squad-level tactics

Hey all. This is a legit question to any and all scholars out there
with access to the right sources.

I was researching over in the university library and there is a
notable lack of english sources concerning japanese tactics on a
squad-based level in sengoku and muromachi feudal combat. One I came
across giving brief information on the matter was "Samurai, Warfare
and the State in Early Medieval Japan (Warfare and History)" by Karl
F. Friday, his newest book. It concerns earlier medieval warfare and,
to be realistic, only revealed minimal on the subject (as there are
probably little surviving primary sources to draw from).

I got the basic impression that, like many other medieval combat
affairs, an army's maneovering capabilities were not as impressive as
may be assumed. When, if at all, combat was joined, samurai moved on
a squad level, rather independent and not too unlike their european
knight-errant counterparts. It was so, according to Friday, because
this small squad would most likely be the same samurai who they
locally trained with and thus knew most intimately in terms of
tactical capabilities. I was wondering if anyone else has access to
sources going in-depth on this topic, and if they could briefly
describe their impressions on the subject.

Thanks

> I've also read Karl Friday's book and found it quite informative.

Another book which gives a very good idea of the mediaeval society in
which the warfare was waged, and the social and political background,
is The World Turned Upside Down by Pierre Francois Souyri (London
Pimlico 2002) (v. good bibliography, not all in French!)

Does anyone else have any opinions on these books?

>
>
> Hey all. This is a legit question to any and all scholars out there
> with access to the right sources.
>
> I was researching over in the university library and there is a
> notable lack of english sources concerning japanese tactics on a
> squad-based level in sengoku and muromachi feudal combat. One I

came

> across giving brief information on the matter was "Samurai, Warfare
> and the State in Early Medieval Japan (Warfare and History)" by Karl
> F. Friday, his newest book. It concerns earlier medieval warfare and,
> to be realistic, only revealed minimal on the subject (as there are
> probably little surviving primary sources to draw from).
>
> I got the basic impression that, like many other medieval combat
> affairs, an army's maneovering capabilities were not as impressive as
> may be assumed. When, if at all, combat was joined, samurai moved

on

> a squad level, rather independent and not too unlike their european
> knight-errant counterparts. It was so, according to Friday, because
> this small squad would most likely be the same samurai who they
> locally trained with and thus knew most intimately in terms of
> tactical capabilities. I was wondering if anyone else has access to
> sources going in-depth on this topic, and if they could briefly
> describe their impressions on the subject.
>
> Thanks
>
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