Development Notes: NIPPON Warring States ARMY BOOK

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With the release of Total War: Shogun 2, it's now time to kick-start this old project of mine again.

The Nippon Army Book was always confronted with three possible routes, historical, mystical or mythical (and by that I include anything over the top from anime and manga sources).

The top contenders for secondary sources to structure the book around would be have been truly historical Turnbull/Osprey, etcetera or RPG based, especially L5R. L5R was slightly more in the mystical camp, so when another Fandex based their model on that, I was relieved, since it freed the approach to a more historical army list. Studying Shogun 2 allows a more disinterested perspective in how such a list should look like, without getting caught in the mire of trying to defend your position too greatly.

Army composition should, in my view, go along these lines:

Core - Peasants, Ashigaru

Special - Samurai, Ronin, Monks

Rare - Artillery, Ninjas, Tengu, Oni

Characters - the usual suspects, selected youkai


Character mounts and monsters are actually a problem in a more historical based list. The best I came up with was the Ki-rin, who's remarkable pacifistic in nature, the Dragon, who's even rare than the Elven ones, and the flying cloud, which I nicked off Dragonball. You don't see chariots used in warfare.

Shogun 2 makes no mention of armed peasants, they're added for colour and completion, possibly also as troop types for pirates and brigands; Ashigaru are an essential part of any Nippon army.

Samurai are the raison d'etre for playing this faction, and you should be able to craft them into any form you want. Ronin is a more difficult topic, since supply usually depends on the recent demise of a clan, and the retainers finding neither need nor desire to join their masters in the after life. Supply of Monks doesn't appear to be a problem, just their representation.

Artillery tends to be confined to sieges, but in this game you have to have this option for the field. Ninjas, I've always seen this more as a character, CA makes them grenade throwers and nasty at close range in short combats. Tengu and Oni seem to be the only mythical creatures that tend to organize themselves, and easily cloned from similar troop types.

My take on this army is to remove the champion, musician and standard bearer options directly from each unit. Most of the army doesn't have great personal initiative, it needs to be inspired by it's leaders, who together with unit upgrades get added separately later.

There seems to be a trend to limit Magic Items to around eight per book, so figuring out which ones would contribute the most without going overboard is going to be interesting.

Another form of upgrade, that's based more on generalship should compensate.

I'll probably have to revise the magic system again, which is a pity, since I thought it was rather elegant.

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WAKATO

Levied from the peasants that till their fields and labour in their holds, the Wakato units are usually tasked with mundane tasks of porters and labourers, and while equipped with hand weapons, only in extremis would any commander be desperate enough to deploy them in battle.

............M Ws.Bs S T W I A Ld Points
Wakato .4 . 2 . 2 .3 3. 1 3 1 5 . 02

Unit Size:
10+

Weapons & Armour:
Hand Weapon

Special Rules:
Peasant

OPTIONS

Weapons (one choice only):
Yari ....... 1 point

Additional equipment (one choice only):
Rocks ....... default





CHUGEN

While drawn from the Peasants class, Chugen are trained as a militia to supplement the professional troops under the command of their overlords, though most due to the requirements of their local economies, rarely deployed outside their immediate provinces nor for any extended period. Most Chugen will plant their spears in the pathways between the rice fields, which permits them to be mustered almost immediately in the face of any threat or unexpected incursion.

............M Ws.Bs S T W I A Ld Points
Chugen .4 . 3 . 2 .3 3. 1 2 1 6 . 04

Unit Size:
10+

Weapons & Armour:
Hand Weapon

Special Rules:
Peasant

OPTIONS

Weapons (one choice only):
Yari ....... 1 point

Additional equipment (one choice only):
None ....... default






Peasant
A deference enforced by feudalism and reinforced by severe discipline for incurring the merest slight, peasants' incentive for showing initiative may be severely tempered. Peasants must take a leadership test in order to declare a charge against an enemy unit, unless the unit is joined by a character.

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CA lists the following as infantry:

Loan Sword Ashigaru - The Japanese can manufacture swords in industrial quantities, sufficient to even equip their huge armies, the question I have would be if these would be up to the quality we usually associate with Samurai swords, which even the most common ones require weeks of production. In the game, this unit is great for making up the numbers, since their upkeep is 50 koku, and in the long run that pays for itself, but historically, you went to battle with either a polearm or a missile weapon, anything else seems rather unhelpful.Also, for the tabletop, you want to distinguish between the equipment your common troops have access to and the Warrior elite.

