This is the conclusion to my article Samurai Armies published in Saga 95. It was not intended as a two-part piece, but I did not have it all written in time for the printing deadline. Please read both parts so that my justifications for the changes to the MW Japanese army lists are clearer.

Despite its size, the Japanese bow was not really on par with the Mongolian composite bow or the English longbow. It can be argued that the Japanese bow was composite; however, it was primarily a reinforced bamboo bow that fired bamboo arrows.

The traditional training in its use is preserved in kyudo (on foot) and yabusume (from horseback). The popularity of Japanese archery is widespread with clubs in Japan, and across North America and Europe. There are two types of competitions in kyudo, the close target and the far target. The target is 28 meters (31 yards) away in the first type and has a diameter of 36 centimeters (14 inches); archers kneel as they place the arrow on the bow and stand up to shoot. In the second type, the distance is 90 meters (98 yards), 70 meters (77 yards), or 60 meters (66 yards); archers stay standing and shoot at a target measuring 1 meter (1 yard) across. Both individual and team matches are held for each target type, and the number of hits usually determines the winner.

By comparison, the average English archer could hit a man-sized target at a minimum of 200 yards. The maximum range was about 400 yards with flight arrows.

Until the 13^th Century, shooting arrows while riding a horse running at full speed was an important skill for warriors, and yabusame began as a form of military training combining horsemanship and archery. Following the wars against the Mongols, archery declined as a primary skill with reliance on pole-arms (yari and naginata) increasing.

In terms of the army lists, it is necessary to change all longbow to bow in the Early Japanese for tournaments and in non-tournament games unless your opponent can be convinced to face Japanese with longbow, and optional Pavise! This requires that a deduction of one point be made to all bow-armed troops. For the later list there are several changes as reflected below. Please note that samurai can no longer be dual-armed with halberd and bow. Points have been deducted to reflect the loss of the longbow.

Later Japanese

Notes:

• One general may be upgraded to Fanatic as a Monk Ally General.
• Samurai, Ashigaru, Monks and Peasants may be in mixed armour and weapon units.
• Mounted Samurai may fight in Wedge.
• Minima marked * must be used if any Monks or Shrine are used.
• Trained Ashigaru must be fielded with 4 figures per stand if in Loose Order.
• Naginata counts as halberd and yari as lance (mounted only) or long spear (foot only).