Fourth Kawanakajima 1561 - Phase 1 (Samurai Battles)

Historical Background: The battles of Kawanakajima is the story of two powerful clans each at the limits of their geographical power, but neither clan in the first three battles were willing to commit and therefore resulted in indecisive encounters.  In 1561, Uesugi Kenshin marched to Kawanakajima determined to bring the fight to Takeda Shingen for a final and decisive battle.  A series of signal-fires, however, alerted Shingen of Kenshin's advance and he ordered his army to mobilize.

The two evenly matched armies were again in a very familiar position, until Yamamoto Kansuke, one of Shingen's most trusted generals, proposed a plan called "Operation Woodpecker" which called for a flanking move and attack on the rear of the Uesugi  army.  Shingen approved, but Kenshin suspected something and after detaching a force  to guard his flank, ordered is vanguard to attack the Takeda army that had crossed the Chikumagawa.  As dawn broke, Takeda Nobushige, Shingen's younger brother, was shocked to find that the Uesugi army was not retiring as planned, but was charging forward toward his vanguard.

The Uesugi army begin by a charge at the center, pushing back the Takeda vanguard and killing Takeda Nobushige in a duel. (Uesugi 0, Takeda 0)

The Uesugi push their attack further, either wiping out or driving off most of the Takeda vanguard at the loss of one of their commanders. (Uesugi 1, Takeda 1)

Most of the Takeda forces fall back back to their samurai for support. (Uesugi 1, Takeda 1)

The Takeda samurai on the left flank surge forward in a counterattack and wipe out part of the Uesugi mounted samurai. (Uesugi 1, Takeda 2)

The Takeda samurai in a forward position fight on fiercely, but fail to finish off multiple troops of the Uesugi army. Meanwhile, the remaining Uesugi cavalry leads an attack against the battered remains of the Takeda vanguard to devastating effect. (Uesugi 4, Takeda 2)

The Takeda samurai try to intervene against the charge, but too little effect as more of the remains of the Takeda vanguard are exterminated. With so few forces left, the Takeda are forced to accept defeat. (Uesugi 5, Takeda 2)