Wednesday 16 May 2012
Endgame - Mori no Nihon
The Mori conquest of Japan is complete! Except for two provinces belonging to my Anegokoji vassals (the only vassal and ally who stuck by me through to the end game!).
Saturday 5 May 2012
Battle of Otsu, 1576
In 1576 a Hatekayama army led by Hatekayama Mitsunaga (AI controlled) walked into a Mori ambush laid by Mori Akinaga and Shishido Morikane (controlled by me) in Otsu.
Here is a montage of the same battle with soundtrack from "Conan the Barbarian" (Schwarzenneger version):
1650 Hatekayama samurai found themselves surrounded by 3430 Mori warriors and their Asai allies. The battle was unwinnable from the Hatekayama point of view. However, the way that the Hatakeyama AI fought was commendable and this battle showcases the tactical competence of the Shogun Total War tactical AI.
I deployed my cavalry in the rear of the enemy and the rest of my army facing the enemy front hoping to smash the Hatakeyama between the hammer and the anvil. As if that wasn't enough, I have heavy reinforcements arriving on the left flank of the enemy.
As you will see from the video below, the AI allocated sufficient units to pin down my cavalry in the rear preventing an early collapse of its rear. Also, it spotted a weakness on my right where I had deployed musketeers unprotected in my eagerness to bring direct musket fire on the enemy. The AI destroyed the mustketeers with its cavalry.
The battle ended predictably in victory for me but, as you will see from this video, the AI did nothing wrong tactically. Having said that, the campaign AI was stupid to walk into a concentration of Mori forces, without first scouting out the lay of the land.
You can see a video of the Battle of Otsu at this link:
Here is a montage of the same battle with soundtrack from "Conan the Barbarian" (Schwarzenneger version):
(P.S. I noticed that people are choosing to see the "Conan the Barbarian" soundtracked video of the battle but not first video. The first video is actually a much longer and complete video of the battle. The soundtracked video is just something I did for fun. Please look at the first video if you want to see what actually happened in the battle.)
Monday 30 April 2012
Impressions of Shogun 2 Total War
I won the Mori short campaign in summer 1574 by occupying Kyoto for one year - only two turns shy of the time limit (1575). Since then, the Mori have moved on to unify sizable chunks of Japan (see map below; red bits are Mori).
The Mori have also resurrected a number of dead clans as vassals - loyal allies in the war with the remaining clans as well as reliable trading partners. This is the point where the game gets easier.
This is a good place, I think, to pause for a moment and reflect on how this campaign was conducted - what I did right and what I didn't do right; and to reflect on Shogun 2 Total War in general.
The Mori campaign
First, what I didn't do well.
I was slow in expanding my clan in the beginning phase leaving me not much time in the end game phase. This was because I was more interested in role playing than actually winning, therefore I took my time - too much it seams.
Another thing I didn't do well was preparing for 'Realm Divide'. In case you don't know, once you conquer a certain number of territories an event, 'Realm Divide', triggers, and the whole of Japan (including your allies) turns against you. There is a way to monitor how close you are to realm divide but I wasn't paying attention. So when it triggered I found my army scattered all over Shikkoku with newly annexed territories that I could not afford to garrison. What I should have done was to stop expanding just before realm divide, pacify the recently conquered territories, prepare myself economically and militarily, and get my armies in position to attack my potential enemies.
In the early battles, I underestimated the effect of archers in siege battles. The nemesis of archers are cavalry units and in siege battles, the effectiveness of cavalry are largely diminished or fully neutralized. Archers on the defensive are protected behind a powerful defensive structure - a castle. On the offensive archers are in no danger from cavalry unless they sally out and if they do archers should be well protected by other melee units. A castle defended by large numbers of archers is therefore a formidable challenge to any attacker. What I didn't fully appreciate was how effective archers also were on the offensive. Japanese castles offer little protection from arrows and the indirect fire of archers outside a castle is uncannily accurate. But I quickly learnt as the Battle of Kyoto video exemplifies.
(P.S. One other mistake I made - creating vassals after realm divide. They unreliable, and will eventually hate you and stab you in the back.)
What did I do well?
I invested in a strong navy from the start. I cannot over emphasise how important this is because the long coastlines of Japan make amphibious flanking manouvers a real threat (and opportunity). The geography of Japan makes it unfeasible to defend all provinces and carry out a concentrated offensive operation at the same time. As most provinces are exposed to the sea, this makes the navy supremely important and relevant in both defence and attack, more perhaps than in any other total war game. After realm divide there were no less than 4 attempts by the AI at large scale amphibious landings. By then I had strong advanced fleets protecting the Eastern and western sea flanks and the inland sea which effectively shut down any invasion attempts. If not for this, the campaign would certainly have been lost as all my armies were up north and I could not spare any troops in the rearward provinces. If the enemy had landed a substantial force in the rear the consequences would have been unthinkable.
Another thing I did well was converting tactical victory (victory in battles) into strategic gains (occupying enemy territories). It is not enough to win battles, but to win and exploit. After an enemy army is smashed, there is usually a window of opportunity in which the enemy's provinces lie exposed and undefended. An effective strategy I found for exploiting this is to peacefully occupy the provinces I conquered and set the tax rate to zero so my entire army is free to move on and carry out a concentrated attack on the next province without leaving any troops behind to garrison. A concentrated attack with heavy numerical superiority ensures victory with few casualties and that the army is preserved intact for the next offensive. This worked very well in the campaign and is still working for me in the end game.
Impressions of Shogun 2 Total War
When I first laid eyes on a total war game more than 10 years ago - a demo of the first Shogun total war - it was love at first sight. It was the wargame of my dreams and I have played every total war game since. STW2, while not being the most epic in scope, is easily the most enjoyable total war game.
I think what makes this game so fun to play is that there is a sense of balance overall. Every element in the game seems to fit nicely into the overall gameplay. All units have strengths and weaknesses and no particular unit feels overpowered or superfluous. I especially liked the naval battles. Admittedly, they are not as graphically impressive as the naval battles in NTW and ETW, but as I began to master the naval tactics I began to enjoy naval battles a lot more. Again, it comes down to balance, every naval unit has its use and there is a great sense of satisfaction in using them well. In comparison, naval tactics in NTW and ETW - which really boils down to having bigger ships and more guns - can be rather bland.
The AI in STW2 is very competent. In the tactical battles, in my experience the AI rarely made stupid mistakes and the mistakes which it did make are easily the kind of mistakes which a human being might make from oversight. In field battles, I noticed that the AI is careful to guard its flanks against my cavalry flanking manouvers and is quite good at exploiting any gaps and open flanks with its own cavalry. In another battle, the Battle of Otsu, a video of which I am going to upload when I have the time (difficult when you have a crying baby to take care of!), I had overwhelming numerical superiority and had the AI effectively surrounded in an ambush, but I was surprised by how the AI managed to delay my inevitable victory by distributing its forces to defend in all directions so that it prevented me from crushing its flanks or its rear. It even managed to exploit a couple of my mistake when I accidentally left units exposed. The AI, however, is slightly weaker at the strategic level, it always insists on storming castles regardless of how well defended they are. It almost never tries to starve out a garrison. I essentially won the game by holding and defending castles against the AI. I was able to inflict more than twice the number of casaulties doing this.
A controversial element of gameplay is the 'Realm divide' event. When I read about it in forums, admittedly I was not enthused. It felt like an arbitrary way to spice up the middle and endgame when there were other more interesting ways of doing this without trashing the diplomatic side of the game. However, when I experienced it in game, it wasn't so bad. As you can read from my AARs I managed to make it plausible and justifiable in terms of the overall story. Still I think there are better ways of making the endgame interesting - how about, for instance, introducing a powerful foreign invader (e.g. Chinese, Koreans) thus forcing the remaining clans to unite against that invader? This was done in MTW2 to very good effect through the Mongol and Timurid invasions.
Graphically, STW2 is, like past total war games, impressive. The 3D battles are very cinematic. But, I think there is still room for improvements such as longer draw distances. Given the continuous improvements in computer technology, I look forward to what CA can do in the next decade. My favourite games are Paradox strategy games (Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, Victoria) which have very deep strategy elements, and Total war games with epic 3D battles integrated into the campaign. I dream of the day when the strengths of both are combined and when CA can introduce a level of gameplay depth equivalent to Paradox games into the total war series.
The Mori have also resurrected a number of dead clans as vassals - loyal allies in the war with the remaining clans as well as reliable trading partners. This is the point where the game gets easier.
This is a good place, I think, to pause for a moment and reflect on how this campaign was conducted - what I did right and what I didn't do right; and to reflect on Shogun 2 Total War in general.
The Mori campaign
First, what I didn't do well.
I was slow in expanding my clan in the beginning phase leaving me not much time in the end game phase. This was because I was more interested in role playing than actually winning, therefore I took my time - too much it seams.
Another thing I didn't do well was preparing for 'Realm Divide'. In case you don't know, once you conquer a certain number of territories an event, 'Realm Divide', triggers, and the whole of Japan (including your allies) turns against you. There is a way to monitor how close you are to realm divide but I wasn't paying attention. So when it triggered I found my army scattered all over Shikkoku with newly annexed territories that I could not afford to garrison. What I should have done was to stop expanding just before realm divide, pacify the recently conquered territories, prepare myself economically and militarily, and get my armies in position to attack my potential enemies.
In the early battles, I underestimated the effect of archers in siege battles. The nemesis of archers are cavalry units and in siege battles, the effectiveness of cavalry are largely diminished or fully neutralized. Archers on the defensive are protected behind a powerful defensive structure - a castle. On the offensive archers are in no danger from cavalry unless they sally out and if they do archers should be well protected by other melee units. A castle defended by large numbers of archers is therefore a formidable challenge to any attacker. What I didn't fully appreciate was how effective archers also were on the offensive. Japanese castles offer little protection from arrows and the indirect fire of archers outside a castle is uncannily accurate. But I quickly learnt as the Battle of Kyoto video exemplifies.
