shinano means both Mikawa and Totomi must be heavily garrisoned, and I can't yet afford a lot of troops. Use of shinobi and unexpected attacks with my ninja special forces, usually via the sea, will be crucial in keeping enemies off my back in the meantime. This is one of the most difficult campaigns for me, so it's very possible that I could lose. That's why I like it--so much depends on what the others do, and if they team up against me, well, chances are good that history will be rewritten.

I'll continue the story here and there when I have time; it just takes a while to do a turn and then write about it with enough detail to give a decent picture of what's going on. Things might go down differently when I replay it, we'll see. The AI doesn't always do the same thing when you reload a saved game. When I have a nice battle I'll take screenies from the replay and post them, which should help readers visualize it better. It seems many enjoy the tactical aspects of a battle more than the big strategic picture.

Thanks for letting me know that you enjoyed reading it. It's silly, but fun. A couple people have PM'd me saying they were enjoying it, and if even one is entertained, then it's worth the time invested. It's good practice too, keeping the pen sharp. Well, fingers in this case--fortunately I can type pretty fast.

[Togakure]

Winter, 1581. Despite being outnumbered 2-1 by both the occupying Oda and rebel forces invading from Yamashiro, Asano and his ninja managed to take Omi. Focusing on the Oda, Asasno led his men east to high ground on the Oda flank, distancing himself from the rebels in the west. Again, seeing that their opponents were ninja, the Oda commander thought better of engaging and fled the field. The rebels followed suit. Asano seems a master of herding the enemy like sheep, and winning without fighting. I like this man. He is returning to Owari, his search and destroy mission against the Oda complete for now. He has been promoted to Third Rank.

Lord Nobunaga fled the rebel uprising in Ise, only to be greeted by another in Iga. The region is in turmoil. With any luck, the rebels will trap him in Iga-Ueno castle and I will be rid of a dangerous enemy daimyo. Now that our own lands are sufficiently policed, I have ordered the shinobi being produced in Mikawa to flow into the area surrounding Yamashiro, to further destabilize the area and keep us informed of both Oda and rebel activities.

Lord Takeda remains steadfast in Shinano, and his troops in Suruga are idle. We are unable to perceive any activity beyond to the East, except in Musashi where a moderate but growing Hojo force is garrisoned. My emissary moves from Musashi to Shimosa in search of Lord Hojo. I believe the lord of the Kwanto is personally overseeing the defense of the agriculturally- and iron-rich province of Hitachi against possible invasion by the Uesugi.

Our Ninja Dojo in Mikawa has been completed. I have authorized the building of a Tranquil Garden there, which will complete the basic infrastructure for strategic agents in that province. The citadel in Totomi progresses on schedule, as does the port in Owari.

Owari's Famous Spear Dojo has been training Yari Samurai. The Owari swordsmiths are outstanding, and the yari blades are of the best quality. Their morale, boosted by the Golden Palace there, is excellent. Their discipline is also superior, a benefit of training long hours in the Drill Dojo. I have ordered the newly trained Yari Samurai to travel here to Totomi via Mikawa. As they arrive I will send my current Yari Samurai to Owari. I must have the very best troops at my disposal here in Totomi, as the threat of attack is greatest here, and carries the direst consequences should we be defeated. Totomi has produced additional Yari Cavalry, two of which I have sent to Honda in Owari. Given that his unit is Yari Cavalry, they will serve to replenish him if he loses men in battle. I will also maintain 120 Yari cavalry here, as Totomi is flat and the Takeda army sports the finest cavalry in Japan. Eventually I will have to produce more cavalry for my army, but we can't afford it just yet. All in good time.

What to do next? I have ordered my emissary in the west to Bizen, from where he will travel by boat to Satsuma. I have heard that the Shimazu have developed quite a number of assets there, and when they attack Hizen, it will be good to be in a position to retaliate by sacking their capital province. As it is deep in Shimazu territory it's not likely to be heavily garrisoned, which would make it an ideal target for Asano and his raiders. Not only would such an attack provide a nice bounty of koku, it would deprive the Shimazu of their best troop producing facilities and impede his expansion eastward.

