The fourth battle for Kawanakajima

[Drisos]

Hi all,

here is another battle report.

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I'm playing the historical battle '4th Kawanakajima' this time. I play at expert.

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Shingen's army is positioned on the central hill of the Kawanakajima grouns. The clan has brought 540 samurai for the attack on the Uesugi.



The army is in formation and advancing towards the Uesugi deploy. Yumi samurai are at the front, Shingen's cavalry is behind the infantry.



The archers have taken position on another hill. The enemy is in sight but not in firing range yet.



The archers have moved forward a bit more and the enemy units lay under fire.



The return fire of the Takeda Yumi samurai is weak. The entire right flank of their army gets shot down. Both Kenshin and Shingen hold their infantry on the high ground meanwhile.



After a while the Takeda army runs out of ammunition, but by that time they killed many of the Uesugi Samurai. Here Shigens infantry is charging running down the hill towards their enemy.



Due to their speed and the number of Yumi samurai losses of the enemy few get shot on their way to the enemy deploy. Here Takeda troops have engaged. Thanks to their superior melee skills they are destroying the Uesugi infantry, which is bigger in number.



Takeda Shingen has moved round the engaged infantry lines, and is charging the enemy from behind. Shingen himself runs in the middle of many enemy Yari Samurai, but he surives it. At this sight half of the enemy infantry flees, to be killed by Shingen's men little later.



Most of the Uesugi Clan's men are fleeing now. Kenshin fights on, but he is outnumbered and Takeda Cavalry is about to block the way to safety.



The Uesugi lord sees it's hopeless and runs away, but too late. Takeda's mounted Yumi Samurai block the way and Kenshin is surrounded by enemies now.



Few time later, one of the greatest generals in Japanese history is charged by several Yari Samurai and falls down, never to stand up again.

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Victory for the Takeda! The last Uesugi infantry is fleeing away. Kenshin has fallen and the result is 627 kills for the Takeda clan, vs. only 275 losses!

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I really hope you enjoy reading this, guys!

D

[Togakure]

Yosh! Thanks for this. I MISS MY GAME and WANT MY DISK NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!

Hmm ... the 2-year-old's behavior is beginning to affect me [composes self].

Nicely done Drisos. Keep it coming!

[Ludens]

Very good, Drisos! Keep them coming!

Though, if you would accept my advice, I suggest you try to make it a bit more of a story. As it is, it's rather dry. But that's just the opinion of the Mead Hall's story critic.

[Drisos]

Very good, Drisos! Keep them coming!

Thank you, Ludens! Feels good to hear such words from a Mead Hall AM.

Though, if you would accept my advice, I suggest you try to make it a bit more of a story. As it is, it's rather dry. But that's just the opinion of the Mead Hall's story critic.

I'll at least try to accept your advice. Do you mean, a bit more text? Or you mean the way I write the text? I know I write a bit like 'the infantry is engaging' or 'yumi samurai are moving to..' I think you mean that I must write it in another style? This way of writing I used is, I think, more useful for beginners to learn some strategies from, but I know it'll be more fun to read when I write less dry. I'll try to fit in both.

As you see I made a mistake with the third screen of the second battle. I acidentally hit F1 before I hit F2..

Yosh! Thanks for this. I MISS MY GAME and WANT MY DISK NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW WWW!!!!

Hmm ... the 2-year-old's behavior is beginning to affect me [composes self].

Nicely done Drisos. Keep it coming!

Thanks m8! I hope your disk gets there soon.. your warhorse is probably getting lazy?

[Ludens]

I'll at least try to accept your advice. Do you mean, a bit more text? Or you mean the way I write the text? I know I write a bit like 'the infantry is engaging' or 'yumi samurai are moving to..' I think you mean that I must write it in another style? This way of writing I used is, I think, more useful for beginners to learn some strategies from, but I know it'll be more fun to read when I write less dry. I'll try to fit in both.

You write this battle-report to explain tactics, but (and this is were the Mead Hall critic comes in) for me the facts are of less importance than whether it reads well. You see, you basically write it like: "This happens, then that happens, next that happens" and so on ad infinitum. It contains all the facts, which is what you intended. However, it is not particulary interesting unless you want to know exactly what is happening. So you and I expect different things from your story, which is why my comments should be considered carefully.

The main thing that prevents it from being a story (as opposed to a report) is lack of emotion. It is very dry and factual, and you don't seem to care whether Takeda or Uesugi wins. You don't even introduce them (and you don't tell us untill the end which faction actually represents artillery, infantry, and so on). Most people here know who Takeda and Uesugi are, but it would be better that you give them a motivation. Why are they figthing? Why is important? Or are they just fighting a battle as a hobby? Treat both the generals and the soldiers as people, not as the computer-generated sprites, and you have the beginnings of a story .

That is the advice of the Mead Hall critic. As a battle report, you only need a few overview pictures, and it's perfect .

[Drisos]

Thanks again for the comments.

You write this battle-report to explain tactics, but (and this is were the Mead Hall critic comes in) for me the facts are of less importance than whether it reads well.

That's the problem... it's either good for explaining my strategy or nicer to read. I try to fit in both but I'm not good at it...

You see, you basically write it like: "This happens, then that happens, next that happens" and so on ad infinitum. It contains all the facts, which is what you intended.

I know I write like only the facts. I've thought of writing in 1st person, that way I'd be able to put some emotion in it, but in 1st person it's hard to tell all things which are important for someone who wants to read about the strategy.

However, it is not particulary interesting unless you want to know exactly what is happening.

I don't know yet - perhaps I'll just leave it like this, and don't inform Mead Hall. basically this is meant for people playing stw to read and for some inexperienced players to gain some ideas on tactiks in stw. but It would be nice to know that also others can enjoy it. however that would be hard to do for me.

[Ludens]

That's the problem...

I wouldn't call it a problem. It is just a different skill. But don't let this stop from informing the Mead Hall. And remember practice makes perfect.