I do not heed the agonizing cry of the soldier that my sword has just run through. Nor do I heed the cries of my bodyguards as they gallantly defend their lord. For if I were to fall, alliances would crumble, enemies would bring terror to my people, breeding more battles, more war and more death. Indeed, my prowess on the battlefield is necessary for the survival of thousands, millions of innocent peasants whose allegiance shifts after nearly every battle. But no longer. For in my hand rests the sword that will bring this Era of Warring States to an end, and I will conquer, unify Japan, bringing all armies under one rule and ushering in a new way of peace. For my rule will be just and noble, unlike the enemy that I clash blades with. Ironic then, that my enemy, is no doubt thinking these same thoughts. We want the same end, the same goal, but we meet in battle nonetheless. I do not heed the sickening crunch as my horse tramples soldiers who are nothing but fodder. I heed nothing but the sword in my hand, and my enemy far away. I am a Samurai.
I welcome you to the Era of Warring States in Japan, which took place about 500 years before your time. I am a samurai in the service of the noble and genius strategist Shingen Takeda, the man who will bring peace to this land, for it is rife with conflict. Warlords terrorize the land, fighting for insignificant pieces of land while their people tremble with fear. There is Nobunaga Oda, the Demon Lord, who rules with fear and power. With his vast legions, he stands the best chance of conquering Japan. But standing in his way is Takeda cavalry, and we would sacrifice every last man before permitting the Demon to enter our land. There is also Kenshin Uesegi, who is known as the War God. His sword has felled thousands, and he knows no other life but war. Without war, he is nothing. Many of the most powerful warriors are not the commanders themselves, but their famed officers. There is the elusive ninja Hanzo Hattori, the nobleman Mitsuhide Akechi and Oichi, the sister of Nobunaga. It is always interesting to see how these various talents match on the battlefield, though I am usually right in the middle of it. My name is Yukimaru Sanada, and I will see the Takeda army to the end.
Though I wish for a peaceful era to begin, my home is the battlefield. Legions of troops rush against me, but they all fall to my spear. I have many ways to dispatch death to those who would come before me. I can charge up my weapon, which is useful for taking out crowds or even dueling an enemy officer. For the times when it is most needed, my musuo attack can clear a crowd the quickest. I have to build up this attack first, either by delivering or receiving blows, or by finding items of the field of battle. Once this attack has been built up, I unleash the full extent of my power, and time seems to slow down for me. I can move about at the same rate, but my enemies slow to a crawl. I can then devastate them with a ferocious combination of blows that sends them flying through the air and giving me some much needed breathing room. If I am close to death, this attack will become even more furious, though one wrong step and I could be one lying on the blood-soaked earth.
Fighting on horseback is difficult, but can be efficient for the initial charge into an enemy camp. Many times, important officers will be surrounded by troops, and trampling them is a good way to allow me to isolate the enemy officer. I am also an expert marksman, but there is rarely a good time to make use of the bow or the musket. They do minimal damage compared to the sword. My main objective of every battle is to of course defeat the enemy commander, and to do this, I must stop the flow of his troops and eliminate most of his officers. The positions of officers can be found on the map, which are highly detailed, and even show the gates from which the troops pour from. I am also given objectives from my commander, which I must try to complete if I am to be the best warrior that I can be. These objectives range from simple; like blocking the advance of a specific officer so he cannot reach our camp or eliminating a fleeing officer in order to crush the enemies morale, which always plays an important role in battle. If morale is high, the troops will fight harder, but if it is low, they may be quicker to succumb to the enemies blade. Oftentimes, I will receive many objectives at once, which is confused me at first, but after a few battles, I was able to carry all of them out. Some battles require that I make a choice, which will determine the outcome. Do I charge the main camp and risk death to become the hero of the battle or let someone else take the glory? Such decisions are part of a samurai's life.
Throughout each battle, I can acquire weapons and items by killing officers and smashing crates found throughout the landscape. These items enhance my abilities, like strengthening my attack, or extending the length of my musuo attack. I can find a total of 5 weapons, each with a higher level than the one before it. Many of these weapons come equipped with enhancers as well, and some even come with an elemental attack. The better my weapon is, the better my attacks will be, and I will be much hardier in battle. My abilities are also enhanced from gaining experience after slaying officers and reserve captains. As my experience increases, so does my ability, and my rank as well. Gaining experience is important, because if I avoid fights with officers, I will not have the strength to take part in future battles, and would be quickly defeated. Thrashing through hordes of fodder is fun, but it doesn't help me as much as a clashing of swords with a high-powered officer would.
Japan is not what it used to be. Now covered by vast cities, the Japan I know is a land of rivers, mountains and grassy plains. War can be detrimental to the environment, so many of our battlefields are muddy and wasted, it is not all cherry blossoms that you might expect. Still, when you are in battle, you heed not the landscape, but your enemy. A proper samurai will not mind if his field of victory isn't pretty. Speaking of samurai, on the battlefield is where you will find some of the most ornate armor on the deadliest warlords. It is always easy to spot an officer in the crowd, due to his unique armor; like the mask of Shingen, the broad shoulder plates of Mitsuhide or the great antlers of Tadakatsu. I spend most of the time on the battlefield surrounded by many enemies, and very rarely do I miss a step. In the rare occasion that I do, time slows down for me too. All around me, I am consumed by the roar of battle. Horns blowing, swords clanging and slashing, horses trotting. It is all part of the battle. All of the officers seem to insist on speaking a language that I am not familiar with. I really wish they would stop it, because they usually sound ridiculous. But I heed not their voice.
Indeed, there is much warring to be done in Japan. I have many choices to make on the battlefield, and so do all of my enemies and comrades. The joy of battle may be folly, but the thrill of it cannot be ignored. Defeating the enemy commander after dismantling his army is a thrill that few can ever claim to have experienced. Whether or not you have ever been to ancient China, the Era of Warring States will be a new experience for you, and the best. I heed not the calls of other battles, sports or adventures. I am a samurai warrior.