Samurai skirmish game 9th October 2010

Situation:

The scenario involved a local Samurai Lord visiting a vassals (Hatamoto) village with 2 retainers (Hatamoto) and their retinues being attacked by an Ikko-Ikki (Warrior monk) raiding party.
The Samurai started in the village attending on their petty Diamyo...



... when the Ikko-Ikki appeared in 3 distinct bodies on the table edge. Some light defences had been placed as a makeshift barricade between the buildings, and the Samurai hoped this would offset the lack of armour they had available (Only the local Hatamoto and his personal Samurai had their armour available)
A light force was on either wing with the main body attempting to assault the village in the centre.

The Battle:

The Ikko-Ikki advanced rapidly toward the village.



The first body to engage was the Ikko-Ikki right wing, composed of a small group of Warrior monks (Sohei) supported by several groups of armed peasants and some Arquebusiers. Having crossed the river earlier they eschewed a long range firefight in favour of a sudden charge.

The Samurai in the village detached the majority of their force to face this initial attack. They initially tried to break up the attacking Ikko-Ikki with Arquebus fire, but this was quite ineffective and soon they were in a fierce fight at the barricades.

At one of the gaps, the Ikko-Ikki commander threw waves of peasants at the defences, before committing himself to the attack when these assaults began to fail.




In the centre, a smaller group of Yari armed Ashigaru held a barricade in the face of a larger group of Sohei supported by peasants, archers and Arquebusiers.

These, finding the bridge undefended, streamed across and attacked the defences.



Once again the Samurais fire had little effect, and the Sohei leading the attack smashed through the barricades and began to push back the defending Ashigaru.



On the Ikko-Ikki left a small group of peasants and armoured archers probed the rear of the village via a minor ford , and the Hatamoto facing them stayed in cover to avoid the shooting of the archers.



Once the Ikko-Ikki were across the river, the Hatamoto attacked fiercely and in a bloody fight wiped out the attacking group.

Not needing them, he allowed a small group of his Ashigaru to support the weak centre (see above) with Yari and shooting from their arquebuses and bows.

The Ikko-Ikki right now began to collapse and the samurai facing them pushed forward to surround an annihilate them.

  

 

Soon the commanding Hatamoto felt confident enough to send the majority of his men to support the retreating centre.

The Armoured Samurai  fighting the Ikko-Ikki lords group  eventually broke the peasants they were fighting and rushed the Armoured Ikko-Ikki commander. Everyone expected a tough fight here, but in the first attack the Ikko-Ikki commander lost his head – literally!

Seeing this, and with their flanks being attacked by the victorious Samurai on either wing, it was not long before the Ikko-Ikki began to fall back and leave the field.

The Samurai losses were minimal, and the Hatamoto were greatly honoured having won so decisively in the sight of their Lord!



(Rules: our own.
Figures: all Perry and Museum miniatures.
Pictures: by Lawrence and Richard.
Text by Richard.)