G40 DOMYOJI 1615 AD (Battle Among the Tombs)

Judd and I carried over our results from scenario 39 to this game. This is an optional mini-campaign. It was really close last game with Judd winning 5-4. Judd go to roll five dice, and I got to roll four dice. We both lost a few blocks here and there, but the main result was that one of my cav units had to back up a space behind the ford. This meant that to cross the river he would have to stop at the ford and lose precious time to get into the battle. I (Blue) had a 2-1 advantage in cav units. I did not have a lot of left activation cards, and was worried about my weak left flank. Alas, it was my undoing. The battle was similar in some ways to scenario 39: I killed two of Judd's leaders, but got no banners. Did I really learn anything?
I pushed up the middle since that is where I had the cards. I got some lucky first shots, and inflicted three hits on Judd's samurai infantry. So far so good. But I could not get that left cav. to move. (See above). Judd kept working down on my left, and I knew that his cav. was coming. I held a Cav charge, and was waiting for the best time to use it. Meanwhile he had a First Strike though I did not know it. Judd used his first strike on my samurai but did not get the kill he wanted. Judd brought down his cav and took out my light gunner and a blue unit. Meanwhile I cornered is samurai unit and destroyed it by the river. His leader (Kitagawa) survived but had to commit seppuku because he could not retreat. One leader down, but no banner for me. It was three to one at this point for Judd. I then charged in with my cav. and issued a personal challenge from Masamune to Sanada. I was in good shape to win. I had more honor, the card, and Judd was down in cards since he lost a card after the sepukku. I rolled 8 dice to his four. Just like in scenario 39 it was just one sword rolled between us, and his leader was dead. Judd had to discard another card, but no banner for me. It was deja vu. I repeated the exact pattern from scenario 39. But I gained to banners. At this point we had a duel of cav units. I had a chance to finish off his cav unit but came up one block short. On the next turn, Judd wins the mini-campaign and the last game in our forty game series. Red 5-1.
Even though I started out this series as a solo one, I am glad Judd was able to journey with me through the land of samurai and dragon cards. We had a blast and learned a lot about the tactics of CCS. We also grew in appreciation of the nuance of the game, and the balance of honor tokens and dragon cards.
If you have never played CCS YOU SHOULD!. Judd and I have finished the Command and Colors Samurai series.