Part 5: Kenshin and Shingen

Garden



Welcome back, let's get a Perfect Link, oh yeah!

Ravine



And another one! Man, hopefully this keeps up forever.




When you're done poisoning everyone, I'd like to recruit you. Oh yeah, who were those guys?



Kamata Masatoshi was a vassal of the Shimazi clan, under Yoshihiro.



Kawakami Hisaaki was also a vassal of the Shimazu clan.



Yowch. We won't be taking down Illusio this month, we need to recruit Yoshimoto (who will actually be pretty handy), as well as test out our new evolution.



Payback! A Warlord Evolution is pretty nifty, not only increasing your stats, as well as Capacity, but also changing your Skill and your best Perfect Link (usually the last evolution in the line you can Perfect Link with). It's very worth evolving all your Warlords... except we can't do that just yet, our MC's evolution was story related, we'll have to wait a little while for the others, alas. Oh yeah, our new Skill, Courage, increases Attack by one stage as well as Range. Very handy.



Alright, let's wail on Yoshimoto and get him. Abe Motozane was a vassal of the Imagawa clan.



Bah




Remember to recruit Warlords with your own Warlords.



Onto the next month!



Couple more Perfect Links (meaning Magikarp is all done!) and we're ready to fight Illusio.

Ransei



Bug-type Pokemon and Dark-type Pokemon would be a wise choice against him. But Fighting-type and Poison-type Pokemon will probably struggle.



I hope we're ready for this.

Invasion



I sense... that you are not as weak as you were. I have been waiting for this moment. It is time to prove yourself in battle. Prove that you are worthy of being my opponent!

VS Illusio




A banner battle, eh? Should be easy enough.



Hrm, not really. Not only are there floating platforms, there's 3 sets of 2 linked teleporters that change colour each turn. Thankfully they don't move, but it usually means you're waiting around each turn for them to link up to where you want to go. There's 4 flags to claim, so this usually ends up as a bit of a long battle. Also I wish the orange portal was Red, but maybe it would clash too badly?



Best to let the enemies stumble towards us. If you have a hard time getting around this map, then the AI has an even worse time.



Kanetsugu would look more intimidating without his doofy hat. Still, character design in this game is fantastic.



The Floating Cubes move back and forth on a set path to allow you to move about kinda easily (but not hugely). Thankfully, every time I've played this map Kenshin stands on the banner, which is good, cause you don't want him running around destroying everyone. Cause he will. Oh yeah, speaking of him...



Uesugi Kenshin was a daimyō of the Echigo Province after being adopted by the Uesugi Clan. Fierce on the battlefield, he was also an extremely skilled administrator who invested and grew local industries and trade, creating a rise in the standard of living in Echigo. He was honourable, had great military expertise, a long standing rivalry with Takeda Shingen and believed in the Buddhist god of war, Bishamonten.



Coming over one at a time for easy pickings. If both portal openings are being stood on, then neither Pokemon will teleport at the end of their turn, which Cubchoo is accidentally doing for Eevee. This is pretty handy as Kirlia can't do anything, can't move, can't attack, it's pretty great.



Let's recruit everyone, baby!



Hehe.. You seem to be enjoying yourself, Brother. But you should not make light of your enemies, Kenshin. If you believe you have justice on your side, you must prove it on the battlefield.[/i]



Abra incoming! I guess Cubchoo really wants to use the portal. Well I'm not moving... yet.



Brah, what is it with you and Ponigiri?



Stop that!



Thank you.



We'll send Eevee back in case Abra gets backup and we'll get ready to take on Cubchoo.



I'm fine leaving the banner unguarded, as Cubchoo will prioritise going for that and we can wail on it some more. So long as the enemy doesn't have all the other banners, you can use them as bait no problem. But remember to claim them back!



Alright, this divide and conquer strategy is working quite nicely.



We could have less of that, however.



If we actually want to recruit Aya, then we need a Warlord over here. And since we're past the 4 turn limit, it needs to be through super effective damage.



Now it's onto the right side.



I love how useless Kenshin is being.



Well look who finally decided to show up. We'll have to bring Yoshimoto back if we want to recruit him.



That's another one down.



Assault on the last 2 banners.



Down boy.



Oh yeah, the Drilbur guy stayed in one spot too. Man if both him and Kenshin had been roaming around, we'd have been in some real trouble!



Only two left to go, should be easy enough with our new power.



Uh, hmm, that was not a lot of damage.



I thought I'd just weaken the Kirlia so Pineco could knock it out like the fucking idiot strategist I am. We'll recruit him later, probably.




Shit, this isn't good.



Alright everyone, you need to help out.



Drat. Oh well, you can have Eevee or Jigglypuff faint and not automatically lose, that would be a dick move. But what are we to do?