(P.S. One other mistake I made - creating vassals after realm divide. They unreliable, and will eventually hate you and stab you in the back.)
What did I do well?
I invested in a strong navy from the start. I cannot over emphasise how important this is because the long coastlines of Japan make amphibious flanking manouvers a real threat (and opportunity). The geography of Japan makes it unfeasible to defend all provinces and carry out a concentrated offensive operation at the same time. As most provinces are exposed to the sea, this makes the navy supremely important and relevant in both defence and attack, more perhaps than in any other total war game. After realm divide there were no less than 4 attempts by the AI at large scale amphibious landings. By then I had strong advanced fleets protecting the Eastern and western sea flanks and the inland sea which effectively shut down any invasion attempts. If not for this, the campaign would certainly have been lost as all my armies were up north and I could not spare any troops in the rearward provinces. If the enemy had landed a substantial force in the rear the consequences would have been unthinkable.
Another thing I did well was converting tactical victory (victory in battles) into strategic gains (occupying enemy territories). It is not enough to win battles, but to win and exploit. After an enemy army is smashed, there is usually a window of opportunity in which the enemy's provinces lie exposed and undefended. An effective strategy I found for exploiting this is to peacefully occupy the provinces I conquered and set the tax rate to zero so my entire army is free to move on and carry out a concentrated attack on the next province without leaving any troops behind to garrison. A concentrated attack with heavy numerical superiority ensures victory with few casualties and that the army is preserved intact for the next offensive. This worked very well in the campaign and is still working for me in the end game.
Impressions of Shogun 2 Total War
When I first laid eyes on a total war game more than 10 years ago - a demo of the first Shogun total war - it was love at first sight. It was the wargame of my dreams and I have played every total war game since. STW2, while not being the most epic in scope, is easily the most enjoyable total war game.
I think what makes this game so fun to play is that there is a sense of balance overall. Every element in the game seems to fit nicely into the overall gameplay. All units have strengths and weaknesses and no particular unit feels overpowered or superfluous. I especially liked the naval battles. Admittedly, they are not as graphically impressive as the naval battles in NTW and ETW, but as I began to master the naval tactics I began to enjoy naval battles a lot more. Again, it comes down to balance, every naval unit has its use and there is a great sense of satisfaction in using them well. In comparison, naval tactics in NTW and ETW - which really boils down to having bigger ships and more guns - can be rather bland.
The AI in STW2 is very competent. In the tactical battles, in my experience the AI rarely made stupid mistakes and the mistakes which it did make are easily the kind of mistakes which a human being might make from oversight. In field battles, I noticed that the AI is careful to guard its flanks against my cavalry flanking manouvers and is quite good at exploiting any gaps and open flanks with its own cavalry. In another battle, the Battle of Otsu, a video of which I am going to upload when I have the time (difficult when you have a crying baby to take care of!), I had overwhelming numerical superiority and had the AI effectively surrounded in an ambush, but I was surprised by how the AI managed to delay my inevitable victory by distributing its forces to defend in all directions so that it prevented me from crushing its flanks or its rear. It even managed to exploit a couple of my mistake when I accidentally left units exposed. The AI, however, is slightly weaker at the strategic level, it always insists on storming castles regardless of how well defended they are. It almost never tries to starve out a garrison. I essentially won the game by holding and defending castles against the AI. I was able to inflict more than twice the number of casaulties doing this.
A controversial element of gameplay is the 'Realm divide' event. When I read about it in forums, admittedly I was not enthused. It felt like an arbitrary way to spice up the middle and endgame when there were other more interesting ways of doing this without trashing the diplomatic side of the game. However, when I experienced it in game, it wasn't so bad. As you can read from my AARs I managed to make it plausible and justifiable in terms of the overall story. Still I think there are better ways of making the endgame interesting - how about, for instance, introducing a powerful foreign invader (e.g. Chinese, Koreans) thus forcing the remaining clans to unite against that invader? This was done in MTW2 to very good effect through the Mongol and Timurid invasions.
Graphically, STW2 is, like past total war games, impressive. The 3D battles are very cinematic. But, I think there is still room for improvements such as longer draw distances. Given the continuous improvements in computer technology, I look forward to what CA can do in the next decade. My favourite games are Paradox strategy games (Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, Victoria) which have very deep strategy elements, and Total war games with epic 3D battles integrated into the campaign. I dream of the day when the strengths of both are combined and when CA can introduce a level of gameplay depth equivalent to Paradox games into the total war series.
Friday 20 April 2012
A New Japan
By summer 1575, the Mori had held Kyoto for a year unchallenged. The remaining forces of the Anti-Mori Shogunate Alliance (AMSA) show no sign of wanting to retake Kyoto. However, there are rumors of a new grand army of the AMSA forming in the north, but details are sketchy.
From the time that the Mori had occupied Kyoto till now, the Emperor had kept himself in seclusion and rejected all requests for an audience from Daimyo Sanemune. Until now, Daimyo Sanemune had not seen the face of the Emperor. So it came as a surprise that, one morning, as Sanemune prepared to ride out hunting with his retainers, he received an imperial edict ordering him into the presence of the Emperor. Sanemune went to the Imperial Palace without bothering to change out of his hunting garb, followed by his retainers.
They waited for some time in the ante-chamber to the throne room before an officious old man eventually appeared and announced:
"The Emperor will see the Daimyo now."
His retainers watched as Sanemune disappeared behind the great sliding doors of the entrance to the throne room.
"You look younger than I imagined." the Emperor said.
"Likewise." said Sanemune.
"I regret that I had to reject your requests for an audience over the past year. I hope that you are not offended. But I had to consider my position, you see. Until I was sure about you I did not wish to send any wrong messages." the Emperor said.
"In case the AMSA return and kick me out of Kyoto," said Sanemune.
"Yes." said the Emperor after a pause. "My attitude is not honourable I know. We all do what we need to do to survive in this world of wolves. The Emperor is no exception. But now, I think the time is ripe to discuss whether I should give you the thing that only the Emperor can give - legitimacy." .
"There is nothing to consider. Our hold on Kyoto and southern Japan is secure. Soon northern Japan will fall to us." said Sanemune.
"Not quite," the Emperor said with a slight smile. "I hear rumours that another great army of the AMSA is gathering in the north. Some have cautioned me to wait."
"And the Mori will do to that army what we did to the last one!" Sanemune said with conviction. "You want to negotiate with me, but you still do not see, shut up here in your palace, that there is nothing left to negotiate. The old Shogun is finished, the AMSA is finished, there is only one power in Japan - the Mori! A new Japan is growing around you even as you sit here and ponder."
"Not a new Japan... an old Japan with a new Shogun," said the Emperor.
"It will be a new Japan! I will not govern as the old Shogun did, as first among equals. No, I will unify this country. There will be no more clans (not even Mori). No more daimyos. Japan will no more be carved up by artificial borders. Japan will become one nation - Nippon, with one Spirit under one government. This is an opportunity to reshape our country, and I will make the most of it. So you see, I really do not care whether you declare me Shogun or not. We will sweep away the Hojo, Yamana and Hatakeyama, and together with them, the old feudal order. Your highness, I will leave you to decide whether and how you will remain relevant in the new Japan."
Sanemune bowed, stood up and prepared to leave.
"I regret that while I find your vision inspiring, I doubt whether the Japanese people, even your retainers, are ready for your 'New Japan," the Emperor said. "I think that an order which has lasted for more than a thousand years cannot be so easily swept away even by one visionary young daimyo."
From the time that the Mori had occupied Kyoto till now, the Emperor had kept himself in seclusion and rejected all requests for an audience from Daimyo Sanemune. Until now, Daimyo Sanemune had not seen the face of the Emperor. So it came as a surprise that, one morning, as Sanemune prepared to ride out hunting with his retainers, he received an imperial edict ordering him into the presence of the Emperor. Sanemune went to the Imperial Palace without bothering to change out of his hunting garb, followed by his retainers.
They waited for some time in the ante-chamber to the throne room before an officious old man eventually appeared and announced:
"The Emperor will see the Daimyo now."
His retainers watched as Sanemune disappeared behind the great sliding doors of the entrance to the throne room.
~ ~ ~
This was the first time that Sanemune had ever seen the Emperor and he was surprised to find a tender faced young man just about his own age sitting on the Crysanthemum Throne.
"You look younger than I imagined." the Emperor said.
"Likewise." said Sanemune.
"I regret that I had to reject your requests for an audience over the past year. I hope that you are not offended. But I had to consider my position, you see. Until I was sure about you I did not wish to send any wrong messages." the Emperor said.
"In case the AMSA return and kick me out of Kyoto," said Sanemune.
"Yes." said the Emperor after a pause. "My attitude is not honourable I know. We all do what we need to do to survive in this world of wolves. The Emperor is no exception. But now, I think the time is ripe to discuss whether I should give you the thing that only the Emperor can give - legitimacy." .
"There is nothing to consider. Our hold on Kyoto and southern Japan is secure. Soon northern Japan will fall to us." said Sanemune.
"Not quite," the Emperor said with a slight smile. "I hear rumours that another great army of the AMSA is gathering in the north. Some have cautioned me to wait."
"And the Mori will do to that army what we did to the last one!" Sanemune said with conviction. "You want to negotiate with me, but you still do not see, shut up here in your palace, that there is nothing left to negotiate. The old Shogun is finished, the AMSA is finished, there is only one power in Japan - the Mori! A new Japan is growing around you even as you sit here and ponder."
"Not a new Japan... an old Japan with a new Shogun," said the Emperor.
