Winter 1570 - Nearer the Camps

down fresh timbers raindrops run, tracing the wood's grain.

so like them we seep into the folds of hills,

in creeks' creases we creep

nearer the camps

we breathe through our nostrils,

deeply and evenly---the pungent smell of mud.

we hear the workmen snore,

see the glowing lanterns

now they build, next they will have to fight

Shimazu
Build Army Satsuma

Oda
Build Army Mikawa
Build Army Owari

Calling up fearsome samurai from the Dojos, Mori & Uesugi build the following:

Mori builds Fleet Iwami
Mori builds Army Nagato
Uesugi builds Army Kozuke

Humble Asakura Clan
Rallies an Army in Omi

Ancient Hojo Clan
Rallies Armies in Sagami and Izu

A S. Shinano
A Kai (these two are pretty obvious really...)
and F Tosa

Status Check 1570

Sorry for the late posting, but hopefully you could figure most of this out. Builds are still due tomorrow (Monday), though i think flexibility should be allowed.

It doesn't matter this round, but remember that for future rounds you can build on *any* empty supply centre that you own, not just the original ones.

I would appreciate thoughts on how long to continue the 'practice' game. The idea has been tabled of it becoming a permenant 'practice' game.

Ownership of supply centers:

Shimazu: Higo, Osumi, Satsuma.
Mori: Bingo, Chikuzen, Iwami, Nagato.
Chosokabe: Iyo, Sanuki, Tosa.
Asakura: Echizen, Omi, Settsu.
Oda: Kii, Mikawa, Owari, Yamato.
Uesugi: Echigo, Kozuke, Sado.
Takeda: Kai, Musashi, North Shinano, South Shinano.
Hojo: Hitachi, Izu, Sagami, Totomi.
Neutral: Bungo, Hizen, Izumo, Mino, Yamashiro.
Unowned: Inaba, Kazusa, Mutsu, Noto.

Shimazu: 3 Supply centers, 2 Units: Builds 1 unit.
Mori: 4 Supply centers, 2 Units: Builds 2 units.
Chosokabe: 3 Supply centers, 2 Units: Builds 1 unit.
Asakura: 3 Supply centers, 2 Units: Builds 1 unit.
Oda: 4 Supply centers, 2 Units: Builds 2 units.
Uesugi: 3 Supply centers, 2 Units: Builds 1 unit.
Takeda: 4 Supply centers, 2 Units: Builds 2 units.
Hojo: 4 Supply centers, 2 Units: Builds 2 units.
Neutral: 5 Supply centers, 5 Units: Builds 0 units.

Fall 1570 - Expected Blood

As the second blow hissed across my chest, I began to feel fear.

I had expected blood, but not so much of my own---

the handle of my katana was slippery with seeping panic.

Defeat moaned in my heart like the wind through cleft rocks.

Humble Asakura Clan:
Armada of Wakasa Bay beach at Noto
Samuri of Tamba conquer Settsu

Ancient Hojo Clan:
Fishermen of Suruga Bay seek refuge in Totomi
Farmers of Shimosa go to market in Hitachi

Shimazu Clan Green
Fleet Hyuga moves to Sout Pacific Ocean
Army Higo holds

Oda Clan Orange
Fleet Iga moves to Kii
Army Ise moves to Yamato

Fall order for the Mori & Uesugi:

Fleet Chikuzen defends and holds
Army Aki moves to and attacks Bingo
Fleet Etchu moves to Noto
Army Echigo moves to Sado

Chosokabe Clan:
Fleet Sanuki holds
Fleet Bungo Strait holds

Takeda Clan:
Army Kai moves to mushashi
Army N.Shinano supports army Kai to mushashi

Haridays

Friends,

I am leaving tomorrow for a few days of R&S with Claudia. If i have even the wisp of a wireless connection over the week, i will faithfully post the new map. Otherwise, the conflicts are limited enough that things should be clear. Detlef will, if he has time, give a written report on the new positions, and who gets to build what.