Katana Hero - Character with upgrades that effect a unit.

Katana Ronin - Don't see any problem with this, though I wouldn't give them an automatic skill boost.

Katana Samurai - Default; despite the fact that they should be carrying spears.

No-Dachi Samurai - Really impressive charge; though I'd move the Banzai ability to a character upgrade; admittingly, that means that every unit can potentially do that.

Samurai Retainers - Upgraded Samurai, I think Hatamoto should cover it.

Naginata Samurai - Not a problem

Naginata warrior Monks - A weapons upgrade, since I want to leave them bare to customize as needed.

Onna Bushi - Colourful, but don't contribute anything really to the list, so will be left out.

Warrior Nuns - Heard about them, but like Onna Bushi, I doubt they contribute anything substantial to the list.

Fire Bomb Throwers - Not sure if this should be included.


Weapon Upgrades:

Matchlock - Teppo; might link this to a required character attribute.

Yari - Yari by itself is a normal spear, there would be another one available for more pike type length and effect.

Bow - Little ambivalent on this, if all three should be available, the classic one would just be the longbow.

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Cavalry is rather scarce, both in reality and in the game; in the original concept, cavalry is an upgrade for a Samurai unit:

Katana Cavalry - That would be the default, though they're more likely to be equipped with yari.

Bow Cavalry - Longbow upgrade.

Light Cavalry - Basically, light armour, no barding.

Yari Cavalry - Not sure if they should be allowed lances; barding permitted.

Great Guard - Originally, I had them down as Samurai upgraded to Hatamoto, unique; in a large game, one per warrior lord.

Monk Cavalry - I don't feel this works out with the aesthetic, so no.

Non-samurai Cavalry - Ronin are too poor to afford horses, and peasants would not be tolerated on them; this doesn't count for characters.


Weapon Upgrades:

Naginata - Not really sure how effective they are from horseback, but usually equipped the Hatamoto with them during test matches last year to even the odds.

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And finally, we get to war machines:

Cannons - Historically, the Japanese got theirs from three sources, China, Europe and home grown. Apparently, against the stone fortifications built by Japanese engineers, it didn't have much effect in the medium term, more of a demoralizer, and if they did use them on the battle field, it was from a fixed position. The most effective ones were "liberated" or bought from European traders, and would be the standard game cannons. The Chinese ones were probably useless, which is why they seem to have disappeared from the scene, though the secret of gun powder remained. The local brass ones fired a two pound ball, which I can't believe had any effect against the Japanese stone castles, and probably not worth bringing to the battlefield. The other variant is cast from iron with breech loading, though beyond that fact, I haven't been able to track down any information as to how effective it was. This could be represented as a cheaper alternative with a higher rate of malfunction. One interesting type that turns up later in their history but is "viable" in terms of their current technology, are wooden cannons, which probably had a greater rate of failure than iron cast ones, but would be cheaper and faster to manufacture.

Fire Projecting Mangonels - Until I saw them in Shogun 2, I never heard of them in the Japanese context; basically, I'd say they were a Halfling Hotpot with splash effect. I'm not sure I would include them. There was an exchange of knowledge with the mainland, so siege engines and techniques can't have been unknown in Japan, but you never really get to hear of them using the ones you'd logically expect to be effective.

Fire Rockets - At the time we tested the original list, the players were insistent on some form of artillery, so we basically adopted the Nenelwerfer from the Empire book, though I felt that had a more Korean flavour. While I did know the Japanese had and used rockets, this was the first time I saw them deployed as grenade launchers, which I feel can bring more or less the same effect as the Nebelwerfer, while keeping it unique to this Army Book. Something to work out in the course of writing the list.

Traction Trebuchet - Probably use this to substitute for the Fire Projecting Mangonel. It's not mentioned in Shogun 2, but it does pop up when you research siege weapons in Japan. Actually, so does a form of a very heavy crossbow, but that seems to disappear in a generation or two after it's introduction, so the Japanese must have found it impractical.

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General - There are two types of Generals, those from the family of the ruling Daimyo, and others that have managed promotion through the ranks of the Clan and associated minor clans. Inspiration and Stand & Fight are interesting capabilities; default leadership of non-family generals might be a point lower. Specializing in various arms also differentiates Nippon generals from others.

