Masatsugu Tsuchiya

Masatsugu Tsuchiya is the brother of Masatsune Tsuchiya and is one of Shingen Takeda's Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda. Masatsugu, like Masayuki Sanada, would first join the Takeda during the battle of Kawanakajima, but was among the veteran commanders that perished at Nagashino.

Role in Games
Masatsugu often appears as one of the cavalry commanders of Nagashino. In Oda side of the first two games, he often acts as one of the first cavalry commanders to charge the palisades and must be defeated to protect the riflemen. In the third game, he begins advancing once Shingen reveals himself and takes command of the battle. In the fourth game, he and Sakon will attack Nagashino castle after the initial failure to break the palisades. In the fifth installment, he is one of the guardians of the Takeda camp and will begin moving to cover Shingen's retreat. In the Takeda's side of the fourth installment, he appears at Nobuyuki Sanada's orders to intercept Ieyasu Tokugawa's attack on Katsuyori Takeda.

Masatsugu takes a more prominent role in Spirit of Sanada, being one of Masayuki's friends with the pair having their first battle together at Kawanakajima, where Masatsugu would protect the supplies that Masayuki delivered for their forces. At Mimase Pass, he can be summoned to help Katsuyori protect the allied main camp. Following Shingen's death, Masatsugu takes a more active role during Katsuyori's Nagashino campaign. During the open battle at Shitaragahara, however, disaster strikes when the cavalry is decimated by the Oda riflemen. After the death of Nobutsuna Sanada, Masatsugu, Masakage Yamagata, and Nobufusa Baba all charge the palisades together in order to buy more time for Katsuyori's escape and are all killed. Masatsugu is personally grieved by his brother, Masatsune and Masayuki, but they remain proud that Masatsugu died proving his loyalty. After Masatsune's later death with Katsuyori, Masayuki would lament the tragic fate that the Tsuchiya brothers had suffered.

Quotes

 * "Masayuki... Good luck! Tsuchiya Unit, charge!
 * "For my lord, I have no regrets. I am prepared to die... Urggh!"
 * "It's good to see you safe, Masatsugu."
 * "Oh, Masayuki! I did make it back somehow... And I have something to say to you. I didn't have a chance before, what with all the preparations in full swing, but thank you for helping transport the supplies to Kaizu Castle."
 * "...I simply did as I was instructed. I am glad to see you back here, Masatsugu."
 * Masayuki Sanada and Masatsugu Tsuchiya; Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada

Historical Information
Masatsugu was originally born as 'Kanamaru Heihachiro (金丸平八郎) and as one of Shingen's Six Wise Protectors. Because of this, Heihachiro's name was changed to Masatsugu as a result. Even amongst the Six Wise Protectors, Masatsugu was said to have been particularly favored, being given the seat directly beside Shingen during poetry gatherings. The Takeda Family's record, the Kōyō Gunkan further this by suggesting a more intimate relationship between Masatsugu and Shingen, and an incident where an Oda messenger presented Shingen with a scarlet kasa from Nobunaga, which Shingen promptly gave to Masatsugu.

Masatsugu would remain at Shingen's side at the Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima and defended the Takeda camp from a fierce Uesugi assault. Because of his service, he was awarded the surname "Tsuchiya" though conflicting accounts are unsure on what specific date in 1567 he changed his name, though he had already changed it by 1568. Masatsugu would be promoted following the battle of Mimase Pass, and was known for being among the youngest generals of Shingen at the age of 22 and was later made as one of Shingen's aides and officials and was responsible for diplomatic relations with the Hōjō family of Kantō.

At Mikatagahara, he had a vicious duel against Torii Tadahiro, one of the Tokugawa's Sixteen Heavenly Generals. At one point, Masatsugu was nearly cut down by a direct strike on his head, but was saved by the thick plating of his helmet, and he was eventually able to slay his opponent. Bereaved by Shingen's death to illness after the battle, Masatsugu attempted to commit suicide but was stopped by Masanobu Kōsaka, and was instructed to bring Shingen's ashes to his private garden at Kofu.

Like many other commanders, he was against Katsuyori's decision for a pitched battle against the Oda-Tokugawa forces at Shitaragahara during their siege of Nagashino Castle, but was nonetheless compelled to join the battle anyway when Katsuyori refused to listen. Masatsugu was stationed at the right wing of Tenjinyama alongside Masayuki and Nobutsuna Sanada. Masatsugu was one of the few commanders lucky enough to break past the Oda's double fences, but would be struck down during a barrage of rifle fire. Masatsugu's servant immediately decapitated his lord to prevent its capture by the Oda troops, but was unable to escape the onslaught. As a result, Masatsugu's head was hastily buried while his servant committed seppuku. Masatsugu was only 31 at the time of his death. Because he had no sons, the clan's leadership fell to his brother, Masatsune.