My third emissary moves from Yamashiro, where the Oda are besieged by the rebels, to Kawachi and Osaka castle, also reported to be in the hands of Ikko Ikki. I have reports that a Legendary Archery Dojo and Buddhist Temple Complex are there, in addition to a Legendary Swordsmith that rivals ours here in Owari. Though it would likely drain our treasury, bribing the rebels in Kawachi might prove worthwhile as it is an agriculturally rich river province that impedes travel to Kyoto from the west. Once a port is built, the troops we could produce there would be extremely useful here in the east. Even if we are forced to turn our attention away from central Japan to deal with Takeda, Hojo or Uesugi, a strong garrison in Kawachi would impede Mori and Shimazu expansion into central Japan.

I will finish this excellent pot of cha, and then perform a surprise review of my troops. But they will not be surprised. They are of Clan Tokugawa, the finest samurai in Japan.

[Togakure]

Spring 1582. Asano-san has arrived safely in Owari and proceeds to Mikawa. Though his men are few in number, they are ninja, and perhaps the fear they inspire will discourage the large Takeda force in Shinano from a surprise attack against our most lightly garrisoned province. As there is a port there, Asano and his men can quickly embark on a raid if circumstances require it.

My emissary has arrived safely in Satsuma, and none too soon. A high-ranking Shimazu commander has been sighted in Chikugo, and this bodes ill for defenseless Hizen. Though I had hoped the Shimazu would focus on the island of Shikoku and delay their invasion of Hizen, it appears that they may not. This is unfortunate for us, as Hizen, even reduced to basic farmlands, is generating a large portion of our income. Koku will be a big problem again shortly, but we have managed under such conditions before.

The shuffling of superior Yari Samurai trained in Owari to Totomi via Mikawa continues. The completion of the port in Owari will significantly simplify the transfer process. With three Yari Cavaly units in Owari and two under my command here in Totomi, I have ordered their production suspended. At 500 koku per unit, the expense is considerable, and our income is still marginal. Mikawa continues to produce shinobi which are immediately assigned to areas in central Japan surrounding Yamashiro. In the event that we do bribe the Ikko Ikki in Kawachi, spies will be needed to manage province loyalty until a substantial garrison can be trained.

My emissary in the east travels from Shimosa to Hitachi. He has sent reports of mighty Hojo castles and advanced troop training facilities. Given this and the richness of the Kwanto, they represent a formidable threat, though not yet fully realized. I must be careful if Katsuyori breaks the alliance, or I move to cripple the Takeda if they are careless. If we are significantly weakened in the process, Lord Hojo is sure to take advantage of it and we may be hard-pressed to survive. I must play the great lords against each other, and bide my time for precisely the right moment. I must wait for the bird to sing.

Hideyoshi took a small force north from Mino into Echizen and has not yet returned. I suspect that the clever Oda commander has succeeded in his bid to bring Echizen under Oda control. A fairly large force still remains in Mino, but their commander is relatively untried. Oda strategy has been sorely lacking. They have neglected their heartlands, which now roil in chaos. They leave their flank wide open to Takeda attack from Shinano, and Oda Nobunaga has been trapped in Iga-Ueno castle by a small force of rebels. There are no reinforcements in the vicinity, so I suspect that the Oda Daimyo's days are numbered.

We will continue to produce Yari Samurai and shinobi, but I have ordered all other expenditures to be tightly controlled. I hope to have enough koku next season to bribe the rebels in Kawachi. The addition of this province with its citadel and advanced training facilities will alleviate the effects of losing Hizen. Hopefully enough shinobi will be in a position to move into Kawachi when the bribe is offered. It will take more than a year to complete a port there, assuming we even have enough koku after bribing them to begin building one immediately. Whatever the case, times will be tight financially.

The Takeda still stand like a mountain of smelly, annoying unchi in Shinano and Suruga ... .

[Togakure]

Summer 1582. As the Spring came to a close, my advisors informed me that, were we to liquidate certain non-essential assets, we could afford to bribe the rebels in Kawachi without waiting until next harvest. By reducing our Border Forts in Owari to Border Watchtowers, downgrading our Famous Spear Dojo in Totomi (where we will never train Yari Samurai, given the far superior dojo, palace, and drill dojo in Owari), and liquidating the Battlefield Ninja Dojo in Totomi, we would have enough to offer a sufficient bribe, build a unit of archers there to increase the garrison, and produce spies until the next harvest. Asano-san, the commander of our Battlefield Ninja, understands the need, and I have assured him that I am commited to building another dojo in Mikawa, which is developing into our primary strategic intelligence center.

