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STW campaign AAR: The way of Takeda
The year is 1530, in the middle of Sengoku Jidai, and the daimyo of the Takeda-clan is just starting his quest to become the Shogun.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...I/map_real.png Map courtesy of www.totalwar.org(Click to enlarge) Takeda's starting position is pretty poor in my opinion(black provinces on the map), divided in two areas and surrounded by enemies, so they can't afford to remain passive at the beginning. Especially lord Mori, in red, is usually very anxious to take over the western Takeda-lands. Offense is the best defense as they say. Except for Sagami the provinces are outright poor agriculturally, and the the silver mine in Aki and the gold mine in Kai, once built, will be the only true sources of income. Unless... we take advantage of Takeda's biggest asset: cheap(-25%) cavalry and the ability to build more right away. The province of Shinano, famous for its high honour cavalry, is just beyond our lands and in the hands of Uesugi at the start, but this is easy to fix: We take it from them. That won't be the first thing to do though. Our poor income directly affects our ability to build the vast hordes needed to take all of Japan, so we form three point strategy:
Besides these there's a fun vs. function decision to make: After taking the Uesugi provinces should we secure an easily defendable front somewhere in central Japan and tech-up a lot, certainly leading to a situation where the enemy also builds HUGE armies(10.000+, which is a lot in this game)or should we just continue the blitzkrieg to west/south-west as soon as we're done in east/north-east? I'm still undecided on this, so we'll see how the beginning goes. This is after all my first campaign on hard difficulty, so it's entirely possible I screw up somewhere and Takeda just disappears off the face of the earth :oops: Hwg... |
1530
1530
Summer Our emissary is sent to Imagawa's lands to propose an alliance with him. We don't really need a war on our western front at the moment. Eastern front is a different story altogether. We immediately go on the offensive and attack Musashi with a small force plus the Daimyo. In the western Takeda-lands we abandon Bitchu entirely, and we'll also give up Bingo if Mori decides to attack, which he will no doubt do soon. Aki we'll hold, whatever it takes. Not surprisingly Mori moves in on the now empty Bitchu and attacks Bingo immediately after my moves, so it's now Aki or nothing in the west. On the home front we start building a Spear Dojo in Aki. The mines can wait until we've expanded a little. http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva002.jpg Attack on Musashi Musashi is a river province and our forces are equal in size, so I expect this to be a bloody one. http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva003.jpg My plan is to quickly rush over one unit of Cavalry archers and the daimyo, followed by the Yari Samurai supported by the other CA unit. http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva004.jpg It almost worked, except for the damn daimyo. The enemy daimyo rushed the bridge, inflicted small casualties to my CA and trapped my daimyo on the bridge. It's YS off to the rescue. The CA that managed to cross can be seen pummeling an enemy Yari Ashigaru or YS on the right http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva005.jpg A close call for my daimyo, but an even closer one for the enemy. As expected the rushing YS did the job with very little casualties, and the enemy could do nothing but run after my CA charged at their Samurai archers. http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva006.jpg The Hojo daimyo getting chased by my CA, his bodyguard having been wiped out at the bridge. http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva007.jpg A victory that could have come at a lot less casualties with better tactics. At least I learned not to rush my daimyo to a bridge if it isn't absolutely clear. http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva008.jpg |
Autumn
Our emissary reaches lord Imagawa and proposes an alliance. He rejects the offer saying there's no reason why he should accept it. I'll show him a few good reasons soon enough, but first it's time to deal with Hojo: After taking Musashi I immediately follow up with an attack on Shimosa. Attack on Shimosa Another river province and this time we're the underdogs what comes to numbers. Luckily they rarely decide anything. http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva009.jpg The enemy sets up a nice distance from the river, opening the door for a cavalry rush executed by the daimyo and the CA. http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva010.jpg The daimyo and the CA circle behind the enemy taisho, with an inevitable result that leads to a full retreat of his forces http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva011.jpg An easy victory http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva012.jpg |
Oh ma those STW screenies bring a lot of memories :D
Can't play it with Vista and dual core now. |
Winter
Not daring to rest yet we immediately continue the offensive to Kazusa and Hitachi. Kazusa turns out to be empty so we just march in. Hitachi is occupied at first but the enemy retreats before our attack. There's also a loyalist revolt in Bitchu, which Lord Mori took from us a few turns ago, so things are looking nice. Revolt in Bitchu The enemy garrison in the province is small, so we should have no trouble taking them out. After re-taking Bitchu I intend to move the force further inlands to keep Mori busy and to find some of their infrastructure to destroy. While doing this they will fight to the last man. http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva013.jpg The enemy is one unit of archers. No cavalry on my side means one thing only: RUUUSSSHHHH! http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva014.jpg After taking a few initial casualties from the arrows our rush bites in and the enemy is routed. http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva015.jpg They run for their lives and we're unable to catch them. Too many of them live to fight another day. http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva017.jpg |
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Oh really you must have that steam or whatever later version but not the original |
Warlord Edition which I bought xyz years ago. Basically The original+Mongol Invasion rolled into one. Just installed, patched and played, no tweaking needed.