Geisha - I would really like to see a Geisha on the battlefield, but she's a sitting target without even a forcefield to deflect damage, though conceivably she'd have a short range poisoned missile weapon and disorientation at close quarters.More of a strategic asset.

Metsuke - Wrong game, but Commissar material. Being of Samurai caste, they'd know how to fight, and might even be able to spot infiltrators and shore up morale.

Missionary - Imported Empire Warrior priest? Doesn't fit in, in any case.

Monk - Morale booster and advanced scout; my concept was more along the lines of Warrior Priest and Arch Lector, which is not terribly original.

Ninja - The obvious use is as an assassin, though advance scout is just as likely. The only character that should be allowed to join a unit of Ninja.

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These are unit abilities, and how I'd think they would be used on the tabletop; whether they would be a viable addition to the army book in whole, part of modified form is open to question:

Stealth - Hard to say; no LoS to unit; can neither be purposefully targeted nor units moved to intercept? This one is difficult to pull off, beyond pre-deploying before battle begins.

Bamboo Wall - Fixed, impassable terrain?

Banzai! - Unit frenzied; WS and movement increased by 1; one turn only, every three turns.

Blinding Grenades - Ninjas only; lowers movement, WS, BS, AC. Initiative and leadership by 2; once every three turns.

Burning Buildings - Bloody pyromaniacs.

Fire Arrows - Bow equipped units only, not in wet weather, once per three turns.

Increased Range - Unit increases range of their missile weapon for one turn, every three turns.

Inspire - One unit within 6" range of the general; increase by 1 WS, BS, ROF, Attacks, Initiative, Strength and Leadership for one tunr, available evry three turns per game.

Mines - I'm wondering if you can use this on land; probably only for sieges.

Ranked Fire - Default; maybe fire and movement otherwise.

Regroup Position - Rallied troops gain an immediate free movement towards a point indicated within the command range of the general; one turn only, usable every three turns.

Rapid Volley - Matchlocks only; no movement; can't be used on the first turn; one turn only, usable every three turns.

Screens - Fixed; +2 to AC.

Second Wind - Cavalry units only; 6" range, no negative leadership modifiers, no negative movement modifiers, one turn, once every three turns per game.

Rapid Advance - Yari unit increases speed by 1 for one turn, available once every three turns.

Stand & Fight - Unit with general only; no movement, no flanks or rear, non-warmachine and non-monsters friendly units within 6" range increase WS by one and double ROF; leadership radius increases by 25%.

Hold Firm - 6" range, no negative modifications to leadership, one turn, once per game.

Swooping Crane - Horse archers, two shots, lowers speed by two, for one turn, once very two turns.

War Cry - Lowers leadership, AC and speed of opposing units by one within 8", for one turn, once every two turns.

Whistling Arrows - Lowers leadership by 1 of all units over which the arrow(s) fly, for one turn; does not stack with other whistling arrows fired by other eligible units, once every two turns.

Yari Square - No movement, no flanks or rear, two ranks on all sides.

Yari Wall - Maybe the equivalent to Pikes: First strike, three ranks, front only, no movement.

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Loan Sword Ashigaru - The Japanese can manufacture swords in industrial quantities, sufficient to even equip their huge armies, the question I have would be if these would be up to the quality we usually associate with Samurai swords, which even the most common ones require weeks of production. In the game, this unit is great for making up the numbers, since their upkeep is 50 koku, and in the long run that pays for itself, but historically, you went to battle with either a polearm or a missile weapon, anything else seems rather unhelpful.Also, for the tabletop, you want to distinguish between the equipment your common troops have access to and the Warrior elite.

Katana

Well, I've had a change of heart.

After reflecting the lengthy (Warhammer) existence of this blade (which I've decided someone came up with around 500 IC), two millenia are sufficient to stock up the arsenals of even the most parsimonious clans with any number of rejects and apprentice efforts.

One problem with it's existence is, that it would be inevitable that the High Elves would have adopted it, if you give it characteristics that make it superior to a normal hand weapon, assuming it didn't stem from their smiths in the first place. The Cathayan Longsword in the OK book has always been assumed to to be the Warhammer equivalent. It's rated at WS +1, I +1 and AP and probably worth around 4 points to a human.

