Battle of Wada (Bushi Life #5) AAR part5

-Turn 7

 The Wada restored their forces to full readiness. While the Bakufu had conducted a successful volley in the previous turn, it was the Wada’s turn to deliver effective fire. A Bakufu stack positioned just behind the Wada line had four units flipped, and the central, strongest Bakufu force had three rendered fatigued.

 With two intact and powerful stacks at their disposal, the Wada faced a choice: strike the center or attack the weakened stack behind their line. An assault on the center could defeat the Bakufu troops there, but the enemy would likely retreat into a heavily fortified area, and the attacking stack would be exposed to fire without cover. Seeking to maximize attrition, the Wada targeted the vulnerable red troops instead.

 One Wada stack overran a vulnerable Bakufu formation, routing two and eliminating the other two. Meanwhile, the second Wada stack crossed the street to engage another Bakufu stack. Although only slightly superior to the defender, the attack succeeded, destroying one Bakufu unit. With these actions, the total Bakufu losses rose to 15.

-Turn 8

 The final turn began with the Wada at full strength, while the Bakufu recovered all but one of their fatigued units. Once again, the Wada opened with devastating fire. The Bakufu’s central formation saw four of its units rendered immobile.

 As previously noted, the Wada score from both eliminated units and control of key areas, wheares the Bakufu score only from area control. Keeping this in mind, a Wada stack crossed the main street from the right and hurled itself at a full Bakufu contingent entrenched in a fortified zone. The assault was effectively sacrificial. The blue troops suffered heavy casualties, but they fought stubbornly enough to leave the victorious Bakufu stack completely fatigued and unable to move, which was precisely what the Wada intended.

 This proved the final major engagement of the urban battle. Afterwards, both sides dispatched small detachments to seize as many locations as they could before the game ended. To close the contest, the Wada’s famed pair, Asahina and Yoshimori, struck down a fatigued Bakufu unit, wiping it out.

 With this, the bitter struggle came to a close. The Wada earned 10 points from area control and 15 from enemy losses, while the Bakufu finished with 13 points. The Wada’s strategy of fixing the Bakufu in place during the early stage and inflicting steady attrition, rather than prioritizing the capture of high-value figures, paid off.

 The rebellion thus succeeded. The Hōjō clan was toppled, and turmoil among the ruling houses persisted. Historically, the Kamakura shogunate endured for a century and a half, but without the stabilizing power of the Hōjō, its fate in this alternate history would have been very different.

Battle of Wada (Bushi Life #5) AAR part4

 -Turn 4

 From this turn, both sides faced limits on how many fatigued units they could restore. Each army was unable to recover two of its units. The exchange of arrows inflicted additional damage on both forces. Despite taking fire, the main Bakufu force on the central street remained fully operational, while the powerful Wada stack to its left had two units flipped to their fatigued side.

 The Wada continued their advance, while the Bakufu fell back in an effort to form a more solid defensive line. On the right flank, a red unit that had been fatigued by arrow fire was abandoned during the withdrawal and was promptly destroyed by the pursuing Wada troops. Bakufu casualties now totaled 11. The Wada also brought forward two fresh units to bolster their strongest stack.

 The Bakufu, however, were not merely retreating. After the Wada’s elite leaders pressed ahead, two fatigued blue units with a combat strength of zero were left behind. From the far left, a Bakufu force swept in and struck these exposed units, wiping them out.

-Turn 5

 All fatigued units from both armies recovered this turn, except for one Bakufu unit that remained in the rout box. The Bakufu’s volley against the most advanced — and most powerful — Wada stack was exceptionally effective, flipping every blue unit in that formation.

 On the right side of the main street, an intact Wada stack crossed over and drove off the red units positioned behind the Wada main force. However, this proved to be the Wada’s only offensive action of the turn. With three turns remaining in the game, the Wada focused on regrouping and preparing for their final assaults.

-Turn 6

 Although both armies now suffered from limited recovery capacity, they still managed to refresh all fatigued units.

 After an exchange of arrows that inflicted light casualties on each side, the Wada renewed their advance. To the left of the main street, they had assembled two powerful formations.  The leading stack, commanded by Asashina and Yoshimori, struck at the Bakufu’s far-left position. Thanks to advantageous terrain, the Bakufu held on stubbornly. The melee dragged on for four rounds before the defenders finally fell back. The Wada emerged victorious but exhausted.

 The retreating red troops, all fatigued, were in danger of being eliminated by an immediate follow-up attack from the second blue stack. However, at this critical moment the Bakufu played the Minamoto no Sanetomo 源実朝 marker. 

 This marker restores Bakufu units more effectively than the Oe marker used earlier. Sanetomo, the third shogun of the Kamakura shogunate only in name with real authority in the hands of the Hōjō, revitalized the red troops, who counterattacked and destroyed the isolated blue unit operating behind their lines.

 Given the Bakufu’s rejuvenated condition and their own restricted recovery options, the Wada chose not to press the attack further. Instead, they regrouped once more, preparing to stake everything on the final two turns.

Battle of Wada (Bushi Life #5) AAR part3

 -Turn 2

 At the beginning of each turn except for Turn1, the recovery phase occurs. In the early turns there is no limit on the number of fatigued units each player can recover, but as the game progresses, the number gradually decreases, with the Wada’s recovery allowance reduced more than the Bakufu’s.

 All the fatigued units of both sides recovered, and then an exchange of fire took place. Both sides suffered some damage, while Doi of the Wada, on the right, successfully made all four units of the Bakufu in front of him fatigued. That stack could have been easy prey for Doi if engaged in melee, but the Bakufu used a special marker, Oe no Hiromoto 大江広元, to rally the damaged units. The Bakufu has three markers representing political figures, each with a special effect that can be used once per game. Oe rallied the red army, yet Doi still charged the fully recovered red stack and forced it to retreat.

 

 Needing manpower to cope with the Wada’s penetration in the center, the Bakufu pulled two units from the front area, leaving three fatigued, unmovable units behind. The Wada assaulted this remaining red contingent, eliminating two units and forcing one to retreat. However, the surviving unit was immediately attacked by another blue unit and eliminated.