"It will be a new Japan! I will not govern as the old Shogun did, as first among equals. No, I will unify this country. There will be no more clans (not even Mori). No more daimyos. Japan will no more be carved up by artificial borders. Japan will become one nation - Nippon, with one Spirit under one government. This is an opportunity to reshape our country, and I will make the most of it. So you see, I really do not care whether you declare me Shogun or not. We will sweep away the Hojo, Yamana and Hatakeyama, and together with them, the old feudal order. Your highness, I will leave you to decide whether and how you will remain relevant in the new Japan."
Sanemune bowed, stood up and prepared to leave.
"I regret that while I find your vision inspiring, I doubt whether the Japanese people, even your retainers, are ready for your 'New Japan," the Emperor said. "I think that an order which has lasted for more than a thousand years cannot be so easily swept away even by one visionary young daimyo."
Battle of Kyoto 1574
Men of Mori, we have walked many miles and fought many battles and now here we stand before the city of Kyoto - the heart of all Japan. The Emperor is there and the Shogun is there. He is shaking with fear, for today we will take his head from him! Men of Mori, this is the decisive battle that will determine the future of Japan. You know what you must do this day. You know your duty, so there is no need for more words. For your clan, for your daimyo, for Japan...go to it men!
The victory of the Mori army commanded by the newly promoted general, Shishido Morikane, over the forces of the Shogun in the fields of Kamo sent shockwaves throughout Japan. For the first time the Shogun was personally defeated in battle. In the following season, riding high on the prestige of that battle, Morikane defeated another smaller Yamana force blocking the road to Kyoto. Thus Morikane, in two victorious battles, swept the road to Kyoto clear of enemies. However, his army was depleted and so he was ordered by the Daimyo, against his will, to break off his advance on Kyoto. Morikane and his men, encamped beside the road so near to Kyoto, watched with an aggrieved feeling of disappointment the armies of Mori Akinaga and Mori Mototsura (both recently adopted into the Mori family) pass them by.
The mood of the troops marching on Kyoto was solemn for they were on their way to destroy a Shogunate that had lasted for more than two hundred years. On the one hand it felt as if they were about to do a sacrilegious thing, like cutting the head of a god. On the other hand, they were on they way to forge something new, something never seen before. So everyman, down to the merest ashigeru, felt the hand of destiny heavy upon them. When they finally stood before the walls of Kyoto, it was as if they were about to storm the gates of heaven.
The Shogunate forces defending Kyoto were significant, but they lacked sufficient numbers of archers. Akinaga and Mototsura decided to approach from two directions, to pin down the archers in one direction and attack from the other, making maximum use of their archers to whittle down the defenders before storming the city.
(you can view the battle on Youtube at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci5wQlj-H7Q )
(Mori Mototsura's speech to his troops before the battle of Kyoto in 1574)
The victory of the Mori army commanded by the newly promoted general, Shishido Morikane, over the forces of the Shogun in the fields of Kamo sent shockwaves throughout Japan. For the first time the Shogun was personally defeated in battle. In the following season, riding high on the prestige of that battle, Morikane defeated another smaller Yamana force blocking the road to Kyoto. Thus Morikane, in two victorious battles, swept the road to Kyoto clear of enemies. However, his army was depleted and so he was ordered by the Daimyo, against his will, to break off his advance on Kyoto. Morikane and his men, encamped beside the road so near to Kyoto, watched with an aggrieved feeling of disappointment the armies of Mori Akinaga and Mori Mototsura (both recently adopted into the Mori family) pass them by.
The mood of the troops marching on Kyoto was solemn for they were on their way to destroy a Shogunate that had lasted for more than two hundred years. On the one hand it felt as if they were about to do a sacrilegious thing, like cutting the head of a god. On the other hand, they were on they way to forge something new, something never seen before. So everyman, down to the merest ashigeru, felt the hand of destiny heavy upon them. When they finally stood before the walls of Kyoto, it was as if they were about to storm the gates of heaven.
The Shogunate forces defending Kyoto were significant, but they lacked sufficient numbers of archers. Akinaga and Mototsura decided to approach from two directions, to pin down the archers in one direction and attack from the other, making maximum use of their archers to whittle down the defenders before storming the city.
(you can view the battle on Youtube at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci5wQlj-H7Q )
Sunday 15 April 2012
Battle of Kamo, 1574
"The advanced guard has engaged Shogunate light cavalry near a village in Kamo," an adjutant reported to General Morikane, barely able to contain his excitement.
"Light cavalry? In that case the main army will not be far behind. The Shogun has come out to fight. Orders to all standards: Battle formations! Prepare to advance!" ordered Morikane.
Thus begins the first battle between the forces of the Ashikaga Shogunate and the Mori on the plains of Kamo.
The video of this battle can be seen on Youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZDaibTLhhA&feature=youtu.be
Saturday 14 April 2012
The Road to Kyoto, 1574
"Why have I not heard from the Hatakeyama and the Hojo? It has been months since the fall of Akashi!" The Shogun demanded angrily.
"The armies of the Hatakeyama and Yamana suffered heavy losses at Akashi. Based on most recent reports, after the fall of Akashi, the Hojo proceeded south to attack Okayama Castle at Bizen and the Hatakeyama proceeded south west to attack Tsuyama Castle in Mimasaka. Since then we have heard nothing. Our agents are completely silent. It is as if a great wall has risen up between the north and the south," an advisor reported somberly.
"Don't give me metaphors, I want facts!" The Shogun shouted.
Suddenly there was a sharp thwack by the window. Everyone in the room turned at the direction of the sound - there was an arrow sticking to the window frame. They rushed to the window. Far down below, beyond the castle walls, they could see a rider in red lacquered armour, waving at them with his bow. He spun his horse around, galloped swiftly across the plains and disappeared behind the hills even as the Shogun's cavalry rode out from the castle to give chase.
There was a little parchment tied to the arrow. The Shogun opened and read the parchment, and turned pale almost immediately. It read:
My father had a saying - "Mori dogs bite". The Hatakeyama, Yamana and Hojo, the fools who followed you, now know how we can bite. Even now the carrion crows feast on their corpses in the fields of Bizen and Mimasaka where their broken banners lie. And soon you will feel our teeth upon your neck! Watch for the red banners in the fields of Kamo - the Mori are coming for you, Ashikaga!
"Your name is Shishido Morikane?" Mori Motohira asked.
"Yes, sir." replied Morikane, a captain in Motohira's army.
"The Shishido family have a long history of service to the Mori. That is good. Many say that you showed personal courage and leadership in our counter attack on Akashi Castle."
"I was only doing my duty, sir." replied Morikane modestly.
"That is good. The Mori have lost many good leaders in these wars. The Mori are in need of good leaders. Consequently, I am going to promote you to field commander. You will lead the vanguard in our push on Kyoto. The vanguard was my former command. They are a good lot. Treat them well, use them well."
"I will serve the Mori with my life!" said Morikane, overwhelmed.
"The armies of the Hatakeyama and Yamana suffered heavy losses at Akashi. Based on most recent reports, after the fall of Akashi, the Hojo proceeded south to attack Okayama Castle at Bizen and the Hatakeyama proceeded south west to attack Tsuyama Castle in Mimasaka. Since then we have heard nothing. Our agents are completely silent. It is as if a great wall has risen up between the north and the south," an advisor reported somberly.
"Don't give me metaphors, I want facts!" The Shogun shouted.
Suddenly there was a sharp thwack by the window. Everyone in the room turned at the direction of the sound - there was an arrow sticking to the window frame. They rushed to the window. Far down below, beyond the castle walls, they could see a rider in red lacquered armour, waving at them with his bow. He spun his horse around, galloped swiftly across the plains and disappeared behind the hills even as the Shogun's cavalry rode out from the castle to give chase.
There was a little parchment tied to the arrow. The Shogun opened and read the parchment, and turned pale almost immediately. It read:
My father had a saying - "Mori dogs bite". The Hatakeyama, Yamana and Hojo, the fools who followed you, now know how we can bite. Even now the carrion crows feast on their corpses in the fields of Bizen and Mimasaka where their broken banners lie. And soon you will feel our teeth upon your neck! Watch for the red banners in the fields of Kamo - the Mori are coming for you, Ashikaga!
Daimyo Mori Sanemune
They learned later that the Hojo and Hatakeyama were completely annihilated in the attacks on Okayama and Tsuyama. The Mori now have a clear road to Kyoto.
~ ~ ~
"Yes, sir." replied Morikane, a captain in Motohira's army.
"The Shishido family have a long history of service to the Mori. That is good. Many say that you showed personal courage and leadership in our counter attack on Akashi Castle."
"I was only doing my duty, sir." replied Morikane modestly.
"That is good. The Mori have lost many good leaders in these wars. The Mori are in need of good leaders. Consequently, I am going to promote you to field commander. You will lead the vanguard in our push on Kyoto. The vanguard was my former command. They are a good lot. Treat them well, use them well."
"I will serve the Mori with my life!" said Morikane, overwhelmed.
~ ~ ~
News of the cavalry of the Mori vanguard under Shishido Morikane encamped on the plains of Kamo near Kyoto caused much panic in Kyoto. The Ashikaga generals believed that the best course of action was defense - to hold out in Kyoto, one of the strongest fortresses in Japan. But faced with daily pressure from the Shogun and the populace to do something. They had no choice but to do something, however ill judged. So, they mobilized the Shogunate army to fight the Mori on the plains of Kamo.
Thursday 5 April 2012
Mori Motoharu's Finest Hour
"Tell me...how did he die?" Mori Sanemune asked.
"It was an impossible fight," said the soot besmirched, battle scarred survivor of the Battle of Akashi. His eyes were wide and bright and starred into space as he began to tell his tale, as though he was seeing the whole battle unfold once more before his eyes.