Though investing in Kawachi will put us in a dire financial position in the short run, I think it will be worthwhile in the long run. If worse comes to worst, I can send Asano to raid Satsuma. War with the Shimazu is imminent--they have been massing troops along Hizen's borders. My primary concern is that an attack on the Shimazu will give both Lord Uesugi and Lord Hojo the opportunity to cancel their alliance with us, as they are allied with the Shimazu as well. However, there is no guarantee that they will honor their alliance with us when Shimazu attacks Hizen either, so again, I think it is a risk worth taking. Just before the turn of this season I ordered my emissary in Kawachi to offer the bribe. Yosh ... it was accepted!

Now the problem is holding the province. Loyalty is low, even though I have lowered taxes significantly. Two shinobi will arrive in the province next season, which will help to calm the populace there, and two more are on their way. Unfortunately, we can only afford to train a single Samurai Archer unit until the next harvest. With the existing garrison of 120 monks and 180 archers, that will increase the garrison to a total of 360 men. Though they have been trained at the finest of dojos and a Drill Dojo, and sport weapons crafted by a master swordsmith, they don't have an experienced commander and are surrounded by rebel provinces. I anticipate an immediate attack by the rebels next season. Beginnings are always such a dangerous time.

A unit of Oda loyalists has retaken Omi. Oda Nobunaga has fallen to the rebels in Iga, and his successor, Oda Nobuharu, is now Daimyo of the Oda clan. At Rank Three, Nobuharu is a shadow of his former lord in command capability, but he still has the skills of loyal Hideyoshi to leverage. Hideyoshi has returned to Mino. Nobuharu is in Omi. A very large force of rebels occupies Wakasa and a smaller force under a Rank Two commander now occupies Yamashiro, so I don't expect any dramatic moves from the Oda any time soon. The seemingly motionless Takeda on the other hand ... .

Before my emissary could obtain audience with Lord Hojo, the Kwanto lord's emissary arrived here, offering an alliance. I have accepted. My emissary will return from Hitachi via the port in Echigo, assessing Uesugi's troops and provinces on the way.

Though our treasury is practically empty, I am going to refrain from ordering Asano to Satsuma this season. He is poised to strike however, and if the Shimazu attack Hizen, retaliation will be immediate--despite any political consequences.

Tomorrow I will make a pilgrimmage to the shrine of Fudo Myoo. Perhaps he will honor us and imbue our new samurai with his righteous fury in the defense of Kawachi. I have a feeling they will need it.

[Togakure]

Autumn 1582. The rebels surrounding Kawachi did not attack. With two shinobi now operating in the province and 360 troops, I am able to raise taxes to maximum without risking rebellion. Hopefully our harvest this season will be fruitful enough to immediately begin building a port there.

The gods have brooked no delay in testing the new Oda lord--our watchtowers in Owari have reported that the Ikko Ikki have rebeled in Omi, with about 300 men. Given that they greatly outnumber Nobuharu-sama, my guess is he will withdraw to Mino. To make matters worse for the Oda lord, a small Takeda force led by Katsuyori was seen leaving Shinano for Hida, and they have not returned. Surely news of the Takeda Daimyo's defeat or death would have raced across the land like an autumn fire, so I believe he has declared war on the Oda and successfully taken Hida. We must not relax our vigilance however, as the great majority of Takeda troops are still in Shinano and Suruga.

With our treasury at an all-time low, the riches of Satsuma tempt me. The koku would be very handy in rapidly fortifying newly acquired Kawachi, isolated and surrounded by faithless enemies. Asano-san is ready and waiting. The Shimazu continue to build up troop numbers on Hizen's borders, but have not yet attacked. If we attack Satsuma now, I believe we will lose the alliance tribute from the Hojo and Uesugi clans which is due this season. Hence, we will wait and see what transpires. Satsuma isn't going anywhere, and may even become more vauable as the Shimazu continue to develop there. With only one Yari Samurai unit, the garrison wouldn't stand a chance against Asano and his ninja.

No troops will be produced this season; we don't have enough koku in the treasury. But we do have enough to continue shinobi training--barely enough. Hopefully this year's yield will be good. Estimates suggest we will only harvest approximately 1500 koku worth of rice however--hardly a fortune.

