The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 95

Shinzaburo first arranged for the others, and then he shared with those present an unconventional route. It was a treacherous path he had personally explored and interviewed many mountain people over the past few months, a route that could be used by a small unit carrying its own rations.

"The Wakasa First Division of Lord Itsuki Suruga and the Wakasa Second Division of Lord Hongo Shuzen will each select two hundred warriors to join the elite forces of the Kubo and Kawakatsu families. I will personally command them to launch a surprise attack from the rear."

This is his own plan.

At this moment, Takeda Nobutoyo, who had been standing silently by, was greatly surprised: "Lord Kubo Genban is personally leading the raiding party? You are our commander-in-chief in this battle!"

“If I had a choice, I would certainly like to strategize and win from afar.” Shinzaburo smiled slightly, his expression still very serious, but his tone quite calm. “However, there are no other suitable candidates in the army to lead a surprise attack, so I have no choice but to take on the role!”

The other generals present, who had experience in battle, nodded in agreement.

Whether it's prestige, seniority, or familiarity with the local area, only with Tanba Zhonggui and Kubo Yoshiaki personally leading the team can everyone feel that victory is within reach.

Otherwise, given the enemy's superior numbers, even if we win one or two small-scale defensive battles, it won't be of much significance, and we'll likely still end up in a siege.

Takeda Nobuyuki nodded thoughtfully, as if he had realized something, and a look of sadness appeared on his face.

It seems that this legitimate old guardian, Wakasa, has something to say.

However, given his past record, people felt it was better for him to remain silent, lest he utter any absurd words that would damage his morale.

179 Attack on Shinzaburo

Wakasa Province has a typical temperate maritime climate, and summers are not particularly hot. However, as midsummer approaches, the sun-drenched areas are never truly cool.

Especially when carrying rations and weapons, walking on undulating mountain roads.

Fatigue and heat can both become formidable enemies.

After a long period of close observation, Shinzaburo had a fairly good understanding of the quality of his troops. Moreover, he had personally scouted the route and already had a clear idea of ​​what to expect. Therefore, this time he only selected about a thousand elite soldiers from various reserve units to participate in the operation.

The Kubo clan only brought samurai, foot soldiers, and the samurai's most reliable retainers—members with strong initiative and ambition, far superior to ordinary peasant soldiers. The people selected by the other clans may not have been of the same quality, but they were not far off.

These elites should be able to complete tactical maneuvers without incurring too many non-combat casualties.

If you bring all the miscellaneous soldiers along, people will keep falling behind, causing a chain reaction of morale decline.

The mental outlook of a group of 1,000 people who set out and 900 who arrive is definitely completely different from that of a group of 2,000 people who set out and 900 who arrive.

In fact, the elite troops drawn from various reserve units did not disappoint Shinzaburo's expectations. Although there were occasional complaints, almost no one was seen falling behind.

The only one who was really struggling was myself.

Shinzaburo wore a five-piece suit with gold brocade and red silk ribbons, and wore a Fudo Myo-o sword with a sixteen-section knuckle duster in front of him. Therefore, he carried many unnecessary decorations, making his weight much higher than others, and his body was also thicker and more difficult to breathe under.

The mountain road was winding and undulating, and gradually I felt the armor getting heavier and my steps getting heavier. Before long, I was drenched in sweat, and my inner cotton clothes were soaked through, which was very uncomfortable.

The reason for dressing like this was not to show off luxury, nor to avoid being attacked, but for another reason.

A surprise attack force cannot rely on friendly fire; it must take a longer route to attack the enemy and must be highly motivated.

So before setting off, Shinzaburo treated everyone to a hearty meal of fine white rice, and then had the monk Jingcheng use casino cheating techniques to stage a scene where he drew lots three times in a row and got lucky, demonstrating "divine protection".

When marching, he wears his signature attire, which, combined with his towering height, makes it clear to everyone that Tanba Zhong Kui is sharing their joys and sorrows.

This mountain path is unsuitable for horseback riding; one must proceed on foot. Walking for several hours in armor would likely leave one exhausted and unable to continue fighting. However, Shinzaburo only needs to make a show of it and won't actually lead the charge, so it's not a major problem.

In fact, according to the conventions of this era, riding in a sedan chair was also an option. However, the motivational effect on the troops would certainly not be as great as it is now.

As long as he could see respect and trust in the soldiers' eyes, Shinzaburo believed he could persevere.

Compared to the worry about the battle situation, physical exhaustion was ultimately nothing.

