Strategic Decision

[Wasp]

I keep Totomi in my camps. That big, tall hill is much easier to defend than other areas, and the big clump of woods at the foot of that hill = many dead Takeda cavalry.

IMHO, it's much easier to defend than Omi which is where the next series of attacks will probably fall.

And besides, I hate giving up provinces that give unit bonuses.

How did the Takeda get Mikawa, btw?

Takeda overwhelmed my one-season temporary garrison with about thousand troops. Guess he had very good intel on that one, since I made sure that the province only would've been underprotected for one measly season..

[Martok]

Heh. That sucks, Wasp.

So did you try to fight for the province then, or did you just hightail it out of there?

[Wasp]

I withdrew my troops from Totomi, and destroyed all the (pretty much high-end) infrastructure. I used the cash to build up the new core provinces of the Tokugawa clan, which once were occupied by Oda forces. Ieyasu wasn't really bothered by the rebels and quickly took a large chunk of land:



To my surprise, Takeda pretty much left me alone. I had a few loyalists in my old provinces who I used and am using to create some distractions along the eastern front.

In the west, Shimazu and Tokugawa forces are skirmishing, but it seems Shimazu has to divide his troops against Mori and Tokugawa armies. My plan is to slowly take more Shimazu land without taking too much risks. Hizen is my best developed province at the moment, so pretty crucial. Still no Dutch traders, by the way.



The first +1 honour Warrior Monks are getting produced to bolster my eastern armies until we can develop the necessary infrastructure to get some Heavy Cavs in. Monks, Heavies and Musketeers are probably going to make up the elite core of the Tokugawa army when we're ready to establish our Shogunate!

[Edit] Osaka castle is my first objective, because it will give me a nice border plus some pretty good infrastructure around the Kyoto-Osaka region.

[ReluctantSamurai]

Takeda overwhelmed my one-season temporary garrison with about thousand troops. 

Well, that explains that....probably not much you could do

Looks like your strategy is working out so far......but unfortunately, even though you destroyed the infrastructure in Totomi, the 'huge' castle remains and will probably be used to quickly rebuild. And I've seen more AI cheats in this area than any other: that of constructing dojos without the proper prerequisite buildings

That is a very sore subject with me, as I've always felt you should be able to destroy, or at least heavily damage a castle when you abandon it. Even stone ones, particularly once the gunpowder level is reached.......packs kegs of gunpowder around the underpinnings and..................BOOM!

Without seeing the whole map, it looks as if Oda is not much longer for the world......I'd lay in the weeds and grab Mino at the first opportunity, as it's almost as easy to defend as Shinano......and a line of Owari-Mino-Echizen will be a tough nut for Takeda to crack until you've solidified your Kyushu holdings.........

"Still no Dutch traders, by the way."

I've had camps where they didn't show up until after 1600, even though I had plenty of ports-of-entry......which is why I never wait for them, anymore......I secure an armory along the coast and go straight for a gun factory....which means even the Portuguese will do. Turning Christian is not a problem for me because I rarely use WM, and the cathedral income has saved my butt on more than one occasion.

[Wasp]

Well, Takeda got Mikawa when I wasn't planning on them getting that province, so I was pretty glad that the loyalists could wreak some havoc on that province, if only temporary. Indeed, you should be able to weaken a castle at least a few levels (or even one), but alas, that's the way it is (I would've loved a diplomacy system which emulated the historical situation; for example, Ieyasu who gets the Kanto for his old provinces).

Oda is indeed nothing more than two provinces without infrastructure; they do have Toyotomi though (thankfully he didn't spawn in a ashigaru unit). My main problem is borders and amount of troops/infrastructure. My current strategy is pretty much building/turtling in the east and carefully expanding in the west. But maybe you guys have other suggestions? The Takeda-border sounds like a good plan as well, but I'd need more troops for a manouvre like that, I think.

[Martok]

I can't really think of any particular advice to give, as you're already doing pretty much what I would in your situation. Just keep moving westward, take over Shikoku, and eventually move into Kyushu and link up with your provinces there. It's regrettable that this will probably necessitate the destruction of the Shimazu, but I think it's your best plan of action right now.

[caravel]

Takeda overwhelmed my one-season temporary garrison with about thousand troops. Guess he had very good intel on that one, since I made sure that the province only would've been underprotected for one measly season..

It's important to remember that in STW/MTW the AI can see the moves you're going to make and can react to them accordingly. This is why it will leave an emissary in a province for years on end and then suddenly pull him out when you decide to target him with an assassin. It's also why the AI often inexplicably moves in reinforcements to a province on the very turn you try to invade it. In short: The AI cheats.

[Wasp]

Martok, indeed, once the two fiefs are linked, the game is as good as over and the Tokugawa will reign supreme. I think I'll stick with careful planning instead of the risky, at-the-moment decision making I used (but I think my position was a bit improved and further away from the Takeda horde.

Cynwulf, that's a shame.. sometimes I think it would've been nice to see an army marching towards a castle, so you could intervene or help. Now you'll have to plan and be pretty lucky to help your allies in a battle.

[Wasp]

Interesting development: Mori has pretty much surrounded most of my lands and went in for the kill at two provinces: Yamashiro, where Ieyasu was stationed; and Lord Mori himself (who is now of -2 rank, the poor bugger) stroke at Omi.

Both provinces killed around 600 of Mori scum, while Mori only managed to kill a bit under hundred in both provinces. Basically, he spent most of his army in a risky move and now has a lot of land and virtually no troops or able generals to protect it. Tokugawa forces are going to strike next season with pretty much everything.

Hopefully I'll be able to link east and west before there's serious opposition from Takeda and others.

No screenie yet, sorry. Will get that later

[Martok]

Interesting. I suppose Mori decided to try and hit you before you became too strong? Not a bad idea, really, especially since you weren't fully "settled" into Oda's former lands.

[Wasp]

Yeah, which I suppose was a fine strategy, if only he had chosen his keypoints more carefully. Assaulting Ieyasu himself without a superior numerical advantage?

Anyway, I started the counterattack and Mori didn't fought once. I think he's going to concentrate his troops around his core provinces before the whole thing falls apart. He does has two heirs now, so I think I'll let Lord Mori himself live for a while. His many defeats aren't really inspiring. However, I did trap him in the western part:

[Wasp]

New, updated map of Japan:



We're advancing pretty quick, gaining at least one or two provinces per season. Also extended my eastern border into Mino, since it has more favourable terrain. It does get me closer into Takeda-Uesugi territory, but my generals are skilled enough to protect that border for now. Uesugi assassinated ol' Lord Mori and immediately offered me an alliance. Either they wanted to give me a nice present, or they want to pick up my lands after the new, capable Lord Mori crushed me.

The new Lord Mori is a two or three star general, but he's holing himself up in Nagato, which is fine by me.