Sengoku - Fourth Kawanakajima (Phases II and III)

 II: Kansuke's Charge

Opening set-up. The Uesugi army is represented by the 
Blue army. The red and yellow parasol represents an 
unnamed commander.

As the Uesugi 'Winding Wheel' attack developed, the Takeda author of the 'Operation Woodpecker' plan, Yamamoto Kansuke, realised that his scheme had failed disastrously. Superior numbers of Uesugi troops bore down upon the isolated wing of the Takeda army, which was also less well placed to reinforce his front line. Who knew where the 'left hook' was? For all anyone knew they were still on the far side of the river on Mount Saijo.  

Commanders identified. The asterisked command is
represented by the parasol, and has not been named.

The Armies:

Takeda (Red):
1 unit Mounted Samurai = 3SP
3 units Foot Samurai spear@4SP = 12SP
1 unit Foot Samurai bow = 4SP
5 units Ashigaru spear @3SP = 15SP
1 unit Ashigaru bow = 2SP
1 unit Ashigaru arquebus = 2SP
3 commanders

12 units => 5 Activation dice
38SP => Exhaustion Point = -13SP; Rout Point= -19SP

The Armies:
Uesugi (Blue):
1 unit Mounted Samurai = 3SP
3 units Foot Samurai spear @4SP = 12SP
1 unit Foot Samurai bow =4SP
6 units Ashigaru spear @3SP = 18SP
2 units Ashigaru bow @2SP = 4SP
1 unit Ashigaru arquebus = 2SP
3 commanders (the asterisked commander in the blue army is unnamed)

14 Units => 5 Activation dice
43SP => Exhaustion Point = -15SP; Rout Point = -22SP 

Note that I have reversed the army colours from the Command & Colours scenarios.

After all the hard fighting so far, the Uesugi army's morale 
remains high! 

The Takeda front line having been driven, in the Uesugi army surged forward, successive lines reinforcing and replacing the exhausted front ranks. Their enthusiasm might be measured by the Activation Roll, the 5 dice reading (6+6+5+4+3)/2 = 24/2 = 12 units out of fourteen, pound forward to engage the Takeda first line of 5 ashigaru units.

The first clashes are disastrous for the Takeda army. Almost at once, the right flank ashigaru yuma are overwhelmed. Bungo-no-Kame leads his samurai unit straight into a counter-attack against the Uesugi left wing, which is threatening to envelop and overwhelm the Takeda line. Shot up by enemy bowmen as they close, Bungo-no-Kame takes several arrows, as do many of his samurai. He dies before he and his men fairly close with the sword. 

This is a poor harbinger for Takeda, as the loss of a unit brings his unit count to eleven, and hence the reduction of his activation dice to four. The loss of a commander further reduces the activation dice. Now Takeda has but three.



Nevertheless, having joined a mounted samurai unit himself, Katsuke manages to bring his entire line into the fray. They have the numbers on their left wing, but look very thin in the centre and on the right.

With his horsemen Katsuke tries to break through the Uesugi line, but behind it Uesugi have plenty of reserves in hand.

Despite the potential loss of command and control, the Takeda remain well in hand for the time being. An activation roll of 15 with 3 dice permits action by seven units (15/2 rounded down). By great efforts Takeda throws back the Uesugi line. Their line recoiling, they leave a yari unit stranded, embedded in the Takeda line.

Recovering and rallying their lines, the Uesugi left whales into the Takeda right wing, relieving the stranded ashigaru, and isolating the Takeda units on the extreme flank. Uesugi also tend to concentrate numbers against the Takeda left. This thins out the Uesugi centre, which Katsuke is determined to exploit.

In fact it is Masatoyo who gets in his charge first, crashing into the flank of a column of Uesugi samurai. 



For his part, the Uesugi diamyo Hirotsuna essays a charge with his own ashigaru against Takeda spearmen. Both sides are further depleted, but Hirotsuna himself gets on the wrong end of a spear thrust that promptly removes him from the battle line. 



For all their successes in the centre, Takeda finds the superior numbers of Uesugi troops prove too much to overcome. Heavy losses accrue to both sides, who, even upon reaching their exhaustion points, refuse to break off. The Portable Sengoku Wargames rules permit units closely engaged to remain so unless and until forced back or destroyed. If victorious, they may not follow up. The downside, perhaps, is that losses can become very heavy before the battle fully comes to an end.




So it was in this part of the action. When at last the armies drew apart, both sides had lost 18 Strength Points - Takeda just 1SP short of their rout point.