"They come at us with five armies but we have many samurai at Akashi and we are determined to give them a good fight. The Hatakeyama and Yamana lead the attack with two armies. The general faces the approaching enemy, calm and impassive like a mountain...
"The general orders the cavalry out to harass and divert part of the Yamana force. It works. So the Hatakeyama do not have the support of the Yamana when they attack the walls. When they come within range of the archers, they are met by a shower of arrows. Many are cut down...
"Then they scale the walls, the general orders the archers to fall back and the melee troops advance to the walls to repel attackers. The attackers are broken and retreat. Next comes the Yamana who have already lost many men to our cavalry. They too are beaten back...
"We cheer and taunt the enemy as they retreat in flight. From our army of nearly one thousand five hundred men, only six hundred are left, but the enemy have lost many more. We scan the horizon for enemies, no more are forthcoming, this is the first day.
"The next day, the rising sun reveals the banners of the Hatakeyama surrounding Akashi Castle on everyside. We are left with only six hundred tired and wounded men. Everyman knows that this battle will be his last. But many Hatakeyama will go to the underworld before this day is done. It will cost the Hatakeyama much more than six hundred men to vanquish our six hundred...
"My lord, out of our entire army, I am the only one left, not because I was cowardly or lacked spirit...I fought till my arms were weak and could no longer lift up my sword. As I collapsed on the ground, I saw the general surrounded by a forest of spears, his bodyguard, all killed. He hacks away at the arms reaching out to grab him, he refuses to be taken alive. Ha Ha! Many Hatakeyama go armless and handless today who tried to capture the general! But eventually he falls, felled like a great tree..
"The exhausted Hatakeyama could hardly raise a cheer, so dismayed were they by their losses. They killed all the survivors but left me alive to bring you this message."
Mori Sanemune reads:
So, now all the sons of Mori Motohari - Takamoto, Takakage and Motoharu - have been slain in battle. In defeat their bodies lie unburied and headless. Submit to the Shogun you Mori dog or the same fate will befall you!
"With his single army the general destroyed more than two and a half armies of the Shogun," the veteran of Akashi said. "Search the chronicles, my lord, and see if there has ever been an army that made such a stand!"
"No, I know of no army that has made such as stand." Mori Sanemune replied.
"And now, if you will so honour me," said the veteran of Akashi with tears in his eyes, "Behead me ...for I do not wish to keep the general and my comrades waiting any longer in the underworld...
"It was an impossible fight," said the soot besmirched, battle scarred survivor of the Battle of Akashi. His eyes were wide and bright and starred into space as he began to tell his tale, as though he was seeing the whole battle unfold once more before his eyes.
"They come at us with five armies but we have many samurai at Akashi and we are determined to give them a good fight. The Hatakeyama and Yamana lead the attack with two armies. The general faces the approaching enemy, calm and impassive like a mountain...
"The general orders the cavalry out to harass and divert part of the Yamana force. It works. So the Hatakeyama do not have the support of the Yamana when they attack the walls. When they come within range of the archers, they are met by a shower of arrows. Many are cut down...
"Then they scale the walls, the general orders the archers to fall back and the melee troops advance to the walls to repel attackers. The attackers are broken and retreat. Next comes the Yamana who have already lost many men to our cavalry. They too are beaten back...
"We cheer and taunt the enemy as they retreat in flight. From our army of nearly one thousand five hundred men, only six hundred are left, but the enemy have lost many more. We scan the horizon for enemies, no more are forthcoming, this is the first day.
"The next day, the rising sun reveals the banners of the Hatakeyama surrounding Akashi Castle on everyside. We are left with only six hundred tired and wounded men. Everyman knows that this battle will be his last. But many Hatakeyama will go to the underworld before this day is done. It will cost the Hatakeyama much more than six hundred men to vanquish our six hundred...
"My lord, out of our entire army, I am the only one left, not because I was cowardly or lacked spirit...I fought till my arms were weak and could no longer lift up my sword. As I collapsed on the ground, I saw the general surrounded by a forest of spears, his bodyguard, all killed. He hacks away at the arms reaching out to grab him, he refuses to be taken alive. Ha Ha! Many Hatakeyama go armless and handless today who tried to capture the general! But eventually he falls, felled like a great tree..
 |
| Mori Motoharu's last stand |
Mori Sanemune reads:
So, now all the sons of Mori Motohari - Takamoto, Takakage and Motoharu - have been slain in battle. In defeat their bodies lie unburied and headless. Submit to the Shogun you Mori dog or the same fate will befall you!
"With his single army the general destroyed more than two and a half armies of the Shogun," the veteran of Akashi said. "Search the chronicles, my lord, and see if there has ever been an army that made such a stand!"
"No, I know of no army that has made such as stand." Mori Sanemune replied.
"And now, if you will so honour me," said the veteran of Akashi with tears in his eyes, "Behead me ...for I do not wish to keep the general and my comrades waiting any longer in the underworld...
Akashi in Harima, 1572
The armies of Kobayakawa Mototsura and Mori Motohira race along the coasts of Honshu occupying the Yamana provinces encountering little resistance. Mori Sanemune issued strict orders to his commanders not to loot or to harm the local populace in anyway. As a result, atrocities by Mori troops are isolated an infrequent. Further, Mori Sanemune institutesd a policy of zero taxation in all occupied territories. For this the local populace are overjoyed and embrace their new masters gladly. All this allows the Mori to advance rapidly north without leaving troops behind to garrison the occupied territories. Time and speed is of the essence for the Mori.
In 1572, as Motohira and Mototsura begin to converge on the Okayama-Tsuyama-Akashi junction on their way to Harima, Daimyo Sanemune receives disturbing reports regarding the loyalty of Kobayakawa Mototsura.
Mototsura had risen from among the ranks of the retainers and while his personal courage and abilities could not be doubted, he was still not of the blood. The awful thought of Mototsura turning himself and his army over to the enemy was enough to make Sanemune lose his appetite. What is service to a daimyo compared to a Shogun? Even he, in Mototsura's shoes, would think twice.
Thus, one evening as Mototsura is making plans for the assault on Akashi Castle in Harima, he receives a galling order from the Daimyo to turnover command of his army...to Mori Motoharu!
And so it is Mori Motoharu who rides at the head of the victorious army into Akashi Castle. Whether the reports casting suspicion on Mototsura had substance, or whether they were merely the machinations of those jealous of him will never be known.
But before the Mori samurai have time to break into the castle reserves of sake, a scout brings in a report of sobering proportions - the armies of the Anti-Mori Shogunate Alliance (AMSA) have been found - all five of them. Five armies of the Hojo, Hatakeyama and Yamana are pressing rapidly into the only choke pointalong the road from Kyoto between the mountains and the sea - Akashi Castle.
In 1572, as Motohira and Mototsura begin to converge on the Okayama-Tsuyama-Akashi junction on their way to Harima, Daimyo Sanemune receives disturbing reports regarding the loyalty of Kobayakawa Mototsura.
Mototsura had risen from among the ranks of the retainers and while his personal courage and abilities could not be doubted, he was still not of the blood. The awful thought of Mototsura turning himself and his army over to the enemy was enough to make Sanemune lose his appetite. What is service to a daimyo compared to a Shogun? Even he, in Mototsura's shoes, would think twice.
Thus, one evening as Mototsura is making plans for the assault on Akashi Castle in Harima, he receives a galling order from the Daimyo to turnover command of his army...to Mori Motoharu!
And so it is Mori Motoharu who rides at the head of the victorious army into Akashi Castle. Whether the reports casting suspicion on Mototsura had substance, or whether they were merely the machinations of those jealous of him will never be known.
But before the Mori samurai have time to break into the castle reserves of sake, a scout brings in a report of sobering proportions - the armies of the Anti-Mori Shogunate Alliance (AMSA) have been found - all five of them. Five armies of the Hojo, Hatakeyama and Yamana are pressing rapidly into the only choke pointalong the road from Kyoto between the mountains and the sea - Akashi Castle.
Tuesday 3 April 2012
Rise of the Anti-Mori Shogunate Alliance, 1570
As the Mori win victory after victory and slowly exert their dominance in the south, as they creep ever closer to Kyoto, an ancient dragon watches from behind the mists that shroud the islands of Japan, silent and resentful - the Ashikaga Shogun.
In summer, 1570, as the Mori conquers Awa, the last province of the Chosokabe in Shikkoku and as Mori samurai toast their victories in numerous drunken celebrations in the fields, towns and castles all over Shikkoku, the Shogun decides that it is time to act. Like a great dragon drawing in the four winds, the Ashikaga shogun summons the Hatakeyama, the Yamana, the Hojo and numerous lesser clans, binds them in an alliance under the banner of the Shogun, and casts them like a thunder bolt upon the Mori!
When Daimyo Sanemune receives news of the rise of the Anti-Mori Shogunate Alliance (AMSA), he wastes little time in cursing his uncle, Mori Motoharu, for bringing this upon them through his reckless actions in Shikkoku. He gathers his strategists, diplomats, generals and priests together in council - the youngest daimyo in the history of the Mori prepares to meet the greatest threat that the clan has ever faced.
At the moment, apart from Daimyo Sanemune's army in Bungo, pointed against the Yamana in neighbouring Buzen, the Mori army is scattered all over Shikkoku. Daimyo Sanemune orders his Shikkoku forces to reform and return to Honshu immediately. Mori Motoharu, now fully appreciating the extent of the trouble heading their way, obeys without question.
Naval battles - Western Seto Inland Sea
The Mori have always invested heavily in their navy and by now they have two major fleets and a medium reserve fleet for protecting the trade nodes. The navy's mission is to establish total dominance of regional waters and defeat any seaborne invasion by AMSA.
