Samurai Swords - a recommendation.

 I don't know how many readers have encountered 'Little Wars TV', but there is one recent outing that caught my eye and my interest. Unusually, it concerned a board game, to wit, the formerly named Shogun, then Samurai Swords and finally Ikuza. The video offers a review and a whole game in a little over 40 minutes.

Interestingly, they also offer access to some of their own 'House Rules'. One of these concerns the placement of two neutral fortified castles at the outset of the game, one at Osaka (Karachi on the board map), and the other at Kyoto (Yamashira). These province cards are not dealt, but possession of these provinces may be gained by conquest - which means, one has to fight for them. This addition I like - a lot!

One difference from the version of Shogun that I have. The present version is a four-player game. The original had 5 players.

But, without more ado, here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GND-bKfncWg

Enjoy.

Sengoku - Fourth Kawanakajima (Phases IV and V)

Kosaka's 'Operation Woodpecker' force 
approaches the guarded river crossings.

The Fords of Armenomiya

As the battle raged in the plain to the north of the Chikuma river, what was happening to the 'Operation Woodpecker' force led by Kosaka? Ascending Mt Saijo and finding the encampment there abandoned by the Uesugi army, they could hear the sounds of battle in the distance. Marching quickly to the fords of Amenomiya, Kosaka's men found that Kenshin had left small rearguard covering the river crossings under one Amakasu Omi-nokami Kagemochi, one of his staunchest commanders. 

Opposing Forces:

Kosaka's 'Operation Woodpecker' flanking force:

1 Mounted Samurai yari (spears) = 3SP
2 Foot Samurai yari @4SP = 8SP
1 Foot Samurai yumi (bows) = 4SP
6 Ashigaru yari @3SP = 18SP
2 Ashigaru yumi @ 2SP = 4SP
1 Ashigaru tepo (arquebusier) = 2SP
3 commanders: Kosaka (mounted), Saburohei (mounted), unnamed (foot)

Totals 
12 units; 5 activation dice (3 commanders, 12 units)
39 Strength points: Exhaustion Point, -13; Rout Point, -20

Kagamochi's rearguard covering the fords. The bowmen
and arquebusiers lurk in the woods on the far bank.

Kagemochi's Rearguard: 

1 Mounted Samurai yari = 3SP
1 Foot Samurai yari = 4SP
3 Ashigaru yari @3SP = 9SP
2 Ashigaru yumi @2SP = 4SP
1 Ashigaru tepo = 2SP
3 commanders: Kagemoshi (mounted), 2 others, (foot)

Totals: 8 units; 4 activation dice (3 commanders, 8 units)
22 Strength Points: exhaustion, -7; Rout, -11

Before continuing, a comment upon the activation dice. My standard practice is to allocate the number of commanders equal to the whole number of 6 stands making up the army. According to this practice, the Takeda force would have had two commanders, including Kasaka hinself; and the Uesugi rearguard just one. By going along with the Command & Colours scenario, this meant that even with just an average activation roll, Uesugi would be moving all but one unit. With an extra activation die, Takeda's larger force was almost as flexible. On the other hand, the loss of a single unit would cost Takeda one of his activation dice.

This action turned out in effect almost a straightforward IGoUGo action... almost. 

A strong force covers the middle ford.

The lone unit of ashigaru bowmen covering the west ford
is facing overwhelming numbers of Takeda men rapidly
advancing.

Takeda attack towards the middle ford.

Takeda spearmen overwhelm the bowmen in the woods,
and press on to encounter commanded ashigaru on the riverbank

Winning back-to-back activation rolls, Takeda men
press on to attack the defenders of the ford. Both sides take losses.

On west flank, Uesugi men rush across the ford
to reinforce the beleaguered bowmen

Uesugi reserves cross the uncontested east ford
to fall upon the Takeda right. Around the middle ford,
units of both sides becoming depleted.

West ford again: outnumbered Uesugi men push
back the leading Takeda units. The latter have some hard
fighting in store to force the crossing! 

Determined Uesugi resistance also throws back 
Takeda from the middle ford. For the moment,
Uesugi have the numbers here!

Fierce fighting continues at the West ford. Although 
a Takeda ashiguru unit is thrown back with loss, the 
Uesugi bowmen are finally overrun. The remaining defenders 
are in danger of being cut off from the river crossing.