With reserves in hand, Uesugi Kenshin led them forward to relieve his depleted battle line, and to push forward as the Takeda remnants fell back beyond Takeda Shingen's own reserve line. There in the distance stood Shingen's command pavilion. There was Kenshin's objective! Shingen gone, Kenshin would become Lord of four provinces!

III:  Attack against Shingen's command post

It was a formidable array that lined up to advance against the Takeda lines. But perhaps the fierce resistance the Uesugi army had faced so far had taken the steam out of their enthusiasm. The activation roll (6 dice) was a poor one: 13, which, halved to the nearest whole number down, meant just 6 units got immediately into the action.  Here are the armies, with the Uesugi activation dice...

Uesugi (Blue):
1 unit Mounted Samurai spear = 3SP
1 unit Mounted Samurai bow = 3SP
3 units Foot Samurai spear @4SP = 12SP
1 unit Foot Samurai bow =4SP
5 units Ashigaru spear @3SP = 15SP
2 units Ashigaru bow @2SP = 4SP
1 unit Ashigaru arquebus = 2SP
4 commanders 

14 Units => 6 Activation dice
43SP => Exhaustion Point = -15SP; Rout Point = -22SP 

Takeda (Red):
1 command pavilion = 4SP
2 unit Mounted Samurai spear @3SP = 6SP
2 units Foot Samurai spear @4SP = 8SP
1 unit Foot Samurai bow = 4SP
4 units Ashigaru spear @3SP = 12SP
1 unit Ashigaru bow = 2SP
1 unit Ashigaru arquebus = 2SP
3 commanders

12 units => 5 Activation dice
38SP => Exhaustion Point = -13SP; Rout Point= -19SP

The rather tentative resumption of the battle so far successful was far overmatched by the response of the Takeda army. Something of a gap in the Takeda line might have suggested to Kenshin that this early might have been the time to exploit it, but instead he undertook to envelop the 'inner' flank of Nobukie's wing. That diamyo hurried to join a mounted samurai unit hastening forward (both having to move, 2 activation units were required to make this junction) to drive back the threatening enemy horse and relieve a badly depleted unit of ashiguru yari.

Having managed to shore up the gap in the centre, Takeda begins to press forward on the right. 

Terrible picture, but I had to show the activation roll!

Seizing the initiative, Takeda's activation roll is even more impressive: 19, yielding 9 active units. So doing, Takeda feels encouraged to take the fight to the enemy. The battle quickly becomes general all along the front.

The right flank mounted unit even circles a plot of woodland to fall upon a unit or ashigaru bowmen that was enveloping the flank of a friendly ashigaru unit. All the same, the situation hereabouts is looking parlous for Takeda, three units facing six.  

The situation in the centre is almost as dire, as Uesugi's superior numbers are brought to bear.

Whilst the Takeda left is holding comfortably, the right and centre are beginning to crumble. Although depleted, the Uesugi mounted samurai drive back their mounted opponents, and have almost reached Shingen's command post. On the Uesugi left, Katsunaga reinforces success by bringing in extra units to face the exiguous Takeda flank. The Takeda mounted samurai are much depleted; the ashigaru isolated and almost surrounded. Together, these two units are facing seven.

Although better placed, even the Takeda left comes under heavy pressure from superior numbers. All along the front, Takeda are being pressed back, their numbers dwindling. 

Victory in sight, the Uesugi break apart the Takeda army in the centre, and begin to force the wings aside. Before storming  Shingen's command pavilion, Kenshin elects to widen the gap between the enemy wings, and seeks to annihilate the Takeda right flank. He also aims to push Takeda units away from Shingen, leaving the war leader isolated.

By now, the Takeda army is so depleted and exhausted, that their surviving units barely holding on. Collapse is imminent. At this point Takeda are down 17 strength points, Uesugi - who have no reason to suppose there hasn't been some hard fighting - minus 13. Another two SPs would exhaust Kenshin's army; another two would rout Shingen's.

Of course, with a decisive victory in the offing, Kenshin presses forward to hasten the collapse. His masses wipe out the remainder of the Takeda right wing, whilst his mounted samurai continue pushing the lone mounted Takeda unit off, well away from any help it might have given to Shingen.

But Kenshin's mounted retinue having become so depleted, the Takeda foot samurai facing them crush them and put the survivors to the sword. Kenshin himself makes off to the following up ashigaru, and leads them forward to renew the action in the centre. For the moment Shingen has been saved from immediate assault.

