Changshan

Battle of Changshan
Date 193 Location Mt. Chang, Ji Province (near present-day Shijiazhuang, Hebei) Result Heishan bandits suffer heavy casualties, but Yuan Shao eventually withdraws
Forces
Yuan Shao's Forces	Heishan Bandits
Commanders
Yuan Shao	Zhang Yan

The Battle of Changshan (常山の戦い, rōmaji: Jōzan no Tatakai) was a battle during Yuan Shao's campaign against the Heishan Bandits. During the battle, he was aided by Lu Bu and his men.

Role in Games

Dynasty Warriors

In Dynasty Warriors 5, Yuan Shao faces off against Gongsun Zan and Zhang Yan. He is aided by Lu Bu's forces in this battle. While the main army attacks Gongsun Zan's garrisons in the center, Lu Bu and his men take the western route. Yuan Shao does not trust Lu Bu, who has to prove himself by defeating the enemies in the west. Once Zhang Yan is defeated, Lu Bu is able to earn Yuan Shao's trust eventually. Gongsun Zan attempts to repel Yuan Shao's men with his Baima cavalry, but they are no match for Yuan Shao. The three sworn brothers and Zhao Yun defend the outer castle and have to be defeated in order to open the gates to Gongsun Zan.

The battle returns during Lu Bu's story mode in Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends and can be unlocked by saving Wang Yun during the assassination of Dong Zhuo. After Lu Bu slays Dong Zhuo and becomes landless, he joins Yuan Shao and helps him subjugate Gongsun Zan by countering the cavalry and ambushes set up by Gongsun Zan's men and Liu Bei. As a difference from the fifth title, Zhang Yan and his gang are the major enemies. Rescuing Yuan Shao's army three times will convince Yuan Shao to reinforce Lu Bu during the hypothetical battle at Dingtao.

This returns in Dynasty Warriors 9. Wandering around for a new master to serve, Lu Bu enters Yuan Shao's camp at Ye. The attitudes of both and hostility depends on who you are playing as, but Yuan Shao allows Lu Bu's service towards him. As his first order, Lu Bu heads to get rid of the Changshan bandits who have raided a few nearby villages and have set up camp surrounded by mountains. While they fall, Yuan Shu's forces send reinforcements in via the south but they are swiftly dealt with via Lu Bu. Dong Bai also appears in Ye to face Lu Bu, though the narrative says she attacks the main camp, she isn't interested in anyone other than Lu Bu. Once that's done, all that remains is Zhang Yan and his bandits in the mountainside, defeating Zhang Yan wins the skirmish. A noticable departure from previous titles is the lack of Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei's forces. After the battle, Lu Bu and Yuan Shao have some tension again before Lu Bu leaves Yuan Shao's service. 

Warriors Orochi

Changshan appears in Warriors Orochi as a gaiden stage in Wu's story. The Orochi army fights against the resistance forces led by Mitsuhide Akechi. Their main target is the capture of the storehouses and escorting the supply captains into the base. Leading the three captains to the base before defeating Kotarō Fūma will make him join the Wu army.

Historical Information

Around the year 193, Yuan Shao led a punitive campaign to subdue the Black Mountain Bandits in Ji Province. He first led his men to attack them in Henei. Yuan Shao met the enemy forces at the Luchang hills, where he besieged the bandit leader Yu Du for five days until defeating and killing him and all of his 10,000 men. Yuan Shao then went north and attacked Zuozi Zhangba, defeating him and his followers as well. Finally, he attacked a bandit coalition of Li Damu, Guo Daxian, Huanglong, Qing Niujue, Zuoxiao, Liu Shi, and Yu Digen. Yuan Shao's men killed another 10,000 men and destroyed all of the enemy's camps and defenses, as well as killing the bandits.

After his victory at Luchang, Yuan Shao marched west to Changshan, where he Black Mountain Bandit leader Zhang Yan was located. They first attacked the bandits in the south, then moved north and destroyed the bandit nests along the Taihang mountains. Zhang Yan led 20,000 to 30,000 well trained troops to oppose Yuan Shao, who was aided by Lu Bu in his battle. The two forces clashed and fought for more than ten days. Although many bandits were killed, Yuan Shao's men were exhausted and Yuan Shao ordered his men to retreat. Zhang Yan also withdrew from the battle. Historically, this is the only battle that mentioned Lu Bu riding his prestigious steed Red Hare.

Gallery

Dynasty Warriors 5 stage image

Warriors Orochi stage image