Reconquest of Buzen
Mori Sanemune maintained a powerful army in Bungo for the sole purpose of one day retaking Buzen. That day came in winter 1970, after the Yamana decided (or was forced to?) throw in their lot with the AMSA.
Mori Sanemune is prepared and marches immediately on Kokura Castle. The daimyo of the Yamana is there with many of his kinsmen and a sizable army. It appears that the AMSA caught the Yamana by surprise as much as it did the Mori or their diamyo would not have remained in Buzen surrounded by the Mori.
In summer, 1570, as the Mori conquers Awa, the last province of the Chosokabe in Shikkoku and as Mori samurai toast their victories in numerous drunken celebrations in the fields, towns and castles all over Shikkoku, the Shogun decides that it is time to act. Like a great dragon drawing in the four winds, the Ashikaga shogun summons the Hatakeyama, the Yamana, the Hojo and numerous lesser clans, binds them in an alliance under the banner of the Shogun, and casts them like a thunder bolt upon the Mori!
When Daimyo Sanemune receives news of the rise of the Anti-Mori Shogunate Alliance (AMSA), he wastes little time in cursing his uncle, Mori Motoharu, for bringing this upon them through his reckless actions in Shikkoku. He gathers his strategists, diplomats, generals and priests together in council - the youngest daimyo in the history of the Mori prepares to meet the greatest threat that the clan has ever faced.
At the moment, apart from Daimyo Sanemune's army in Bungo, pointed against the Yamana in neighbouring Buzen, the Mori army is scattered all over Shikkoku. Daimyo Sanemune orders his Shikkoku forces to reform and return to Honshu immediately. Mori Motoharu, now fully appreciating the extent of the trouble heading their way, obeys without question.
Naval battles - Western Seto Inland Sea
As the AMSA slowly mobilise their forces all over Honshu, their naval forces attempt to strike the first blow. Two fleets, Yamana and Hatakeyama, consisting mainly of bow kobayas, row confidently into Mori waters of the Western Seto Inland Sea attempting to blockade the port of Aki. Perhaps the Yamana and Hatakeyama have never faced a first rate naval power, but against the Mori fleets, which include such advanced vessels as O Ataka, heavy, sengoku and cannon bunes, bow kobayas will never do. The Mori navy destroys the AMSA fleets effortlessly.
 |
| Mori Line of Battle |
The Mori have always invested heavily in their navy and by now they have two major fleets and a medium reserve fleet for protecting the trade nodes. The navy's mission is to establish total dominance of regional waters and defeat any seaborne invasion by AMSA.
Reconquest of Buzen
Mori Sanemune maintained a powerful army in Bungo for the sole purpose of one day retaking Buzen. That day came in winter 1970, after the Yamana decided (or was forced to?) throw in their lot with the AMSA.
Mori Sanemune is prepared and marches immediately on Kokura Castle. The daimyo of the Yamana is there with many of his kinsmen and a sizable army. It appears that the AMSA caught the Yamana by surprise as much as it did the Mori or their diamyo would not have remained in Buzen surrounded by the Mori.
 |
| Mori at the battle of Buzen fields |
The Yamana sally out and are defeated on the frozen fields of Buzen in a fiercely fought contest. The Yamana daimyo and his kinsmen are killed and beheaded.
Although this is a long dreamed of victory, Sanemune wastes no time in celebrations, instead he immediately orders his army to prepare to cross over to Honshu and rejoin the rest of the Mori hosts concentrating there... but it will be many seasons before his army reaches the front lines, and much will have transpired before then.
Thwarted diplomacy
One diplomat suggested the idea of splitting the AMSA by paying off one of the clans to break the alliance. It would have to be one of the clans that least disliked the Mori, which would be the Hojo. Sanemune liked this idea and so secret overtures were made to the Hojo.
Sanemune was overjoyed when his diplomat reported back that the Hojo were prepared to break the alliance and even enter into a trade agreement for a price, but when he read the proposed terms he almost fell off his cushion - 60,000 koku. The Mori treasury by then had nearly a 100,000 koku, but income was severely diminished due to the loss of trading partners. Sanemune thought about this and decided that it was worth the price as the Hojo was one of the most powerful clans in Japan.
Thus the Hojo took the money and broke their alliance with the AMSA...for one season. In the next season, they were back in the folds of the Shogun.
"That was a waste of perfectly good koku," Mori Sanemune thought philosophically.
The Mori were clearly no match for the Shogun at diplomacy.
Mori war plans
By spring 1571, no AMSA armies have yet appeared on the borders of the Mori, although increased enemy agent activity have been detected... and neutralized.
With their mobilization largely complete (reinforcements are still coming in from Kyushu and Shikkoku by land and sea to the front), by spring 1571 the Mori have two armies ready to attack on the east and west coasts of Honshu. One army under the command of Kobayakawa Mototsura is positioned to attack the Yamana provinces along the east coast on the Bingo-Bitchu-Bizen axis.
Another army under the command of Mori Motohira, the daimyo's brother, is positioned to attack the Yamana provinces along the west coast on the Hoki-Inaba axis.
The Yamana provinces on the invasion paths appear to be minimally defended and are expected to be easy pickings. However, the Mori are not under any illusions that this war will be over quickly. Somewhere within that fog of war is a grand army of the AMSA host and an epic battle, or several, will be fought before the future of the Mori, and perhaps all of Japan will be decided.
What will the Kikkawa do?
As all the clans of Japan, former friends and trading partners, turn against the Mori, only the Kikkawa have remained faithful to their old allies, but for how long? It is perhaps only a question of when and not whether the Kikkawa will eventually bow to pressure and throw in their lot with AMSA.
Having a potential enemy in the rear as they push farther north is clearly not a good strategic situation to be in, but keeping an army behind to keep the Kikkawa in check will weaken their front. These questions worried the brain of Mori Sanemune.
Mori Motoharu in Sanuki, Spring 1570
Mori Motoharu spent a pleasant day exploring Takamatsu Castle in Sanuki with his captains. He was impressed by the vastness and the height of this fortress, and the strength of its rock foundations. Properly defended and provisioned, Takamatsu can hold out against the world! he thought.
The thought that he had accomplished what his brothers, Mori Takakage and Mori Takamoto, could not, took a while to sink in, but when it did it gave him no end of ironic satisfaction. He was the tortoise who started late, but finished first. If Mori Takamoto will forever be remembered for the conquest of Kyushu, then his name will forever be associated with the conquest of Shikkoku. Better still, he will live to enjoy it!
That evening as he and his captains feasted in the main audience room of Takamatsu, a message arrived from the young Daimyo Mori Sanemune.
Dear uncle,
It is with great joy that I hear of your repeated successes in Shikkoku and, lately, the victorious assault on Takamatsu Castle. As the conquest of Shikkoku is practically finished, it is my wish that you hand over command of your army to Kobayakawa Mototsura who will be tasked with subduing the remaining provinces (an easy prospect). I greatly desire that you come back to Aki and sit at my right hand where I will be pleased to receive the benefit your wisdom and guidance in managing the many pressing affairs of the clan.
Mori Motoharu read it, laughed, then casually threw it into a brazier of burning coals. Takamatsu and Shikkoku are mine now and I will never leave it. I will set up my banner here. With my army and the walls of Takamatsu around me, here I will stand, an eagle upon the crags. Not even the Daimyo himself can touch me now.
 |
| The great fortress of Takamatsu |
The thought that he had accomplished what his brothers, Mori Takakage and Mori Takamoto, could not, took a while to sink in, but when it did it gave him no end of ironic satisfaction. He was the tortoise who started late, but finished first. If Mori Takamoto will forever be remembered for the conquest of Kyushu, then his name will forever be associated with the conquest of Shikkoku. Better still, he will live to enjoy it!
That evening as he and his captains feasted in the main audience room of Takamatsu, a message arrived from the young Daimyo Mori Sanemune.
Dear uncle,
It is with great joy that I hear of your repeated successes in Shikkoku and, lately, the victorious assault on Takamatsu Castle. As the conquest of Shikkoku is practically finished, it is my wish that you hand over command of your army to Kobayakawa Mototsura who will be tasked with subduing the remaining provinces (an easy prospect). I greatly desire that you come back to Aki and sit at my right hand where I will be pleased to receive the benefit your wisdom and guidance in managing the many pressing affairs of the clan.
Mori Motoharu read it, laughed, then casually threw it into a brazier of burning coals. Takamatsu and Shikkoku are mine now and I will never leave it. I will set up my banner here. With my army and the walls of Takamatsu around me, here I will stand, an eagle upon the crags. Not even the Daimyo himself can touch me now.
~ ~ ~
When Mori Sanemune learned of his uncle's refusal to return to Aki, he shooked with anger. That fool, he thinks that I am after his head for what happened to my father! But it is not him I am concerned about...
Not many days after Mori Sanemune became the new daimyo of the Mori, the old monk Jizo, asked to see him. When Sanemune visited the monk in his humble dwellings, he found him lying on a bamboo mat on the ground, breathing weakly.
"How are you, old father?" Sanemune asked.
"I am dying," Jizo answered plainly.
Sanemune starred at the ground in silence for a few moments in a gesture of regret, then said,"You served the Mori faithfully throughout your life. I will have shrines built in your honour. We will pray for you."
"No, my young daimyo," said Jizo weakly, "I will pray for you! Listen to me, in the days to come, you will face perils that your fathers have never faced. I know that you have Mori Motoharu on your mind. For now you must swallow your pride and make your peace with him. You will need him, for I will tell you of a greater enemy that even now you are not prepared for - the dragon hidden behind the mist, in whose coils all the islands of Japan are entwined...
Saturday 31 March 2012
In Memoriam in Imabari, Winter 1569
There are those who say that Shikkoku is bad luck for the Mori, that the Mori are not meant to be there. The Mori have lost two sons -Takamoto, the former daimyo, and Takakage - as well as countless warriors in Iyo province, defeated by the Chosokabe in the plains and in the castle of Imabari. Some say that the angry spirits of Shikkoku are working against the Mori.
