Please allow me to recommend my topic on potential new civilizations and campaigns in Asia.
This saves me from stating my certain ideas again.
You could say that about any non-European civilization.
Buildings are more important to me. The Japanese and other civilizations deserve unique castle skins of their own.
As a fan of the Samurai Warriors series, personally I would choose the Sanada clan as the theme.
Sanada was originally a small clan that served Takeda. Its head, Sanada Masayuki, served many big clans for the survival of the clan, and protected the family in troubled times through his drifting alliances, but in the end he had to break up the family he values and let his two boys, N0buyuki and Yukimura, serve Tokugawa and Toyotomi respectively.
- (1561, Forth Battle of Kawanakajima) As a member of the Sanada clan serving the Takeda clan, the young Masayuki participates in this epic battle against the Uesugi clan.
- (1573, Battle of Mikatagahara) Despite the support of the Oda clan and the use of matchlock guns, which are considered a deterrent against cavalry, Takeda’s cavalry inflict the most humiliating defeat on Tokugawa Ieyasu in his life.
- (1575, Battle of Nagashino) The army of the arrogant Takeda heir surrounds Tokugawa’s castle, but the seemingly victorious suddenly get changed by the arquebusiers commanded by Oda Nobun4ga himself. Masayuki originally wanted to keep loyal to Takeda, but he has lost many family members, so he finally surrendered to Oda for the sake of his remaining family.
- (1582-1585, Tensho-Jingo Conflict and First Siege of Ueda) Nobunaga’s death shocked Japan! Masayuki must fight for the family’s survival in this chaotic situation.
- Betray the chaotic remnants of Oda who are fighting the Hojo clan in the south, and capture Numata Castle together with the eldest son N0buyuki with the help of resources from their northern allies, the Uesugi clan.
- The Uesugi clan went south to invade Northern Shinano. Defect to the Hojo clan and fight against Uesugi until they are willing to make peace.
- Accepted the younger brother Nobutada’s suggestion to betray again, allied with Tokugawa, and assisted an isolated Tokugawa-controlled castle to resist Hojo’s attack, preventing Hojo from occupying the entire Shinano.
- Build Ueda Castle.
- When Tokugawa Ieyasu led an army and asked to surrender Numata Castle to Hojo, send the second son Nobushige (aka Yukimura) to Uesugi’s territory to request an alliance with Toyotomi’s forces and protect Numata Castle and Ueda Castle from the onslaught of the Tokugawa-Hojo alliance.
- (1598-1600, Second Siege of Ueda) Survival was guaranteed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s support, and a peaceful relationship was established by marrying N0buyuki to an important Tokugawa general’s daughter, but the short-lived peace ended with Hideyoshi’s death. Masayuki and Yukimura decided to repay Hideyoshi’s kindness by continuing to serve the Western Army loyally, while N0buyuki and Nobutada joined the Eastern Army. You can choose to play the former to protect Ueda, or choose to play the latter to siege Ueda.
- (1614-1615, Siege of Osaka) Toyotomi was undoubtedly defeated, but Yukimura and the soldiers and ronin under his command remained loyal to the death. Use the fortress Sanada Maru as a base to protect Osaka long enough, and use all the strength to charge to Tokugawa Ieyasu and seriously injure him after the fall of Osaka. You can choose to play Yukimura to defend Osaka and become a martyr, or choose to play N0buyuki to lay siege to Osaka and hunt down Yukimura.
I’m aware that the Siege of Osaka in the early 17th century seems too late for the game’s timeline, but I’m willing to accept it because the entire story is still mainly in the 16th century, and it can give the family’s story a complete and great ending.
The whole story can be told by the elderly N0buyuki who is in his 90s, introducing the glory of his respected and beloved father and brother to his grandchildren. Regardless of whether the winner is the Eastern Army or the Western Army, whether N0buyuki or Yukimura survives in the end, the Sanada clan can survive. This is the most painful but successful strategy in the life of Masayuki, who is known for his resourcefulness. And Yukimura, as a legendary warrior, still plays a main role in many entertainment works hundreds of years later.