Kosaka joins the wing attacking the middle ford, and sends 
foot samurai into the flank rear of the Uesugi horse.

Overall situation. Stout resistance by Uesugi's 
men are holding the fords still, but
at a cost. The two archer units and the arquebusier have been destroyed
and 13SP lost. Takeda losses amount to maybe 8SP, having lost one unit only.

Despite taking the fight to their opponents and stoutly 
holding the fords, losses among Kagemochi's rearguard 
(13 SP) are such as to bring on a collapse. The remnants
break and flee. 

This was a very quick and decisive victory for the Takeda forces, but they had the numbers, of course. The Samurai Battles scenario notes comment: 'The fighting was fierce as the Uesugi rearguard was almost wiped out trying in vain to stop the crossing.' 

After the strange turnup of events of the morning, could Kansuke's 'Operation Woodpecker' plan after all come off? 

'Operation Woodpecker'

Takeda (Red) and Uesugi (Blue) face off. But
who is that crossing the distant river?

After all the heavy fighting of the morning, gradually forcing the enemy back and driving them out from successive lines, the Uesugi army was not prepared to see the sudden Takeda incursion into their right flank - over the very fords they had crossed a few hours before. The surprise was perhaps not altogether complete, for, before Kasaka's pincer move could fall upon the Uesugi flank, the whole wing turned about to take the fight to their enemy.

Perhaps wounded or winded during the recent actions
(see previous post) Uesugi Kenshin conducts the rest of the battle
from his pavilion.

Opposing forces:

Takada Main Army:

1 Mounted Samurai yari = 3SP
1 Foot Samurai yari = 4SP
5 Ashigaru yari @3SP = 15SP
2 Ashigaru yumi @2SP = 4SP
1 Ashigaru tepo = 2SP
3 commanders

Totals:
10units, 4 activation dice (3 commanders, 10 units)
Strength points: 28SP; exhaustion at -10SP, rout at -14SP.

Kosaka's Flanking Force: 

1 Samurai yumi = 4SP
1 Samurai yari = 4SP
2 Ashigaru yari @ 3SP = 6SP
1 Ashigaru yumi = 2SP
1 commander (Kosaka)

Totals:
5 units, 2 activation dice (1 commander, <6 units)
Strength Points: 16SP; exhaustion at -6SP, rout at -8SP.

Note: 
As the two wings of the Takeda army were separated but the Uesugi army between, I rolled separate activation dice for them. This had some interesting effects, as you will see.

Kosaka's flanking force ready themselves to fall upon
the Uesugi flank

Uesugi Army

2 units Mounted Samurai yari @ 3SP = 6SP
1 unit Foot Samurai yari = 4SP
3 units Ashigaru yari @3SP = 9SP
2 units Ashigaru yumi @2SP = 4SP
1 command pavilion = 4SP (Uesugi Kenshin)
3 commanders (including Kenshin in his pavilion)

Totals:
9 units; 4 activation dice (3 commanders, 9 units)
27 Strength Points, exhausted at -9SP; rout at -14SP 

Having scattered the small force guarding the Chikuma river fords, Kosaka's flanking force gathered themselves to fall upon the Uesugi right flank. Observing the developing threat, Kenshin at once directed his right wing four units to counter-attack before that threat could properly develop. At once Kosaka's force found itself in a desperate fight along the riverbank.

This, of course, left a gaping void on the Uesugi right. Kenshin's plan, then, was to concentrate the other half of his army against the Takeda right. Having the first move, and a great activation roll to begin with (for the whole battle, the whole army was able to move), Uesugi were able to bring almost their whole army to bear against only parts of their more numerous foe.

In response Takeda Shingen was inclined to leave Kosaka to look after himself, and to concentrate the whole of his main army against the Uesugi left. The manner of the latter's oblique attack meant that Takeda's men were arriving arriving in disjointed and piecemeal fashion, especially as the separate forces rolled such that 5 and 2 units respectively could move, shoot or fight.

Wresting from their adversaries the initiative, Takeda were able quickly to bring the whole of the Uesugi left wing (ignoring Kenshin's ciommand post) into action. And then disaster struck. Leading an attack upon the enemy mounted samurai, the Takeda right wing commander, one Michi-no-Senshi was struck down, never again to rise. His ashigaru unit took some loss, but Takeda were now at least in a position to contain the Uesugi left.

