Re: Sengoku Jidai, Japanese interactive History
Chapter 5. Spring 1561
After the cold and hardship of winter months. The nature wakes up for a new Spring. Melting snow from the mountains turns into water and flows to the lowlands of Japan in form of mighty streams. Like the nature,peasants start a new cycle by planting seeds for a new harvest. In places where the war doesnt interrupt their efforts. These places are rare in Japan this spring as the Lords of Japan arm their men and continue their relentless pursuit of power.
On Kuyshu it seems that the Dragon has awaken from its sleep. Otomo Sorin leads personally a force of 21000 men to Chikugo to drive of Ryuzoji and its ally Akizuki clan from the province. At March 13th the two armies meet in the fields near Yanagawa castle. Otomo numbering 21000 men against the 15000 Ryuzoji and allied troops. Battle doesnt brake out immediately except small skirmishes which are used to scout possible weaknesses on the enemy army.
After few days of manouvering, a Shimazu messenger arrives on the Ryuzoji camp. Ryuzoji Takanobu listens to the message of the Shimazu clan and more the messenger sayes more pale Takanobu gets. The fact is that the messenger has an message from Shimazu Takahisa, declaring war to both clans. Takanobu waits calmly after the messenger has left and the says with silent but determined voice to Akizuki Tanezane.
"This is the end my friend. We are doomed. Buddha has put us infront of our enemies in all of his wisdom and what is left to do for us, is to die well."
Tanezane tryes every mean possible to persuade Takanobu to withdraw and fight another time, but Ryozoji daimyo is like a rock. After few days of waiting, the Ryozoji scouts bring message that Shimazu is indeed marching from the South. And with not less then 15000 men, thus making the total of Otomo and Shimazu force to 36000 men, over twice what Ryozoji and Akizuki have. In that situation Akizuki Tanezane decides to withdraw to Chikuzen with his 3000 men and leaves the 12000 strong Ryuzoji army to face the inevitable.
Ryozoji retainers try to persuade Takanobu to attack Otomo before Shimazu gets to the battle field, but the Ryozoji daimyo just laughs to his advisors saying that its more pleasant to die against larger enemy.
On the morning of march 17th Takanobu sends an message to his home province of Hizen, naming his 5 year old son as the new Daimyo of Ryuzoji. After that he and his closest retainers strip of their normal sashimono flags from their armour´s and replace those with white sashimonos that each carry only the name of their bearer in order to easily regognice them,when they are dead.
As the Shimazu standards start to raise from the right of Ryozoji force, Takanobu orders on all out assault to Otomo center. Bullets and arrows tear the flesh of Ryuzoji men as they rush towards the enemy, Takanobu leading the assault personally. The fury of the attack amazes the Otomo force so much, that the Ryuzoji even after taking horrible casulties brakes the first sonaes of the Otomo army and only be deploying his reserves to the battle, Otomo Sorin succeeds on stopping the charge. Shimazu cavalry which has been raiding ahead the army smashes into the rear of Ryozoji and soon after that numerous times wounded Ryuzoji Takanobu dies in the middle of the battle stabbed by numerous spears.
As there is no retreat, most of the Ryozoji force die fighting, taking with them many Otomo and Shimazy warriors. Only about 1000 or so of the Ryuzoji army is able to fight through the Shimazu cavalry and escape to Yanagawa castle. At the end of the battle Ryuzoji has lost about 11000 men, Otomo some 5000 and Shimazu about 1000. The joined army starts on siege on the Yanagawa, which can propably hold no more then a season against such a large force of 30000 men without much supplies and men to defend the castle. On Hizen the senior retainers of Ryozoji raise all the remaining men of the clan numbering about 4000 and start fortifying the province. The 5000 Akizuki warriors in Chikuzen start the same thing. During the Spring Portuguese traders also reach Kyushu and they have with them 10000 muskets and 100 cannons for sale to the clans of Kuyshu. Now it will be time for the Kuyshu daimios to decide how much they can spend on the weapons of the foreign barbarians.
On Western Japan, Mori stays in place like a mountain. The clan continues its work on building its navy and with all the work, they should soon have the most powerfull navy in all Japan.
Amako Haruhisa decides that the time has come to tie up loose ends. Haruhisa sends army of 20000 warriors to Bizen to destroy Urakami, for once and for all. Urakami decides not to fight and their army of 10000 men is besieged inside the walls of Tenjinyama. Urakami capital is well supplied and could last over an year of a siege of Amako forces.
On Shikoku island, Chosokabe Motochika makes peace with Kono and withdraws back to Tosa. Just in time, becouse large Miyoshi army marches to Iyo on april numbering 15000 men lead by Miyoshi Masahiro. As the situation is confusing, the Miyoshi army decides to stay in Iyo as guest´s of Kono for the remaining season and decide what to do with Chosokabe later.
