[LM6] Test of The General

[Seppun Urusai]

Urusi considers the field, sinking into his Seppun's stillness and seeing...there, there is the opening! He points, he gives orders, and his strategy commences, unfolding, enveloping, and suddenly pivoting in a piercing, devastating, unforeseen direction that takes his opponent completely by surprise!

Spurred on by the sudden success, his stentorian call rings out once more, bidding his troops step forward for the Empire, and though it sounds right and many do, a voice in Urusai's mind chides him that he is overdoing it.

~~~~~
Step 1 Void/Tactics TN 2, https://sakkaku.org/rolls/2836; passes at 2 sux, 0 opps, 1 strife
Step 2 Air/Games TN 2 (VP), TN 2, https://sakkaku.org/rolls/2837; passes at 4 sux, 1 opp, 4 strife; opp to eat strife
Step 3 Earth/Command (Distinction), TN 2, https://sakkaku.org/rolls/2838; passes at 2 sux, 2 opps, 1 strife; 1 opp to eat strife
4 Battle Points (+ approach V A E)
3 Opps
5 Strife

[Shinjo Jingyi]

Jingyi felt out of place. She had some familiarity with the game, but only in passing. Unfortunately, improvisation could only take her so far.

- - -
[LM6] Test of The General, Step 1, Water 3/Tactics 0, TN 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1


[LM6] Test of The General, Step 2, Air 2/Games 0, TN 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1

Opportunity to Reduce Strife

[LM6] Test of The General, Step 3, Earth 2/Comand 0, TN 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1


Approach: Water/Air/Earth
Points 1 (Water)
Opportunities: 1
Strife: 3

[Kaiu Taura]

Kaiu are not battlefield commanders, at least, this Kaiu is not. But she will do her best . . . as always.

She set about organizing her thoughts, deception was not her strong suite but . . . she approached it as any other problem [Earth/Tactics] in an orderly fashion. But ultimately, it was beyond her. Too many things she was not used to managing but somehow, to her surprise, she managed.
Success: 2 (required: 2) Opportunity: 1 Strife: 2

Moving forward, she did her best to structure her plans as requested. Taura mind tried to place these plans into a logical order. [Earth/Games] But her strategies were too direct.
Success: 0 (required: 2) Opportunity: 1 Strife: 0

Now, Taura had commanded peasants before when organizing work, such as bridge building, so she had an idea how to do that. [Earth/Command, spending Void] But military formations was something she only had a passing knowledge of, but organization was organization, ne? It mostly worked out, though there was some shouting involved which she would have prefered to avoid.
Success: 3 (required: 2) Opportunity: 1 Strife: 2

At the end, she was pleased with the result. No one would mistake her for a tactical genius but she could be a competent organizer which is what her clan needed.

Final Strife 4

[Kitsuki Jun]

Jun is used to the appraising glowers of Mirumoto sensei... and used to only sometimes performing to their grudging satisfaction. Still, this sounds like an interesting puzzle of a test, and he's looking forward to wrestling with it.

... which is why the first part of the test, with all sorts of shadowy signaling and maneuvering before the conflict is actually joined, tries his patience something awful. Still, he manages to set up his opening gambit reasonably well, although the rattling of the wooden beads wrapped around his wrist as he fidgets with them between moves probably annoys his ashigaru. Perhaps it's something Jun missed in his impatience that lets his opponent see through his tricks at midgame, taking out several 'pieces' he had been counting on for his end-game strategy.

In the end, it's not exactly a resounding victory, but Jun's stubborn determination in the face of less-than-favorable odds seems to leave his troops in a good mood, and Mirumoto Shosuke appears not-actively-disappointed in his young clanmate's performance.

--

D6 LM Test of the General--step 1, Tactics 0/Earth 3, Impatience, StM | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 2

Success! +1 Battle Point
Anxiety triggered: +3 Strife, +1 void point
Cancel the rolled Strife with opps
Composure 3/8

D6 LM Test of the General--step 2, Games 0/Air 3, Kitsuki's Method lets Jun pretend to have skill 1. | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 3 / Strife: 2

Failed!
Cancel the rolled Strife with opps
Composure 3/8

D6 LM Test of the General--step 3, Command 0/Earth 3, StM, Indomitable Will distinction | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 3

Success! +1 Battle Point
Cancel the rolled Strife with opps
Composure 5/8

Total: 2 battle points
Approaches: Earth, failed roll, Earth
6 opportunities and 7 strife across kept dice

[Ender]

Mirumoto Shosuke comes down from his observation tower, as the ashigaru are dismissed to return to their tasks. "Three of you had the instincts that I look for in battlefield commanders. Those will do well in service to your lords." His voice was steady, before bowing. He brought forth Kuni Mitsuko, Kakita Yuji, and Seppun Urusai.

"Kuni Mitsuko-san. Your skill show what we expect from those who lead upon the Wall." He bowed to the Crab samurai-ko.

Then to Kakita Yuji. "The steel of your blade is tempered by a sharp eye, and clear instincts." A bow to the Kakita.

And then, to Seppun Urusai. "Your repuration sets the expectation. Your training and skill exceeds them. Congratulations, Seppun Urusai-san." He bowed again, and then offered the Seppun a Golden King piece for a Shogi set, this one carved from jade.

Outcome:
3rd Place - Kuni Mitsuko, 1 Topaz Point, 1 Glory
2nd Place - Kakita Yuji, 2 Topaz Points, 2 Glory
1st Place - Seppun Urusai, 3 Topaz Points, 3 Glory, 1 Jade Golden King shogi piece.

[Ender]

Favored Approaches:

Step 1 - Void
Step 2 - Air
Step 3 - Earth