...

It was becoming plain that Uesugi's gamble had failed. Two desperate battles were being fought: one close by the river, the other at no great distance from Kenshin's tent. But not all Takeda were engaged. True, Saburohei had five units in action on the right, with an extra body of ashigaru yari in reserve close to hand. Kosaka was at least hold his own, and even driving the enemy back in places. 

But there was a strong reserve, distant from the action - four units under the command of Nobukie.

Even though Uesugi managed to grab back the initiative, scoring big activation rolls into the bargain, there was little enough that they could do to overcome the superior numbers they had to face. A samurai unit even threw back a unit of bowmen and threatened to break through the embattled Uesugi line.

Nor was Sutorenjia Mukōhadan able to stem the oncoming Takeda flow from the river bank. Although at one point his mounted samurai had driven a unit of ashigaru almost into the river itself, the whole right wing was gradually being forced back. 

Uesugi Turn 2 activation roll. Halved = 9 units
the whole army.

Turn 3: Uesugi win back the initiative (6-2) and roll
19 = 9 units again. 

Turn 3: Takeda roll: 8+5. The main army can
activate 4 units; the flanking can move 2.

From the above sequence, one might well infer that Uesugi were putting up a whale of a fight, the whole army engaged. For their part Takeda's counterpunching was everywhere disjointed and piecemeal. The activation rolls were well and truly in Uesugi's favour. Of course, Kosaka was never going to activate more than three of his five units in any one turn, and that was what was keeping in balance the battle of the riverbank. 

On the other hand, Takeda's combat dice were pretty effective. Uesugi had on this front already taken at least 3SP losses, but, unable in their own turn to bring more than two units into combat, so had Takeda.

Takeda were a deal better off on their right. Ignoring Kenshin's command post, 4 activation points were enough at least to engage all the available Uesugi units.  They quick dispatched a body of spearmen, then of bows. Having disposed of the latter, a unit of foot samurai were able to strike the rear of enemy samurai already engaged in from by Takeda's mounted warriors.

All the while, Nobukie was holding back his reserve of four units. of course, with more favourable activation dice, nothing would have held him back. But the truth is, Takeda were doing fine without him.

Turn 4, and the initiative swung back in Takeda's favour. The activation dice: fair, bearing in mind that the loss of a commander had reduced the activation dice to 3 for the main body. Five units could act. But Kosaka could activate none at all! One, halved, rounded down equals zero. Too bad.

But the fact was that Uesugi's losses had well and truly sunk the army well beyond its exhaustion point. If Kosaka was unable completely to breakout from the river line, Soburohei was completing the destruction of the Uesugi left. The addition of ashigaru spearmen finally annihilated the last of the surrounded foot samurai. Apart from Kenshin himself, the only surviving unit available was the embattled mounted samurai, far distant from his command post.  

Fighting hard, the mounted samurai had inflicted heavy losses upon their enemies - two of the three Takeda units facing them already much depleted. But if the chronicles were later to relate the valour of this unit, and the heroic defence along the river bank, the Uesugi army was done. The collapse was sudden and total, as the remains of Uesugi Kenshin's army broke and fled, hotly pursued by  the Takeda army.

The Uesugi defeat was total. The loss of 14 Strength Points - 6 in that last turn - brought their army to their rout point. Takeda losses were 10 overall, 4 from Kosaka's flanking force, and 6 from the main body. Neither had been reduced to its exhaustion point. 

Overall, the early Uesugi success had been hard fought and indecisive. Once Takeda's two wings were able to cooperate - as originally planned for a different location - the Uesugi forces were outnumbered, and, despite a valiant defence, finally overwhelmed. 

In these last battles, the number of commanders meant that for the most part almost the whole army might be activated in any given turn. That was certainly the case with the Uesugi army in that final phase of the battle. On the other hand Takeda was unlucky with its activation rolls, barely half the army activated in each turn. Had I thought it through more, I might well have dropped the unnamed commanders from the activation dice roll count. But then we would not have got that strenuous battle put up by Uesugi until their final collapse.

Next time: something completely different... 

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...