December 1858
The showdown against the American Militias and Partisans will be played this December as our Guard Corps under Katamori will make a sweeping move to clear the central part of California. Although they have again the quantitative advantage, we are confident we can get them with our superior training and morale. Commander-in-Chief Takenaka insists in clearing this part of the State sooner than later.
The battle was a close call, but we managed to dispatch the Californian defenders.
Daimyo Katamori has been congratulated! The Tairo had decided to promote him in the name of the young Shogun! This will probably mean that he will surpass Takenaka in the hierarchy and be the new C-in-C.
In Europe the Italians were quite disturbed by the Austrian advances against the French. In a crisis were they played a hard stance, war was inevitable. Now Austria will have to find on two fronts, divided only by the neutral Swiss. Can the Italians take advantage of the Austrian insistence in France? The Italians sent an ultimatum and are now mobilizing... The Piedmontese King will be C-in-C.
The newly arrived Japanese forces from Kyushu island make a sweeping movement to the South in order to completely surround and overwhelm Northern California. Katamori will seek battle once more, in order to open the way to lay siege on San Fransisco. An imperative goal if he wants to have his growing armies supplied. We need an advanced logistics center to have supplies brought in from Japan.
Katamori has the battle he wanted against the field defenders of San Fransisco. By late December he strikes with force. In the early parts of the day, only the Guards commit, but later in the day the siege artillery pounds and scatters the defenders.
Takenaka, now with fewer forces to command, tries hard to keep the Americans from regaining the Los Angeles coaling station.