New Faction: Samurai period Army

[Karasu]

I read elsewhere that some people don’t think it’s possible to make an entire army of Samurai-themed units.  I disagree, if you start taking the rest of the era into account.

The constantly warring regions of Sengoku have a highly stratified and caste-driven society.  The Samurai caste are a warriors and rulers and are split into the less powerful ji-Samurai, who make up the bulk of the class, and the elite clan rulers with their household guard.  Heimin and hinin peasants are often recruited and trained as Ashigaru to bulk out an army but on odd occasions are conscripted straight out of the fields. 

Arquebusiers
Offense: (4)5*/7*  Defense: 1/1 Range: 10.5 Morale: 12 Move: 3.5” Hits: 3 Green, 3 Yellow, 3 Red
Reinforcement box
(0)-2/-4 when engaged.  Direct Fire only.
Equipment: Arquebus & wakizashi
These early gunpowder weapons are shorter-ranged than daikyu or even yumi, but pack a ferocious punch.

Ashigaru
Offense: (5)4/5  Defense: 1/1 Range: - Morale: 11 Move: 3.5” Hits: 3 Green, 3 Yellow, 4 Red
Core
Equipment: Wakizashi and Jingasa
Literally ‘Lightfeet’ these former peasants are equipped by their local lords.

Ashigaru Spearmen
Offense: (6*)4*/5*  Defense: 1*/1 Range: - Morale: 11 Move: 3.5” Hits: 3 Green, 3 Yellow, 4 Red
Core
(-1)0/0 when charging.  (0)+1/0 +1/0 v Cavalry/Large.  (0)0/+2 v charging Cavalry/Large.
Equipment: Bamboo yari & Jingasa
The bamboo spears some ashigaru are eauipped with are simply a stalk of bamboo cut diagonally to a sharp point.

Summoned Oni
Offense: (5)5/7  Defense: 2/3 Range: - Morale: 15 Move: 5” Hits: 4 Green, 5 Yellow, 4 Red
Reinforcement box, Elite
Large, Fearsome
If Captive Oni is routed, remove it from the battlefield.  Never include Captive Oni when calculating victory conditions.
Equipment: Iron Club
Demonic entities called up from the depths of the underworld for the duration of a battle

Ji-Samurai
Offense: (5)5/5  Defense: 2/2 Range: - Morale: 12 Move: 3.5” Hits: 4 Green, 3 Yellow, 3 Red
Core
Equipment: Daisho & lacquered armour
Many Samurai wield two weapons but use the short off-hand blade to parry with,almost  like a shield.

Ji-Samurai Archers
Offense: (4)5*/5*  Defense: 1/2 Range: 14 Morale: 12 Move: 3.5” Hits: 3 Green, 3 Yellow, 2 Red
Core
(0)-2/-2 when engaged.
Equipment: Yumi & lacquered armour
Those of the Samurai class are required to practice many skills and weapons.

Peasant Conscripts
Offense: (5)4/4  Defense: 0/1 Range: -  Morale: 10 Move: 3.5” Hits: 2 Green, 3 Yellow, 4 Red
Equipment: Assorted farming implements
Sometimes peasants are taken straight from their fields in times of crisis, or even assisted in a revolt by Sohei or enemies of the state.  Of course, they die in droves.

Samurai
Offense: (5*)6/5  Defense: 3/2 Range: 17.5 Morale: 13 Move: 3.5” Hits: 5 Green, 4 Yellow, 3 Red
Elite
(-1)0/0 when not engaged.
Equipment: Daisho, Daikyu  & O-Yoroi
Skilled and equipped with both master-crafted swords and assymetric longbows, Samurai are deadly at any range.

Samurai Cavalry
Offense: (6*)6/5  Defense: 3/2 Range: 10.5 Morale: 13 Move: 5” Hits: 3 Green, 2 Yellow, 2 Red
Elite
(-2)0/0 when not engaged. (0)0/+1 +1/0 when Charging.
Equipment: Daisho, Daikyu  & O-Yoroi
Mount: Horse
The elite of the elite, mounted Samurai can close with the enemy under a hail of arrows and then break the line with a charge.

