Most of the joint battles of the Wu family were defeated, unable to annihilate the enemy's effective strength. There are almost no bloody battles like the Battle of Kawanakajima with countless casualties.
This requires two extremely confident masters and a group of brave and adept Tie Hanhan who are determined to fight to the death. It is difficult to recreate this kind of scene in the wars of the Wu family, who are accustomed to taking advantage of the weak and fearing the strong.
Although the elites under Hojo Ushimasa are not bad in combat power, they are still a samurai military force composed of various families, with semi-independent combat command authority.
When the war is not going well, as long as someone fights to break the rear, others can run away. The battlefield with tens of thousands of people seemed to be fought fiercely. After the war, hundreds of people died, and their luck almost lost thousands.
Most of the people fled back, but the Hojo family's roots were still there, and the war situation was still confrontational. If Echigo wins, it will be great, but the Hojo family will be more conservative, and the turtle shell will be harder to chew.
As for Hojo Ushimasa's dispatch of troops this time, he seemed to be full of confidence in himself, and he also wanted to fight a battle of annihilation of the Echigo army and drive Uesugi Terutora completely back to his hometown of Echigo.
Shiba Yoshigan would think so because it was Uesugi Terutora who reminded him of the terrain of Sano Territory.
If there were no cavalry in ancient times to pursue and kill, what would be the best way to annihilate the enemy?
That is to choose a geographical location that is not convenient for the enemy to escape, just like Young and Danger chasing people into a dead end and blocking them in the alley.
Sano Territory is surrounded by the Ashio Mountains and the Watarase River to the south. Surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing a river on one side, it is a perfect fighting ground.
After entering the Sano Territory, no matter whether it is the Echigo army or the Hojo army, once they form a battle formation and come into contact, no one can easily retreat. The defeated ones must suffer heavy losses.
Hojo Ushimasa chose this place because he was prepared to regard this battle as the starting point of his glorious career. With 20,000 Hojo elites in hand, how could she lose? What to lose?
However, Uesugi Teruhu saw a glimmer of opportunity. As long as the elite Hojo elites were annihilated here, the Kanto samurai family would not hesitate to surrender to Uesugi Teruhu and kill this former Internet celebrity of the Hojo family.
It's just 20,000 soft-footed shrimps. I will attack with my entire army and crush you!
Sibo Yiyin thought clearly, and his heart suddenly pounded. It's a bit difficult to fight, but the results are fruitful and exciting.
What a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
He looked at Uesugi Teruhora and asked.
"How many people are you planning to take to Sano?"
Uesugi Teruhu said calmly.
"Bring all the military strength you can."
Shiba Yoshigan slowly frowned and carefully counted the various troops of Echigo's army.
Naoe Keizuna and Ohkuma Asahide were arranging logistics at the rear, while their Joetsu and Chugotsu soldiers were hanging behind. Mouri Kagehiro's Kashiwazaki crowd, and Nakajo Fujishi's Shimogotsu crowd are still on the way.
The Numata leader needs to be guarded, and the Sino-Vietnamese people of Kawada's relatives cannot move. Uesugi Kagenobu's two long-tail troops in Echigo want to keep an eye on the families in central Ueno who are ready to move.
Sibo Yiyin calculated carefully and said.
"It seems we can't spare 10,000 people."
Terutora Uesugi said.
“Kakizaki Keike’s Joetsu is available for direct reserve, Saito Asanobu’s Chugotsu is available, and Irobe Katsunaga’s Shimotsu is available.
Except for the troops of Kawada Nagauchi and Uesugi Keishin, the rest of the local troops who had arrived all went out with the army. I was able to pull out 6,000 people. "
Shiba Yiyin looked at the ladies in the audience and said.
"Yamazaka Yukimori, plus Tsukune Tsuna, Honjo Nobunaga's Odai people and the Shimogotsu tribe. Shima Katsumaru, Ogasawara Nagashi's united front troops. Sanada Nobunaga's Odai people and the Sanada tribe, about two thousand people.
