Guide of Bait Tactics

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Forty - Formation: Bow Last (Way of Tiger, Marginalized Bow)

"Suzuki, do you remember this?"
"Yes! So many years ago I fought Shimazu. They used this! This is Marginalized Bow!"
"Good memory! The official name of this formation is Way of Tiger. This is the most friendly formation to Bait Tactics. If you see the enemy use this formation, you should laugh off the horse."
"Indeed. All I needed to do was to use Bow Ashigaru to approach from the front."
"OK. I have the last formation to show you... You must remember this as well."

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Forty One - Formation: Bow Middle (Flying Bird, Hot Dog, Porcupine)

"Suzuki, how about this?"
"Yes! I have seen Chosokabe use it in Iyo! Their Big Hot Dog! "
"I thought they were all wearing pants, not skirts. This one has a formal name called Flying Bird. Or you can call it Bow Middle to be consistent with Bow First and Bow last. In this formation the enemy tries to protect their birds... I mean bows."
"So I just use Bow Infantry to approach from the front to draw out the yari, right?"
"Yep. The Yari is truly protective of the bows in this formation. I think the Porcupine formation, where yari units are attached to the ends of the line of bows, also belong to this formation - when the enemy has extra yari units to spare."
"Got it. Thank you, my lord. I have learned so much from the review."
"Really. So tell me what you have learned. If you do not have Bow Warrior Monks but only Bow Ashigaru, what do you look for?"
"I look for Bow Middle or Bow Last. Or some kind of exposed second row!"
"Very good. If you have Bow Warrior Monks, what do you look for?"
"Besides Bow Middle or Bow Last, I look for three kinds of Misplaced Katana! Draw them out from the middle!"
"What if you get one of the three kinds of Bow First formation?"
"I move cavalry to the side of their army to see if they are willing to adapt another formation!"
"What if they refuse to change?"
"Then I hope there is an exposed flank!"
"What do you do after their exposed flank is destroyed?"
"I draw out their cavalry with fast cavalry! Then I circle to their back and shoot!"
"That's a refreshing thought - maybe we will try that one day. OK~ enough for the review! Let's fight Oda! "

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Forty Two. May It Be the Fire Arrows

"OK Suzuki. Where would you deploy the army?"
"There is a forest hill on our side. Just in case Oda rushes to take our hill, I will deploy right in front of the hill."
"Good!"

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"My lord, it seems that Oda is happy with their own hill. There are a few trees. Probably good enough for them."
"Also good enough for us! What is this formation?"
"Oda has no Katana, but this is either Bow Last or Bow Middle! Easy! "
"Indeed! I will leave this to you, then. The First Army will join you in the next battle. Don't disappoint me!"
"Yes, my lord! Let's give Oda some sweet Bait Tactics! "

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(May it Be)

May it be - a hot fire arrow, shines light - upon you...

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May it be - some free fireworks, your body - it goes through...

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You run, a lonely road. Oh how far, you are from home...

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Oh darn, you're trapped; Oh darn, you are doomed...

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Believe, and you will go to western paradise...

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Oh darn, you're surrounded, Oh darn, by the angry monks...

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A promise leaves... and you are hopeless now.

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May it be, the Buddha's call... to follow the bait...

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May it be, my journey stops... as this is my last day...

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When you think, you have escaped... you'll see, the monks's large blade...

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Oh darn, you are alone... Oh darn, you are owned...

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Believe, and you'll walk into a burning grave...

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Oh darn, you're shot... oh darn, yon run away...

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A promise leaves... and you are pouring blood now...

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When Suzuki comes, you will die, die, die, now.

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Forty Three. You Move, the Enemey Rotates

"Hm... there is no more yari left! We have to turn the army so that the bows can travel down a path with no trees at all. Not a problem. "


48. When our army moves, the enemy rotates to face us. This could be very useful to reveal a prey and find a tree-less path for bow units to be drawn out. We can also purposely use trees to reduce the number of bow units drawn.

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"From 20 units down to 4. That's the power of Bait Tactics! Come!"

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"Swarm them, the horde of Ikko-Ikki!"

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"What is he doing?! Is he using circus tricks to insult us? Shoot him down!"

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"Buhaha! You can't run away! Report the victory to the Grandmaster! "

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"Master, we had a great victory in Echizen. Only 66 men were lost."
"That's your personal third landmark! Congratulations!"
"Please come, my lord. We shall crush Oda together!"
"Yes. We will be there in a week! I wonder how the other armies are doing..."


End of the First Battle of Echizen

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Intermission. Double-Double, Lazy Couples

In the meantime...

Two Oda armies marched to Tamba,
where they were sabotaged by Ikko's Ninja.
Yet the two waiting Ikko armies were a lazy couple.
They doubled up to face Oda's double - in two quick battles.

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There is no need for Bait Tactics,
When battles can be resolved like picnics.
There is no critics about ethics,
When the result table hides all graphics.

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One army is down, one army remains.
This one will fall, sharing the same fate.

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It is time for the last struggle,
As the best four armies in Japan to clash in battle.
When the armies are large and commands slow,
We return to numbers and stregnth - the principles of the simple.

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VII. Second Battle of Echizen (Battle of Fukui)

Forty Four. Very Exposed Flank

"My lord, I shall enter the castle of Kaga, so we face Oda's army together."
"Good! This is the moment we have all been waiting for - fighting a decisive grand battle! We don't want to be lazy like those guys in Tamba. "
"It is an honor to serve under you, my lord! "