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yea warlord edition would work my copy was way before warlord came out.
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:yeah:nice,
if I weren't burried with games/Campaigns I've yet to finish I would look for my discs right now :) HunterICX |
I never played this game, Rome was my first tw, but the map and user interface looks pretty good even today. The battles on the other hand ...
Really looking forward to the remake, unless they fark it up. (50\50 on that) |
1531
Spring The kamikaze army moves to Mimasaka. On the home front we drop taxes to "very low" in order to prevent rebellions in the newly conquered provinces. We also build a mine in Kai. After my moves Mori tries to attack Aki but calls it off, while there's bad news from the east: Rebellion in Shimosa. I pull out my CA only to come back with reinforcements later on. http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva018.jpg |
Summer
We build a mine in Aki and move troops to Shimosa to put down the rebellion there. Now there's also a rebellion in Kazusa, and this time I'll have to fight because the battle that should liberate Shimosa is only fought after this. In the west Mori attacks Mimasaka. We'll be fighting a total of three battles this turn. Mimasaka defense We have a lot less troops and on top of that the only real melee-unit is a bunch of Yari Ashigaru. This is going to be a tough one. http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva026.jpg We deploy on the edge of a forested hill. The archer units are lined up side-by-side in two ranks while the YA hides on the flank. The plan is to take down as many as we can with arrows before charging downhill with all archers. Meanwhile the YA will flank right. http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva028.jpg The enemy walks right in to the "trap", while my YA initiate their flanking movement http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva029.jpg The enemy enters the forest with Yari Samurai. My archers surround the unit and a general melee starts. http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva030.jpg The surrounded unit gets handled very roughly, and then it's time take on the rest. In the background what's left of the YA are trying to take out the enemy general http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva031.jpg We managed to kill the enemy general and most of his troops, but our own casualties are also pretty high. The end of the kamikaze-army is near. http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva033.jpg Attack on Shimosa Not much to tell about this one. We quickly rush the CA over the bridge and almost immediately rout the enemy. An easy victory. http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva034.jpg Kazusa defense One CA vs. one Yari Samurai. I hope to rout the enemy by pummeling them with arrows, because in a melee they'll wipe the floor with my CA. http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva036.jpg Sadly the CA runs out of arrows before the enemy routs. Even with a downhill advantage and a high-speed charge the melee is a sad affair to watch. http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva037.jpg |
Autumn
What remains of the kamikazes attack Bizen, while in the east Hojo attacks Hitachi. It's also nice to see that Mori is having rebel problems of his own: http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva040.jpg Attack on Bizen The enemy has slightly less men than we do, and upon seeing my army they immediately rout http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva039.jpg Hitachi defense The enemy comes in with one unit of archers and a half-unit of Yari Samurai. My CA quickly deal with the SA: http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva041.jpg http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva042.jpg The YS rout and we keep our province http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva043.jpg Winter We build a Tea house in Kai to get some proper counter-insurgency guys(Shinobis). We also retake Kazusa from an enemy that routs on sight, so not much to report on that battle. |
OT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IU7ia0XIGg (my favorite STW mobilize song) :haha: you would catch me singing ''yo ho ho ho'' behind the monitor.
