Fourth Kawanakajima 1561 - Phase 1

Uesugi Vanguard Attacks

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 stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. The rest is history.