Tokugawa 1580 Campaign

[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.