After all, there were no real-time communication tools in this era, so even if reconnaissance personnel were dispatched as much as possible, information could not be transmitted back immediately. Especially now that the command center was also on the move, it was even more difficult to obtain intelligence in a timely manner.

Once the overall plan is in place, all that's left is to make on-the-spot decisions and, of course, a bit of luck.

As the saying goes, the battlefield is ever-changing, and speed is of the essence. It's impossible to prepare a perfect plan before launching an attack. Caution is advised before making a decision, but decisiveness is essential once it's made.

……

Compared to Shinzaburo, Asakura Keikyo's mindset was much better.

When he argued with Asakura Kagehiko before, and then angrily split up his forces, it wasn't because he really couldn't control his emotions. To a large extent, he deliberately provoked the other party in order to gain the opportunity to independently claim credit.

As a middle-aged high-ranking samurai, Asakura Kagekage was not truly uninvolved in wars.

However, due to various reasons, in the previous few times he went to war with the army, he mostly stayed by the side of the Supreme Commander Asakura Sōteki, waiting to learn about the situation at the front from the envoys and the clerks.

From Asakura Keikyo's perspective, the Northern Army God seemed never to get within a thousand paces of the enemy. Each time, he would listen to a few reports, quickly come up with a solution, and calmly give orders.

It doesn't seem that difficult; all you need to do is study military strategy books thoroughly and understand how to deal with different situations.

Objectively speaking, Asakura Keikyo's memories are consistent with the facts.

After all, when he first went into battle, Asakura Munetsu was already sixty years old and had long since trained a group of capable subordinates, so he really didn't need to go to the front line in person.

As the magistrate of Tsuruga District, there was no need for him to advise the heir of the magistrate of Ōno District.

Asakura Kagekage believed he had taken sufficient precautions this time.

They sent scouts to survey the terrain, identified several potential ambush points, and specifically adjusted their formation accordingly. They also briefed the troops on contingency plans in advance, demonstrating their extreme caution. Furthermore, they had planned several alternative campsites near mountains and water.

It wasn't that he hadn't considered the possibility of being outflanked, but several of his retainers who had gone into the mountains to scout the way returned saying that there was no roundabout route that could accommodate a large army, so he put his mind at ease for the time being.

"If we encounter the enemy in the wild, we should use our numbers to win and defeat them by force. If they retreat to the castle of the Gose Mountain, we should lure the Tsuruga troops to bypass the castle and plunder westward, forcing the defenders to come out of the city for a battle."

Asakura Kagekyo thought there was nothing wrong with this line of thinking.

After traveling for a day without encountering any enemies, they ordered their troops to carefully set up camp and rest.

The next day, news arrived that the enemy had come out to meet them. It appeared to be Settsu soldiers sent by the Miyoshi family, numbering two or three thousand. No other banners were seen, and Tanba Zhongkui was nowhere to be seen.

Asakura Kagekyo thought to himself, "It seems that Kubo Yoshiaki has led the main force to fight the Tsuruga forces head-on on the northern front. Good, I hope they both suffer heavy losses."

The Miyoshi clan's Settsu troops should not be underestimated, but their forces are relatively small, so they are unlikely to achieve much.

Upon learning that a small hill protruded ahead, dividing the 500-pac-wide valley into two narrow paths less than 150 paces wide, which would hinder the use of numerical superiority, Asakura Kagekage began to feel troubled. Recalling his knowledge of military strategy and Asakura Sōteki's tactics, he remembered that he could use a strategy of attrition warfare to wear them down repeatedly, and thus felt reassured, believing victory would be a natural outcome.

Therefore, the marching order was adjusted, six long-spear units were selected to cooperate with ranged firepower to attack first, and leeway was left in the formation in advance. At the same time, a group of elite warriors were gathered around him to be ready to provide support at any time.

After advancing a little further and entering combat range, the soldiers waved their fans, the drums sounded, and they followed orders.

Asakura Kagekage deliberately chose a relatively high, gentle slope as his position. Watching his reserve troops form a formation and attack the enemy from afar, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the opposing Settsu troops were not launching a preemptive attack, but rather were fully prepared for positional defense.

This further confirms that Tanba Zhonggui's main force must have gone to deal with the Tsuruga troops on the northern front.

After much deliberation, Asakura Kagekyo concluded that this was a good idea. After all, he had only just begun to take charge on his own; if the enemy was too weak, it wouldn't be enough to make a name for himself, but if the enemy was too strong, there was a risk of problems arising.

Two or three thousand soldiers from Shejin are enough to be considered a good start.