 The strongest Wada stack, containing Asahina and Yoshimori in the center street, swung left and forced three Bakufu units to retreat. The Wada then reinforced this formidable stack with two additional units, bringing it up to the stacking limit of five.

 Although pressed hard by the Wada, the Bakufu found an opportunity to counterattack. On the main street, after Asahina and Yoshimori charged to the left, two fatigued Wada units remained. The Bakufu assaulted them and destroyed both.

-Turn 3

 Both sides recovered their fatigued troops at the start of the turn.

 In the shooting phase, the entire Wada force was positioned in defensive terrain, reducing the impact of Bakufu fire. In contrast, the Bakufu’s main force, the one that had counterattacked in the previous turn, remained exposed on the main street. Three units from that strong red stack became unable to move by fire.

 The Wada’s leading stack advanced with four units, as one had been fatigued by Bakufu fire. The defending red units resisted stubbornly in an attempt to wear down the attackers, but were ultimately forced to retreat, with one unit routing and another eliminated. Seeing the Wada break into their defensive line, the Bakufu stack on the left withdrew.

 At this moment, a single blue unit slipped past the powerful Wada stack, which had room for one more unit under the stacking limit, and emerged onto the main street behind the Bakufu force that had counterattacked earlier. The trapped red units stroke back while leaving behind their three immobile comrades. Those vulnerable red contingents on the street were quickly overwhelmed by the Wada, resulting in all three units being eliminated.

 The Wada earn victory points equal to the combat strength of eliminated Bakufu units. Their total now reached 9. 

Battle of Wada (Bushi Life #5) AAR part2

 -Turn 1

 The Wada clan rose in rebellion and stormed Kamakura. The battle started with exchanging fire on the left front. In the shooting phase, each player selects one stack and fires into an adjacent area in alternating turns, with the Wada shooting first. The Wada managed to disorder three Bakufu units (flipping them), while the Bakufu made two enemy units unmovable.

 Then came the move & melee phase. As in the shooting one, each player moves one stack at a time. Each stack has three movement points, and entering an area occupied by the enemy to engage in melee costs two points. As a result, the game features limited maneuvering and frequent head-on clashes. Stacking is limited to five units per area at all times, preventing a stack from launching an attack by moving through a friendly stack that already occupies the space.

 From the left side of the main street, the blue stack led by Doi Yoshikiyo 土居義清 crossed the street and attacked an intact Bakufu stack. Doi, a powerful leader with a combat strength of 4, drove the enemy back, causing two of its units rout.

 Doi attacked the intact red stack, but there had been a damaged Bakufu garrison in front of him, already weakened by the earlier shooting, which he could have attacked under more favorable conditions. However, the Wada strategy was to pin down as many Bakufu units as possible to prevent them from falling back and forming a defensive line in stronger terrain to the rear. In this game, units that suffer damage are flipped to their fatigued side and cannot move. Units that retreat after melee also become fatigued. For this reason, the Wada chose to attack the intact four-unit red stack so that it also would be unable to withdraw further.

 In the centre, the formidable Wada stack advanced directly up the street and charged the Bakufu forces. This stack, led by Asahina, includes Wada Yoshimori 和田義盛, the leader of the rebellion. In melee, Yoshimori has a special ability that allows him to contribute an additional 1 point as a supporting unit. This makes the already strong Asahina-led stack even more powerful, and the red army had no choice but to retreat.

 In melee, if combat lasts more than one round, all units on the winning side also become fatigued. To exploit this rule, three undamaged blue units on the left wing attacked a Bakufu stack that had already taken fire damage. Although the Bakufu, benefiting from defensive terrain, repelled the attack, the blue forces fought stubbornly. As a result, the remaining red unit that had not yet been fatigued was also flipped.    

 While the Wada pressed forward relentlessly, the defending Bakufu attempted to pull back as many units as possible to establish a defensive line, with reserves hurrying forward to bolster the front.

Battle of Wada (Bushi Life #5) AAR part1

  At the end of the 12th century, around the time when Saladin and Richard the Lionheart fought for Jerusalem in the Holy Land, the first shogunate was established in Kamakura 鎌倉 in eastern Japan. Soon after the sudden death of the first shogun, Minamoto no Yoritomo 源頼朝, struggles among the major power holders ensued, and the Hōjō 北条 clan rose to become shikken 執権 (regent) to the shogun, effectively ruling the Bakufu 幕府, the military government. Provoked by the de facto ruler, Hōjō Yoshitoki 北条義時, another powerful clan, the Wada 和田, rebelled. A fierce battle broke out in the city of Kamakura in 1213, known as the Wada Gassen 和田合戦.

  The game Battle of Wada, featured in Issue 5 of the magazine Bushi Life, simulates this urban clash. To win, the Wada, the blue ones, should capture politically important figure(s) including Hojo Yoshitoki, but the defending Bakufu, the red ones, naturally places such individuals deep behind the front lines, making it difficult for the rebels to reach them. Even if they can't achieve this objective, the Wada can still win by eliminating Bakfu units and occupying key areas, which are indicated with a red square on the map. Most of those areas are under Bakufu control at the start of the game. This forces the Wada to attack aggressively regardless of casualties.

 Although outnumbered, the Wada boast of their strong units. In melee, each side selects a vanguard unit from the engaged stack. The vanguard’s combat strength is combined with the number of supporting units in the stack to calculate the total melee strength, so while the vanguard does not solely determine the result, a strong vanguard can provide a significant advantage. Along with Asahina Yoshihide 朝比奈義秀, who has the highest combat strength in the game at 5, the Wada possess two units with a strength of 4. By contrast, the Bakufu have only one 4-strength unit.