Sohei
Offense: (5)5/6  Defense: 2/1 Range: - Morale: 12 Move: 3.5” Hits: 3 Green, 4 Yellow, 3 Red
Core
Equipment: Naginata & light armour
The warrior-monks of the sohei orders sometimes fight to protect their monasteries but frequently operate as mercenaries.

Sohei Cavalry
Offense: (6)5/5*  Defense: 2*/1 Range: - Morale: 12 Move: 5” Hits: 2 Green, 2 Yellow, 2 Red
(0)0/+1 +1/0 when Charging.
Equipment: Naginata & light armour
Mount: Horse

Sohei Spearmen
Offense: (6*)5*/5*  Defense: 2*/1 Range: - Morale: 12 Move: 3.5” Hits: 3 Green, 4 Yellow, 3 Red
(-1)0/0 when charging.  (0)+1/0 +1/0 v Cavalry/Large.  (0)0/+2 v charging Cavalry/Large.
Equipment: Yari & light armour

Army Ability

Ninja Spies and Assassins
You may spend a Command Point during the Movement and command phase to look at your opponent’s hand then spend up to 1 additional Command Point to force your opponent to discard a card of your choice.

Divine Wind: Perfect Counter
Play after an opponent has played a card.  That card is discarded with no effect.

Divine Fire: Armoured Spirit
Play before an enemy unit rolls to hit.  Target unit gets +1/+1.

Divine Water: Spiritual Bearing
Play before rolling to hit.  Target unit gets (+0)+1/+0 +1/+0.

Divine Earth: Strong Foundations
Play after a unit has failed a morale check.  That unit may re-roll the dice with a +2 bonus.

Divine Void: No-thought Strike
Play when a unit becomes engaged.  That unit may not have any Command Cards played on it for the rest of the turn.  The enemy unit takes a point of damage immediately.


And there you go.  Do you think I managed it?

[RushAss]

Ronin dude!  You need Ronin! 

This looks pretty good.  The faction special ability is VERY unique.  Both Samurai units are badass and will probably cost you a pretty penny as well.

[Karasu]

I was kind of counting the Ronin in among the ji-Samurai.  It might be easier on the understanding if they just get called Ronin.

The faction ability grew out of my desire to represent the effects of ninja without having them on the battlefield, since they really weren't an army unit as such.  In a fantasy army pandering to japanophilia the Samurai really need to be super units.  And cost the same.

Hopefully you noticed the references to the Book of Five Rings while trying VERY HARD not to borrow concepts from L5R.

[elgin_j]

The faction ability grew out of my desire to represent the effects of ninja without having them on the battlefield, since they really weren't an army unit as such.  In a fantasy army pandering to japanophilia the Samurai really need to be super units.  And cost the same.

You CAN field ninja as a unit, though, so long as you limit them as an elite unit.  The card can simply represent 2 or 3 ninja working as a small team which, while there would be a lot of green on it, would actually be pretty cool I think.  It's all down to the stats to make them a very specialised and carefully used unit to represent their flavour correctly.

Here's one I just thought up reading your previous post:

Ninja
Offense: (4)6/6  Defence: 4/0  Range: 5  Morale: 13  Move: 5"  Hits: 3 Green, 2 Yellow, 1 Red
Elite

No range penalty for Move and Shoot or Long Range. If Ninja are not Engaged at the start of the turn and become Engaged on their front side, they make a Range Attack at the start of the Combat Phase, before normal attacks are rolled.

Ninja units under Direct Control recieve no movement penalties for Maneuvering or for Terrain.

Defence +1/+0 vs. range.

Equipment: Katana and shuriken.

These elite warriors are masters of the unorthodox arts of war

What you have above is a highly maneouverable, highly versatile unit specifically designed (through special rules) to operate independently of the main battle line in a fair thematic representation of their genuine role.  When they hit, they hit hard.  They are exceptionally difficult to hit but, when they are finally engaged, they can take almost no damage before they crumble.

[Quelmotz]

I read elsewhere that some people don’t think it’s possible to make an entire army of Samurai-themed units.  I disagree, if you start taking the rest of the era into account.

The constantly warring regions of Sengoku have a highly stratified and caste-driven society.  The Samurai caste are a warriors and rulers and are split into the less powerful ji-Samurai, who make up the bulk of the class, and the elite clan rulers with their household guard.  Heimin and hinin peasants are often recruited and trained as Ashigaru to bulk out an army but on odd occasions are conscripted straight out of the fields. 

