SBVT08 Lesser played scenarios

Round 2: G40

Cavie (Tokugawa) - 5 banners won, 6 blocks lost
kwofford (Osaka) - 0 banners won, 22 blocks lost

Early fire brought a few blocks down and some adjustments to be made.  Game saw most of the battle on the Tokugawa left side of the battlefield.  Tokugawa cavalry eliminated the Osaka cavalry and controlled most of the battles that continued there.  A few good Dragon cards kept some of the battle going but in the end there was not enough firepower left for the Osaka to regain their footing.    Only one leader went down and no First Strike showed up in this one.  Although the score doesn't show it, it was a good game from Ken who was really close to turning things around toward the end game.

Round 1:  G39 DOMYOJI 1615 AD (Heights of Komatsuyama)

Ken (Red/Osaka):  2 Banners won, 25 blocks lost (plus one Seppuku)

JR (Blue/Tokugawa):  5 Banners won, 19 blocks lost

I relied on fire cards early to pepper the Osaka line before moving forward with my infantry.  Ken took great advantage of the hill-fighting asymmetry, and killed a Tokugawa leader early.  Gradually I wore down his units but could not seem to kill anyone off - at one point Ken had four units down to one block apiece.  

Ken had the ridge in hand and two banners besides, so I was in danger of losing to a particularly good Osaka turn.  The timely appearance of Shot Proof Armor saved my heavy cav from annihilation, and I was able to gain control of the ridge while reaching four banners in units killed.  Ken had one more chance against my one-block cav, but his brave Ashigaru bowmen, the heroes of the Osaka clan to this point, came up short.  

Well played - looks tough on Osaka but I think Ken got as much out of them as circumstances and his cards allowed.



 

Round 5 G26 THE RAVINE NEAR SAIGADAKE 1572 AD

Greg O (Takeda) 4 Banners 9 blocks lost
Daniele C (Tokugawa) 1 Banner 14 blocks lost

The Takeda spearmen in the ravine bore the brunt of the initial Tokugawa attacks but stood firm and responded with inspiration and some archery support to push the Tokugawa spearman back and also to eliminate Okubo in a bonus attack.   He was then pushed back with only a single block remaining by the Tokugawa response, but he avoided destruction and was able to huddle in the woods for the rest of the battle.    Meanwhile the battle shifted to the left flank, without any major damage to either side.  A Takeda cavalry charge enabled the two Samuria cavalry to cross the ravine.   Tokugawa responded by pushing the cavalry on the right back; however, Takeda won the day with a follow-up on the left flank that eliminated the Tokugawa AA unit for the fourth block.

American Draw: Round 1: G39 Domyoji 1615 AD (Heights of Komatsuyama)

gotigersSC (Justin) (Red(Osaka)): 3 banners won, 24 blocks lost

boredbeyondbelief (Eric) (Blue(Tokugawa)): 5 banners won, 12 blocks lost

The battle started with Tokugawa moving up the left flank and attacking the left hills. Osaka fought back inflicting heavy damage on Tokugawa's arquebusiers. Osaka's samurai spearman defended the hill, so Masamu instead attacked around the hills, eliminated a arquebusier unit and took the ford. Eventually, Masamune would eliminate the archers on Osaka's right flank as well - only to get cold feet about attacking the camp and the Sanada Yukimura with a full strength bodyguard. Meanwhile, Osaka's samurai spearmen lost their leader, and leaderless, the right flank charged off the hillside and elimiated Tokugawa's arquebusiers and pressed Tokugawa's left flank. Tadamasa rode to the rescue and had the samurai spearmen pinned, but not before the samurai eliminated a unit of ashigaru spearmen.   

Osaka tried some late heroics on their left flank, but while both sides lost units, neither was eliminated. Finally, seeing that his right flank was about to fall, Osaka made a last-ditch effort to earn a little more honor before retiring from the field by making one last push again Tokugawa's now depleted samurai spearmen on the right flank. However, the samurai stood strong and battling back eliminated the threat and forced Osaka to give up the field.

It was a fun battle and I always enjoy playing Justin - especially our battle dissection at the end. He had an uphill battle facing him and I not only had the better army, but also the better hand (6 cards to 4 will do that!). 

