The Ashina opening assault by general Tomita Shougen overwhelmed the Date front line destroying the Date Samurai and Ashigaru spearmen and killing general Inawashiro Morikuni. The damaged arquebusiers retreated. The mounted samurai of general Matsumoto Genbei poured into the gap trying to ride down anything he could reach. Already things looked to be going badly wrong (0-3)) for the Date clan, but could this be a cunning trap set by the Date?
As Tomita Shougen led his victorious samurai forward, he was caught in a deadly crossfire of arquebus fire and his unit gunned down, also killing Tomita. General Date Masamune led his cavalry forward to destroy the previously victorious Ashina cavalry making it 3-3. Much honour was lost as Matsumoto fled to the rear to join an Ashigaru spear unit.
Once again, the Date firepower from their arquebusiers blasted the Ashina samurai infantry unit of general Sasase Kawauchi allowing it to be finished off in combat along with its general. Meanwhile General Ashina Yoshihiro led his samurai cavalry forward to destroy Date Masamune's pursuing cavalry. Ashina Yoshihiro and his victorious cavalry crashed into the Date Ashigaru spearmen of general Katahira Chikatsuna and eliminated them (5-5). But could this be another cunning Date trap?
With a Leadership card general Date Shigezane led his cavalry off the hill and with general Katahira Chikatsuna's samurai in support plus a unit of Ashigaru spearmen they all hit the pursuing cavalry Ashina Yoshihiro. Sounds like overkill but the Date would need every dice to finish off Ashina Yoshihiro. The Date samurai units, each with a general rolled a bucket of dice but could not finish Yoshihiro, who managed to damage both of his assailants in return. With one block left and still led by their heroic leader, could they yet pull off a miracle? There was one combat to play out with the Ashigaru spearmen still to strike and strike they did. A Dragon card was played to give them an extra dice. Date Shigezane also bought them an extra dice giving them 5 combat dice in total. The dice were rolled and the required red symbol duly appeared. The Ashina cavalry were destroyed (6-5). With his unit hit, a single dice was rolled for the general and down he went, Ashina Yoshihiro fell giving the Date a 7-5 win.
Don't underestimate how useful arquebusiers can be!