So it is with a feeling of superstitious fear that Kobayakawa Mototsura watched as his samurai forced their way into Imabari Castle and overcame the few defenders within.
After the fall of Imabari, the Mori set up shrines in the fields and the castle precincts dedicated to the fallen heros of the Mori and also to the kami of Shikkoku. Mori monks consecrated the shrines while drink and food offerings were presented. The mood was hardly triumphant as the Mori host remembered the enormous losses suffered here.
Imabari is an unremarkable castle, and Iyo is an unremarkable province, Mototsura thought, but there is probably no land in all of Japan more sacred in the memories of the Mori than this land.
So it is with a feeling of superstitious fear that Kobayakawa Mototsura watched as his samurai forced their way into Imabari Castle and overcame the few defenders within.
After the fall of Imabari, the Mori set up shrines in the fields and the castle precincts dedicated to the fallen heros of the Mori and also to the kami of Shikkoku. Mori monks consecrated the shrines while drink and food offerings were presented. The mood was hardly triumphant as the Mori host remembered the enormous losses suffered here.
Imabari is an unremarkable castle, and Iyo is an unremarkable province, Mototsura thought, but there is probably no land in all of Japan more sacred in the memories of the Mori than this land.
Friday 30 March 2012
Second Battle of Kochi, Spring 1569
Mori Motoharu looks down confidently at the Chosokabe hosts surrounding Kochi. Kira Kunihiro's army is formidable but Motoharu feels secure within the sturdy fortress of Kochi, on high ground, surrounded by his army of veteran samurai.
"Instruct the cavalry to concentrate on the east and destroy the archers coming up there," he orders. From the heights he can observe the enemy's every move. The Chosokabe are attacking from the north, east and west.
Yamaguchi, the captain of cavalry, squints down at the forested valley. At first it is difficult to distinguish the Chosokabe samurai archers from the trees below, then he sees them. One, two, three companies of archers. He gives the order for the horse men to form up. As the archers come within shooting range, he gives the order to charge. The cavalry begin at a trot and then accelerate to a full gallop charging downhill with the force of avalanche.
"Instruct the nagingata to fall in outside the east gate" Motoharu orders as he sees the Chosokabe from he north vearing east. The Mori archers rain arrows with deadly effect upon the attackers as they march under the northern walls. One company of Chosokabe samurai archers is decimated and routs.
From the western wall, where most of the Mori archers are concentrated, Honen, captain of the elite bow warrior monks, observes the Chosokabe hosts below. He picks his target, a captain of samurai archers with an elaborate black lacquered kabuto. "In the left eye," he announces and lets his arrow fly. It hits the mark. He smiles and says to the men around him, "So, the Chosokabe fancy themselves to be gifted archers? How's that for archery!"
When the Chosokabe reach the western walls they begin to climb. Honen gives the order the fall back, it is time for the melee units to do their work. The katana samurai, nagingata samurai and ashigeru move up to the north side of the fortress. The archers take up positions further south and from there continue to pick off the Chosokabe climbing the walls.
On the eastern slopes it takes Yamaguchi and his cavalry two charges to break the Chosokabe samurai archers - a testimony to their discipline and morale. Chosokabe spearmen from the north attempt to attack the eastern gates but are met by Mori samurai.
The Chosokabe that survive the climb up the western walls are overwhelmed by the Mori melee troops while those beneath are easy pickings for the Mori archers. Mori Motoharu can barely contain his elation as he witnesses the disintegration of the last army remaining to the Chosokabe before the walls of Kochi.
Shikkoku of the Chosokabe is now completely defenceless before the Mori.
"Instruct the cavalry to concentrate on the east and destroy the archers coming up there," he orders. From the heights he can observe the enemy's every move. The Chosokabe are attacking from the north, east and west.
Yamaguchi, the captain of cavalry, squints down at the forested valley. At first it is difficult to distinguish the Chosokabe samurai archers from the trees below, then he sees them. One, two, three companies of archers. He gives the order for the horse men to form up. As the archers come within shooting range, he gives the order to charge. The cavalry begin at a trot and then accelerate to a full gallop charging downhill with the force of avalanche.
"Instruct the nagingata to fall in outside the east gate" Motoharu orders as he sees the Chosokabe from he north vearing east. The Mori archers rain arrows with deadly effect upon the attackers as they march under the northern walls. One company of Chosokabe samurai archers is decimated and routs.
From the western wall, where most of the Mori archers are concentrated, Honen, captain of the elite bow warrior monks, observes the Chosokabe hosts below. He picks his target, a captain of samurai archers with an elaborate black lacquered kabuto. "In the left eye," he announces and lets his arrow fly. It hits the mark. He smiles and says to the men around him, "So, the Chosokabe fancy themselves to be gifted archers? How's that for archery!"
When the Chosokabe reach the western walls they begin to climb. Honen gives the order the fall back, it is time for the melee units to do their work. The katana samurai, nagingata samurai and ashigeru move up to the north side of the fortress. The archers take up positions further south and from there continue to pick off the Chosokabe climbing the walls.
On the eastern slopes it takes Yamaguchi and his cavalry two charges to break the Chosokabe samurai archers - a testimony to their discipline and morale. Chosokabe spearmen from the north attempt to attack the eastern gates but are met by Mori samurai.
The Chosokabe that survive the climb up the western walls are overwhelmed by the Mori melee troops while those beneath are easy pickings for the Mori archers. Mori Motoharu can barely contain his elation as he witnesses the disintegration of the last army remaining to the Chosokabe before the walls of Kochi.
Shikkoku of the Chosokabe is now completely defenceless before the Mori.
Wednesday 28 March 2012
Battle of Kochi, Winter 1568
"Well, what are your intentions now?" Uechiro asked Mori Motoharu. "We are almost exactly halfway between Kochi and Imabari. Daimyo Tamehisa is in Kochi with a small army while Kira Kunihiro is in Imabari replenishing his field army. Our army is strong. Given our current strength, both objectives are achievable."
When Motoharu was done mourning the death of his brother the daimyo, he began to think: questions will no doubt be asked about his part in the daimyo's demise. He'd acted swiftly in decapitating the metsuke who gave the false report and sending his head to Mori Sanemune, but this was unlikely satisfy anyone. I will have to win some impressive victory in Shikkoku to shut people up, he thought.
"Which is better, to cut off the serpent's head or its tail?" he thought aloud. "We advance on Kochi!"
Battle of Kochi
"Their cavalry is sallying out," his adjutant reports. And indeed they are.
Kochi Castle is a narrow, bone shaped fortress sitting on the summit of a steep hill. It offers little protection from enemy archers and little space to manouver within. Most of the Chosokabe defenders consisted of cavalry including generals and their companion cavalry. Rather than sit inside the castle and be shot at, they have decided, wisely, to fight in the open.
Positioned at the base of the northern slopes, Motoharu sees the Chosokabe cavalry flanking the Mori footsoldiers laboriously climbing up the snow covered slopes. One cavalry unit charges straight at him. Motoharu and his cavalry turn to intercept them. Before long these isolated cavalry units are surrounded and routed by Mori cavalry and spearmen.
The gates of Kochi opens once more and out comes a company of horsemen bearing the commander's pennant - it is Daimyo Tamehisa and his bodyguard.
Motoharu stands up in his saddle and sees the Daimyo of the Chosokabe and his bodyguard charge into a cluster of spearmen and archers. He sees the cavalrymen hacking at the footsoldiers as they are gradually surrounded and brought down. It is a futile, suicidal charge, but glorious none the less.
After the Chosokabe cavalry is destroyed, the Mori samurai set fire to the gates and storm the fortress, subduing the remaining defenders within. Mori Motoharu looks on with satisfaction as the Mori flag is raised in Kochi.
When Motoharu was done mourning the death of his brother the daimyo, he began to think: questions will no doubt be asked about his part in the daimyo's demise. He'd acted swiftly in decapitating the metsuke who gave the false report and sending his head to Mori Sanemune, but this was unlikely satisfy anyone. I will have to win some impressive victory in Shikkoku to shut people up, he thought.
"Which is better, to cut off the serpent's head or its tail?" he thought aloud. "We advance on Kochi!"
Battle of Kochi
"Their cavalry is sallying out," his adjutant reports. And indeed they are.
Kochi Castle is a narrow, bone shaped fortress sitting on the summit of a steep hill. It offers little protection from enemy archers and little space to manouver within. Most of the Chosokabe defenders consisted of cavalry including generals and their companion cavalry. Rather than sit inside the castle and be shot at, they have decided, wisely, to fight in the open.
Positioned at the base of the northern slopes, Motoharu sees the Chosokabe cavalry flanking the Mori footsoldiers laboriously climbing up the snow covered slopes. One cavalry unit charges straight at him. Motoharu and his cavalry turn to intercept them. Before long these isolated cavalry units are surrounded and routed by Mori cavalry and spearmen.
Motoharu stands up in his saddle and sees the Daimyo of the Chosokabe and his bodyguard charge into a cluster of spearmen and archers. He sees the cavalrymen hacking at the footsoldiers as they are gradually surrounded and brought down. It is a futile, suicidal charge, but glorious none the less.
After the Chosokabe cavalry is destroyed, the Mori samurai set fire to the gates and storm the fortress, subduing the remaining defenders within. Mori Motoharu looks on with satisfaction as the Mori flag is raised in Kochi.
Tuesday 27 March 2012
Mori Takamoto's Last Stand, Summer 1568
"What goes around, comes around," said the Buddha.