Page link: www.commandsandcolors.net/samuraibattles...os.html?start=20#972  

Round 3: G34

Cavie (Allies): 9 banners won, 31 blocks lost
rjvonline (Date): 6 banners won, 34 blocks lost

This was a LONG game - 3 hours to complete.  Much of that was my fault for having early success at taking 1d shots at the Castle and Village.  However, as I had stated to Renaud in the beginning, it is not always that easy to actually overtake those two parts of the battlefield.

As I floundered in organizing after the early success of hits in those sections, Renaud organized enough with his limited cards on his left to get some threat going.  Enough to force me to get my cavalry out and then use a Cavalry charge which didn't amount to too much.  A well timed and successful Personal Challenge was played by Renaud which helped level the playing field a bit.  In addition, both Cavalry Charges played the Allies were mostly ineffectual.  

Another turning point toward the end game that is worth seeing in the log file was a Turncoat play I made with all the assurance (even after my die roll) that I could get one of the Date units to come to my side to finish it off.  I rolled 6d, Renaud 3d.  I roll 2 HF, he rolls all 3d for 3 HF!!!!!

If you want to watch an example of how this scenario is not as lopsided as it seems, Renaud does a great job of showing how the Date do have a chance at winning it with the great play he did throughout the game.  Not only was he able to defend well but he was able to organize an attack with limited cards.  I feel fortunate to have barely escaped with a win this round.
 

Round 2 - rjvonline Red 5 VP/ 18 blocks lost vs jrtracy Blue 2 VP / 23 blocks lost

Most of the action was initially on the Tokugawa left, and turned to the slight advantage of Osaka, as the former lost their 2 spear cavalry samurai units and 1 teppo ashigaru unit while the latter lost their spear cavalry and spear foot samurai units. All 3 commanders involved on that side ended up committing seppuku (1 Osaka, 2 Tokugawa) Tokugawa's attempt to engage on their right were not rewarded even though they involved a spear foot samurai unit led by Katsushige attacking a bow ashigaru unit in woods. Finally, the Tokugawa pushed in the center with their spear ashigaru units, but they failed to kill any Osaka unit while being whittled down on battle-backs and than one Tokugawa unit believing in affirming its legendary status despite having 1 block left was eliminated by an Ambush, with the other being done for by the Osaka riposte. 

European Round 4
G25 MIKATA-GA-HARA 1572 AD

Greg O (Takeda) 7 banners won 26 blocks Lost
Michal -  mk20336  (Tokugawa) 6 Banners won 22 blocks

The battle started with lots of missile fire with the leader Yamagata being the first casualty.   He was avenged shortly after by ninjas when Ogasawara fell.   Tiring of the missile exchange, Tokugawa launched a cav charge with all its Samurai cav but their charge left two Tokugawa units at 1 strength with no kills.  The battle really heated up in the center with several cav charges.  A personal challenge from Tokugawa eliminated Obata, but as before, when one leader falls another follows, and Tokogawa fell in a battle back.    Takeda kept up the pressure with it's three remaining cavalry but Tokugawa pulled to within a single banner of the win, when Takeda evened it up, and then was able to use it's cav to eliminate a wounded Spearman taking cover in the forest.  A very intense game!

Round 5 G26 THE RAVINE NEAR SAIGADAKE 1572 AD

ToganAlper (Takeda) 4 Banners 14 blocks lost
MarkMcG (Tokugawa) 2 Banner 13 blocks lost

Takeda ordered initially to move back from the ravine and gather around the SAigadake and sned his cav units around the impassable mountains for encirclement.
Menawhile Tokugawa decided to cross the ravine and attack but Takeda first weakened him with the faimne and then attacked him trapping the weakened troops in the ravine. Interesting and fun scenario. The dice gods were with the blue.

Happy Holidays

Round 5 G26 THE RAVINE NEAR SAIGADAKE 1572 AD

ToganAlper (Takeda) 4 Banners 14 blocks lost
MarkMcG (Tokugawa) 2 Banner 13 blocks lost


 

European Round 4
G25 MIKATA-GA-HARA 1572 AD

ToganAlper (Takeda) 7 banners won 18 blocks Lost
Riverwanderer  (Tokugawa) 4 Banners won 26 blocks lost

In the final momnets the flying geese made a big difference for Takeda to seal the win