Mikata Ga Hara #2

Last week, I enjoyed a second chance at a one-to-one playing of the Feudal Japan Battle of Mikata Ga Hara.  In this second refighting of the battle, I faced Reject Richard in a remote game.  Now Richard has published an excellent overview of the battle (see Battle of Mikata Ga Hara) from his (Ieyasu Tokugawa's) perspective providing comprehensive accounting of the ebb and flow of battle.  With such an accessible account of the battle, no need for me to tramp over exactly the same ground again.  I recommend visiting Richard's blog to read his account of the battle.

Instead of a full report, I will focus on a few of the memorable moments in battle.  Many of these moments highlight the events brought forward in Richard's battle report although augmented by a few close-up photos of the action.  Off we go!

Holding initiative on Turn 1 and with no chance of seeing any enemy response, Tokugawa moves his army into position and within striking distance of Takeda's unsuspecting army.  On T2, Tokugawa strikes in the center.  After preparing the attack with missile fire, Ieyasu sends Ashigaru spear forward to throw enemy teppo out from the woods.  Takeda's teppo is driven out of the woods with heavy casualties.  The Ashigaru spearmen follow up in pursuit.  The body of beaten teppo falls back such that its right is supported by Samurai foot.  Catching the teppo as it retires, the Ashigaru scatter the teppo before the Samurai can bring their weight to bear.  In sympathy, the Samurai retire.     

Tokugawa uses his "ambush" turns positioning his army.

Driven out of the woods, teppo retires with heavy casualties.

Takeda's Samurai foot falls back in the face of pursuit. 

Having now awakened to the danger he faces, Takeda attacks vigorously in the center.  Wanting to disrupt his enemy's plan to redeploy against his right, Takeda launches a charge with his heavy Samurai horsemen.  Into the enemy center they go!  Failing to get off a volley of arrows as the mounted Samurai approach, the enemy archers will not stand.  Driven back, the Samurai press on in pursuit.  In pursuit, Takeda's Samurai overrun the enemy standing in their path.  A body of horse archers moves forward to control the gap now opening in the enemy's center.  

Charge...

pursuit...

annihilation!

Seeing his center torn in two, Ieyasu turns his own body of Samurai horsemen about to address the rampaging Samurai cavalry in his rear.  Charging toward the enemy, he successfully catches them in the rear.  The pride of Takeda's army is dispatched.  Ieyasu leads his Samurai on cutting down any stragglers as pursuit takes them far from the center of battle.    

Ieyasu wheels about...

to find the enemy still within his grasp.

Attacked from the rear, Takeda's Samurai are vanquished!

With the threat to his rear eliminated, Ieyasu turns back to the face the center.  Pushing forward with a body of foot Samurai, Takeda’s archers are driven back.  Following up in pursuit, the archers are dispatched.  Enemy horse archers fall back in sympathy.  Ieyasu's Samurai are nearing Takeda's command tent.  Before these Samurai can reach the enemy’s headquarters, they are intercepted by Ashigaru spear peeled off from Yamagata's Right Wing.  Not expecting an attack from this quarter, Ieyasu's Samurai footmen fall back.   

Takeda's Samurai attack...

and the enemy vanquished!
The path to Takeda's HQ is open!

That opening is slammed shut when
the Samurai are attacked and driven off.

At this point in battle, casualties are heavy and both armies are teetering near their break points.  Eliminating one more unit could break the enemy.  Which would fall first?  The answer is not long in coming.  As Takeda's Samurai foot in the center falls back from enemy spear pressure, the warriors are hit in the flank by enemy horse archers.  Letting loose arrows as they charge in, the Samurai formation collapses.  This battle is over.  

Army Breakpoints show all tied at 2-2.

Yamagata's horse archers deliver the coup de grace!

Wow!  As in the first game with Mark (see Getting in a Game!), the battle came down to both armies nearing their breaking point with equal pips on the clock remaining.  With battle attrition mounting and the Dead Pile growing, the next army to lose a unit would lose the battle.  Another tight contest that could have seen the end result tip to Richard easily.  Even beginning with a numerical advantage, my Takeda Army had its hands full with Richard's tenacious attacks and careful defenses from the get-go.  Richard fought very well throughout the game.  Even his dice were agreeable!

Fighting on the center left.

Another great battle with tension and drama throughout.  Great fun!  We should bring another one-on-one game to the table.  Before that, we have a Full Reject game planned for next week.  Should be fun!

Hard fighting on the far left.

Thanks again, Richard, for a very enjoyable session.  I loved it!