This issue came up because of the Loan Sword Ashigaru; if it was restricted to the Samurai, you could just fiddle around with the unit profile. My original take on this weapon was:

Katana
If used two handed, +1 strength; if used one handed, treat like hand weapon; treat as additional hand weapon if model already possesses hand weapon.

I'm reluctant to dismiss the Loan Sword Ashigaru from the list, seeing as Core already looks rather meager. Also, because these units would be the more trusted amongst the foot soldiers, allowed to carry the ancient symbol (if borrowed) of both warrior-hood and authority, and probably sent in as the first wave.

So either I alter the profile of the Loan Sword Ashigaru for WS from 3 to 4, or having possession of the Katana gives you an automatic bonus to WS.

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Weapons in Nippon


Katana

For the purposes of this specific Army Book, I'd adopt the Cathayan Longsword, as it's an off the shelf solution that actually gets the results you want, though at 3-4 points it's more expensive than a Great Weapon at 2 points, but these equipped units are meant to prevail in extended melees.


No-dachi

Great Weapon; probably faster in real life.Apparently, not for commoners.


Naginata

Halberd, definitely faster in real life. If the Katana was mythologized, the origins for this weapon are rather obscure. For some reason, it's associated with monks, and the Samurai caste, especially women, which may have been retconned at a later period so that that commoners don't seem to use it, which is why it's not listed as an option for Ashigaru.


Yari

It's a spear, and like all spears, it's a multi-purpose item. Cavalry can use it as a light lance, the Samurai on foot like to use it as their primary pole-arm, as do the Ashigaru,but here you run into the difficulty if you use it as a normal spear, or a longspear/pike. By the time we get to the mid-sixteenth century, it's clear it's length has been extended for the Ashigaru, by the Oda clan to European standards for pikes, while the rest were satisfied (or more likely because they're troops couldn't handle) to a compromise between the spear and the pike, something along the lines of what we would describe as the ash spear (ash spear, get the pun?). Since we're generalizing, we'd take the High Elven variant and just add two extra ranks to combat, instead of the usual one for spear equipped troops. That would mean giving an army wide rule that any spear equipped unit gets ASF and +1 strength when charged in front by cavalry and large critters. The Yari Ashigaru would get ASF in the first turn of combat against everyone else.


Daikyu

Everyone gets a longbow, let's assume industrialization makes this easier than hammering out a variety with arrow shafts of different lengths; going by O&G 8, I'd say this costs 3 points. Ninjas are always a problematic bunch, so they'll have to forego medium range weapons.


Teppo

The rules in the BRB for Handguns should be sufficient; I'd cost them at 4 points


Ninja Weapons

Endless combinations possible; however, in Shogun it comes down to grenades, Ninja-to (presumably), , but they're not mentionedmaybe another hand weapon and climbing claws. I'd give them shuriken, caltrops and throwing knives, but they're not mentioned.

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Armour in Nippon and Protection in Shogun 2


Scaling

The scaling of protection in Shogun is closer to D&D than the rather threadbare scheme in WFB.


Ashigaru

They wouldn't have any armour greater than Light. Shogun tends to support this as a default, but as matchlock and bow wielders have armour stated as 1 out of a possible 9, it's a borderline value between little or none. This becomes a design question, and I'd say that means the missile troops should have none, to make it easier to kill them off, which is the intent of the game.


Samurai

I have a much greater feel for European or Middle Eastern armour, so precisely how effective they were in Japan isn't quite clear to me. This is actually a great deal more important for this army, since they can't use shields, which removes 16% from their protection. It's also important, because these are the units you want protected, since the Ashigaru are just fodder. For bow equipped troops, the units would tend to be more lightly armoured than those used for shock. While light cavalry comes as no surprise , the fact that the game gives the same protection for heavy spear equipped Samurai is harder to take, since they become rather vulnerable, and can only be alleviated by giving their horses barding.

OTOH, this allows a natural scaling up to heavy armour for Katana Cavalry and plate armour for Great Guard.

The no-dachi equipped troops get light armour, since they're meant to be storm troops, katana equipped Samurai get heavy armour, as do the spear equipped ones; however the naginata equipped ones have plate armour, which is more for game dynamic purposes.


Monks

Apparently they all seem to have light armour, and since the intent is that they're vulnerable to missiles, they need parry defense.


Ninja

They seem to have light armour, which in the scheme of things is alright; they're usually too expensive and vulnerable not to give them some additional protection either from parrying or wards, usually both.