So, I decided to dust off my PS2 and play some games. Haven't made time for it much this year and I miss it.
Samurai Warriors 2: Empires catches my eye. I run through with the Date clan first, during which I only manage to get two of the Three Great Men of Date mini generals. (History geek? Who's a history geek?) Why, I ask you, after two games - three now- doesn't Date's generals rank unique character designs? I'm tempted to make generals for them in the New Officer section but I haven't succumbed yet. That's a side note, though.
The main point is, next I play through with Mitsunari with the Sekigahara scenario. I win Sekigahara, which - in Empires - is just a random battle which wins you nothing but a movie scene. You still have to conquer everyone afterwards. The rest of the game, as it plays, would make an awesome AU fanfic.
During Sekigahara, I capture mini general Takaharu Fukushima, and I hire him cuz I need retainers. So I've got who I have to figure is Masanori's son working for me. Not only that, but he ends up being used constantly during my early campaigns since most main generals are already aligned with someone else.
Sakon already works for Mitsunari. The second main general I hire is Okuni, cuz I can play her well and she's not aligned with anyone.
So there's the starting set up. Mitsunari conquering Japan with Sakon, Okuni, and Masanori's son.
Then the Toyotomi clan renounces their alliance with the Ishida clan, and starts attacking us. And won't
stop attacking us. I'm in the middle of everyone, slowly fighting west - enemies on all sides now that the Toyotomi are attacking - and the Tokugawa offer a three year alliance. So I accept.
In my head I'm thinking - if this were a fic, Mitsunari would be having a break down right about now. His chosen lord's son has renounced him and he has an alliance with his worst enemy.
While I finish conquering west, refusing to attack the Toyotomi, I let my generals do the hiring and wind up with Fuma and Sasaki as generals. (For the uninformed, I am not a fan of either. And in a fic, this is once again a wtf moment. Mr Honorbound and "fight with me against injustice" with the two blood thirstiest warriors you can get working for him. Great.) Meanwhile, the Takeda are conquered by the Tokugawa, and Sanada is working for them, and the Uesugi are conquered by the Date so Kanetsugu is working for them. Hire requests sent to both are refused. (Thank you, "best friends" for your support.)
Before I conquer the Toyotomi or Tokugawa, my generals hire Nene and Ina... once again, the fic worthiness of such a scenario is awesome. Nene fighting against Hideyoshi's heir and Ina against her father's chosen lord.
I do have Ginchiyo, Shimazu, and Miyamoto as the fight comes down to Ishida vs Tokugawa and Date. In the second to the last fight with the Tokugawa Mitsunari has to face off with Sanada and Keiji. I get Keiji, but have to fight Sanada again in the final fight with the Tokugawa.
Now it's come down to Ishida vs Date, and I finally have Sanada on my side. Despite having to spend no less than three attacks and two defenses with Kanetsugu as the main general, I never capture him, and even as the Date territory comes down to just North Mutsu, he's STILL working for Masamune.
Once again, this is awesome fic material. (Kanetsugu x Masamune, anyone?) But as I wanted a chance to fight with the sworn friendship trio, it's rather frustrating as a gamer.
So, yes, I conquer the Date but still don't capture Kanetsuga. So my final movie has Sakon, Nene, Sanada, and Keiji as my main generals.
I just might have to write this sometime.