Arquebusiers
Offense: (4)5*/7*  Defense: 1/1 Range: 10.5 Morale: 12 Move: 3.5” Hits: 3 Green, 3 Yellow, 3 Red
Reinforcement box
(0)-2/-4 when engaged.  Direct Fire only.
Equipment: Arquebus & wakizashi
These early gunpowder weapons are shorter-ranged than daikyu or even yumi, but pack a ferocious punch.

Ashigaru
Offense: (5)4/5  Defense: 1/1 Range: - Morale: 11 Move: 3.5” Hits: 3 Green, 3 Yellow, 4 Red
Core
Equipment: Wakizashi and Jingasa
Literally ‘Lightfeet’ these former peasants are equipped by their local lords.

Ashigaru Spearmen
Offense: (6*)4*/5*  Defense: 1*/1 Range: - Morale: 11 Move: 3.5” Hits: 3 Green, 3 Yellow, 4 Red
Core
(-1)0/0 when charging.  (0)+1/0 +1/0 v Cavalry/Large.  (0)0/+2 v charging Cavalry/Large.
Equipment: Bamboo yari & Jingasa
The bamboo spears some ashigaru are eauipped with are simply a stalk of bamboo cut diagonally to a sharp point.

Summoned Oni
Offense: (5)5/7  Defense: 2/3 Range: - Morale: 15 Move: 5” Hits: 4 Green, 5 Yellow, 4 Red
Reinforcement box, Elite
Large, Fearsome
If Captive Oni is routed, remove it from the battlefield.  Never include Captive Oni when calculating victory conditions.
Equipment: Iron Club
Demonic entities called up from the depths of the underworld for the duration of a battle

Ji-Samurai
Offense: (5)5/5  Defense: 2/2 Range: - Morale: 12 Move: 3.5” Hits: 4 Green, 3 Yellow, 3 Red
Core
Equipment: Daisho & lacquered armour
Many Samurai wield two weapons but use the short off-hand blade to parry with,almost  like a shield.

Ji-Samurai Archers
Offense: (4)5*/5*  Defense: 1/2 Range: 14 Morale: 12 Move: 3.5” Hits: 3 Green, 3 Yellow, 2 Red
Core
(0)-2/-2 when engaged.
Equipment: Yumi & lacquered armour
Those of the Samurai class are required to practice many skills and weapons.

Peasant Conscripts
Offense: (5)4/4  Defense: 0/1 Range: -  Morale: 10 Move: 3.5” Hits: 2 Green, 3 Yellow, 4 Red
Equipment: Assorted farming implements
Sometimes peasants are taken straight from their fields in times of crisis, or even assisted in a revolt by Sohei or enemies of the state.  Of course, they die in droves.

Samurai
Offense: (5*)6/5  Defense: 3/2 Range: 17.5 Morale: 13 Move: 3.5” Hits: 5 Green, 4 Yellow, 3 Red
Elite
(-1)0/0 when not engaged.
Equipment: Daisho, Daikyu  & O-Yoroi
Skilled and equipped with both master-crafted swords and assymetric longbows, Samurai are deadly at any range.

Samurai Cavalry
Offense: (6*)6/5  Defense: 3/2 Range: 10.5 Morale: 13 Move: 5” Hits: 3 Green, 2 Yellow, 2 Red
Elite
(-2)0/0 when not engaged. (0)0/+1 +1/0 when Charging.
Equipment: Daisho, Daikyu  & O-Yoroi
Mount: Horse
The elite of the elite, mounted Samurai can close with the enemy under a hail of arrows and then break the line with a charge.

Sohei
Offense: (5)5/6  Defense: 2/1 Range: - Morale: 12 Move: 3.5” Hits: 3 Green, 4 Yellow, 3 Red
Core
Equipment: Naginata & light armour
The warrior-monks of the sohei orders sometimes fight to protect their monasteries but frequently operate as mercenaries.