The citadel in Totomi has been completed. While I am anxious to begin building our Geisha House, it will have to take a backseat to fortifying Kawachi and building a port there.

A strange European ship was sighted off the coast of Musashi in Lord Hojo's domain. It was not Portuguese. I am very curious as to the nature of the vessel, and I can't shake this strange, forboding feeling. It persists, even when I am normally most centered, performing katas with my sword. Of what are the gods warning me, I wonder ... ?

With luck and the god's favor, Kawachi will remain unassailed and the harvest will yield enough koku to assure it's security. We have done what we can, so now I am free to invest some time in self-improvement. It has been awhile since I've pondered the sutras.

[Togakure]

Winter, 1582. Kawachi has remained unmolested. Lord Mori's troops have taken Harima. I neglected to mention in this journal last season that Lord Mori had sent an emissary requesting an alliance, to which I agreed. I suppose I should be glad to have an ally in a neighboring province, given that all other neighboring provinces are in the hands of rebels. But I do not trust Terumoto-san. I believe he will use the alliance to grab as much land in the area as he can and make a bid for Yamashiro and the Emperor's favor. I would in his position--his lands are poor and he must expand if he is to survive and thrive. Fortunately he does not currently have the manpower, and will not for at least a little while. I will continue to produce shinobi, and once I have central Japan covered, I will send them into his newly conquered lands to sow discord and dissent. Hopefully rebellions will keep him busy until I can raise enough koku to muster a large army to counter his bid for Kyoto. But my primary concerns at this time are not in the west.

The Takeda have indeed taken Hida. Echizen has been reclaimed from the Oda by rebels, and, as I predicted, Lord Oda withdrew from the Ikki Ikko rebellion in Omi. He and all that are left of the Oda clan are in Mino. Fortunately, a significant percentage of their forces are ashigaru. They do not have the strength to win back Owari with Honda and his army there. They do pose a threat to lightly garrisoned Mikawa, however. I have ordered 120 men--60 archers and 60 yari samurai--from Owari to Mikawa to strengthen its garrison. Asano is still in Mikawa with his ninja, and the standard garrison of 120 archers and 120 Yari Samurai.

Given the state of Oda affairs I believe they might launch a rash and deperate attack on Mikawa, as they have no troop producing capability at this point, and not even enough koku to pay their existing army. I hope they will not attack my home province; I currently have no means of replacing any of Asano's ninja that fall in battle, and I need them for strategic attacks on lightly defended enemy strongholds behind enemy lines. Better that the Oda try and retake Owari, as I am confident of Honda's command abilities, and his army is larger and better trained. My slight weakening of Owari to strengthen Mikawa is in effect, bait.

Katsuyori has returned to Shinano, but his army there is noticeably smaller. Obviously he has a garrison in Hida. I think we can breath a little easier for a season or two as the Takeda stabilize Hida. But we will not relax our defensive posture.

Our harvest was average and yielded about 2000 koku. I have ordered a port to be built in Kawachi, beginning immediately, and authorized the training of two Samurai Archer units. I've also authorized the training of additional Yari Samurai in Owari. Now that the port there is complete, it will be much easier to transfer troops betwen Owari, Mikawa, and Totomi. Shinobi training continues. I have decided to postpone building the Geisha House until next year at least. As much as I would like to press our lead in strategic intelligence, we cannot afford to neglect Kawachi's defense or allow the Takeda to outpace us in manpower.

My most skilled emissary has returned to Totomi via the port in Echigo. He reports that the Uesugi capital is highly developed and would make a lucrative raid target if war were to ever break out with Kagekatsu-san. He added that Mutsu was newly conquered, lightly garrisoned, and open to attack by Lord Hojo's forces. This concerns me. If Lord Hojo were to take Mutsu and Dewa, he would significantly increase his already formidable income. It would just be a matter of time before he could outpace everyone in both quality and quantity of troops. We must not allow this to happen.

My other emissaries are in Satsuma and Kawachi. I have ordered them to remain where they are and observe the surrounding territories until next season.