"As for opponents like Tanba Zhongkui and Kubo Genban, let's save them for another time. After we pacify Wakasa Province, we can then lead our troops to meet Matsunaga Hōunken. If one day we can lead a large army to defeat Miyoshi Chikuzen, our achievements will probably surpass those of Lord Munetsu."

Asakura Kagekyo muttered a few words to himself, and seeing that his vanguard had already engaged in battle, he quickly opened his eyes wide to watch.

He believed that there was no need to pursue a quick victory; the reserve teams in front only needed to serve a destructive purpose. But he also harbored a bit of wishful thinking, fantasizing about crushing the enemy in one fell swoop.

Of course, rationally speaking, we cannot rule out the possibility that the effort to wear down the opponent will fail, and the opponent will instead launch a counterattack and defeat us.

However, Asakura Kagekage absolutely refused to believe that his subordinates were so incompetent.

Although he had hardly ever been on the front lines, he couldn't accurately describe what a highly effective soldier looked like.

180 Settsu soldiers

In the Yoshida Valley of Wakasa, two armies from other regions have already clashed.

The conch shells and taiko drums blared incessantly, and the soldiers, following orders, emitted short, synchronized shouts; this was called "whale wave" or "dianbo."

The Asakura clan first used their numerically superior ranged forces to pave the way on both sides, conducting probing suppressive fire. Then, several long-spear units stepped out from the middle one after another, maintaining a slow but steady pace, and launched an attack in a symmetrical square formation.

The characteristic of this formation is that it has no particular characteristics. Its only advantage is that it is relatively easy to adjust, making it a choice to remain unchanged in the face of all changes.

The combined forces of the five families of Settsu didn't have enough time to build permanent fortifications, but as the defending side, they had more time to prepare. They prepared large shields and bamboo bundles in advance, allowing archers and arquebusiers to fight from behind cover, while their spearmen held their weapons and remained in place on guard. At the same time, a few longitudinal passages were left in the line of fire for manpower replenishment and for counter-attacks when necessary.

The two forward units clashed, each launching an attack with oversized spears.

In this era, the more respectable masters no longer adhered to the concept of "first shot," so there were no instances of blindly vying for credit and leaving the front line without authorization.

The soldiers were simply roaring and swinging the wooden handles with all their might.

Both sides used long spears that were about two and a half spans long. Precise thrusting was neither realistic nor necessary. The key was to coordinate with friendly forces to maintain density, and sometimes even to use slapping attacks in combat.

Therefore, in situations where the armor penetration rate is high, large-scale casualties will not occur quickly; instead, physical strength and fighting spirit will be worn down first.

The Asakura soldiers roared and charged forward relentlessly; the Settsu soldiers remained calm and composed, raising their guns to meet the attack.

One side has a significant numerical advantage, but is limited by the terrain and cannot fully utilize its strengths; the other side arrives at the battlefield first and is well-rested, but has little opportunity to do much preparation.

Overall, the situation appears to be balanced.

"Although they are not the renowned Tsuruga troops, the ordinary soldiers of Echizen Asakura are not to be underestimated." Ikeda Katsumasa observed the situation from a hundred paces behind. He was very experienced in battle and soon judged the strength of the enemy after engaging in combat, and began to feel a little nervous.

"Hmm. The equipment looks good, and morale seems fine." Ikeda Katsumasa's father, Ikeda Nagamasa, nodded calmly. "They don't seem much weaker than the Settsu troops, so don't let your guard down."

Katsumasa Ikeda nodded, a hint of worry on his face, and said in a low voice, "We are ultimately far outnumbered. If Kubo Genban's raiding party doesn't arrive soon, wouldn't that be bad?"

“You usually admire this sworn brother the most, so why are you suddenly starting to doubt him?” Ikeda Nagamasa chuckled at first, then composed himself and said solemnly, “Perfect. You’re used to winning with the Miyoshi family, so today you can experience what it’s like to be on the losing end.”

Upon hearing this, Katsumasa Ikeda agreed and quickly turned around, focusing intently on what was ahead.

After a period of intense fighting between the soldiers on both sides, the Asakura army began to tire and struggle to lift their spears, putting their lines at a disadvantage and forcing them to retreat, resulting in immediate casualties.

However, the opposing commander promptly issued an order for the second-line reserve to step forward and take over.

Ikeda Katsumasa observed very carefully from the rear and couldn't help but mutter to himself, "It's not that the Asakura soldiers are weak, but that they don't know how to fight a protracted battle. They charge recklessly as soon as they engage in combat, and if they fail to achieve their goal, their strength quickly depletes."

