by Ken Carpenter
THE SOUL OF ROKUGANA waning moon shone dimly through high, wispy clouds, providing barely enough light to see where the river met land. A breeze filled the fleet's sails, drawing it closer to a dark shadow against the sky that could only be Otosan Uchi-as if the wind itself was a conspirator in Kisada's plan to conquer the heart of Rokugan. As ranks of samurai stood ready on deck, the only sound the gentle clatter of their armor. Soon they would leave the ships and form into an army on the plain just outside of the Emperor's city. Kisada, daimyo of the Crab Clan, stood on the aft deck watching the city's shadow rise. At his shoulder stood his son, Yakamo. Kisada spoke softly, the way the wind whispers through the leaves of spring. "Rokugan must not be led by weakness and infirmity. Neither may Rokugan be led by the wiles of a Scorpion woman. Strength is the soul of Rokugan!" Yakamo glanced at his father and then away. He did not respond. He wondered at the events that had led them here, to the gates of Otosan Uchi, with the intent of wresting the Emerald Throne from the only heir to the Hantei line. Still, it was his father's decision and he would give his life to see his father's will carried out, as would any true Crab samurai. The signal. Not far ahead a lantern waved from side to side along the river's edge. Some weeks before, a small group of Hiruma scouts arrived to locate a safe area for the Crab army to offload their ships. The bobbing lanterns testified to the scouts' success. Within an hour the Crab army stood organized on the riverbanks, awaiting orders to march, as the leaders received the latest intelligence reports. Only once before in the history of Rokugan had a clan made such a bold move against the Emperor and his city ... and it had heralded the death of the Scorpion Clan. This is a small portion of the battle that took place outside of Otosan Uchi as the Crab army, led by the Daimyo Kisada, attempted to capture the city and the Emerald Throne for Kisada. Though Kisada did not appear in the forces for the represented portion of the Crab army, he led the army, and the results of this portion of the battle have repercussions to the outcome of his aspirations. SCENARIO FORCESCrab Army and Forces #Mdls Model Type(s) Cost 1 Hida Tampako 124
1 Hida Tampako 124
1 Kaiu Family Chui 25
Hiruma Gunso 20
92 Total 2427*
Crab Tactical Deck
3 x Banzai Charge 3 x Charge 3 x Counter-Charge 2 x Defensive Position 2 x Frenzy 3 x Grim Determination 2 x Know the Terrain 3 x Parade Ground Practice 3 x Test of Might 3 x The Waves Break Lion Army and Forces #Mdls Model Type(s) Cost
1 Matsu Imura 153
1 Ikoma Ryozo 105
1 Kitsu Motso 155
66 Total 1970* *If players choose to create their own forces for this scenario, the Lion forces are limited to 80 percent of the total cost for the Crab forces, and their army cannot include Matsu Tsuko, who the Emperor ordered not to participate in the battle. Lion Tactical Deck
2 x Burst of Speed 3 x Charge 3 x Counter-Charge 2 x Fallback and Regroup 3 x Grim Determination 2 x Iaijutsu Duel 2 x Know the Terrain 3 x Parade Ground Practice 2 x Strength of Purity 2 x Test of Might 3 x Turtle Shell SCENARIO RULESDeployment and Setup The Lion forces react quickly to the presence of the massed Crab troops marching on Otosan Uchi. As a result, they are not as well prepared as their enemies generally find them-the Lion player must place the first unit. Unit placement then alternates normally with the Crab placing their remaining two units after the last Lion unit has been placed. Placement areas are noted on the scenario map. Objectives Crab: The objective of the Crab army is to get through the Lion forces quickly, before reinforcements arrive. Its aim is to deliver Kisada to the Emperor's throne room so the Crab daimyo can challenge the Emperor to a duel. To achieve a Decisive Victory, the Crab player must exit 1400 Koku worth of his or her forces off of the Lion side of the battlefield by the end of Turn 7 The Crab player achieves a Marginal Victory by exiting 1000 Koku worth of his or her forces off of the Lion side of the battlefield by the end of Turn 10. Lion: The Lion army achieves a Decisive Victory by preventing both Crab victory conditions. It achieves a Marginal Victory by eliminating 1400 points of Crab forces. It is possible for both armies to claim Marginal Victory, which indicates that both Clans achieve some of their objectives but pay dearly to do so. Back to Imperial Herald #14 Table of Contents Back to Imperial Herald List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master List of Magazines © Copyright 1999 by Wizards of the Coast This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. |