As he observes the Chosokabe army spread out across the plain, advancing slowly but irresistably towards them like a black tidal wave, he thought of the number of times when he put his enemies in just such a position. Cornered, outnumbered and helpless, like prey beneath the paw of the tiger. For this, he was known as the Tiger of Kyushu. And now, here he was - a tiger caught in a trap.
For days Mori Takamoto, and the wounded survivors of his army, sought to evade the pursuing Chosokabe. But the plains offered them no shelter and the Chosokabe knew their country well. They were never out of sight of the Chosokabe outriders. They pressed on desparately toward the beaches where their fleet waited to bring them to safety, until, eventually, exhaustion forced them to stop.
His men begged him to go on without them but Takamoto refused to abandon them. And it is thus that the Chosokabe find them on the edge of a corpse without hope and without strength.
That morning, Mori Takamoto gathered his men about him and he sat down in their midst like a school teacher giving a lesson. Many of the men were not samurai, so he spoke to them about the code of Bushido and the honour of the samurai. He said that any man who stands by him on that day will be a samurai of the highest order, and he will remember him and honour him in the afterlife. They listened to all this with blank faces, emotionless. Yet here they all are, no one abandoned him.
As he observes the Chosokabe army spread out across the plain, advancing slowly but irresistably towards them like a black tidal wave, he thought of the number of times when he put his enemies in just such a position. Cornered, outnumbered and helpless, like prey beneath the paw of the tiger. For this, he was known as the Tiger of Kyushu. And now, here he was - a tiger caught in a trap.
For days Mori Takamoto, and the wounded survivors of his army, sought to evade the pursuing Chosokabe. But the plains offered them no shelter and the Chosokabe knew their country well. They were never out of sight of the Chosokabe outriders. They pressed on desparately toward the beaches where their fleet waited to bring them to safety, until, eventually, exhaustion forced them to stop.
His men begged him to go on without them but Takamoto refused to abandon them. And it is thus that the Chosokabe find them on the edge of a corpse without hope and without strength.
That morning, Mori Takamoto gathered his men about him and he sat down in their midst like a school teacher giving a lesson. Many of the men were not samurai, so he spoke to them about the code of Bushido and the honour of the samurai. He said that any man who stands by him on that day will be a samurai of the highest order, and he will remember him and honour him in the afterlife. They listened to all this with blank faces, emotionless. Yet here they all are, no one abandoned him.
As the fiery arrows of the Chosokabe engulf his men in flames, he thinks of his son and heir, Mori Sanemune, and how fearlessly he rode under the rain of arrows at the Battle of Higa. He knows that the Mori legacy will be safe in his hands.
On his left, he sees a company of Chosokabe yari cavalry detach from the main body and charge straight at him, their spear points glinting in the sunlight. Which one of these spearpoints, he wondered, will run him through?
~ ~ ~
When the 21 year old Mori Sanemune received news that his father was slain at Battle of Aso, and that he was now Daimyo of the Mori and master of 11 provinces, he gulped, took a deep breath, and then formally acknowledged the obeisance of the retainers gathered around him.
He was still too young, and his mind too tender, to be fully conscious of the political dimensions of life. But already tendrils of suspicion grew in his mind as he heard the account of how his uncle abandoned his father at Imabari to chase after a phantom Chosokabe army. As he gazed upon the severed head of the metsuke who had made that false report, he thought, the head of a lowly metsuke is hardly sufficient recompense for the life of a daimyo.
But for the moment, Mori Motoharu was in Shikkoku with the largest army the Mori possessed. Let him finish his work in Shikkoku, Sanemune thought, there will be time for questions later.
~ ~ ~
When told of the death of Mori Takamoto, his brother, Motoharu sank to his knees before a tall Gampi tree and bawled like a baby. His captains looked at each another awkwardly, no one daring to venture to console him.
~ ~ ~
Daimyo Tamehisa of the Chosokabe looked at the box sitting on the table before him. Already, he knew what was in it. He looked around the room at the excited faces of his gathered kinsmen and retainers, then he lifted the lid and saw the pale, blood stained head of Mori Takamoto. Some cheered, others, perhaps remembering that fateful battle of Takamatsu where so many clansmen were slain by the Mori, wept. How many times had he dreamed of this moment, and yet he felt no elation now as he looked upon the severed head of his slain arch enemy, only emptiness.
I died at the hands of lesser men, the head of Mori Takamoto seemed to say to him, and your demise will not be long in coming, my dear enemy.
Monday 26 March 2012
Second Battle of Imabari, Spring 1568
"What do you mean he's gone!" Mori Takamoto yelled when told that Mori Motoharu had taken his army to intercept Chosokabe reinforcements coming up the Imabari-Kochi road. "What reinforcements? My metsuke tell me nothing of reinforcements. The Chosokabe reserve army is still in Kochi!"
But yelling will not bring back Motoharu. Already the Chosokabe field army was forming up for the attack. The Chosokabe had sallied out of Imabari the previous night and taken up positions on the plains. Mori Takamoto had accepted battle thinking that Motoharu was behind him. It is now too late to retreat.
It is a magnificent morning. The rays of Ameratsu ignites the morning mist and fills the air with golden brilliance.
The Mori army is inferior in quality to the Chosokabe who have more samurai. Takamoto worries about the ashigeru in the center and the light cavalry on the right. He concentrates his heavy cavalry on the left hoping to break the enemy on the left and roll up the flank. But the Chosokabe have more than enough resources to answer him.
The flat plains offers little by way of natural defensive positions. Sparse woods offer some protection from arrows.
The Chosokabe cavalry advance from the flanks and Takamoto orders his calvary to intercept. The shock of the Mori charge appears to shake the Chosokabe at first. Then the deadly Chosokabe arrows begin to fall and take their toll on the Mori ranks. The Chosokabe melee troops charge the Mori center, they sense the weakness in the center. Takamoto commits a company of wako raider reserves to support the center.
Above the clash of steel, Takamoto sees the Chosokabe commander's pennant drifting towards his left. That's where they are concentrating their force, he thought. Immediately, he rides to the left to strengthen that flank.
He notes with frustration that the Mori cavalry were not making any progress on the left against the Chosokabe cavalry so he charges with his bodyguard into the fray to tip the scales. It was at this point that the Mori center and right, like the hull of a ship battered repeatedly by the waves, begin to crack at various points. Before long the cracks become a complete rout and the entire Mori army dissolves into haphazard flight.
For the first time in his life, the Tiger of Kyushu turns his back on the enemy and flees.
But yelling will not bring back Motoharu. Already the Chosokabe field army was forming up for the attack. The Chosokabe had sallied out of Imabari the previous night and taken up positions on the plains. Mori Takamoto had accepted battle thinking that Motoharu was behind him. It is now too late to retreat.
It is a magnificent morning. The rays of Ameratsu ignites the morning mist and fills the air with golden brilliance.
 |
| Chosokabe forces advance |
 |
| Mori position in the woods |
The Mori army is inferior in quality to the Chosokabe who have more samurai. Takamoto worries about the ashigeru in the center and the light cavalry on the right. He concentrates his heavy cavalry on the left hoping to break the enemy on the left and roll up the flank. But the Chosokabe have more than enough resources to answer him.
The flat plains offers little by way of natural defensive positions. Sparse woods offer some protection from arrows.
The Chosokabe cavalry advance from the flanks and Takamoto orders his calvary to intercept. The shock of the Mori charge appears to shake the Chosokabe at first. Then the deadly Chosokabe arrows begin to fall and take their toll on the Mori ranks. The Chosokabe melee troops charge the Mori center, they sense the weakness in the center. Takamoto commits a company of wako raider reserves to support the center.
Above the clash of steel, Takamoto sees the Chosokabe commander's pennant drifting towards his left. That's where they are concentrating their force, he thought. Immediately, he rides to the left to strengthen that flank.
He notes with frustration that the Mori cavalry were not making any progress on the left against the Chosokabe cavalry so he charges with his bodyguard into the fray to tip the scales. It was at this point that the Mori center and right, like the hull of a ship battered repeatedly by the waves, begin to crack at various points. Before long the cracks become a complete rout and the entire Mori army dissolves into haphazard flight.
For the first time in his life, the Tiger of Kyushu turns his back on the enemy and flees.
Sunday 25 March 2012
Second Chosokabe Wars, Spring 1568
Daimyo Takamoto rode at a leisurely pace across the snow covered fields. He paused to gaze at the smoke rising lazily from peasant huts scattered about in the distance.
There was not a soul to be seen for miles. The fields lie fallow in winter.
Every creature - human, beast and bird - hid from the winter cold in its own fashion. Only he - the Tiger of Kyushu - felt safe and at home out here in the open, in the snow and in the cold. Except for the province of Buzen, the destruction of the Ouchi left him as the undisputed master of all Kyushu.
He recalled the pact that he had made with Daimyo Tamehisa when the first Chosokabe Wars ended in stalemate years ago. It's time that I kept my promise to Tamehisa, he thought
The Second Chosokabe Wars
The Mori declared war upon the Chosokabe in Spring 1568. Mori Takamoto made sure that he was well prepared this time. He allocated two field armies for the invasion of Shikkoku, one under his command, and another under his brother, Mori Motoharu.
When asked where he intended to begin his invasion, he answered fiercely and without hesitation, "Iyo!"
His brother, Mori Takakage, had lost his life defending Imabari Castle in Iyo, in the last battle of the first Chosokabe Wars.
~ ~ ~
The Chosokabe greeted the Mori declaration of war with consternation. The Chosokabe were pariahs in Japan. They had no friends and were already locked in a war of attrition with the Yamana, Hatekeyama and Kikkawa clans.
"Our navy is virtually confined to port with so many enemy ships prowling the seas. Now, the Mori, with their powerful navy, are free to strike anywhere in Shikkoku! We can't defend everywhere!" worried the Chosokabe strategists.
