Battle Example 2

- Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima -

This example uses approximate historical army strengths from the Battle of Kawanakajima while demonstrating Sengoku’s combat system using multiple assaults, tactical modifiers, Action Cards, recovery, and battlefield withdrawal.

Historically, the battle involved:

approximately 13,000 troops under Takeda Shingen
and approximately 18,000 troops under Uesugi Kenshin.

Within Sengoku’s warfare system:

the Takeda army fields 13 troop counters,
and the Uesugi army fields 18 troop counters.

Strategic Situation

Takeda Clan

Lead General: Takeda Shingen
Army Strength: 13,000 Men (13 Troops)

Shingen advances aggressively to force battle before the larger Uesugi force can fully consolidate its position.

Uesugi Clan

Lead General: Uesugi Kenshin
Army Strength: 18,000 men (18 Troops)

Kenshin intends to overwhelm the Takeda army through superior numbers and aggressive maneuver warfare.

Both armies use a move order token to maneuver into the contested plains around Kawanakajima.

Neither side withdraws.

The players agree that the Takeda army is the attacker.

The battlefield terrain is mountainous:

all combat rolls suffer -1

Assult one

Takeda Clan

Tactic Card: Conventional Battle
Action Card: Diversionary Tactics

Uesugi Clan

Tactic Card: Outflank
Action Card: Stirring Speech

Outflank vs Conventional Battle: Uesugi gains +2

Terrain penalty: both sides suffer -1

Takeda Combat Roll

13 dice rolled

Results: 6 hits inflicted

Takeda Losses

Conventional Battle recovery rate: 50%

7 casualties:

4 recovering troops
3 permanently destroyed

Remaining:

6 active troops
4 recovering troops

The Takeda front line absorbs the initial attack but suffers severe disruption.

Uesugi Combat Roll

18 dice rolled

Results: 7 hits inflicted

Uesugi Losses

Outflank recovery rate: 50%

6 casualties:

3 recovering troops
3 permanently destroyed

Remaining:

12 active troops
3 recovering troops

The aggressive flanking maneuver succeeds, though the attack creates significant confusion and losses among forward formations.

Assault two

Both commanders remain committed to the battle. The fighting devolves into brutal close combat across fragmented portions of the battlefield.

Takeda Clan

Tactic Card: Fortify in Field Defenses
Action Card: Paranoia

Uesugi Clan

Tactic Card: Surprise Assault
Action Card: Shinobi

Fortify vs Surprise Assault: Uesugi gains +1

Terrain penalty: both sides suffer -1

Takeda Combat Roll

13 dice rolled

Results: 6 hits inflicted

Takeda Losses

Fortify recovery rate: 75%

4 casualties:

3 recovering troops
1 permanently destroyed

Remaining:

2 active troops
7 recovering troops

The Takeda army begins to collapse into isolated defensive groups as retainers attempt to organize an orderly retreat.

Because more than half of the Takeda army’s remaining active forces are removed during the assault, the Takeda force is compelled to withdraw from the battlefield.

Uesugi Combat Roll

18 dice rolled

Results: 7 hits inflicted

Uesugi Losses

Outflank recovery rate: 30%

3 casualties:

1 recovering troop
2 permanently destroyed

Remaining:

9 active troops
4 recovering troops

The Uesugi army secures control of the battlefield, though repeated assaults have significantly weakened its own offensive capability.

Resolution

After two assaults:

the Takeda army withdraws,
the Uesugi army controls the battlefield,
and both sides suffer substantial exhaustion.

The battle is considered a Uesugi tactical victory, but not a decisive destruction of the Takeda Clan’s military power.

Takeda Final Stats

Starting Strength:

13 troops

End of Battle:

2 active troops
7 recovering troops
4 permanently destroyed

Although defeated, most surviving Takeda forces remain recoverable and the clan retains its military leadership and political cohesion.

Uesugi Final Stats

Starting Strength:

18 troops

End of Battle:

9 active troops
4 recovering troops
5 permanently destroyed

The Uesugi army wins the engagement, but suffers enough casualties and disorder to limit immediate follow-up operations.

What This Example Demonstrates

This example demonstrates several important principles of Sengoku warfare:

recovery rates strongly affect long-term military strength,
tactical victories may still carry heavy costs,
Action Cards can significantly influence outcomes,
battlefield withdrawals are often preferable to annihilation,
and large armies rapidly accumulate recovering troops during prolonged combat.

The example also reflects an important reality of Sengoku warfare:
many battles ended not with total destruction, but with exhausted armies withdrawing, regrouping, and preparing for future campaigns.

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