 The Bakufu, however, can rely on superior firepower. As for shooting in this game, the combat strength of units doesn't matter, but only the number of units does. Since the Bakufu owns nine more units than the Wada, the former has an upper hand in ranged fights. The shooting phase comes before the movement & melee one, and units which suffered damage by shooting can't move nor attack. This allows the Bakufu to thin out the charging Wada forces before the latter engages melee. The Bakufu also benefit from the defensive terrain. The areas containing buildings and marked with a red square provide a defensive bonus in both shooting and melee, and as the Wada advances deeper into the city, these defensive effects get higher. 

 Now, the question remains: can the furious Wada overthrow the Hōjō clan? We will see.

Battle for Yuki - AAR part 4

 -Turn 5

 In this turn, Bakufu once again attempted to defeat Yuki's main army. A pitched battle took place in the northwestern outskirts, resulting in Bakufu emerging victorious. Yuki's three units were thrown into disarray. 

 Only three turns remained. With the morale so low, Bakufu couldn't win unless it captures the Yuki's main castle. Bakufu attacked two hexes of the castle, both of which succeeded. Yuki castle was reduced to only one hex.

 Yuki gathered most of the remaining units and relieved Shimodate castle. At the same time, it strategically scattered its units across different areas to acquire more Control points than Bakufu. This led the morale of Bakufu further down to -2.

-Turn 6

 Once again, Bakufu managed to rally all disordered units, while Yuki was only able to recover one unit.

 Leveraging its numerical superiority, Bakufu dispatched a strong force to the Shimodate area, dealing a severe blow to Yuki's troops. In the northwestern outskirts of Yuki castle, Bakufu swept away the remnants of Yuki's force.

 With the morale so low as -2, Bakufu could launch only one attack on Yuki castle. The attack made the garrison disordered, yet Yuki managed to hold onto the castle.

 Yuki was determined to prevent the fall of its main castle at all costs. It gathered the remaining units and launched an attack on Bakufu's occupying force from outside the castle walls. Bakufu suffered a loss but managed to hold its ground.

 Yuki failed to gain any Control Points, resulting in Bakufu's morale increasing to -1

-Turn 7

 The Bakufu army fully recovered its strength. Engaging in pitched battles outside Yuki and Shimodate castles, Bakufu defeated Yuki's forces. However, to win, Bakufu had to capture the final hex of Yuki castle. The desperate Bakufu army launched fierce attacks but was repelled by the garrison led by the Yuki's commander Iwakuni. 

Now came the end of the game. The morale of Bakufu increased to zero, which means the match resulted in a draw. The deadlock would persist, prolonging the conflict. Soon, Japan would plunge into a century-long civil war, brought to an end by Tokugawa Ieyasu. His establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate would usher in an era of peace lasting two and a half centuries.

Battle for Yuki - AAR part 3

 -Turn 3

 Both armies suffered severe losses during the previous turn. Yuki could rally only 2 units of the garrison in the main castle, while Bakufu managed to restore 5 units back to their normal state.

 With the regained force, Bakufu encircled Yuki castle again. A pitched battle took place in the Gion area with Bakufu aiming to defeat Yuki's main army. However, the blue army suffered defeat. In the northwest, Bakufu eliminated Yuki's unit in the Nitta area and overcame Yuki's contingent in the Ashikaga area, leading to further unrest in Yuki's main castle as two of the garrison became disordered. Mounting an assault on Yuki castle from the eastern side, Bakufu breached the defenses, enabling them to storm in.

 In the midst of Bakufu's attack, a formidable stack led by Yuki managed to withstand the battle and swiftly moved to relieve the surrounded main castle. They triumphed over Bakufu's forces in the southwestern outside are of Yuki castle, successfully breaking the siege.

 Even though Bakufu failed to encircle Yuki castle, Bakufu controlled more areas than Yuki did, and had fewer units in the retired box. This boosted Bakufu's morale to 0.

-Turn 4

 Bolstered by its impressive ability to rally troops effectively, Bakufu successfully restored all its disordered units to their normal state. Yuki had a stroke of luck, managing to rally 5 units.

 In the Sekiyado area where one of Yuki's strongholds is located, even though Bakufu had an upper hand, Yuki's tiny army managed to defeat Bakufu. This turn again Bakufu attempted to inflict losses on Yuki's main army but was repelled in the southwestern outside area of Yuki castle.

 Despite facing defeats on the battlefields, Bakufu breached the southeastern wall of Yuki castle. Moreover, within the castle grounds, Bakufu succeeded in penetrating the northeastern corner.

 Yuki's commander emerged victorious against the encircling force in the northwestern corner of the main castle. Yuki dispatched a small contingent to the Koga area to get rid of Bakufu's force there and acquire 2 Control points. During the battle at Koga, another unit of Bakufu switched its loyalty. This time it was the garrison of Sekiyado castle, and Bakufu lost 2 Control Points of that castle area.

 Yuki's castle was half occupied, yet the connection to the outside was reestablished, granting Yuki 2 Control Points. In addition, Yuki regained control of Koga and Sekiyado, along with dominating 2 other areas. This caused Bakufu's moral to plummet to -1.

Battle for Yuki - AAR part 2

 -Turn 1

 The Bakufu's punitive amry appeared. As they surrounded Yuki castle, a formidable contingent was dispatched to relieve Gion castle in the north. Bakufu emerged victorious in the pitched battle in Gion area, though just one unit of Yuki got disordered. 

 Yuki's Sekiyado castle was also besieged by a large army of Bakufu, but the high defence effect of that castle enabled Yuki's garrison to repell the attack. Meanwhile, Bakufu deployed small contingents to the other three castles of Yuki to disrupt Yuki's control of those areas.

 Although Bakufu defeated the rebel force outside Yuki castle, their attempts to breach the castle proved unsuccessful.

 To lift the siege, Yuki gathered the remaining units and attacked Bakufu's army at the southwestern corner of Yuki castle. Both of the two blue units stationed here suffered losses, and Yuki castle was relieved temporarily.

 The Control Points of the two players were equal and the morale of Bakufu remained at 0.

-Turn 2

 Bakufu rallied all the disordered units, but Yuki could restore only 2 disordered units to normal status. 