The Shimazu are ever-so-slowly increasing garrisons in both Chikugo and Chikuzen. Frankly I am surprised they did not attack Hizen last season, to reap the benefits of the harvest. Whatever the reason for their delay, I am grateful. We need the koku. I suspect however, that before the next harvest arrives, Hizen will fall to a Shimazu invasion. Lord Hojo and/or Lord Uesugi will use the opportunity to break their alliance with us when we retaliate and burn Satsuma to the ground. When this happens, Asano-san and his shadow warriors will be very busy for a time, as I will target the major Uesugi and Hojo ports after Satsuma, to remind them that it is Ieyasu who commands the Tokugawa, and he is not one with whom to toy.

[Azi Tohak]

I do miss the good old days of STW. I don't know how many hours I spent on my laptop with that game. And this just takes me back.

Thanks,
Azi

[Togakure]

Hello Azi Tohak, and thanks for reading it and commenting. I don't think I'll write up the entire campaign, but I'll continue it here and there, as time allows.

Cheers, to Shogun diehards everywhere .

[Drisos]

Cheers, to Shogun diehards everywhere!

Cheers back to you, fellow shogunist!

STW!!

[barocca]

waiting patiently for more

B.

[Togakure]

I would do better to invest my time here, rather than getting myself into trouble in the Backroom .

Nice to hear from you Barocca. That one of the Org's most dedicated veterans has been reading my story in addition to the other fine fans here honors me greatly. I have been a bit under the weather of late, but will continue this soon. Writing this awoke my passion for Shogun campaigning that had been dormant for some time, so I've since played a number of campaigns using other factions. Several openings (what I consider to be the first 16-20 turns or so) would make interesting write-ups. They are also easier, as this one is fraught with peril from Turn One. Ah,the shame, that O'Jonin in his Tokugawa guise might lose his first published campaign ! Ah well, the nice thing is, I can always try it again, and my honorable warriors are pixelated images and not flesh and blood, and Soul.

More soon, and thanks guys.

[tool Dude]

Hehe...I happy that you gonna continue Toga cause I've been thinkin of doin it too. It just a matter of time for me I think eh...

[Togakure]

Hey that's great . It will be nice to have some company in here (that I can actually see). I look forward to some fun reading. I just finished the next write-up for this one so I'm gonna post in now. I have a screenshot of the map, but Photobucket is down for scheduled maintenance at the moment, so I'll add it in later.

[Togakure]

Spring, 1583. As the winter came to a close, I decided that having Asano and his squad sit idle in Mikawa was not a good use of available resources. Oda Nobuharu was in Mino with only 200 or so troops, and I needed a concrete assessment of control and troop strength in Echizen and Hida. As the snowflakes from the last of the late winter storms ceased to fall, I sent Asano and his troops into Mino on an intelligence-gathering mission.

Asano reported that the confrontation in Mino could hardly be termed a battle, though he and his men did take the field against an obstinate Nobuharu and his 120 archers and 60 ashigaru. Hanging back like a coward, Nobuharu sent his troops racing for the tall mountain to the East of Mino province. Asano's ninja easily outpaced them and reached the top long before they did. Again, when the enemy realized that their foes were shadow warriors, they turned and fled the field. Tadatoshi-san's honor and reputation grows.

From his vantage point in Mino, Asano discovered that I was entirely wrong in my estimation of activities in Echizen and Hida. Echizen is in the hands of the Ikko Ikki, some 400 or so troops of indeterminate composition. Hida is not under the control of the Takeda, but occupied by a very large Oda force of some 1600 men--the entire remaining Oda army. Apparently Katsuyori's forces were either defeated in their attempt to take Hida, or were driven from the province by Oda reinforcements before they could establish control. As proud as the Takeda clan is, it is my hope that they will continue to focus their attention on the Oda. This will allow us to continue increasing the number and improving the quality of our troops, particularly mine here in Totomi.

Most of my Yari Samurai in Totomi have been replaced by superior units produced in Owari. The new troops have been trained in Owari's Famous Spear Dojo, sport the finest yari--crafted by legendary swordsmiths, and their enthusiasm and dedication has been significantly bolstered by proganda cleverly developed by my officers in Owari's Golden Palace. Of my original Yari Samurai, only my son's unit remains here. I think next season, when another unit of Owari Yari Samurai arrives, I will send him to Owari to serve under the tutelage of Honda Tadakatsu-san. I cannot afford to have my only heir killed if Katsuyori attacks me here in Totomi, and if there is a battle here, it will be a terrible one. Totomi's relatively flat terrain is ideal for a cavalry-heavy army like the Takeda's, and while I do have two units of Yari Cavalry at my disposal, it will be my Yari Samurai that will have to bear the brunt of the horsed Takeda might. In the event of a battle, many will die ... .