On Kinai,Miyoshi continues the siege of Hatakeyama in Kwatchi province. It seems that Miyoshi´s tactics is to starve out the defending Hatakeyma force.
Tsutsui Junkei of Yamato decides that the time to act has come. Army of 10000 Tsutsui warriors lay siege on capital, which is defended by 5 000 Miyoshi warriors. For some reason Ashikaga Shogun doesnt comment the siege at all in the public.
In the Asakura lands, north from capital, the persecution of Christians have reulted into that the christianity has become basicly non existant. Other then that Asakura sends 5000 men strong force to guard his ally´s the Asai clans domain when the Asai army is away.
The new leader of Asai Nagamasa, decides to continue his fathers policies and renew´s the war against Kitabatake, only this time with different ally. Saito doesnt send his men to aid Nagamasa, but his new friend from South, Clan Oda.
Combined force numbering 19000 men of Asai and Oda invade Ise on April. The old cunning fox Kitabatake Harumoto is too wise and experienced to give fight to the allied force. Instead he decides to fortify in Kitabatake capital with his army of 10000 men. The allies are forced to lay siege which could last well over an year. Also in Asai home province Omi, the situation turns intresting. The 5000 strong Asakura force guarding the province is suddenly faced by a 3000 strong Oda force lead by Shibata Katsuie. The Oda force camps on the province while Asakura keeps things under control. The situation is intresting,since Asakura and Oda´s relationship is an mystery and There are virtually none of the Provinces masters, Asai´s troops in the province.
In Etchu, Takeda is betrayed. On March Jinbo clan is exhausted and surrenders. But on the following morning of the victory, suddenly Uesugi and Shiina warriors attack the sleeping Takeda camp, butchering most of the Takeda warriors on their beds. Yamagata Masakage is still able to escape from the slaughter with few of his closest men. He rides through Etchu and Northern Shinano and witness how Uesugi troops are marching towards central Shinano from all Northern roads.
Dragon of Echigo, Uesugi Kenshin has decided that the time is right to attack. He has organiced the whole Uesugi army to march against Shinano,leaving only 1000 men behind to guard Uesugis other territories Shiina is left to guard Etchu. Kenshin leads the force of 19000 Uesugi warriors personally. Also he has arranged so that other Northern clans can use Uesugi territory as base for their attacks towards south.
With the ambush of Uesugi in Etchu, Takeda has less then 3000 men garrisoning large area of Shinano. Uesugi quickly takes many of the smaller Takeda forts and layes siege to Fukashi castle on april which is defended by 1000 strong garrison of Takeda men lead by Yamagata Masakage, who has hastily organized the defence of the castle.
After the news reach Takeda Shingen in Totomi, he commands the whole 20000 strong Takeda army to march to Shinano,towards Fukashi as soon as possible. At the end of the season Takeda is on the march towards Fukashi and Uesugi besieges the castle. Uesugi has suffered about 1000 men casulties ,taking Takeda fortresses,thanks to clever defences of Takeda. So Kenshin is left with 18000 men and Shingen is coming towards him with 20000. It seems that the two masters of war are about to clash once again.
On the Tokaido coast,things stay silent as Togukawa and small detachment of Oda troops fight of small skirmishes with Imagawa forces on the border of Totomi and Mikawa. Imagawa daimyo, Yoshimoto orders starting of building teppo factory in Imagawa capital Sumpu.
In the Kanto, Hojo Ujiyasu is an worried man. Reports tell that he is being attacked from multiple directions, by multiple enemies.
Huge army of Satomi and Satake numbering 41000 men invade Musashi province and siege the 15000 strong Hojo forces to Kawagoe. The castle is well fortified and should stand the siege for about an year,but such large force could always try to take it by force.
A combined army of Date and Mogami numbering about 15000 invade Kozuke through Uesugi lands on April. The Hojo force numbering 15000 marches to confront the enemy near Numata castle. The two forces deploy facing each other, but becouse of the even number neither side decides to start the battle, thus staying in place to see how the situation will develop. The other remaining Northern clans, Ashina and Nanbu are not committing any forces to war yet, but their efforts could tip the scale of the situation.
The Spring 1561 will be remembered as Spring of war in the history since there are hardly a place in Nippon which has been safe from the flames of war. The following seasons could determine the fate of Japan, so each daimyo should think carefully his next moves.
OOC: I will send personal info to players who´s situation has changed tomorrow.
Deadline for decisions for Summer 1561, is Saturday 23rd September.
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Originally Posted by LegioXXXUlpiaVictrix
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