The Quick and the Dead

Game #3 in the continuing series of the Battle of First Azukizaka played out yesterday.  What happened to Game #2?  Well, that is a report for another time.  Since I was one of the two players in Game #2, I am still pondering how to put a positive spin on the whole affair.  

For Game #3, what was expected to be a four-player battle reduced to a three-player contest when one of the participants was unable to attend at last minute.  No worries! We forged ahead.   Players for the game were:

• Chris (Horse and Musket Gaming)
• Alan (Duchy of Tradgardland)
• Doug (A Lead Odyssey)

Chris (Imagawa Right, red dice) and Alan (Imagawa Left, green dice) split command of the Imagawa Army while Doug commanded the Oda Army (black and blue dice) alone.  With Game #3 seeing a reduction in player numbers from Game #1, the number of commands was reduced to two per army.

Battlefield and commands.

With commands assigned, let the game begin!

As the battle opens, Doug advances the Oda Left Wing cautiously toward the enemy.  Wasting no time, Chris disorders a body of enemy Ashigaru with musketry and then sends a body of Ashigaru spear out of the woods to attack the enemy to his front.  Unfortunately for Chris, his attack at even odds is thrown back with loss.  Doug pursues but cannot reach the enemy.

Imagawa attack repulsed!

Seeing his unexpected success of driving off Chris' attack on the left and sensing his left is secure for now, Doug gets aggressive on his right.  With his longbowmen keeping those central enemy longbowmen at bay, Doug thrusts in the adjoining Ashigaru into another body of Imagawa archers.  Suffering heavy losses, Alan's archers retreat behind the curtain provided by his Imagawa cavalry.  Alan's retreating Ashigaru longbowmen disorder Imagawa horse archers as they fall back.  Doug wastes little time in following up in pursuit.  Pursuit sees success and the Oda spear smack into the now disordered enemy horse archers.  Even with support from Alan's heavy cavalry to the right, the horse archers retire in disorder.  In sympathy, the heavy cavalry turn about and race toward their own command tent.  A HUGE hole has opened up in the Imagawa Center! 

Oda Ashigaru spear attack,
driving the enemy back.

In pursuit, enemy horse are contacted and driven off!

Imagawa Center is bending!

Doug is not finished in his attacks against the enemy right just yet.  As Oda Teppo rain volleys into Imagawa foot Samurai, spearmen on the extreme right attack along the ridgeline.  In protracted melee, both bodies of spear are ground down. In these desperate clashes, the fighting strength of Alan's Ashigaru spearmen are eroding at a faster rate than are Doug's.  Miraculously, Doug's body of spear is finally repulsed.  The end of Alan's line holds!

Battle for control of the high ground.

The reprieve for Alan is brief and buys little time.  A second Ashigaru spear springs forth from the Oda battle line hitting Alan's Samurai archers.  The archers do not hold their ground and retire to the rear.  Again, Doug pursues!  Again, the enemy is contacted.  Again, Alan's archers are compelled to retire.  Much to Doug's disappointment, his Ashigaru spearmen do not pursue.  The Imagawa Left is wavering from the pressure.  Will it hold?  

Oda Ashigaru attack...

driving back the enemy before them.

Doug is not finished causing mayhem on the Imagawa Left.  Leading his foot Samurai forward, one of the Oda generals attacks a body of enemy foot Samurai also well-led.  The two bodies of samurai fight furiously over several rounds of combat.  The Imagawa Samurai finally gain the upper hand in this hot contest.  Oda Samurai are forced back.  Imagawa Samurai do not pursue.  With their front now clear of friendly troops, Oda Teppo blast the surviving Imagawa Samurai to bits.  The Imagawa wing commander falls in these volleys.    

Two bodies of Samurai clash in heavy fighting.

Watching enemy Samurai to its right vanish, Oda spearmen attack the wavering line of enemy archers.  Under such pressure, the archers retreat at full speed.  The spearmen follow on in pursuit but cannot catch the fleeing enemy.

Imagawa archers in full retreat!

Seeing that its front is no longer blocked by enemy Ashigaru spear, Alan's horse archers charge into the enemy Samurai loosing arrows on the way in.  Against a weakening enemy, the horse archers prevail and Doug's Samurai are ready to run.  Wanting to reinvigorate his warriors, the Oda general commits Seppuku.  Witnessing this act of selflessness and honor, the Samurai rally and immediately counterattack the enemy.  These acts of bravery prove futile and the Oda Samurai retreat.  Alan's horsemen pursue up onto the high ground scattering the enemy to the four winds.

Death of an Oda General.

With all of the action against the Imagawa Left, is the opposite wing silent?  No!

Redoubling his efforts from the first failed attack against the Oda Left, Chris brings up two bodies of Ashigaru spear through the woods.  Their sight is set on attacking the now isolated enemy Ashigaru.  Even with odds in his favor, Chris' attack meets the same fate as the first.  His Ashigaru retreat through the woods in search of safety.  There is no safety to be found.  Doug pursues cutting down Chris' warriors as they attempt escape.  To compound the disaster unfolding on the Imagawa Right, a second body of Oda spear moves up to dispatch what remains of Chris' Teppo.  The Imagawa Army appears to be teetering on the brink of collapse. 

Chris attacks...

and pursues.

With destruction all around and the enemy penetrating deep in pursuit, Chris turns a body of Ashigaru to face the enemy.  Unforeseen is that another body of enemy spearmen are in position to fall upon his now exposed flank.  Doug senses opportunity and strikes! Not surprisingly, Chris spearmen never saw what hit them.  When the enemy crashes into the exposed flank, the Imagawa Ashigaru crumble.  This battle is over!

Flank attack!

My, oh my!  What a complete victory.  With the Army Breakpoint Clock showing six points remaining for Oda when the Imagawa Army broke, major victory to Doug and his Oda Army.  Congratulations, Doug, for a battle well-fought.  For Chris and Alan, their Imagawa Army was shattered in this battle.  If there is any doubt, scrutinize the tally from the Butcher's Bill.  

The battle's end.

Butcher's Bill

Tuesday's action witnessed a much different game and result from the previous two battles.  Doug's aggressiveness put the Imagawa Army on the back foot early.  Chris and Alan never could right this sinking vessel.  They fought hard and valiantly but they went down with their ship.

As umpire and Chief Figure Mover, this action offered an interesting exercise in game play, tactics, decisions, and fate.  The whole engagement was over in under 90 minutes.  After seeing tendencies and favors of the Dice Gods develop over several games, I think it best to place Chris and Alan on opposite sides!

Great job guys and very fun game!  Thank you.