While the rules are for the Warring Countries period, this rule set can be adapted for earlier periods of Japanese Warfare.
There is no gun powder in the early periods.
The Mongol Invasion
1274 + 1281 AD Since my Japanese Army is Mongol period, I have included a set of modifications for that army and its antagonists.
- Troops: Japanese
- 75% Samurai armed with bow, and two swords. Samurai should have medium or light armor, may be mounted, but may fight dismounted.
25% peasants. Peasants are treated as Ashigaru armed with long spears, and wear no armor.
Mongols:
Most of the Mongol invaders were conscript Korean and Chinese, armed with bow and short spear.
35% Chinese: treat as bow-armed Ashigaru with light armor. and basic weapons. 35% Korean: Treat as bow-armed Peasants with light armor. and basic weapons
25% Mongols: Treat as medium armored or light armored Samurai mounted with bow and long spear.
Mongols should never be more than 30% of the force, unless you are playing a what-if scenario and a Mongol Tuman was successfully transported to Japan. Then, 100% o of the troops could be Mongol.
Special rule additions.
Mongols have catapults. There should be no more than three. Treat as Lt Cannon with a 45" range. There is no effective or short range additions. The Mongol recurve bow is treated as a Samurai bow, but with the following ranges. Long: 30" Effective: 15" Short: 5".
There are no personal challenges. The Mongols had a nasty habit of waiting until the challenger separated himself from his fellow Samurai, awaiting for him to walk forward, so they could fill him full of arrows. Japanese receive a +1 to all morale checks as well as the normal additions since they' were fighting for their homeland.
14th Century: The Imperial Revolt of the Emperor Go-Daigo against the Bakufu
This war was waged by the Emperor Go-Daigo against his puppet masters, the Bakufu. The Emperor would have lost except he found a supporter in Kusunoki Masashige. This warrior, who has often been called the greatest Samurai, joined forces with the Emperor's son, Prince Morinaga to defeat the Bakufu coalition in many battles and win Go-Daigo his freedom to rule.
Troops:
- The Bakufu:
60% Samurai armed with bow, and basic weapons. Samurai should have medium or light armor, may be mounted, and may fight dismounted. MBR>40% peasants. Peasants are armed with basic weapons, and wear no armor.
Go-Daigo's Faction:
50% Samurai armed with bow, and basic waepons. Samurai should have medium or light armor, may be mounted, and may fight dismounted.
50% peasants. Peasants are armed with basic weapons, and wear no armor.
Special Personalities:
Prince Morinaga: Class +2 leader.
Kusunoki Masashige: Class +3 leader.
Special rules:
If the Masashige leader figure declares he is firing on an unit within 15", that unit must take a morale check. Masashige has shot their leader and killed him. (Legend says he never missed.)
Personal Challenges:
If Go-Daigo or Prince Morinaga is challenged, Masashige answers since he is their champion. If Masashige is ever killed, it becomes an immediate victory for the Bakufu.
Treachery.
Some of the Bakufu 's supporters were uncertain about fighting against the "Son of Heaven." Check for unit treachery as shown in Uncertain loyalty by the rules.
Go-Daigo's army was usually outnumbered by about 50% by the Bakufu.
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