The battle of Nagashino was the beginning of the downfall of the great Takeda Empire. At this time, the daimyo (king), Takeda Shingen is dead, and his son, Takeda Katsuyori, is now in charge. The problem is, Shingen's son is hot headed, and il-expirienced. After his father's mysterious death, Katsuyori immediately set out to attack Nagashino; one of Tokugawa Ieyasu's forts. The Takeda army beshieged the fortress, trying to eventually starve out the defenders, but one of the defenders managed to escape at night. He alerted Ieyasu and immediatley, Ieyasu set out with a relief force. His friend, Oda Nobunaga brought and even lardger force to Ieyasu's aid. When the Nobunaga and Ieyasu's armies arrived, Katsuyori's generals told him to retreat. Takeda Katsuyori's army was surrounded and outnumbered. Katsunori said that he would never retreat and ordered a full frontal assult on the arriving army. The Takeda force was completely decimated partially due to Nobunaga's 500 matchlock arquebuses.