 

 Bakufu effortlessly swiped the remaining Yuki army from Gion area and the east of Yuki castle. The blue army engaged the rebel's main force concentrated in the southwestern outside area of Yuki castle. The battle ended in a draw but triggered a special event. 

 In this game, at a battle, both players roll dice. When they get the same number, an event occurs. This time, Shogun Yoshinori in Kyoto ordered a full-scale attack. With this order, all the Bakufu units which are in an area of a castle were compelled to attack the castle, regardless of the circumstances. 

 Yoshinori, the 6th shogun of Ashikaga shogunate, was known for his tyrannical rule, and his authoritarian policies were called 万人恐怖, which is roughly translated as "everyone's terror."

 Observing the stalemate between the main forces of Bakufu and Yuki just outside the latter's main stronghold, Shogun Yoshinori commanded the punitive army to assault all the rebel castles. The Bakufu force attacked desparetaly, which resulted in significant losses, but they succeeded in capturing Sekiyado castle. Shaken by the fall of Yuki's stronghold, some of the garrison units in Yuki main castle betrayed. (Another event occurred and two of the garrison units became disordered.)

 Yuki Ujitomo, the main leader of the rebellion, emerged from the main castle and launched an assault on the Bakufu army in Gion with full strength. With the capable commander Ujitomo leading an offensive force, another Yuki commander, Iwamatsu, with a deffense DRM, entered the main castle to bolster its defences. 

 A battle unfolded in Ashikaga area, which caused another event. This time a unit of Bakufu revolted and joined Yuki's side.

 Yuki successfully broke the siege of the main castle and controlled more areas than Bakufu, causing Bakufu's morale to plummet to -1.

Battle for Yuki - AAR part 1

  During the 14th century, coinciding with the eruption of the Hundred Years' War between England and France, Japan saw the rise of the Ashikaga shogunate. Despite its establishment, the shogunate grappled with subduing the entirety of the land, facing a series of uprisings. Approaching the mid-15th century, approximately ten years prior to the fall of Constantinople, the Yuki clan staged a rebellion in the Kanto region, encompassing what is now Tokyo. Responding swiftly, the shogunate mobilized a formidable punitive force, but the resilient rebel faction, entrenched within the unyielding walls of Yuki castle, valiantly withstood the assaults. The rebellion met its end only upon the eventual downfall of the impregnable castle after a prolonged and gruelling conflict. This protracted yearlong clash is known as 結城合戦 Yuki Kassen. 

 

 The game Battle for Yuki simulates this conflict between Bakufu (the shogunate) and Yuki clan. It is featured in Issue 2 of the magazine Bushi Life, offering simple rules for quick and easy play, basically utilizing IGO UGO system. 

 Bakufu appears to have the upper hand. It boasts of a numerical superiority with 27 units, 6 of which have an offence and/or defence DRM. In contrast, Yuki commands only 18 units, and just 3 of them have DRM. 

 Furthermore, Bakufu has a large ability to recover losses of units. In this game, in the Rallying Phase at the beginning of each turn, each player can restore his disordered units to the normal status. The number of recovering units is based on dice rolls. Bakufu can roll two dice while Yuki is limited to one, essentially doubling Bakufu's recuperative ability.

 However, Yuki is not in a hopeless situation. It holds 4 castles in addition to its impregnable main stronghold, which consists of 6 hexes with four areas outside the castle. Each castle hex offers a defence DRM of 2 to 3, akin to the effect of bolstering the defender's force with 2 or 3 additional units.

 In this game, the morale of Bakufu plays an important part. Not only it depends on the morale which side wins at the end of the game, but also if Yuki can keep the enemy's morale below 1, it can retain the initiative during the game; Yuki player can decide whether he plays first or second in a turn. Morale is directly affected by Control Points (CP).

 Bakufu begins with a morale of 0, which is adjusted based on CPs at the end of each turn. A comparison between the CPs of both sides determines the morale's shift: if Bakufu secures more points, their morale increases by 1; conversely, if they secure fewer points, morale decreases by 1. Most areas offer a single CP value, while the three castles—Gion, Koga, and Sekiyado—hold a value of 2 each. Regarding Yuki's main castle, Yuki gains 2 CPs unless it's surrounded by Bakufu forces. In the event of encirclement, Bakufu receives 1 CP.

 Therefore, controlling areas is a key to win. If one side exclusively maintains unit(s) in normal status within an area, that side gains control of that region. Although Yuki possesses castles, seemingly securing control over areas, Bakufu can disrupt Yuki's hold on a castle area by placing its unit(s) there, even without capturing a Yuki castle. This strategic maneuver can prove vexing for Yuki, especially given their smaller unit count.

The primary objective of the Bakufu force is to seize the Yuki castle. However, even if it fails to do so, Bakufu can still secure a narrow victory by attaining a morale as high as 3 at the game's conclusion. The Yuki army's crucial goal is to defend its main castle while engaging in tactical harassment in other areas to keep the morale of the Bakufu army at a low level.

 During the initial deployment, the Yuki player is required to garrison units in all their castles, allocating a minimum of 6 units to the Yuki castle. The remaining Yuki units can be deployed according to the player's discretion. In contrast, only four of the Bakufu units are initially deployed, while a significant portion of the shogunate force enters the fray on the first turn.

 The Yuki player strategically positions 5 units in the area box of Gion castle, including one commander, Iwamatsu, possessing a defense DRM. Three units are placed in an area box outside the Yuki castle, aimed at impeding the Bakufu's attempts to encircle the castle.

Now the battle begins.