“That’s right!” Ikeda Nagamasa laughed. “They’ve probably only fought against the Hokuriku Ikko-ikki in recent years, and they’ve probably forgotten how to fight against samurai.”

That being said, the Settsu soldiers didn't hold out for long before being pushed back by the second wave of Asakura's reserve troops.

After all, they are all at roughly the same level of physical fitness, and one cannot take on multiple opponents simply by having better physical strength.

As the temporary leader of the five families of the Kunijin, Ikeda Nagamasa seized the opportunity and arranged for the replacement of the reserve force.

"Father just mentioned the word 'samurai'..." After a while, Ikeda Katsumasa suddenly suggested, "We haven't seen many samurai supervising the Asakura army at the front, and they seem somewhat disorganized when advancing and retreating. Why don't we gather a group of brave warriors and launch a charge when they change troop positions? It might be surprisingly effective!"

Upon hearing this, Ikeda Nagamasa was initially taken aback, but after a moment's thought, he nodded with delight: "That's right, we can give it a try!"

Ikeda Katsumasa was overjoyed and rubbed his hands together, saying, "Then I'll go to the Central Ryū Party right away..."

Ikeda Nagamasa shook his head and interrupted, "No, leave this matter to Miyake Izuwa-no-kami. He's eager to get more heads to exchange for money with Kubo Genban, and he wants to strike as soon as possible."

Katsumasa Ikeda immediately hung his head in dejection and sighed, "What if he easily defeats the enemy? Wouldn't my family not have much credit?"

"This fool, can't he be more patient!" Ikeda Nagamasa frowned and scolded, "With such impatience, he's bound to suffer a great loss in the future. Why don't you learn from your sworn brother?"

Although he was scolded, Katsumasa Ikeda realized that his father was right, so he willingly nodded and admitted his mistake, took a few deep breaths, and calmed down.

Ikeda Nagamasa found a messenger to deliver the order.

A moment later, a small group of fully armed men quietly approached. Many of them had banners with the pattern of Marunouchi Kumasa on their backs, clearly indicating that they were from the Miyake family.

The man in black armor at the head of the group was none other than Miyake Izuwa Morikunimura. He stroked his mustache and chuckled, "When it comes to fighting for someone as generous as Kubo Genban, my Miyake family will never lag behind."

Upon seeing this, Ikeda Katsumasa couldn't help but feel contempt, but then he remembered what his sworn brother had said a couple of days ago: "He doesn't shy away from talking about profit, so he can be considered half a righteous man." He then put aside his contemptuous thoughts and greeted him respectfully.

Both armies sent their second-line soldiers to continue fighting. Gradually, the Settsu troops gained the upper hand again, and the Asakura side changed formation once more.

They have a numerical advantage, so continuing to deplete their resources like this is actually advantageous.

But at that critical moment, Miyake Izuwa Morimura shouted and led dozens of elite soldiers out, charging out along the pre-prepared passage.

The Asakura army's advances and retreats were not very smooth to begin with, and their reaction after being counterattacked was somewhat slow, which inevitably exposed a large gap in their gun formation.

The Miyake family's followers swiftly rushed over, drew their katana or pistols, and engaged in hand-to-hand combat.

Most of the spearmen were peasant soldiers without proper rank, so they were unlikely to have high-quality armor or good secondary weapons. Once a samurai got close, they were almost powerless to fight back.

The reserve force that the Asakura family was preparing to replace turned into a rout.

This caused chaos among the reserve troops who were preparing to engage in battle.

Seeing this, Ikeda Katsumasa was overjoyed. Fortunately, he remembered his earlier criticism of being "impulsive and agitated," and deliberately suppressed his emotions, turning to ask his father, "Should we launch a full-scale attack?"

After a moment's thought, Ikeda Nagamasa shook his head: "Let the short-range weapon users try to pursue, but the spear formation and the bow and arrow formation remain stationary."

Katsumasa Ikeda was initially puzzled, but quickly realized, "Father, do you think the enemy will launch a counterattack?"

Ikeda Nagamasa nodded: "Given the situation of the Asakura family, there should be at least five hundred samurai in such a large army. Since we can't see many at the front line, they have probably been concentrated in one place."

Ikeda Katsumasa understood, and following his father's instructions, he took several dozen of his close attendants and left the battlefield to scavenge for something better.

The spearmen and archers in the Settsu coalition, as well as a small number of arquebusiers, were ordered to remain in place.

As the main force of the Miyoshi family, second only to the directly subordinate bannermen, they certainly have the ability to execute this order.