The renewed clash in the centre brings Kenshin into battle with the diamyo Saburohei, also leading an ashigaru unit. Kenshin is for the second time discomfited. Victorious, Saburohei not only defeats the enemy spearmen, inflicting a strength point loss, but also wounds Kenshin himself badly enough to occasion his withdrawal altogether from the battle. A bit of plot armour, here, as the die roll indicated KIA, but Kenshin being the shining light of Uesugi ambition, must perforce be allowed to live...

At once Takeda spirits undergo a revival. Seizing the initiative after Kenshin's abrupt departure, the Takeda forces began to break off the action. A unit of samurai finding behind their right the backs of an enemy line busily engaging the mounted Takeda samurai, are unable to resist falling upon the enemy rear. Strictly speaking this went outside the game system, but I decided to stretch a point on a plausible action in the given circumstances.

The loss of a second strength point in that final turn brings the Uesugi army to its exhaustion point also. Takeda has taken no further loss. The battle sputters to a close in mutual exhaustion.

There was no doubt that Uesugi Kenshin's army has continued its tide of success, and could count this phase of the overall battle as a victory. The losses inflaicted upon Takeda Shingen's army has been the greater - 17 to 15 in this phase of the battle. But it is equally clear that Shingen has saved his army, and has, withal, placed himself in a position to exploit certain events that have taken place not so very far from this battlefield. The issue remains in doubt.

Of these events, more anon.
To be continued...

Sengoku - The Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima

Possibly one of the most famous rivalries that developed during the Sengoku - the Warring States - period of Japanese history was that between two acquisitively ambitious leaders: Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin. From his home 'province' of Kai, Shengen had been campaigning northwards to take over the large, strategic province of Shinano. North of Shinano, lay the province of Echigo. Its daimyo, Kenshin, the Dragon of Echigo as he was known, had been campaigning southward into the territory of the Hojo clan.

Opening phase: the fog has lifted, and Takeda's vanguard
sees hordes of Kenshin's army approaching fast.

Determined once and for all to bring Kenshin to a decisive battle, Shingen marched north into the valley of Kawanakajima, which, if conquered, would point the way into the heart of Echigo. The local diamyo, in their distress, appealed to Kenshin for help, help that Kenshin was eager to provide. The armies met close by the Chikuma River, but then ensued a period of waiting for the other to make a move...

The occasion for this project began with Andrew Barclay's invitation for a couple of Commands & Colours Samurai Battles down at the club. A win each over two games: honours shared. But I think we got a few things wrong. I certainly discovered afterwards that during the second game I might have ditched two useless 'Dragon Cards', each for two  'Honour & Fortune' tokens. On the other hand, I could not complain  of the two occasions in that game in which a decisive stroke I had attempted were kiboshed by Andy's playing a Dragon Card to turn aside the blow. He won that one...

At any rate, Andy suggested I hang on to his C&CSB set, that I might familiarise myself with the whole game system. But of course, I wasn't going to pass up the chance to try out some battles with my own Samurai figures, using the Portable Wargames system. There being five scenarios arising from the Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima, that seemed to be a suitable project.

I think it appropriate, though, to sketch an overall map of the situation, that the scenarios may be placed in some kind of context. 

Kenshin on Mount Saigo and Shingen around Kaizu Castle facing off, the latter seems to have been about to call the whole campaign off, when one of his most trusted commanders suggested an operation that would spring a surprise, drive Kenshin off his mountain and across the Chikuma River, and into the force Shingen would have waiting in the plain.  'Operation Woodpecker' he called this plan.

Somehow getting wind of the move as a fog descended over the valley, Kenshin abandoned the mountain, crossed the river and marched northwards, towards where Shingen was waiting. Apart from a small rearguard covering the river crossings, Kenshin took his whole army, and was about to attack Shingen's 8000-strong blocking force with perhaps 12-13,000 of his own... (It is not clear whether Kenshin anticipated meeting any of Takeda's troops in the plain, or that he might have been as surprised as Shingen himself when the fog lifted...)

Takeda Nobushiga takes the fight to the enemy

Takeda Nobushiga, Shingen's younger brother, and commanding the vanguard of Shingen's force, was shocked as the fog lifted to find the whole army of Uesugi Kenshin bearing down on him. Shingen had adopted a 'Crane's Wing' formation, in which the leading ranks comprised missile troops - ashigaru bowmen and arquebusiers - protected by spearmen. Heavier troops, including the samurai, formed wings echelonned back on both flanks. In response to the sudden opening of the curtain of fog, Kenshin adopted a 'WindingWheel' formation. This, to my mind, has a look of a column uncoiling to a flank, to form a left wing 'en potence' and an oblique order forming to the centre and right. Quite whether this was planned ahead of time, or was a decision hastily formed in the face of the sudden appearance of the enemy, is hard to determine.

