2021 Mid-year team event - Back to Japan - Round One

[ahuyton]

I enjoyed my game, despite being beaten up by Peter. Now we just need the result from GR and SMJ before moving to Round Two.

Time for the Daimyos to get their advice out to their underlings. Perhaps, Snuggles, if you have any thoughts it would be appreciated by our chaps.

[Th30n]

Snuggle's videos on youtube can be a gold mine of information, but in my case it just shows how little I know about this game. For example, I know ZOC is a thing, but I have no clue how it works exactly so as to use it to my advantage. Anyways, keep on uploading matches with commentary Snuggles!

[GentlemanRanker]

The battle between GentlemanRanker and smjohnso77 started somewhat late; however, both battle lines are now fully engaged, with the right wing of each faction attempting to envelope the enemy.

In their most recent turn, several Taira chargers suffered rather unfortunate disruptions, but it could go either way at this point.

[SnuggleBunnies]

:|

Fabian, this has happened to us all at some stage, especially against Snuggles!

I just lost a game to gribol last week 49-0, so yes happens to everyone, and it never stops happening

[SnuggleBunnies]

Perhaps, Snuggles, if you have any thoughts it would be appreciated by our chaps.

Well this all a friendly rather than a competitive setting so I will just post my thoughts here.

In the Ikko-Ikki vs Samurai matchup, the samurai have a tougher time of it overall. This is not because their units are worse, but because nearly all of their units are armored, and the Ikki units with Matchlock and Heavy Weapon, which is most of them, ignore armor! So the Samurai pay a lot for something that only helps them peripherally. Mobs are cheap, and being cheap they try to set up dangerous flank attacks. In the forests where everybody is at least moderately disordered, even peasants can hold on for awhile. We also discovered a bug recently where cavalry don't get +100 for charging mobs, though they will still get their quality and yari POAs. So the mobs can be scary, but just one break near them can set off a cascade of breaks.

Heavy Weapon is basically identical to Spear, except it doesn't get Impact vs cavalry and is only Moderately rather than Severely disordered in forests. Steady Spear also cancel out Swordsmen POA. So the Ikki excel in forests, and can have rather a hard time of it on more open maps where cavalry can operate. The Samurai army will always be smaller, with all the dangers of getting enveloped that that can create.

I have played 4 matches in the last year with/against them -
https://youtu.be/g0JcG_KfQB4
https://youtu.be/W_OHtaQBoNc
https://youtu.be/azP0sUd3YbI
https://youtu.be/rQ3iu4XoaE4

[KiwiWarlord]

Well this all a friendly rather than a competitive setting so I will just post my thoughts here.

Many Thanks SnuggleBunnies for your very good appraisal of the two armies, Ikko-Ikki & Samurai.
Will be a great help to both teams.
Thanks for entering into the 'spirit' of these Events

Another point worth noting is that the Mobs often Break Off after the initial contact thus drawing the attacker forwards into traps.
Mobs can also Fall Back 2 Tiles !! ( same as mounted troops )
These Mobs are way too skilled i.m.o. Mob movement should not be anything like that of Warriors.

[GentlemanRanker]

GentlemanRanker’s Taira beat smjohnso77’s Minamoto 40 – 12.

Both battle lines advanced directly into contact, with the right wing of each faction attempting to envelope the enemy. The attack by the Minamoto right wing was slowed down by having to pass through a forest, and was held up successfully by weaker Taira units. The Taira prevailed on their right, and despite several units pursuing off into the sunset, or choosing to show their rears to the enemy (misplaced contempt?), just managed to do enough to secure the win.

As so often, the score does not accurately reflect the course of the game; by the final turn, the Taira had four or five fragmented units in the centre, and Steve was very unlucky not have been able to convert these into routs. GG.

[KiwiWarlord]

GentlemanRanker’s Taira beat smjohnso77’s Minamoto 40 – 12.

Well done on your Victory GR
SMJ77 is a tough Samurai, you have honoured the Taira Clan greatly.

KiwiWarlord, Taira Daimyo

Samurai with Taira.jpg (26 KiB) Viewed 860 times

[ahuyton]

So Round One comes to a close with a narrow but impressive victory to the Taira by 3 games to 2.

Well done everyone and it was certainly a fascinating game.

Round Two will start next week, but as winning Captain, Kiwiwarlord can select which side his team will play, Samurai or Militant Monks?

[KiwiWarlord]

So Round One comes to a close with a narrow but impressive victory to the Taira by 3 games to 2.
Round Two will start next week, but as winning Captain, Kiwiwarlord can select which side his team will play, Samurai or Militant Monks?

I asked the Team to Vote on which army they preferred to lead in Round 2
The Team voted 4 - 1 in favour of leading the Samurai.