I really hope they introduce the same appealing music in STW2 HunterICX |
1532
Spring We start building improved farmland to Sagami. We also attack Kozuke from Musashi, but there's so many enemies I call off the attack. Another attack from Shimosa to Shimotsuke with one(1) Cavalry Archer is a success as the enemy retreats and we take the province without a fight. :D In the west Lord Mori finally attacks Aki and doesn't call it off. It'll the first larger scale battle of the campaign, and pretty vital to the success of the campaign. Aki defense I forgot to grab screenshots from the set-up phase, so you'll have to imagine it: This is taken from behind the enemy after my CA have totally flanked them and are going for their general. You can see the whole enemy army here, while my own is set up on a hill in front of them. The banners are barely visible. There's one unit of SA and one unit of YS visible on the hill, while two YS units are hiding in the forest on the left. The plan was simple: Harass them with CA, let the archers shoot at them and when they get close charge down the center while simultaneously flanking right. http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva045.jpg Here I've already initiated the flanking movement. In the background my CA are still battling the general's unit http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva046.jpg The enemy's right flank(from my pov) quickly crumbles and we start enveloping his forces in the middle http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva047.jpg Meanwhile I forgot to babysit the CA and they manage to get wiped out by YS. http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva048.jpg What would have been crushing victory if I hadn't screwed up with the CA. Well, the stats still look pretty nice http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva049.jpg Summer Mori again attacks Aki but calls it off. Meanwhile I really have to do something about the loyality problems. http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva050.jpg Autumn An Oda-clan emissary arrives proposing an alliance. I immediately accept as they have common borders with pretty much all the clans I'm at war with. This should help ease up the pressure a bit. Winter We start building an armoury to Aki and a castle to Hitachi to speed up troop training. |
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1533
Spring Time to go on the offensive again. We attack Suruga and Shinano from Kai. The enemy in Suruga retreats and we walk in, but the enemy in Shinano turns out to be too powerful so I call it off. Mori also attacks Aki yet again, and again call it off. The idea in going to Imagawa's lands is to destroy his ability to build troops and thus make sure he doesn't attack us, not to to hold the land as that would overextend our troops. Summer We start building a Spear Dojo in Hitachi and continue the offensive from Suruga to Totomi. Again the enemy retreats and we walk in. Autumn We do a small reconnaissance attack from Hitachi to Mutsu, but the enemy proves to be too strong and we call it off. We also abandon Totomi after destroying all buildings there and pillaging a bunch of koku. Imagawa shouldn't be a problem for a few years to come. Winter Loality is looking good thanks to recent successes and the work of our Shinobi, so it's time to raise taxes back to normal http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva051.jpg We also start building an armoury to Hitachi and a Large Castle to Aki and Kai. We also move all our forces from Suruga to Shinano, and the enemy wants a fight so he'll get one. On the western front Mori again attacks Aki with a sizeable force, so it's time or another "big" battle. Aki defense #2 Again I forget to take pics of the set-up, so you'll have to check the minimap. This time I have a bit more troops so my center-force consists of one SA covered by two YS, while one YS hides in a forest on the front, in hopes of the enemy passing them unnoticed, and two on the left. CA flank and harass again. http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva052.jpg My YS trying to be a hole in the woods while the enemy army marches by http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva053.jpg No good, they were spotted and had to retreat towards the center force. The enemy in his foolishness followed them up with a few units while the rest danced around not knowing what to do. I made the choice for them: The retreating YS charged downhill at their followers while my flanking YS charged from their forest and the center YS charged down the center. The enemy general immediately routs his forces http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva054.jpg A nice victory. Note the four-man CA unit taking 63 heads while losing none :yeah: http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva055.jpg Shinano attack The enemy force consists of Samuri Archers only, but they managed to rush a huge hill before my troops get there. I risk it with the CA and send them after the enemy general http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva056.jpg The risk doesn't pay off as my general almost dies without taking his opponents head, and my forces briefly rout. I managed to rally them and we climb up the enemy's hill to a position above him. A charge traps most of his troops against a rocky cliff and they're mercilessly slaughtered. http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva057.jpg http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva058.jpg Victory at a price again http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...00/kuva059.jpg |
1534
Spring We start building a castle to Shinano, a province which will be developed to our primary cavalry training area. We attack Kozuke with troops from Musashi and Shimotsuke, while Uesugi attacks Hitachi with a sizeable force. Attack on Kozuke Slight numerical advantage here http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image002.jpg The enemy daimyo gets among our CA and inflicts heavy damage http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image005.jpg Some of my units rout and others take heavy casulties. I don't remember exactly what happened here, but judgin by the casualties this was one crappy attack. http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image006.jpg Hitachi defense http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image007.jpg My main force sits on top of a hill while Cavalry archers go on recon together with the daimyo. The enemy daimyo doesn't fancy this at all and starts to chase them http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image009.jpg Uesugi daimyo getting surrounded in a forest http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image010.jpg Gotcha, although his son soon took over. My other CA unit has also routed at this point http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image011.jpg Another nice victory http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image012.jpg |
Summer
We drop taxes to "very low" again in order to prevent revolts, but too late: Shinano revolts. We attack Mutsu with all forces from Hitachi and Shimotsuke. Loyalist revolt in Shinano http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image013.jpg We set up on top of a hill right next to the enemy's starting position. CA take the frontline while YS wait in case enemy spearmen get close. Another YS flanks left. http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image014.jpg We use rain arrows on the enemy until gets very close, then intiate a charge by all units http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image015.jpg The enemy quickly routs, gets chased down and killed http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image016.jpg Attack on Mutsu http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image017.jpg The enemy sets up behind a forest on a hill, and puts some ambushing troops in the forest. We anticipated this and catch them with a wide pincer movement by the infantry while CA constantly harass them. Here we can see the enemy already routed and being chased http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image018.jpg Victory! http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GHuMVhWWQPc/TC...0/image019.jpg |
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