"Don't wreck your brains on that account," Daimyo Tamehisa said calmly. "The Tiger of Kyushu will land in Iyo. As certain as the sun sets in the west, I know he will be in Iyo, and I will place my army there to welcome him!"
~ ~ ~
Mori Motoharu was drinking sake with his captains at his headquarters when the messenger arrived.
"The daimyo has commenced the siege of Imabari Castle. The main Chosokabe field army have shut themselves in Imabari. It is a powerful force. He requests that you remain close with your army in case the Chosokabe attempt to breakout," the messenger said.
Motoharu said,"Assure my brother, the daimyo, that I will do as he requests. We will remain here. We will not move until he gives the order"
After the messenger left, Mori Motoharu gave a knowing glance at one of his adjutants. The adjutant got up and left the tent. Shortly afterwards, a metsuke appeared before Motoharu and reported.
"My lord, I have grave news! Strong Chosokabe reinforcements are detected moving up the Imabari-Kochi road. They will reach Imabari within days!"
"What!" Motoharu exclaimed.
"We must not allow the Chosokabe to link up. We have to destroy the Chosokabe while they remain separated," one of his captains, Uechiro, advised.
"I agree. I will send word to my brother and await his command," Motoharu replied.
"My lord, there is no time! By the time you send word to the Daimyo, and receive his orders, the opportunity will be lost! Whereas if we move now, we still have time to set up an ambush and attack the Chosokabe in marching formation. If these reinforcements are allowed to reach Imabari and take up positions on high ground, they will be twice as strong and many more Mori men will die taking Imabari. Consider my lord, what would the Daimyo wish you to do? Didn't he always say that an army should be fluid, flowing like a stream, and that commanders, from the highest to the lowest, should respond quickly to changing situations? Think how furious he will be if he found out that you had this information and did nothing," advised Uechiro.
"Your words, Uechiro, are like the rays of the sun dispelling the darkness!" Motoharu exclaimed slapping his thigh. "Very well, then, rouse the men! We will move out immediately! We will destroy these Chosokabe reinforcements and be back before my brother even realises that we were gone"
End of the Ouchi
In summer 1565, the Ouchi are only one season away from annihilation. There are hardly any defenders left in Kunamoto Castle in Satsuma, the only castle remaining to the Ouchi.
What's left of the Ouchi field army is destroyed by Mori Sanemune and Mori cavalry rampage at will across the fields and farms of Satsuma.
The Ouchi Daimyo and the fragments of his field army are hidden away from the searching Kikkawa somewhere in the forests of Higo or Bungo. He sits under a blue beech tree contemplating the demise of his clan. The thought of death did not bother him. His mind was made up and his heart resolved. He will open his stomach in true samurai fashion. But how will he face the spirits of his ancestors? The kami of the Ouchi who bequeathed the rivers, mountains, fields and forests of their fiefdom to him, only to have it all lost in his hands? It is with such regrets and shame that his mind is tormented. Where did he go wrong? The Ouchi could not expand without removing the Mori which stood like a great boulder on the path to future glory. But by betraying their allies, and reneging on a clan marriage, the Ouchi had gambled all. He had sought and found the most opportune moment to do this. So where did he go wrong? On reflection it was undoubtly the intervention of the Kikkawa that tipped the balance. Without them the Mori would have been shattered at the fortress of Higa, and the Ouchi would have seized the initiative for the rest of the war. Those interfering Kikkawa, he thought bitterly. It was they who kept the offensive alive for the Mori. Who would have thought that the passive Kikkawa haboured such ambition?
In the after life, these regrets will torment him more than the flames of hell.
Friday 23 March 2012
Ouchi Wars, Winter 1565
As the war with the Ouchi wore on into the winter of 1565, the Ouchi are gradually worn down.
Hagi Castle fell to the Mori in summer 1564 with the help of the Kikkawa. The loss of their capital was a major blow to the Ouchi, but the losses sustained by Mori Takamoto's army was so great that he was forced to call a halt to offensive operations in order to replenish his army. During that pause the Kikkawa stole a march on the Mori and annexed Suo. They then moved swiftly, crossed the Kanmon strait between Honshu and Kyushu, and annexed Buzen, famous for its archers (Buzen formerly belonged to the Mori and previously to that the now extinct Shoni).
Mori Takamoto could not shake off the suspicion that, during the storming of Hagi Castle, the Kikkawa had deliberately held back their army so that the Mori would suffer high casualties, thus allowing them to advance ahead of the Mori. Although the Mori were not pleased with the Kikkawa's land grabbing, they could not afterall begrudge the Kikkawa their gains after receiving their help in the conquest of Nagato. Further, the Kikkawa conquests helped to weaken the Ouchi in the interim while the Mori rested their army.
The Mori navy in the meantime swept regional waters clear of Ouchi vessels and established naval superiority around the Kanmon strait paving the way for the crossing. The Ouchi navy consisted of relatively many Sengoku Bunes but they do not appear to understand the value of concentrating their fleets and so were easily destroyed piecemeal. However, a medium sized fleet managed to chase away the Mori cotton trade fleets and smaller fleets also caused temporary nuisance by blockading Mori ports.
In time, the Mori were ready to resume the offensive. Mori Takamoto crossed the Kanmon strait with his army into Kikkawa held Buzen and then proceeded on to Tsukushi easily occupying Fukuoka Castle encountering little or no resistance in the process. The was no sign of the Ouchi army.
They pressed further into Hizen and conquered the fortress of Dazaifu. Again there was no sign of the Ouchi army.
After the fall of Hizen, Mori Sanemune moved quickly to occupy the strategic river crossing on the Fukuoka-Kunamoto road. A medium sized Ouchi army was detected in Kunamoto Castle in Higo province.
The Ouchi appear to have divided their forces into three parts.
One part invaded Bungo province, but found Funai castle too well defended and so attacked and damaged the port instead. Encamped in the field in enemy territory in the middle of winter, they suffer attrition and also face a large Kikkawa army bearing down on them.
Another part invaded Osumi province in eastern Kyushu, but the defenders of Kanoya Castle put up a valiant defence and defeated the besieging army. Having understood the value of archers in attacking and defending castles, the Mori had recruited many companies of archers in Osumi and made good use of them in the battle.
The third part was in Higo province. Once Hizen is pacified, Mori Takamoto will consolidate his army and advance into Higo.
Attack on Funai Castle
In winter 1565, the writing was on the wall for the Ouchi, but they decide to make one last futile attack on Funai Castle in Bungo. The Ouchi attack with their army in Kunamoto Castle leaving it undefended. The attack is entirely pointless as the defenders outnumber the attackers.
What the defenders lack in quality they more than make up for in numbers and positional superiority, and the attackers are easily beaten back.
Hagi Castle fell to the Mori in summer 1564 with the help of the Kikkawa. The loss of their capital was a major blow to the Ouchi, but the losses sustained by Mori Takamoto's army was so great that he was forced to call a halt to offensive operations in order to replenish his army. During that pause the Kikkawa stole a march on the Mori and annexed Suo. They then moved swiftly, crossed the Kanmon strait between Honshu and Kyushu, and annexed Buzen, famous for its archers (Buzen formerly belonged to the Mori and previously to that the now extinct Shoni).
Mori Takamoto could not shake off the suspicion that, during the storming of Hagi Castle, the Kikkawa had deliberately held back their army so that the Mori would suffer high casualties, thus allowing them to advance ahead of the Mori. Although the Mori were not pleased with the Kikkawa's land grabbing, they could not afterall begrudge the Kikkawa their gains after receiving their help in the conquest of Nagato. Further, the Kikkawa conquests helped to weaken the Ouchi in the interim while the Mori rested their army.
The Mori navy in the meantime swept regional waters clear of Ouchi vessels and established naval superiority around the Kanmon strait paving the way for the crossing. The Ouchi navy consisted of relatively many Sengoku Bunes but they do not appear to understand the value of concentrating their fleets and so were easily destroyed piecemeal. However, a medium sized fleet managed to chase away the Mori cotton trade fleets and smaller fleets also caused temporary nuisance by blockading Mori ports.
In time, the Mori were ready to resume the offensive. Mori Takamoto crossed the Kanmon strait with his army into Kikkawa held Buzen and then proceeded on to Tsukushi easily occupying Fukuoka Castle encountering little or no resistance in the process. The was no sign of the Ouchi army.
They pressed further into Hizen and conquered the fortress of Dazaifu. Again there was no sign of the Ouchi army.
After the fall of Hizen, Mori Sanemune moved quickly to occupy the strategic river crossing on the Fukuoka-Kunamoto road. A medium sized Ouchi army was detected in Kunamoto Castle in Higo province.
The Ouchi appear to have divided their forces into three parts.
One part invaded Bungo province, but found Funai castle too well defended and so attacked and damaged the port instead. Encamped in the field in enemy territory in the middle of winter, they suffer attrition and also face a large Kikkawa army bearing down on them.
Another part invaded Osumi province in eastern Kyushu, but the defenders of Kanoya Castle put up a valiant defence and defeated the besieging army. Having understood the value of archers in attacking and defending castles, the Mori had recruited many companies of archers in Osumi and made good use of them in the battle.
The third part was in Higo province. Once Hizen is pacified, Mori Takamoto will consolidate his army and advance into Higo.
Attack on Funai Castle
In winter 1565, the writing was on the wall for the Ouchi, but they decide to make one last futile attack on Funai Castle in Bungo. The Ouchi attack with their army in Kunamoto Castle leaving it undefended. The attack is entirely pointless as the defenders outnumber the attackers.
What the defenders lack in quality they more than make up for in numbers and positional superiority, and the attackers are easily beaten back.
In so wasting their army, the Ouchi have left Kunamoto completely undefended and the Mori expect to take it easily in the following season.
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