Sanada's Death Ride at Dōmyōji

Richard and I took to the field for a rematch of our earlier Battle Among the Tombs game (see Battle Among the Tombs).  While the battle remains the same as before, we swap sides with Richard commanding the Osaka Army and I taking the Tokugawa Army.  In that first contest, Richard came out the victor by defeating my Osaka Army in fine style.  Having given the battle and victory conditions some careful thought, Richard figured that the Osaka Army has a better chance than in the first outing.  Of course, Osaka Army has a better chance in this game.  I commanded the Osaka Army in Game #1!

Battlefield deployments

Opening positions

As a reminder, the opening situation is as shown in the graphics above.

For today's battle, Richard has written a most comprehensive battle report from our second trial.  I encourage you to pop over to his blog and read the battle from his Tokugawa perspective (see Dōmyōji, Can Osaka Beat the Odds?).  Richard has rendered the battle report so completely, I really cannot add much to his battle account, but I will try!  If nothing else, use Richard's account for a full battle overview. Use my account to augment Richard's storytelling and to zoom in on specific actions.

Here we go!

Two armies, arrayed for battle.

Tokugawa Right Wing shifts to the left on the advance...

while the Tokugawa Center moves up.
The two armies face off.

In a flash, Sanada leads his Samurai cavalry through
the Osaka battle line and into the unsuspecting enemy!

Not expecting to be attacked so suddenly,
the Tokugawa Center buckles.
Teppo are destroyed and Ashigaru spear are driven back.
Sanada fails to pursue.

Tadamasa, the commanding Tokugawa general, spurs
 his Samurai cavalry forward to meet the enemy.
Crashing into the enemy cavalry, Tadamasa fails to dislodge them.
Tadamasa recoils!
Counterattacking, Sanada charges forward.
In a clash of arms, Sanada feels the fight slipping away.
Encouraging his Samurai to redouble their efforts, Sanada commits Seppuku.

Sanada's sacrifice is for naught or is it?
The Osaka Samurai horsemen are scattered to the wind.

While the charge fails, Sanada's Death Ride succeeds
in opening up the entire Tokugawa Center.
His sacrifice buys a lot of time for the Osaka Army. 

Tokugawa Center regroups and begins to advance.

Seeing the center falling back upon itself,
Tadamasa orders his Left forward.
Masamune, commander for the Tokugawa Left attacks!
His Ashigaru spearmen are repulsed with heavy casualties
as they crash into Kitigawa's Samurai.

Then, Masamune leads his Samurai cavalry into a charge.
Driving the enemy back, Masamune's Samurai will not pursue.

With his cavalry stalled, Masamune orders his Samurai foot forward.
This time, the attacks succeed.
The enemy is driven back in disorder.

Tokugawa Samurai press on!

Despite suffers heavy casualties, the Osaka Right holds!
Masamune's Samurai are repulsed!

Kitigawa wastes no time in counterattacking Masamune's Samurai.
Masamune's Samurai recoil!

Half of Masamune's Left is in flight
 in search of safety at the river.

With the Osaka Right stable and wanting to avenge Sanada's death,
the Osaka Center goes on to the offensive.
Ashigaru spear skirt Emperor Ojin's tomb
striking enemy Teppo in the plowed field.
Failing to get off a volley as the enemy closes,
the Teppo are destroyed without much effort.

To the left, a second body of Ashigaru plunges into the Tokugawa line.

Unsupported, Katsushige's Samurai are thrown into disorder
and head for the rear. 

A third Ashigaru spear, this time from Susukida's Left Sonae,
attacks into a disordered body of Teppo.
The enemy is cut down where they stand.

All is not going Osaka's way, though.
Tokugawa counter attacks!
First, the loss of the Teppo near Ojin's Tomb is avenged
by putting the enemy to flight...

but also by driving back the enemy in the center!

In pursuit, the Tokugawa are not so lucky.
Their attack is stopped cold by a resilient defense.

In a follow up attack, the stubborn enemy is destroyed.

On Osaka Right, Kitigawa keeps the enemy under pressure. 
First, Tokugawa Ashigaru spearmen are driven back...

with pursuit scattering enemy Teppo
as the spearmen flee back to the ford.

The Tokugawa spearmen cannot escape.
They are caught at the ford and butchered.

Both armies are becoming exhausted
as both teeter on the breaking point.
Susukida begins withdrawing units back
 toward the safety of Osaka Castle.

Tokugawa are not through yet!
Tadamasa attempts to catch the enemy
 before it can flee to Osaka Castle.

Tadamasa leads his cavalry into the enemy...
but is repulsed!

Seeing the failure, a body of Ashigaru are sent forward.
This time, the enemy is put to flight!

These last exertions brought both armies
dangerously close to the breaking point. 
One more loss from either side and an army would break.
Fortunately for the Osaka, two units managed
 to withdraw back into Osaka Castle.

With the bonus awarded for withdrawing Osaka units off table and back to Osaka Castle, the Army Breakpoint Clocks (ABC) stand at 3-6 in favor of the Osaka Army.  Seeing that only mopping up actions remain to accomplish, the Tokugawa Army sees no path to breaking the Osaka Army.

Victory to the Osaka Army and Richard!  Having seen three previous Tokugawa victories, Richard wondered (in his battle report) whether the Osaka Army could beat the odds.  The answer to that question is a definite "Yes!"  Congratulations, Richard!  Well done!

The Butcher's Bill demonstrates just how hard this battle was contested.  The difference in this game rested upon the two units that Richrd managed to withdraw off table.  That was the deciding straw.  With a difference of three on the ABC, Richard is awarded a minor victory.  

Butcher's Bill

Wow!  That was a hard-fought contest.

Richard's opening gambit of giving Sanada a "Death Ride" tore apart the Tokugawa Center and set the timetable back at least two turns.  I was not expecting to see that level of aggression from Richard.  What a surprise!  A nasty surprise at that!

My Tokugawa Army was within reach of critically punishing the enemy more than once, but failed pursuits and unexpected repulses put me on the back foot every time.  Game duration about three hours.

Great game, Richard, and very well played! Thank you!