Bushidan – Game play

By Pauli Kidd

Bushidan simulates the small scale warfare between samurai clans, warrior groups, warrior alliances and regional collections of ikki, bandits and pirates. It also covered battles in regions where Japanese pirates, mercenaries and invaders operated outside of Japan (EG. Korea, Siam, the Ryuku kingdom, the Philippines).

A player’s force is referred toas their ‘bushidan’ – their warrior group. This can be the forces of a small clan or warrior family, a regional alliance, a pirate on bandit band, a temple army or a regional ‘ikki’ (covenant).

The game is an element based system. A single base will hold 3 cavalry or 4 infantry figures, and each of these figures represents 5 or 6 men. A base therefore is about 20 infantry or 15 cavalry. All basing and figure numbers are merely suggestions. Players can freely use miniatures based for other systems.

Units (kumi) are created by gathering up to 8 bases together. The bases of a kumi move together and fight together. Kumi are usually made from troops all of the same equipment and training (though variations can be tried!)

All distances are measured in “Distance Units” (one standard base depth). This allows players to use movement and firing distances adapted to the scale of miniatures they have on the table.

Troop equipment and training

The game takes place at a period of rapid evolution in arms, armour and tactics. Fir3earms have become widespread, and have begun to dominate the battlefield. As heavier armour and bulletproof pavises were developed, firearms adapted to become larger calibre, heavier and more powerful. This is couples with  the adoption of shock tactics by cavalry and spear-armed infantry, creating amies that  balanced firepower, shock and mobility.

Japanese military practice varied widely form region to region, clan to clam, with many competing ideas and ‘secret techniques’. This is reflected in the rules system.

Each bushidan designs its ‘ryu’ – its combat style/school. This is done by splitting points up between the different elements:

Ferocity/Fire

Prudence/Wood

Discipline/Earth

Speed/Wind

Cunning/Water

Endurance/Metal

An army receives order chits each turn for each of its values in the first five elements. Random chits are drawn each turn, and can be placed beside units to give them a special ’element based’ order. Different troop types have different types of specialised order.

Armies can also keep some order chits in hand. Therse are used for emergency orders, rallies and the like.

Elemental orders can be extremely effective. However, some elements trump other elements (EG water trumps fire). This can have a serios effect on combat. Players can tailor their orders to try and counter the type of enemy action that is expected.

During play, the players will alternate making unit activations (firing or moving).

Reserved order chits can be used to reactivate the movement of units that have been halted due to enemy fire.

Missile fire

Missile fire and melee combat use 6 sided dice to determine outcomes.

In missile combat, attackers roll a number of dice for each base in their firing unit that is able to fire. Hit scores are determined by the training level of the troops.

The target unit then rolls ‘saving dice’ to resist the effects of the fire. Saving dice are gained for casualties in the firing unit, disorder in the firing unit, from cover, and for having armour that is effective against the incoming weapons fire. Successful saving throws negate enemy hits from missile fire.

Suffering heavy enemy fire can disrupt and halt a unit’s movement.

Units that take casualties become disordered, which effects their combat efficiency.

Melee

Melee occurs when 2 enemy units come into contact. In this case, both sides will be rolling attack dice. Bases gain extra dice if they have heavier armour than their opponent, better training than their opponent, or if they have a melee weapon superiority over their enemy in a given terrain (EG yari in open terrain vs other weapons)

Some elements trump each other. A unit that is under an order chit of an element that trumps the defenders chit gain extra dice in melee.

Both sides roll. The side with the highest number of hits wins the melee. Casualties are determined by the number of hits scored on the opponents dice.

Reserved order chits can be used to rally faltering troops and restore the damage caused by casualties.

Characters

The actions of individual heroes has a great effect upon the battle at the scale of engagement. Leaders and characters can join with units to bolster them in melee. They may also seek out and combat one another. Units with heroes attached to them can have separate duels fought between th4e heroes before the results of the main combat are adjudicated.

Winning a single combat gains an additional victory chit for the player’s army.

Victory

Each player begins the game with a store of ‘victory chits’. This store of chits is based upon the size of their force, and by the ‘metal’ element of their ryu.

As units lose melees or rout off the board, the army will lose victory chits. When all victory chits are gone, the army must flee the field.