将門最後の戦い（武士ライフ 第肆號）AAR ④

 -第６ターン

　以降のターンは討伐方が主導権を握る。追い風を受けて反撃である。マップ左方で包囲されていた将門方が射撃で壊滅した。

　だが将門方も引かない。このゲームでは白兵戦はマストアタックであり、主導権側は隣接する敵ユニットをすべて攻撃しないといけない。非主導権側は白兵戦で攻撃ができないのだが、移動して敵に隣接し不利な白兵戦を強制することができる。いわば非主導権側による「攻撃」が可能なのだ。

　将門方は前進してきた討伐方を迎え撃つ。マップ左方では射撃で混乱状態にした敵ユニットに文屋好立が攻撃を強制して壊滅。また移動フェイズで包囲した従類ユニットを将門が壊滅させた。さらには文屋の隣のユニットも討伐方の+2攻撃を撃退。将門方は主導権を失ったものの、まだ戦いの流れは討伐方に移っていない。

-第７ターン

　平貞盛と藤原秀郷が将門に弓矢の雨を降らせる。合計射撃力4だと、2分の１の確率で将門は敗走状態もしくは混乱状態になる。そうなれば白兵戦をしかけて将門を討ち取るのだ、と目論む討伐方だったが、将門直属の兵たちの士気は高く1へクス後退したのみに終わった。

　

　平将為を討ち取るなど第５ターンからの反撃で敵に損害を与えた討伐方だが、ゲーム開始時からの将門方の猛攻で大量出血が続き、すでに数的優勢を失っている。いまだ強力な打撃力を有する将門方の動きを封じるため、討伐方は1ユニットのみの移動で移動フェイズを終了させた。先述のようにこのゲームでは主導権プレイヤーは好きなタイミングで移動フェイズを終わらせることができるため、主導権を失った将門方は思うように兵が動かせないのだ。

　

　続く白兵戦で混乱状態の敵ユニットを蹴散らした平貞盛と藤原為憲が、戦闘後前進をして将門を射程にとらえた。これで次ターンも再び集中射撃が行える。

-第８ターン

　最終ターンである。平貞盛と藤原為憲による将門への射撃はまたも後退に終わった。討伐方はこのターンも将門方の動きを封じるため、平貞盛のみを移動させすぐに白兵戦に移行する。大将である平貞盛はみずから陣頭に立って切り込み、敵の混乱状態のユニットを壊滅させた。

　そして戦いは終了。将門方の得点は23点、討伐方は36点で討伐方の勝利に終わった。

　戦場が狭い割にユニット数が多くさらには強ZOCなので、機動の余地がなく団子状態になっての叩き合いかな、と最初は思っていたんですが、なかなかどうして。お互いに1ユニットずつ移動させるため相手の動きの読みあいになるうえ、戦力不明状態の伴類ユニットと、1ターンに2回射撃が行えることが偶然性を増して計算通りにいかないようになっています。

　将門方はゲーム前半、敵をどんどんと蹴散らしていく快感を味わえますし、討伐方は風向きが変わるまでなんとか耐えて、主導権を握ったら「狙うは将門の首!」と猛反撃に出ることも可能なんじゃないかな。

　それに何と言っても税込みで二千円いかないというのがありがたいです。平安時代の戦いをシミュレートしたゲームはあんまりないので、ご興味ある方は気軽に試せるんじゃないでしょうか。

将門最後の戦い（武士ライフ 第肆號）AAR ③

 -第４ターン

　このターンではサイの目5-6で風向きが変わり主導権が移る可能性がある。だがサイの目は３。風向きはそのままで、将門方が主導権を保持した。当然、このターンも全力で攻撃するのみである。

　将門方は包囲していた2ユニットを射撃で壊滅。包囲されているユニットが射撃で後退の結果を受けた場合、敵ZOCには退却できず壊滅するのだ。

　つづく白兵戦では討伐方も一部の兵が奮戦し敵を退けたものの、多くは将門方の激しい攻撃に耐えられずあるいは退却、あるいは敗走していった。

　これまでマップ右方では討伐方の遅滞戦術のせいで将門軍の前進がままならなかったが、戦闘後前進で平将為が切り込み、ついに討伐方の武将二人、平貞盛と藤原為憲を補足した。またもう一人の武将藤原秀郷も将門軍に接敵されてしまっている。

　マップ右方では、討伐方は1ユニットが敵中に孤立、3ユニットが敗走しており、武将を支援するユニットが枯渇してきている。武将を除去すると高い得点を得られるだけに、このままの勢いで敵武将討ち取りを目論む将門方である。

-第5ターン

　このターンはサイの目3-6で南風に変わる。風向きチェックのサイの目は４で、ついに主導権が討伐方に移った。これで討伐方の射程は風下方向、つまり将門方が攻めてきた方向に対して2へクスに伸びる。逆に将門方は隣接へクスにしか射撃できないため、討伐方はアウトレンジで射撃ができるのだ。さらに主導権側の射撃が先に解決されるため、討伐方は射撃戦でかなり有利に立つことになる。

　このターンに主導権が移ることを期待して、討伐方は前ターンに罠をしかけておいた。将門方は多くの討伐方ユニットを壊滅させているものの、討伐方の遅滞戦術のせいで武将は補足できていない。そのため戦闘後前進を利用して武将に向かって急進してくるだろう。そう読んだ討伐方は、左翼に位置していた藤原秀郷を他の二武将のいる右方にシフトさせ、突出してきた敵に対してこのターンの遠戦フェーズで三人の武将の集中射撃を浴びせられるように布陣しておいたのだ。

　将門方は、これまでのマップ左方での文屋好立の快進撃に刺激されたか、遅れている右方で早く敵武将を補足しようと前ターンの白兵戦フェーズで武将の平将為を突出させていた。好機! とばかりに討伐方の武将3人が一斉に弓矢を放つ。たまらず将為は敗走状態となった。

　このゲームでは敗走状態になると移動、射撃、攻撃が不可となるだけでなく、白兵戦で攻撃を受けると自動的に除去される。当然、討伐方は大将の平貞盛が将為ユニットを攻撃する。

　 俄に降り注ぐ矢に浮足立ちたる兵どもを押しとどむる間もあらばこそ。将為、討伐方が御大将平貞盛によって討ちとられにけり ― 将門記(民明書房版)

