Namu Amida Butsu!

We had a Samurai skirmish game today (2nd April 2011) - It was a scenario involving 4 players commanding their own retinue of followers finding a village they are going to full of Ikko-Ikki soldiers!
Being Samurai of course - despite lacking their armour - they resolved to attack!

Ian was chosen by dice to be the senior Samurai present, and lead the march up the road..

The village lay - out of sight - over a river bridge to their front...

Where the Ikko-Ikki were setting up a defence...

...At either end of the village...

The streets were swarming with peasant soldiers.

The lead Ashigaru reached the bridge and saw a large Buddha on a hill near the village..

..Being visited by several of the villagers.

The Ashigaru halted and peered over the bridge, delaying the column behind...

Then raced back to inform the Samurai commander of the enemies dispositions.

The following retinues were dispatched to outflank the village...

..And proceeded to the left as ordered.

Some civilians with the column were ordered to safety.

The main column waited as the flank move marched on..

As each Samurai leader came up they were given instructions for the coming battle...

On the left, the 2 Samurai leaders crossed the river out of sight of the enemy.

The main column stood in the road, biding their time till the flank attack went in.

But wading across a river takes time!

The flank attack moved toward a wood, from where they would attack the village...

The Ikko-Ikki in the village seemed blissfully unaware!

The flank attack was almost in position when...

..The Ikko-Ikki heard them and ran to investigate!

At the other end of the village, The Ikko-Ikki leader and his Sohei, being alerted, moved to the top of the village to back up their brethren.

No doubt they were chanting 'Namu Amida Butsu' (Hail Amida buddha)!

The first wave of Ikko-Ikki attacked the wood headlong..

The noise of battle roused the main Samurai column to cross the bridge!

In the woods, the battle was hotting up! The Samurai's Ashigaru shooting at the Ikko-Ikki as they ran toward the wood fight..

..Not entirely without effect.

However, further reserves of Ikko-Ikki joined in the fight in the wood.

The main column, having crossed the bridge, deployed for battle under long ranged shooting from the village.

As the peasants fell before the Samurai's Ashigaru, some  heavily armed Sohei joined the fight in support. 

The Ikko-Ikki in the village shot at the main column as they approached...

..At long range, their shooting only caused light injuries.

..Which did not stop the main columns rapid advance.

Some Samurai finally broke into the village defences from the flank attack, their leader taking  two arrow wounds on the way in...

The main column charged through Teppo (Arquebus) fire into contact on the other corner of the village defences.

At the same time, the Ikko-Ikki monks from the other end of the village arrived and charged toward the main column.

The battle in the wood degenerated into a confused melee. The Senior Samurai from the main column detached from his men and charged in to help..

..But was killed alost immediately by an Ikko-Ikki ashigaru with a spear(Yari)!

One of his Samurai fell fighting over his body, honourably!

With their commanders death, the Samurai forces began to waver, even though they were, slowly, winning.

With the large numbers of additional troops joining the fight, aggressively swinging their Naginatas, the remaining Samurai began to draw off.

The Samurai were defeated! - the loss of their leader was a terrible dishonour it would take a long time to make good.

Lets hope their Dyamo was in a good mood.......!


As ever the rules used are freely downloadable at the club website at: Link

The Samurai players were Ian, Phil, Lawrence and myself, the Ikko-Ikki were run by a scenario modified version of the rules solo system.