"The Spy"

In addition to painting and modelling in preparation for this scenario, I've also discovered that there are additional rules contained in the "Darkness and Deceit" booklet (included in the "Ronin" boxed set) that cover climbing and leaping, as well as fighting inside buildings and also rules for 'defended positions'.
As you can imagine, I'm quite pleased about this given the fact that I'd already disregarded the basic rule stating "Buildings are assumed to be locked and barred from the inside and cannot be entered", and these 'official' rules will be in play from now on. They'll also be taken into account when I write my personal 'review' of Test of Honour after completing the six introductory scenarios.

Without further ado then, here's the briefing from the "Battle Guide"

Murayame Tanjiro's Briefing
Desperate for news of your missing brother, you send a message to a geisha who is a favourite of the enemy clan's lord, but is actually loyal to your clan.
However, your letter is discovered, exposing the spy's true loyalties and she is forced to flee. You must track her down before she is caught.

Saito Yoshihito's Briefing
A spy has been uncovered in your lord's household, and she has fled carrying who knows what information that your enemies would benefit from knowing.
Your master has tasked you with finding the traitor and returning her, unharmed, for questioning and punishment.

The deployment map, showing three objective tokens placed at least 12" from the table edge, representing possible locations where the spy could be hiding.
The spy can be located by making a successful "Test of Wits" while in base contact with the objective token if there are no enemy warriors within 3".

Resplendent on a brand new felt game mat from Ceri Designs - I've not even had time to iron out the creases yet, here's the deployment at the start of the game......

Murayama Tanjiro has opted for  six individual yari (spear) troops along with his "Wise Samurai" companion, ko gashira (sergeant), and a group of bowmen to make up the 21 point Takeda clan buntai.
Saito Yoshihito is accompanied by his cousin rescued in the previous scenario, Muratagi Kozue (I'd painted the mini because I expected the following scenario to involve getting him home from the battlefield!). The rest of the buntai consists of a group of bowmen and ko gashira of bows Shinjai (he's lower class so has no "family" name) , and two groups of yari under ko gashira Tamaki Jiro.

The Mori were slow to get moving (they drew Fate tokens on their first two activations!), and could only look on as Tanjiro reached the first suspect.
NB: gratuitous shot of my latest tree creation - the result of pruning the Lavender as part of my "outside jobs this week!)

Yoshihito might have been slower than his opponents, but he'd reached one of the villagers at the end of turn one, and he was the first to get a chance to see if she was the spy at the start of turn two.......

 .... despite being under enemy fire.......

....... and aided by the Skill he'd picked up while being delayed by those Fate tokens,

Yoshihito hit the jackpot and finds the cunningly disguised Geisha spy, who now reveals her true identity, casting off her disguise now that her cover is blown.

All that remained was to escort her back off his deployment table edge, to once again thwart his arch rival.

However, seeing his nemesis leaving the village with the prize, Tanjiro charged forward yelling a challenge and some unprintable obscenities. . Kozue told his cousin to keep going and staunchly blocked Tanjiro's path, drew his katana and entered into a duel with the Takeda leader. He was cut and was pushed back, but still blocked Tanjiro's path, as the Mori bowmen pushed through the hedgerow to help cover the withdrawal.

 The Mori clan Loyal Spearmen clamber over the fence and advance to join the fight, hoping to isolate the enemy samurai, who has advanced well beyond his supporting ashigaru,

Suzu quickly makes his way past them - not heading to his leader's assistance, but heading for the gap and intending to make his way around the minka to intercept the spy and her escort....

but the gap is quickly plugged by the Experienced Spearmen and a vicious fight ensues as the Wise Samurai desperately attempts to battle his way through.

 Unable to reach either fight in one turn, the Takeda sergeant advances,

and orders the nearest of his spearmen to charge the group in the village,

hoping to at least 'pin' them and prevent them joining one of the main fights. Unable to get past the points of the group's yari, the spearman is forced back.

The duel between Tanjiro and Kozue duel continues as flurries of blows are countered on either side.

As the duellists pause for breath, (in ToH all melee phases end with the opponents 1" apart) the Mori bowmen fire at the opposition samurai......

... who heroically dodges the arrows.......

... and immediately resumes his attack...

.......cutting down Kozue in a spray of blood!

The situation at the end of turn two.

Yoshihito continues to make his way to safety with the geisha, determined to complete the mission and ensure Kozue's brave efforts weren't in vain.

Confident that his bow gashira Shinjai, along with the squad of archers would delay Tanjiro, but unaware that Suzu was winning the fight just beyond the minka....

.... cutting down one of the spearmen group and forcing them back, clearing the way to give persuit...... 

........ would he be in time?

Yoshihito exits the battlefield in the opening phases of turn three, seizing yet another victory for the Mori clan and leaving the final positions looking like this.

Well that didn't go the way I expected!
I was fully expecting a bit of a 'maul' to take place within the confines of the village, but this turned out to be quite a tense little encounter - once again, my hat is off to the writers.

I've tried to take another step in the transition from 'report' to 'narrative', which means not all actions in all phases were described, as we followed the key events. I hope this still allowed everyone to follow and enjoy the write up.
Thanks for visiting, thanks for reading, and your comments are as ever most welcome.