Kawachi is now under the command of a First Rank taisho, an archer just trained in Osaka. I do not recall his name, but apparently he shows promise. If Kawachi is attacked and he is able to successfully defend it, I will promote him to Second Rank and the prestige of serving under his command will dramatically improve the abilities of the troops there. Kawachi's garrison is excellently equipped, but consists only of archer and sohei units--no Yari Samurai. This is problematic as Kawachi's best point of defense is the bridge that crosses the river there, and in a bridge battle, the otherwise formidable Buddhist monks are likely to be cut to pieces preventing a bridge crossing if the enemy has a large contingent of archers. Kawachi does not yet have a Spear Dojo, so I will divert the fine Yari Samurai that complete training in Owari to Kawachi as soon as the port there has been completed. Though it will take some time and koku to produce a proper amount of spearmen, I think we will be able to train and transport enough before the province is significantly threatened by either the Shimazu or Mori. The ronin in the area do not pose a significant threat provided they are not provoked.

Our intelligence network has dispersed nicely, covering most of the provinces in central Japan surrounding and including Yamashiro, in addition to providing internal security to all of our own provinces. Front line shinobi have advanced as far as Tajima, home of the formidable Yagyu clan. I have asked the leader of the Tajima cell to seek out Yagyu Munenori and inquire of his health in my name. I have been thinking that Munenori-san would make a formidable sensei for my sons. They will need the best kenjutsu training if they are to rule as proper shoguns after me.

Currently Tajima is under the control of a small group of ronin, and sports a Large Castle, and Famous Archery, Spear, and Horse Dojos. I do not like the idea of such quality resources falling into the hands of the Mori so close to Kawachi ... Terumoto is in neighboring Harima with an army that could easily defeat the rebels in Tajima. I have ordered Asano, who is returning to Mikawa from his reconaissance mission in Mino, to travel to Tajima by sea and launch a surprise attack on the rebels next season. Though he will be significantly outnumbered, he has demonstrated fine tactical command in all of his previous missions. I am confident that he can succeed in defeating the ronin and destroying the troop production facilities there. My only concern is that Terumoto could very well attack Tajima this season. Though our troops in Kawachi threaten his southern flank, he can afford to send troops against Tajima while still defending Harima. His troops are few in number, but high in quality. May the gods favor us so that the Mori lord hesitates. Were we not allied and in need of the koku, I would have some troops from Kawachi pin him in Harima to give Asano time to get to Tajima. But we will honor the alliance. It better serves our purposes ... for now.

Finally, by driving the small Oda force from Mino we have created a void, which will surely be filled by one of the three other factions surrounding the province. Will it be ronin from Echizen, Omi, or Wakasa, vengeful Oda from Hida (most likely, in my mind), or opportunistic Takeda from Shinano? If the province were not technically under our control, I would hope it to be the Takeda who occupy that province--it would reduce the size of the army in Shinano and thus decrease the pressure on us here in Totomi. However, should the Takeda attack while Mino flies our mon, we will have no choice but to declare war on them. This would not be good timing at all. Perhaps it was not so wise to send Asano against Mino, even though I did need the valuable intelligence he gathered while there. Well, it is done, and we shall see.

The winter chill has passed, and the sakura bloom in the orchards outside Hamamatsu. The skies shine with spring polish, providing a radiant sea upon which tall, white clouds sail majestically. It is a fine sight, one that will surely thrill Chacha-chan. Tomorrow I will escort her to her favorite waterfalls in the gorge just beyond the orchards. Hopefully she will find the newly laquered palaquin to her taste--I paid the artisans an exorbitant fee to assure the finest quality. They are fortunate that I am such a reasonable daimyo, who appreciates fine art and craft.

[Dexter]

nice ... weary weary nice
I am thinking of posting my first campagne too ... playing since 2001 the original STW and the STWW i think it should be interesting to see the reaction of the members when unit size is set to 120 ( yes expert, morale, fatigue etc on)