The Shogun's Last Stand

- By Mark Conroy

A 25mm multi-player game was held at the club for 5 May's Chinese theme day. Organised by the Conroy gang (Patrick, Brendan and myself), the game was a Chinese vs. Japanese scenario game for 11 players. Terrain squares making up a large 2' square hilltop with stream and village at one end, were set out on a 6' x 8' table.

Visualise the scenario - after several years of hard fighting in Chinese-controlled Korea (during the late 1590's), the Shogun's army is attempting to make a tactical withdraw to Edo. They are now trapped on a hilltop and must break through the Chinese lines. Under attack from all sides, the situation is becoming desperate. The army is beginning to disintegrate into individual commands - it will soon be every Samurai for himself. Can the Shogun keep the nobles in check and army together?

The Japanese army consisted of the Shogun (umpire controlled) and eight commands, each controlled by a noble - Mike Thorby, Mike's friend Russell, Dean Gray, Alex Cholewa, Vince Cholewa, Steve Castle, Alan Knowsley and Craig Fair. Each players' command consisted of himself with two or three units of infantry - small groups of Samurai and Ashigaru or peasants. Weapons included longbow, handgunners, spear and sword.

Honour was all important - players would be judged on the honourable deeds they achieved. Routing enemy units and other suchlike heroic deeds, especially when performed in view of the Shogun, would rate highly. Whether the noble and/or his unit lived or died was irrelevant. It was the honour he brought to his family name that was all important.

The Chinese were umpire controlled. The army consisted of a strong infantry force defending the main break out route while numerous units of light horse archers, supported by several heavy cavalry units, completely surrounded the Japanese. And to reflect the over-whelming forces available to the Chinese, as units were destroyed, they would be reappear as reinforcements.

Of note was that both sides had small numbers of rockets/light artillery. While not particularly effective, they did add a degree of uncertainty to the game with units under fire having to take morale tests.

The game began with, and comprised primarily of, all-out attacks by the horse archers supported by Chinese rocket fire. While these cavalry attacks were usually quickly beaten off, the continual skirmishing eventually wore down the Japanese. And halfway through the game the Chinese infantry began their remorseless advance to slowly push back the Japanese perimeter through sheer weight of numbers.

Notable points for the Japanese included:

• Mike and Russell held their ground with Mike managing to capture a Chinese General.
• Dean died gloriously, hit by a Chinese rocket.
• Alex and Vince held their ground for most of the game forcing back a number of enemy cavalry attacks.
• Futile challenges from Steve to the Chinese commander for hand-to-hand combat. Doesn't he realise that the commander only deigns to fight equals! However Steve's handgunners were notably effective.
• Alan bravely fought off continual attacks being eventually captured.
• Craig’s attack to capture one of the Chinese rockets. This was a most enjoyable game to setup and play. We hope it demonstrates the value to wargaming of organising scenario games where the emphasis is on enjoyment.

And a thank you to the Warlords for the friendship and repartee in recent years. I am about to move (again!), this time to China, where Brendan and I will definitely continue playing toy soldiers. Any wargamers passing through Beijing are most welcome to contact us. Send an email or see the WW membership list for contact details. I will send any interesting news to Despatches for circulation. We hope to be able to get back to NZ occasionally so you may well see us at the club/conventions. Otherwise we should be back in three to four years.