　三武将による集中射撃が反撃の嚆矢となった討伐方。獲物を屠るJägerのごとく、進撃の将門方を討つことができるか。対する将門方は、朝廷に弓引くものとされながら、家畜の安寧を捨て死せる餓狼の自由を求めて最後まで抗い続けるか。

つづく

将門最後の戦い（武士ライフ 第肆號）AAR ②

 -第１ターン

　将門の軍勢が風上から討伐方に襲いかかる。全軍一斉に突進、としたいところなのだが、既述のようにこのゲームの移動は、将棋のように各プレイヤーが1ユニットずつ交互に動かすためそうもいかない。一方、討伐方は1ユニットを前進させて将門軍の足止めを狙う。移動中に敵ZOCに侵入すると止まらないといけなく、かつ敵ZOCにいるユニットは移動では離脱できない。さらに湿地へクスでは移動を終了しないといけないため、地形をうまく活かせば1ユニットだけでも敵の前進をとどめることが、わずかの間だが可能なのだ。

　討伐方は敵前面で自軍ユニットが犠牲になって時間を稼いでいるうちに、武将ユニットをはじめできるだけ多くの兵力を後退させようと試みる。ゲーム後半になれば主導権が移る。それまで兵力を温存するのだ。

　だが主導権プレイヤーは好きな時点で移動フェイズを終了させることができる。当然、将門方としては敵の後退を許すはずがなく、討伐方が3人の武将と2，3のユニットを後退させた時点で移動フェイズを終え白兵戦フェイズとなった。この辺り、少数精鋭の将門方vs大軍を擁するがうまく使いこなせない討伐方、という雰囲気が出ていい。

 白兵戦で敵陣深く切り込んでいく将門方。戦闘の結果、防御側が壊滅もしくは後退した場合、攻撃側は敵ZOCを無視して2へクス戦闘後前進できる。そのため、密集している敵に対して「戦闘後前進で敵を包囲→攻撃して壊滅」という作戦級によくある攻撃が行えるのだ。

-第２ターン

　将門方の猛烈な攻撃が続く。左翼（マップ右方）を率いる将門は敵を蹴散らし石井営所に突入した。

　マップ中央にある石井営所は将門の本拠で、この戦いの前に討伐方によって焼かれていたらしい。それを反映してか、白兵戦での防御効果はなく射撃を受けた場合にサイの目が１有利になるのみだ。

　将門方右翼（マップ左方）では武将の文屋好立が陣頭に立って奮戦。数的不利をものともせず敵陣深く突進していった。

　このゲームでは白兵戦フェーズの前に両軍射撃ができる。射撃力１でも3分の1の確率で敵を退却させられるため、突進してくる将門の軍勢を必死の射撃で何とか撃退して白兵戦に持ち込ませない、というパターンもあり得る。だが戦力未確認状態で配置される伴類16ユニットのうち6ユニットが射撃力を持たないため（そのうち4ユニットは戦闘力もゼロで戦力確認時点で即座に除去）、討伐方としては計画的な防御がままならないようになっている。

-第３ターン

　マップ右方には、営所に突入した将門ともう一人の武将、平将為がいる。討伐方としては、この将門方主力が自軍武将めがけて突進してくることは極力避けたい。強力な敵を足止めするため、討伐方は戦闘力１の弱小ユニットを営所に送りこむ。当然白兵戦で瞬殺されるだろうが、敵主力の前進を少しの間でも遅らせるのだ。

　その間、マップ左方では文屋好立率いる将門方右翼がさらに突進、討伐方1ユニットを包囲した。

　石井営所では討伐方の足止めユニットが壊滅するも、その犠牲のおかげで討伐方の目論見どおり将門の前進が遅れ気味となった。

　だがマップ左方では文屋好立がまたも白兵戦で敵2ユニットを蹴散らし敵陣深くに切り込んでいく。さらに第一ターンからマップ右方の川の対岸を迂回してきた将門方1ユニットが討伐方の右翼を攻撃し始めた。

　第1ターンから続く将門方の強力な攻撃で討伐方はすでに兵力の半数を失った。一方、将門方はいまだ無傷。このままの勢いで主導権が移る前に敵武将を補足したいところだ。

つづく

将門最後の戦い（武士ライフ 第肆號）AAR ①

　平将門、というと日本史の授業で名前を聞いた人も多いはず。10世紀、平安時代の半ばに関東で反乱を起こすが鎮圧された武将である。源氏物語が成立する数十年前のこと、京の都では雅な貴族文化が花開きはじめ、土佐日記や伊勢物語が書かれたと言われているが、遠く坂東の地では武士が勃興しつつあった……という説明で、あってる？

　日本史に疎い自分でも知っているぐらいのメジャーな人物なんだけれども、将門が出てくるゲームは少ないらしい。昔「シミュレーター」誌の付録に将門の戦いのゲームがあったけど、他には国際通信社から出ている「将門記～承平天慶坂東大乱～」という戦略級のゲームぐらいしか見つからない。

　今回プレイする「将門最後の戦い」は、そんな将門が活躍する貴重なゲーム。「武士ライフ」第肆號の付録ゲームで、タイトルどおり将門の最後の戦いをシミュレートしている。（ちなみに「第肆號」は「だいよんごう」と読むようです。教養のない自分には??でした）

　追討軍に敗れ、本拠の石井営所まで焼かれた将門に残る兵はわずか四百。だが将門とその側近の兵たちの士気は衰えない。巧妙な機動で敵の風上に布陣した将門は、10倍の兵を擁する追討軍に対して攻撃をしかける…という燃えるシチュエーションだ。

　ゲームは将門方と討伐方が相対するのだが、将門が討ち取られたらその時点で討伐方の勝利、逆に討伐方の大将平貞盛ともう一人の武将が討ち取られたら将門方の勝利となる。狙うは敵の大将の首!　という感じ。

