Historical Background
On May 7th 1615, Tokugawa Ieyasu entered the final phase in the summer siege of Osaka and began making preparations for taking the castle. The Toyotomi forces led by Sanada Nobushige (Sanada Yukimura) confronted the massive Tokugawa army outside of the castle in the Hirano region.
Aiming to overcome Tokugawa’s overwhelming numerical advantage, Sanada Nobushige led his Akazonae to charge against Tokugawa’s main camp in a suicide mission, aiming for Ieyasu’s head. Alongside Mouri Katsunaga, they quickly broke three layers of Tokugawa formations, killing commanders including Honda Tadatomo and Ogasawara Hidemasa. The Tokugawa forces devolved into chaos, leaving the main camp wide open to Sanada’s attacks. The camp defenders demonstrated a fierce resistance against at least 3 rounds of Sanada charges. Tokugawa Ieyasu was forced to flee, allowing his umajirushi (commander’s banner) to fall to the ground for the first time since Mikatagahara. Eventually the Tokugawa forces in other regions successfully surrounded Sanada’s men with their superior numbers, rescuing Ieyasu. Sanada Nobushige and Mouri Katsunaga were forced to retreat. Nobushige was believed to have been killed by Tokugawa soldiers while resting at Yasui Shrine, while Katsunaga commanded the remaining Osaka forces until the very end of his life. After the defeat at Tennouji, Toyotomi Hideyori and his mother Yodo-dono committed suicide, and the Osaka forces surrendered, ending the siege of Osaka as well as consolidating the beginning of a new era in Japanese history.
The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. Can you change history?
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| 6 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
Toyotomi Army
6 Command Cards
3 Dragon Cards
4 H&F Tokens
Move First
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| 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
Tokugawa Army
4 Command Cards
1 Dragon Card
2 H&F Tokens
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| 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Victory
►Toyotomi wins if the Ieyasu commander block is eliminated by any means, or if the commander’s tent is occupied by any friendly unit.
►Tokugawa wins if all Toyotomi units are eliminated.
Special Rules
►Toyotomi’s Cavalry units are Akazonae.
Special ability: Shock attack –After close combat rolls, any sword rolled may be converted to a flag. This action cannot be performed in battling back.
►Tokugawa loses 2 tokens for each friendly unit or leader eliminated.
►Toyotomi loses 1 command card for each 2 friendly units eliminated, chosen at random.
►Once per game, when any Toyotomi unit reaches an adjacent hex to Tokugawa’s commander’s tent, Toyotomi gains 5 tokens and Tokugawa loses 5 tokens.
►Hiranogawa River is fordable.
Source: https://sengokubattles.blogspot.com/2021/04/battle-of-tennouji-1615.html
Yuki's Post-Battle Notes and Trivia
• Sanada Nobushige/Yukimura is probably the most well-known and representative figure from Sengoku period. His inspiring and tragic life story has been romanticized by numerous forms of media throughout the years.
• The Sanada family served the Takeda clan of Kai. Nobushige' s father and grandfather both fought alongside Takeda Shingen. Nobushige' s father, Sanada Masayuki (A H1 ), was well known for being a sly and resourceful commander well-verse with the arts of war. He was able to preserve Sanada independence in spite of limited resources and achieved many significant but nuanced victories in his life time.
• During the Siege of Osaka, Sanada Nobushige organized his elites units as the Akazonae, both to symbolize martial prowess and likely to serve as a throwback to the
old Takeda military traditions in his familial roots.
• Nobushige' s charge against Ieyasu is often depicted as almost having ended Ieyasu' s life. Sources claim that the prospect was so grim for Ieyasu as Nobushige' s Akazonae tore part his camp that he seriously considered seppuku.
• Despite of being the enemy of the upcoming Edo Shogunate, many daimyo from the establishment still held him in high regard. The most famous phrased used to describe him is Nihon Ichi no Tsuwamono( 19* —OA) , or "Japan' s Number One Warrior" .
• Nobushige' s life story is one that has massive underdog appeals. It is no surprise that he is one of the most beloved characters of Sengoku period. His last defiance against overwhelming odds and his follow-through of his firm beliefs are considered inspirational by many. Additionally, his life was also filled with intricate and evocative relationships, most notably the fact that his beloved brother, Sanada Nobuyuki, served as an important general under Tokugawa Ieyasu and he was forced to face his own nephews as enemies in the siege of Osaka. This was the result of some of the best-known stories of the Sanada family regarding the Battle of Sekigahara, which are too long to include in this page.
• The Sanada family crest, the "rokumonsen" (AiCii), or "six coins" , is said to have originated from the burial tradition of including 6 coins in the coffin, for the fee of ferrying across the river of the underworld is 6 coins. The origin of the family crest is often linked to Nobushige' s final charge, interpreted as the determination to achieve one' s goal at any cost, including one' s own life.