Eschat!

Spring 1570 - Begun to Writhe

Over the field of battle the mists have begun to writhe, the sun hangs blood red in the sky, reverberating the fiery orders shouted at the beginning of war. It is a time when foes, aggressors and allies all see their possibility as victor in the still static lines of a mutable map. The blood red sun hangs over the field, minute and mysterious as a pixel on a computer's screen. This pixel, it seems, is not the point. As with us, so much lies behind its manifestation, so much else will determine its destiny. Where will each point be set in this mosaic of military legend? How will their specific encoding be perverted as history makes its muscular efforts to wring even a starveling coherence from the flood of battle lust. With all due reverence to the sun: which warrior will cover it; change its light to the colour of their clan?

Humble Asakura Clan:
Armada of Echizen patrol Wakasa Bay
Samuri of Omi conquer Tamba

Ancient Hojo Clan:
Fishermen of Izu trawl Suruga Bay
Farmers of Sagami plow the fields of Shimosa

Oda Clan "D" Brown
Army Owari moves to Ise
Fleet Mikawa moves to Iga

Shimazu Clan "S" Green
Army Satsuma moves to Higo
Fleet Osumi moves to Hyuga

May my Samurai spread far and wide in the land of the Rising Sun!

Fleet Nagato moves to Chikuzen

Army Iwami moves to Aki

Fleet Echigo moves to Etchu
Army Kozuke moves to Echigo

Chosokabe Clan:
Fleet Lyo moves to Sanuki
Fleet Tosa moves to Bungo Strait

Takeda Clan:
Army S.Shinano moves N.Shinano
Army Kai holds

PRACTICE ROUND

Okay, since it doesn't really matter, I am going to arbitrarily assign countries:

Detlef: Shimazu / Oda clans - "S" (green) and "D" (brown) pieces
Gunther: Mori / Uesugi clans - "R" (light blue) and "U" (dark blue) pieces
Gisli: Chosokabe / Takeda clans - "C" (purple) and "T" (teal) pieces
Steve: Asakura / Hojo clans - "A" (orange) and "H" (grey) pieces

Please refer to the "Classic Map" to see full leader names. You will find plenty of information about each on the internet.

Remember - Supply centres with a neutral piece - "N" (white) - have an army that HOLDS every round until destroyed. Nations may SUPPORT these armies. They are DESTROYED if they are dislodged - they do not retreat. Supply centres in grey have no garrison, and are free for the taking.

I am awaiting confirmation from Nathan that he will act as our arms-reach compiler of orders. if he will do this, orders will be due Monday night at six p.m. EST. Otherwise, I will provide an alternative e-mail for orders to be sent.

Post any questions/discussion to the site.

Oh yeah, a vote: Practise round, or no practise round?
And should we keep the three week schedule of:

Spring:
Moves in by Monday Night,
Retreats by Thursday.

Fall:
Moves in by Monday Night,
Retreats by Thursday.

Placement/Removal:
In by Monday Night

We could get a practise round up by this Monday, possibly.

The Starting Positions

Here are the starting positions. I am going to e-mail a link of this blog to everyone, so that we can get started sometime in September.

Just a couple notes:

1) Detlef has raised concerns about the 'anonymous' e-mail thing, and i can see his point. It would involve all of us checking TWO e-mails, which we weren't going to check anyway. So we could instead just each have two powers, use our regular e-mails, and duke it out. Or, if anyone can think of something to subtle-ify the process, that's cool too.

2) How should the powers be decided? We could do it totally randomly, or come up with suitable pairs, and then randomise those. Or we could pick, Catan style (Player one picks, then two, then three, then four, then four, then three, then two, then one.)

3) Let me know if you have problems viewing or posting to this site. If everyone could post something, just so that I know you've been here, that would be great.

Hopefully you can click on this map to enlarge it!