　もしこれらの条件が満たされない場合、ゲームは8ターンまで続き両者の勝利得点を比べて多いほうの勝利となる。勝利得点は除去した敵ユニットの戦闘力と同じ1～2点が得られるが、武将ユニットは15もしくは20点とかなり高い。やはり「雑魚はほおっておけ！ 狙うは敵の大将の首！」という感じでプレイしてしまいたくなる。

　各ターンは主に遠戦、移動、近接戦、白兵戦のフェーズからなり、移動フェーズでは将棋のように各プレイヤーが1ユニットずつ交互に動かす。また遠戦と近接戦の両フェーズは射撃フェーズで、各ユニットとも1ターンに二回射撃の機会があることになる。

　なおこの時代の坂東では騎馬弓兵が主戦力だったようで、そういえば将門の時代から数十年後の更級日記にも、武蔵の国のところで「馬に乗りて弓もたる」なんて表現が出てくる。

　このゲームの特徴として主導権がある。主導権プレイヤーは先に射撃が行えるうえ風下方向には射程が長く、さらに移動フェーズを好きなタイミングで終了させられる。また白兵戦による攻撃も主導権プレイヤーしか行えない（ただしマストアタック）うえ、風下方向への攻撃には有利に2コラムシフトが得られる。要は、主導権プレイヤーがかなり有利なはずだ。

　風上から攻撃した将門方がゲーム前半は主導権を握るが、後半では風向きが変わり討伐方に主導権が移る。追い風を背に将門軍が討伐方の大軍を蹴散らしていくが、そのうち討伐方の反撃が始まる、というのがたいていのプレイの流れになると思う。

　討伐方は将門方の2倍半以上のユニットがあるものの、その半数以上は「伴類」という戦力未確認ユニット。将門方ユニットと隣接した時点で表を向けるのだが、伴類の4分の１は射撃力無しかつ戦闘力ゼロという、表にされた時点で即座に除去されるユニットだ。討伐方としては大軍を擁するものの当てにならない兵を使って将門方の猛攻をしのがないといけない。　

　両軍とも3つの武将ユニットをもつが、将門は射撃力３、戦闘力５と最強だ。このゲームではスタック禁止、白兵戦は戦力差による解決なので、主導権による2コラムシフトと併せると将門は凶悪なまでに強い（なお、武将以外のユニットの戦闘力はゼロから２）。一方の討伐方は、大将の平貞盛よりも史実で将門を討ち取ったとされる藤原秀郷のほうが戦闘力が高くなっている。

　上記武将たちとは別に、将門方には古志賀谷太郎というオプションユニットがある。将門と同等のレーティングを誇るが、この人物については自分は全然知らない。ユニットに描かれているのがドット絵っぽいシルエットで、ファミコンの時代から時空を超えてやってきたのかと思ってしまったけど、もしかして実在の人物なんですかね。

　まあとにかく、古志賀谷太郎殿には今回はご遠慮いただいてプレイしてみた。

（なおすでに英語でAARを書いているけど、戦いの推移はこの日本語版AARも同じなので、英語版を読んだ人はあんまり期待しないでね。

それと、英語版でも断っておきましたが、このゲームはBGGでは"Masakado's Last Battle"で登録されていますが、"Masakado's Last Stand"のほうが悲壮感というか劇的な雰囲気が出ると思ってそうしました。越谷党の棟梁の方からは「ご自由に」とのお言葉をいただいています。ありがたや）

つづく

*5/19追記：古志賀谷太郎について、越谷党の棟梁から

「古志賀谷（越谷）太郎」は武蔵七党の一つ「野与党」一族に居たと言われている人物

と教えていただきました。ありがとうございます。

Masakado's Last Stand - AAR part4

 -Turn6

 The imperial punitive army stroke back. With fire it eliminated an encircled red unit and made some units retreat by melee. But Masakado was not going to switch to a defensive stance at all. 

 In this game, units of the initiative player have to attack all the adjacent units. Although the non-initiative player can't attack during a melee phase, he/she can make the opponent launch a disadvantageous attack, which can be practically considered as an "attack" by the non-initiative player. 

 The rebel army encircled one blue unit, forcing it to attack and be eliminated. Also on the left, the red commander Yoshitachi fired to put a blue unit in disordered status and eliminated it by melee. The momentum has not shifted to the imperial army yet.

-Turn7

 The blue commanders Hidesato and Sadamori fired at Masakado. If Masakado got disordered or "rout", the punitive player would attack him by melee in the hope of eliminating him, which would bring an immediate victory to the imperial army, but their arrows just made Masakado recoil. 

 While Masakado's army has suffered some losses, the punitive army has been bleeding a lot since the start of this battle. Its numerical superiority has now been lost, with the opponents retaining the powerful commanders Masakado and Yoshitachi. To restrain the actions of the still powerful enemy, the punitive force moved just one unit and ended the movement phase. Most of the Masakado's army couldn't engage in melee. 

-Turn8

 Last turn. The blue commanders, this time Tamenori and Sadamori, fired at Masakado once more but he remained intact. This turn again just one unit, the overall commander Sadamori, moved. Masakado, who lost the initiative, could do nothing. The overall commander of the imperial army Sadamori stood at the forefront of his troops and attacked a disordered red unit which was eliminated. 

 Finally, the battle has ended. Masakado got 23 victory points, the punitive force 36 points. The latter won. Masakado would be beheaded and the rebellion suppressed, but the samurai worriers in eastern Japan were never tamed by the government in Kyoto. Two and half centuries later, with their support Minamoto no Yoritomo founded the Kamakura shogunate there. 

Masakado's Last Stand - AAR part3

 -Turn4

 In this turn, the direction of the wind may change with a 33% probability, but it remained the same to let Masakado keep the initiative. 

 Masakado's army eliminated two encircled units by fire. In this game during a fire phase and a melee phase all the shootings of the initiative player are solved at first, and then come the shootings of the non-initiative player. Shooting can cause damage to the target or make it retreat, and encircled units can't retreat but are eliminated.

 Masakado's army kept its ferocious assault. Although one attack was repulsed, the red units charged into the enemy lines.