Sohei Cavalry
Offense: (6)5/5*  Defense: 2*/1 Range: - Morale: 12 Move: 5” Hits: 2 Green, 2 Yellow, 2 Red
(0)0/+1 +1/0 when Charging.
Equipment: Naginata & light armour
Mount: Horse

Sohei Spearmen
Offense: (6*)5*/5*  Defense: 2*/1 Range: - Morale: 12 Move: 3.5” Hits: 3 Green, 4 Yellow, 3 Red
(-1)0/0 when charging.  (0)+1/0 +1/0 v Cavalry/Large.  (0)0/+2 v charging Cavalry/Large.
Equipment: Yari & light armour

Army Ability

Ninja Spies and Assassins
You may spend a Command Point during the Movement and command phase to look at your opponent’s hand then spend up to 1 additional Command Point to force your opponent to discard a card of your choice.

Divine Wind: Perfect Counter
Play after an opponent has played a card.  That card is discarded with no effect.

Divine Fire: Armoured Spirit
Play before an enemy unit rolls to hit.  Target unit gets +1/+1.

Divine Water: Spiritual Bearing
Play before rolling to hit.  Target unit gets (+0)+1/+0 +1/+0.

Divine Earth: Strong Foundations
Play after a unit has failed a morale check.  That unit may re-roll the dice with a +2 bonus.

Divine Void: No-thought Strike
Play when a unit becomes engaged.  That unit may not have any Command Cards played on it for the rest of the turn.  The enemy unit takes a point of damage immediately.


And there you go.  Do you think I managed it?

Looks like you really did it quite well. But still, it doesn't seem unique from the other armies, except for a few run and shoot samurais and stuff like that. I think naginata is spelled wrongly-- naginta? What is the mysterious "reinforcements box" in the arquebuisers? And I seriously doubt the fact that samurais can throw shruikens up to 17.5". Maybe 10.5"?

I'm not trying to shoot your ideas down or anything, I think its a good effort actually.

[Karasu]

   Shuriken?
Samurai were armed with Daikyu, the Great Bow.  It's the japanese equivalent of a Welsh longbow, but assymetric so that it can be fired from a kneeling position or horseback.  Shuriken are a backup or surprise attack weapon used primarily by Shinobi.

Speaking of which, I still believe that ninja were primarily used outside of battle.  A good comparison would be to say that they are like James Bond.  I can't imagine even a squad of Bonds wandering around a battlefield: he'd be in the HQ confusing orders, assassinating officers or other such.  In fact, he'd probably do that before the battle.  With the general effect being that the enemy C3 is comprimised leading to a lack of command cards.

I am also quite sure that naginata is spelled correctly, at least by the standard romanisation.
The unique part about this army is the way it uses Command Cards and Points.  As far as I am aware there is no other army that can make your opponent discard a card, or in fact cancel the effect as it gets played!

[Quelmotz]

  Shuriken?
Samurai were armed with Daikyu, the Great Bow.  It's the japanese equivalent of a Welsh longbow, but assymetric so that it can be fired from a kneeling position or horseback.  Shuriken are a backup or surprise attack weapon used primarily by Shinobi.

Speaking of which, I still believe that ninja were primarily used outside of battle.  A good comparison would be to say that they are like James Bond.  I can't imagine even a squad of Bonds wandering around a battlefield: he'd be in the HQ confusing orders, assassinating officers or other such.  In fact, he'd probably do that before the battle.  With the general effect being that the enemy C3 is comprimised leading to a lack of command cards.

I am also quite sure that naginata is spelled correctly, at least by the standard romanisation.
The unique part about this army is the way it uses Command Cards and Points.  As far as I am aware there is no other army that can make your opponent discard a card, or in fact cancel the effect as it gets played!

All true, but what is that strange "reinforcements box" in the Arquebusiers?

[Karasu]

Sorry, I thought I said.  I marked which two units would be in the Re-inforcements box only and not the starter set: Arquebusiers and Oni.

[elgin_j]

  Shuriken?
Samurai were armed with Daikyu, the Great Bow.  It's the japanese equivalent of a Welsh longbow, but assymetric so that it can be fired from a kneeling position or horseback.  Shuriken are a backup or surprise attack weapon used primarily by Shinobi.

One in the same, big fella - cursory glance of the kanji will tell you that: ?? - a stealthy individual, the term has been co-opted as one for a specific entity (the ninja) but can be used ambiguously; ?? - the noun form, stealthy; ?? - the verb form to hide, to be stealthy (as an action), from which the other 2 stem.

edit: apparently this forum disallows the posting of Japanese but those question marks above were the relevant kanji forms for, in order:  ninja; shinobi, shinobu.