An approximation of the Uesugi 'Winding Wheel' 
versus the Takeda 'Crane Wing' formation as usually depicted.
The latter's vanguard would have comprised a considerable
proportion of  bow and arquebus armed troops.

Before continuing with the battle narrative, let us look at Nobushiga's command, and the leading Uesugi forces they are facing.

Takeda Army Vanguard:

1 unit Samurai Yari (spears) = 4SP
1 unit Samurai Yumi (bows) =4SP
5 units Ashigaru Yari @3SP = 15SP
3 units Ashigaru Yumi @2SP = 6SP

1 unit Ashigaru Tepo (shot) = 2SP
Commander Takeda Nobushiga in the middle of the front rank ashigaru
1 subordinate commander with the Samurai Yari in the left rear group.

Totals: 11 units and 2 commanders. Activation Dice: 3 
Strength Points: 31, exhaustion point -11; rout point, -16.

Uesugi opens the ball, and will you look at that activation roll!
Halved to 7, that's 7 units out of 11 can do something. 

Uesugi Army Vanguard:

2 unit Mounted Samurai Yari @3SP = 6SP
2 units Foot Samurai Yari @4SP = 8SP
5 units Ashigaru Yari @3SP = 15SP
2 units Ashigaru Yumi @2SP = 4SP
Commanders:
Horotsuna (foot)  and Kageie (mounted)

Totals: 11 units and 2 commanders. Activation Dice: 3
Strength Points: 33, exhaustion point -11; rout point, -17.

In these battles, I allowed activation dice for all the commanders, plus each whole multiple of 6 units. On reflection I ought to have allocated activation dice for the commanders only. For the rest, I followed the Portable Sengoku Wargames conventions....

For his part, Takeda Nobushiga in his turn took the fight to his enemy, in (I guess) true samurai fashion. Perhaps it were better had he pulled back his front line towards his rearward groups of Samurai, for it was to become plain as time went by the Samurai weren't coming to him.

The upshot was that in the close quarter fighting that ensued, Nobushiga met an honourable demise, fighting with his ashigaru bodyguard against foot and mounted samurai. The loss of one of their two commanders deprived the Takeda army of an activation die. So, down to two dice, what did they do? 

Rolled 6-5 - eleven halved to 5. Five units could do something! Badly depleted as they were they might have pulled back, but the temptation with firearm troops is to let them stand to blaze away in their own turn without immediate reply. Battered as they were, they were handing out a few licks of their own.

That '4' behind the ashigaru tepo unit has been 
knocked - it should read '2'.

Apart from the loss of their commander, that leading line had lost nine SP out of the seventeen they began with. The whole line was buckling as it was pushed back. Surely the collapse had to come before the rearward Takeda samurai were engaged?

Hereabouts, the embattled ashigaru were proving amazingly resilient, being driven back rather than killed off. One ashigaru yumi unit had been eliminated very early in the action; the rest were hanging on by a thread.

So far, the Uesugi activation rolls had been very respectable, and all but two units had, one way or another, inserted themselves into the action. The army could still draw on 3 activation dice - having lost no units nor commanders. And then they rolled this...

Uesugi 'win' the initiative this turn - and promptly
roll trip-ones on the activation dice. 

What's half of three, truncated? One. One unit could be activated. One might imagine the chagrin of the local commander upon finding the bulk of command taking a five-minute tea break!  Especially as his adversaries had the cheek to roll double-six on their next activation roll!

But, for Takeda's army, it was all to no avail. Held by a unit each of ashigaru yari and tepo, the Takeda centre was driven in and overrun, as the Uesugi split the enemy into two blocks. As they enveloped the inner flank of the Takeda right wing, and bore down upon the left, the remnants at last broke and fled. Having lost 16 out of their original 31 Strength Points, Takeda's leading line had reached their 'rout point'.

There was no immediate pursuit: the victorious first line of Uesugi's army were exhausted by the hard fighting they had undergone. Thirteen SPs they had lost - two in that last turn. But such was the virtue of the 'Winding Wheel' formation, that Uesugi had fresh troops to feed in to exploit on the Takeda's second line.

... To be continued...