-Turn5

 In Turn5, a wind shift happens with a 67% probability, and it did! Now the imperial force was in a position upwind, their shooting range extended to 2 hexes, and they could fire before the enemy could. Having expected this, the punitive force had laid a trap in the previous turn. During the movement phase in Turn4, Hidesato, who had positioned on the left wing of the punitive force, shifted to the right so that when a Masakado unit advanced after a melee towards the overall commander of the blue army Taira no Sadamori, three blue commanders could rain a hail of fire on it in the coming turn. (BTW, Hidesato is said to have killed Masakado at the end of the battle.)

 Having seen the fierce rush of Yoshitachi in the previous turns, Masatame, another red commander, also thrust after a melee in Turn 4. But now, he was the prey of intensive fire from the commanders of the punitive force. The sky was darkened with arrows, and Masatame's retinue got totally panicked - the result of the fire was "rout status", and in this game the unit in a rout status is immediately eliminated when attacked by melee. 

 The overall commander of the punitive force, Sadamori, attacked the disordered retinue of Masatame in a close quarter and killed the enemy commander. 

 This was the start of the counterattack of the imperial punitive army. Attacked by melee, a red unit on the left was forced to retreat into the swamp and eliminated. Another red unit was encircled by advance after combat and eliminated.

Masakado's Last Stand - AAR part2

 -Turn1

 The assault of Masakado's elite force against the mass of the imperial government army has been mounted. The punitive force advanced one of its units to buy time. In this game, units adjacent to enemy ones are not allowed to move, which makes a weak unit able to momentarily stop the opponents.

 While the red units were advancing, the punitive force started to draw back, trying to save as many units as possible and to prepare for a counterattack. 

 But the withdrawal couldn't be conducted easily. As mentioned before, during a movement phase a player moves one unit at a time, like in chess, and the initiative player can end the phase whenever he/she likes. This means before the punitive force moves all its numerous units, the rebel who has the initiative can end the movement phase and start melee attacks. 

 Just after the blue force managed to withdraw its commanders and a few units, the red rebel started close-quarter combat and charged into the defence lines.

-Turn2

 The rebel army continued its all-out attack. Masakado himself led the main force on the left wing. Faced with formidable Masakado, who has the highest combat strength in the game, the blue force could provide little resistance. The head of the rebel army easily defeated the imperial troops, and the red units charged into Iwai Fort, a brown square on the map.

 The punitive army evacuated some units but backed by the tailwind, the attack of the rebel army was intense. One of the red commanders, Bunnya no Yoshitachi, who led the right wing, scattered two blue opponent units and advanced fiercely to catch the main force of the blue.

-Turn3

 On the left of the map, Yoshitachi pushed forward with some units, encircling one blue unit.

 Using delaying tactics, the punitive force advanced one unit to stop the main force of the red army, including Masakado and another commander Taira no Masatame.

 The red commander Yoshitachi was unstoppable. This time again, he dispersed blue units by melee combat on the left of the map. 

 The red army drove deeper into the defence lines of the blue army, but due to the blue unit sacrificed to buy time, the left wing of the rebel force, which included Masakado himself, was slowed down. In the meantime, a red detachment on the right of the map chased away a blue unit and approached the right wing of the punitive force.

 So far the imperial army has lost half of its units while the rebels remained intact...

Masakado's Last Stand - AAR part1

  In the centre of Tokyo where head offices of major corporations are located, surrounded by high-rise buildings there is a tiny grave called Shomonzuka (将門塚). It is said to be the final resting place of Taira no Masakado, a samurai warrior who led a rebellion against the emperor in the 10th century. Soon after he revolted in the Kanto region, including present Tokyo, Masakado, a man of valour, put a large part of Kanto under control with his mounted army. He even claimed the title of Shinno (New Emperor). 

 The central government in Kyoto sent a sizeable punitive force. It defeated Masakado and burned down his base, Iwai Fort. Faced with an enemy of 4,000 strengths, he only had 400 guards left. But the leader of the rebellion didn't give up.  Masakado executed a sophisticated manoeuvre near Iwai to lead his army, which consisted of mounted archers, to a position upwind and launched an attack with his skilled guards of high morale. A fierce battle ensued. Masakado was killed by an arrow at last, but the outcome of the battle had never been certain until the last moment.

 "Masakado's Last Stand" is a wargame included in the magazine "Bushi Life", Nr 4. This game stimulates the battle of Iwai with simple rules. Basically each turn consists of the phases of fire, movement and melee. During movement phases, the players take turns moving one unit at a time, like in chess.

(BTW this game is registered as "Masakado's Last Battle" in BGG.  I don't know it is the official English title or not (the original Japanese title is "Masakado Saigo no Tatakai"). Still, I just prefer "Last Stand", for he and his guards were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to defend their cause, so determined that they would not surrender under any circumstances. ...sounds too dramatic?)

 The most notable point of this game is the rules regarding the initiative. The initiative player can shoot first with a longer range during the fire phase, decide how many units both players can move during the movement phase, and receives favourable column shits during the melee phase, in which only the initiative player conducts attacks. 

 During the first half of the game the north wind blows, which gives Masakado's army the initiative. But then the wind direction reverses to let the imperial punitive force have the initiative. This causes a dramatic shift, as you could easily imagine.

 The number of Masakado's units is much smaller than that of the punitive force, but for the latter it is not easy to make use of its numerical superiority; the battlefield is limited by the swamp on the left and the river on the right, and also stacking is not allowed. Although the punitive army units seem countless compared to Masakado's, more than half of them are untried ones, of which average combat strength is less than 1. Each side has 3 commanders, and Masakado's are more powerful.

 The game lasts for 8 turns, and at the end of the game, the player who has acquired more victory points than the other wins. Masakado gets VPs the same as the combat strength of the eliminated units, and 15 points for each eliminated commander. The punitive force receives 4 PVs for each eliminated Masakado unit, and 20 VPs for each commander. And if Masakado is eliminated, the punitive force player immediately achieves victory.

 Now Masakado's last stand begins...