Eight thousand people in total? Eight thousand versus twenty thousand? "
Terutora Uesugi stared at Shiba Yoshigan and said decisively.
"That's enough! Hojo Umasa is so self-righteous, let us teach her a lesson she will never forget."
Shiba Yiyin looked back at her fiery eyes and said involuntarily.
"good."
———
The military meeting did not drag on for long, and the Echigo girls were already impatient and eager to have a hearty battle right away.
The Hojo family shrank like a turtle. Hojo Umasa was willing to show his head and get beaten, so of course he had to satisfy her.
After arranging the marching route, Zhu Ji will go back immediately, and the army will be mobilized immediately.
After the girls left, Uesugi Teruhora whispered to Shiba Yoshigan.
"Have those batches of plate armor arrived at Numata City?"
Shiba Yiyin didn't understand what she meant, but he still nodded and answered.
"Should have arrived a long time ago."
Teruhora Uesugi said with a strange smile.
"Mr. Kenshin, have them transported to Sano Territory and give them a surprise to the Hojo army."
Sibo Yiyin then felt a throb in his heart.
"You mean?"
Uesugi Teruhu squinted his eyes, with a hint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.
"Sano Territory is located on the north bank of the Watarase River. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides and a plain in the middle. There are no rolling hills and no dense water network.
The land is flat, the soil dries out after autumn, and there is no rain to make the ground muddy. "
Sibo Yiyin was stunned and said slowly.
"This is the most suitable battlefield for heavily armored warriors. Once the battle begins, there is no way to retreat. The brave one who meets on a narrow road wins.
Those who were defeated were either besieged on the hilltop or driven down the river. "
Uesugi Teru's eyes were slightly red, and he said excitedly.
“Use heavy-armored warriors to hold down the formation, hide the heavy-armored cavalry behind the mountains, and wait for opportunities to attack the enemy’s rear.
No one can stop them, they will definitely be defeated! "
Shiba Yiyin nodded. The Wu family's armor was very light, and even the general's cassock only weighed five or six kilograms.
These fifteen kilograms of plate armor were put into battle, and they were invulnerable to bows and arrows. There were no iron cannons in Kanto, so what could Hojo Ujimasa use to withstand the defense line without breaking down.
Sibo Yiyin also gradually became excited and said.
"Yes, I'll have people take out this batch of plate armor right away, and you and I can distribute them."
Uesugi Teruhu shook his head and said.
"It can't be divided. You have people transport it to the front line and let your imperial people use it.
I remember there were two hundred of them, and some more elites were gathered together. Collect two hundred heavily armored warriors and fifty heavily armored cavalry for use at critical moments. "
Shiba Yiyin said in confusion.
"Then your military strength..."
Terutora Uesugi smiled bitterly.
“It’s good not to divide, but if we divide, these guys will have to quarrel again.
I'm not in the mood to argue with them right now, so I might as well let you focus on using them. Anyway, the Hime Warriors at the Kanto Palace have been training for a long time, so they cooperate well.
Transport them to the front line in a low-key manner and distribute them before the war. The rest will be dealt with after the war. "
Yoshigan Shiba looked at Terutora Uesugi and didn't know what to say for a moment.
Although the Uesugi retainers were greedy, they still knew the importance of life-threatening matters in battle, and they could even be said to be brave and not afraid of death.
Teruhora Uesugi refused to ask for a piece of plate armor, not because he was afraid that they would cause chaos before the battle, but for other reasons.
Shiba Yoshigan thought that he would send two thousand troops and Uesugi Teruhora six thousand troops. If this battle goes smoothly, it will herald the demise of the Hojo family.
The distribution of military merits in this battle is directly related to the results of the Kanto Strategy. Terutora Uesugi hoped that the plate armor would work so that the Kanto Palace would not fall too far behind the Uesugi family in terms of military merit.