That, basically. Always bring a Pokemon with a shoving move so you can win these banner battles. No one said we had to take out Kenshin, right?



Overall, while the terrain is annoying to get around, the AI is super easy to manipulate in banner battles. Now if Kenshin had actually moved around the field, then we would've been fucked.

Intrigue



I am forced to acknowledge your talents on the battlefield. Under you command, Azai, my might will be of use in bringing righteousness to this world. And you, Nemesis... I know you are there. Show yourself.



I watched your battle against Kenshin, Azai. And it confirmed what I've been feeling for a while. I, too, want to join your army.

My nemesis and I, united at last...

I never thought I'd see the day!

Neither did I...

My goodness! You look happy, Kenshin.

Lord Kenshin and Lord Shingen are among the most powerful Warlords in all Ransei. To have them fighting for your army is quite a coup, Lord Azai!

Ransei



Regardless of what you do in the battle, you will recruit Kenshin and Shingen. Everyone else you will need to recruit normally.

Long Day



Indeed. We will face battles more difficult than any we have experienced before...

Yeah... But before all that... I've made us something to eat! Go ahead, enjoy!

Ahh! This does look tasty. How considerate of you! Very well, let's have ourselves a little feast in celebration, shall we?



Azai's army resolved to take this fleeting moment to relax and enjoy themselves.

Looming




...?!

What is it that you desire?

...

I desire... Lord Azai to find the legendary Pokemon... and bring peace to Ransei!

Ha... How amusing. I should like to see you try and make that wish come true. Defeat my subordinates and we shall see. Nobunaga will be waiting for you in Dragnor.

...

Stars



I'm sorry I didn't say anything before but... Nobunaga is my brother. That's how I know... That's how I know that he's serious. We have to stop him, Lord Azai!



We can't let that happen. That's why I decided to join you, Lord Azai. I know it's going to be tough, but... We must battle against the Warriors of Nobunaga's army. We'll start with Avia, Viperia, Cragspur, and Yaksha.



Well that was quite the twist. Now we're gonna go back in time slightly and fight against Shingen instead.

Ransei



Shingen's army has Ground-type Pokemon... And Warriors partnered with all sorts of other Pokemon, too. There's no doubt about it--we're in for a tough fight.



What brings you here, anyway? You wish to challenge me to a battle?



Wh-Wha-?! Lord Azai is serious!

Oh, yes, of course... I'm sorry... It's just the thought of it... You know, I'd be happy to do battle... But you're just no match for me at the moment, Azai. Though there is one here...

...?

Uh... Never mind. Come back when you've toughened up a bit, all right, Azai?

Wh-What?!

Invasion



And then you know what comes next.



I'm here on Lord Shingen's orders. I believe it has something to do with that visit you paid to Terrera... I am here to challenge you to battle! Come--to the battlefield!

VS Chrysalia




Well he's pretty straight to the point. We're facing a different set of peeps, but the objective is the same: beat 'em up.



Ah, good start. If you're wondering if I've learned where these fences are, the answer is no.



Sanada Yukimura, or Sanada Nobushige as his actual name, was a samurai and a leading general in the Siege of Osaka. He married the adopted daughter of Hideyoshi and the Sanada clan, surviving the destruction of the Takeda clan, eventually became Hideyoshi's vassal, after drifting between strong daimyōs due to sudden independance after the incident at Honnō-ji. When Tokugawa Ieyasu attacked Uesugi Kagekatsu, Yukimura joined with Mitsuhide, as opposed to his brother joining Ieyasu.



Could've sworn I timed that screenshot correctly... Anyway, Kunoichi probably doesn't have a real life counterpart, as her name literally comes from くノ一, kunoichi, historically a word for women, later meaning female ninja in the 20th century, as female ninja didn't really happen historically. Her association with Yukimura means she could be one of the fictional Sanada Ten Braves, a legendary group of ninja said to aid Sanada Yukimura during the Sengoku period.



Takeda Katsuyori was a daimyō and head of the Takeda clan, being Takeda Shingen's son. Strong on the battlefield, he captured Takatenjin, something his father could not. He also helped Uesugi Kagekatsu succeed Uesugi Kenshin as heir. However, against the combined armies of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu, he committed seppuku at Temmokuzan with his wife and son.



Naitō Masatoyo was one of Shingen's Twenty-Four Generals. Son of Takeda Nobutora's senior retainer, Kudō Toratoyo, he and his brother were forced to leave when Toratoyo lost favour with Nobutora and was killed by him. When Nobutora was exiled by Shingen, Masatoyo's family was restored. They were granted the rank of samurai and a formal apology by Shingen, as well as money and cavalrymen.