Likeiwse, the daikyu is not the equivalent of the Welsh longbow, although it is a longbow, as the former is designed for accuracy as an individual weapon whereas the latter for use as an area suppressive armour piercing weapon.

As for their use, yes, ninja were used exclusively away from the battlefield - their primary purpose was one of espionage and sabotage.  Given, though, that BGFW has T-Rexes and Hydras I don't think it is really unreasonable to suspend belief to get a thematically rich unit into a faction.  Particularly when you've included arquebusiers when Japan was significantly behind the technological advances of firearms, and received them from Europe which raises the question as to why a self-isolated nation like Japan is using firearms when everyone else has to use bows...

If you want to be scrupulously accurate then fair play but I'm afraid you're picking the wrong person with whom to quibble matters Japan.

[Quelmotz]

Sorry, I thought I said.  I marked which two units would be in the Re-inforcements box only and not the starter set: Arquebusiers and Oni.

Sorry, but I thought these stuff were usually left for Chad & co. to decide.

[Karasu]

  Shuriken?
Samurai were armed with Daikyu, the Great Bow.  It's the japanese equivalent of a Welsh longbow, but assymetric so that it can be fired from a kneeling position or horseback.  Shuriken are a backup or surprise attack weapon used primarily by Shinobi.

One in the same, big fella - cursory glance of the kanji will tell you that: ?? - a stealthy individual, the term has been co-opted as one for a specific entity (the ninja) but can be used ambiguously; ?? - the noun form, stealthy; ?? - the verb form to hide, to be stealthy (as an action), from which the other 2 stem.

edit: apparently this forum disallows the posting of Japanese but those question marks above were the relevant kanji forms for, in order:  ninja; shinobi, shinobu.

I entirely agree that ninja and shinobi are the same.  But you have highlighted Samurai and Shinobi.  My was with the fact that someone had characterised the ranged attack on the Samurai as shuriken.

Likeiwse, the daikyu is not the equivalent of the Welsh longbow, although it is a longbow, as the former is designed for accuracy as an individual weapon whereas the latter for use as an area suppressive armour piercing weapon.

But, in terms of comparing the daikyu with a western weapon for the generic characteristics, such as range, would you agree that the Longbow is the best example?  At the BGFW scale the individual tactical uses of each weapon are probably of minimal impact

As for their use, yes, ninja were used exclusively away from the battlefield - their primary purpose was one of espionage and sabotage.  Given, though, that BGFW has T-Rexes and Hydras I don't think it is really unreasonable to suspend belief to get a thematically rich unit into a faction.  Particularly when you've included arquebusiers when Japan was significantly behind the technological advances of firearms, and received them from Europe which raises the question as to why a self-isolated nation like Japan is using firearms when everyone else has to use bows...

If you want to be scrupulously accurate then fair play but I'm afraid you're picking the wrong person with whom to quibble matters Japan.

I based the entire list approximately on the latter part of the Sengoku, which is probably the best known era here due to the likes of Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu and Toyotomi Hideyoshi.  During that time firearms were just being introduced and were a notable part of the changing tactics of the time.  There's nothing in the Battleground setting (such that there is of it) to say that the same spread of technology would be in place as happened here.  For all we know, the [Undefined Faction Name] invented gunpowder and arquebuses!

Sorry, I thought I said.  I marked which two units would be in the Re-inforcements box only and not the starter set: Arquebusiers and Oni.

Sorry, but I thought these stuff were usually left for Chad & co. to decide.

Well, seeing as how none of the fan-made factions have made their way into production yet the whole thing's really just speculation  , so I decided to speculate just a little bit further in this case .

Karasu

[Quelmotz]

Yeah, I mistook the samurai for ninjas.   

[Quelmotz]

Nitpick: Rush gave me a long lecture about YMG capping BASE courage at 14, so I'll pass the blame on. Summoned Oni - 15 courage? Though I can see your logic, as they immediately die when they rout, so they'll have to have good courage. Also, possessed get 15 courage when boosted by the Umenzi leaders, and many Hawk units attain 15+ courage when "bravery-ed". But we're talking about base courage here..

[Karasu]

How about 14*

Morale +2 when not engaged.

[Quelmotz]

How about 14*

Morale +2 when not engaged.

It should be ok IMO.