The Battle of Nagashino

Nobunaga was an absolutely ruthless victor. And he didn't have much mercy for his foes. They beat Tokugawa Iasu at the 1573 Battle of Mikata Ghara, which forced Nobunaga to come to his friend's aid. He then led 30,000 troops himself in order to take the fight to the Takeda before things got even more out of hand. This ultimately resulted in the 1575 Battle of Nagashino - sometimes described as the point at which Japanese warfare properly entered the modern era. At this point, Nobunaga is the preeminent power in Japan. But as ever, he is not one to rest on his laurels.