Chikurin-in was the wife of Sanada Yukimura and daughter to Ōtani Yoshitsugu, a vassal of Hideyoshi. It was a political marriage to ensure an alliance between the Toyotomi and Sanada clans. While in exile with Yukimura after Ieyasu's victory, she is said to have created the flat ribbon Sanadahimo and after Yukimura's death, bore his third son and lived in Kyoto until she passed.



While Yukimura's group are overall stronger than Aya's, they have more weaknesses to exploit overall.



Hopefully we'll take out Drilbur before it destroys us. Ekei wasn't gonna last long with all these Fire types, alas.



Ow



Stop jinxing it!!!




Alright, it's counterattack time.



YAMATEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE



Alright, we should be able to keep everyone alive.



Maybe



Okay, we're mostly alive. Let's keep up the offensive.



Pretty good.




Okay, not so good.



When will these guys die already???



Damn Scraggy blocking Tepig from its inevitable defeat. Unless...



Haha, gottem!



A necessary sacrifice.



Ah goddammit I left Drilbur until last again, didn't I? I am really bad at this game.



Holy shit we survived. I am impressed.



It would be so much easier to kill this guy if he didn't keep hiding every other turn.



Okay, we're done. Unless I miss. ...



Pokemari, bitch.

Long Day



The way you worked together with your Pokemon... It was very impressive. I shall have to try my best to match your standard, Azai! Farewell for now!



Azai digivolve to... Cape Azai!

Ransei



Remember that Electric-type Pokemon's attacks have no effect on Ground-type Pokemon... And don't forget that he has lots of other Pokemon types in his army, too.

Invasion



Hmm? You look... different. Well, well. I do think this battle is going to be fun. Don't you, Yukimura?

Most definitely. If Lord Azai is our opponent, then I shall give it everything I have!

Yes... So, shall we begin?

VS Terrera




Like Illusio, Terrera is a banner battle. But it's a bit different...



This is the tallest building in all in Ransei. Even Flying Pokemon would struggle to make it up here... You're welcome to try climbing it if you want, but I can't be held responsible for what might happen.



There's some real strategy to this map, so we need to move everyone into positions. Look at all this nice open land, it's heaven compared to Illusio.



Takeda Shingen was an exceptional military daimyō of the Takeda clan, first born son of the previous head, he was helpful from a young age, helping his father win the Battle of Un no Kuchi at age 15. However, he rebelled against his father when he planned to make his second son heir, so Shingen forced him into an early retirement. After conquering the nearby area, he faced Uesugi Kenshin and they faced a total of five times in the Battle of Kawanakajima. In the fourth fight, they faced one on one, neither moving an inch, but both losing heavily in men.



In order to get to the banners at the top of the towers, you need to take the lifts. But since the destination is one spot, you can't use it until the Pokemon at the top has moved.



Looks like we weren't fast enough to reach the banners before them.




And here's the gimmick. At the end of every second turn the wind will blow and force whoever's on the tower to a tile nearby and deal Ground type damage (heh). Unlike the Fire type damage of the volcano in Ignis, Ground types are immune to this damage, but still get pushed off.



Up we go.



Holy shiiiiiiiiiit. Shingen moves around a lot more compared to Kenshin and he will absolutely wreck your shit if you let him. That would do around 70 damage to a RESISTANCE. Thankfully Rhyperior does have a few exploitable weaknesses, as well as low movement, lower than normal accuracy and only being able to attack every 2 turns. But when it can attack, something is probably going to die.




Oh look, we just won. Compared to Illusio, Terrera is much easier if you use this 3 turn strat. But with the right team, you could also exploit the various weaknesses of the enemy team and beat them up pretty easily. And use the wind to your advantage so the AI keeps going up the towers and then get knocked off immediately. They do that. A lot.



The downside to using the quick strategy is you only get the recruit Shingen. But this is not the canon playthrough, so I don't give a shit. While Illusio is more enjoyable to fight (aside from the awkward movement), Terrera is a lot of fun too if you smack everything for super effective damage, while also being much easier to manipulate.

Intrigue



You defeated me, Azai!

Uh, sure, we'll call it that.

My deepest apologies. If I had just-

Forget it, Yukimura. Winning this battle was never my intention.

Huh?

I was always planning to join young Azai here.



So there you are. I thought you might show up.

Anyone strong enough to defeat my nemesis is worthy of my service. From now on, I shall my fight for your army, Azai.

...!

Lord Azai! This is great news!



And then things play out the same with Nobunaga appearing to ruin everyone's day. So back to our regular playthrough.

Threat to Ransei



Let's patch up our new kingdom so no one thinks about attacking us. Oh yeah, the map music has changed since we'll be facing Nobunaga's army from here on out. All the single kingdoms are gone, now Ransei is split between 2 different armies. So who are we gonna face against?




Well doesn't this look like fun? Next time we'll have a bit of a breather before going on to fight against Nobunaga's generals.