Campaigns

The rules have a campaign system designed for group play. This operates off an abstracted map. Players keep track of their relationship with neighbouring bushidan, and can move from states of alliance, to hostilities, to superiority, and finally conquest.

Players will control their realms, deciding to raid their enemies, remain in place to guard their territory, or conduct attacks. Battles generated by the campaign care fought out on the tabletop, and the results move the relationship track between the bushidan.

The aim of the game is to gain glory. Campaigns end when one bushidan has achieved a set glory target.

Foreign forces

The game can bel played with non Japanese ‘bushidan’ controlled by players. Lists are provided that show players the equipment and characteristics of nationalities such as Joseon Koreans, Ming Chinese, Siamese, Ryukans, and even the Spanish in the Philippines.

Colour and background

The rules book includes a great deal of colour and notes on the period – including poems and tactical advice from the great Daimyo. Notes on unusual samurai, female or non binary combatants, Christian Daimyo and notes on armour, banners and symbols will hopefully give modellers and players some inspiration to make colourful units of their own.

I hope that you enjoy the rules!

Scenario one: A day at the beach

Somewhere out in the inland sea, the a clan of sea marauders have established a base upon an island. Their rivals, the Ise, have decided to conduct a seaborn assault upon the island.

The defenders have managed to catch sight of the approaching fleet, and have hastily armed themselves and are racing into defence positions.

The attackers are arriving by ships, which can land on any of the island’s beaches,

The fight is on!

Attackers – the Umejima

The invaders can land on any beach. The invading troops can begin deployed in formations 2 bases wide by 2 deep from each ship. The attacker may elect to land in waves over the first three turns.

Each ship carries 4 infantry bases. Characters can arrive on any boat that suits them , and more than one character can be present per vessel.

The player can design their own ryu, or may take the te one below:

Ferocity/Fire 3

Prudence/Wood 0

Discipline/Earth 2

Speed/Wind 3

Cunning/Water 2

Endurance/Metal 2

Forces

I C in C

I leader

1 champion

1 champion with O-zutsu

13 ships

16 bases of foot samurai –  training 3, heavy armour (bullet proof), yari

16 bases of  lancers – training 2, light armour, yari

8 bases of gunners – training 2, light armour, ban-zutsu

8 bases of archers – training 2, light armour, bow

4 bases of pirates – training 3, light armour, heavy melee weapons.

Defenders: The Iga pirate clan

The defenders begin the game occupying the island. They may set up 4 DUs away from any shoreline, or can place themselves anywhere else on the island.

I C in C

I leader

2 champions

Forces

16 bases of foot samurai –  training 3, heavy armour, yari

8 bases of  lancers – training 2, light armour, yari

8 bases of gunners – training 2, light armour, ban-zutsu – half of the bases have pavise

12 bases of archers – training 2, light armour, bow – half of the bases with pavise

4 bases of armed wakou – training 2, no armour, heavy melee weapons.

4 bases of armed brigands – training 1, no armour, yari.

Scenario 2: Midnight at the riverbanks

Hostilities have been escalating between two clans. Allied bushidan are mobilising to join the main forces.

The defenders consist of two bushidan who have been collecting their troops at a village beside a wide estuary. Each group has camped separately. More troops are expected to arrive over the next few days. Once the troops have amassed, the army will move northward upstream to unite with allied forces for a larger campaign. At the moment, the defenders believe they are well protected by the river. They ae far from known enemies, and are not expecting an attack,

The second clan – the attackers – have secretly approached on the far side of the river.

Unknown to the defenders, the river estuary at this season becomes extremely shallow at the low point of the tide. An enemy force has gathered with great stealth on the far side of the river, and is ready to attack at lowest ebb.

Terrain

The shallow river is currently ‘difficult footing’ for infantry – but not for cavalry.

The action takes place at night, but the moonlight allows for some minimal visibility. There can, however, be errors made! The incoming attach has comeout of thewe darkened east

Troops armed with firearms can be seen at any range due to their glowing slow match, except for infantry forces in the attacking force, who carry their match hidden inside baskets. Once they fire, they may been seen at any range.

The camp and the village are well marked out (and illuminated within its bounds) by fires.

The defending forces:

There are two separate bushidan currently encamped in the region of the river.

The defenders begin the game encamped.

First force – The Sano clan

The Sano are a small, vigorous family that hopes to make a name for itself as an ally to more powerful clans to the north. As a force of c. 150 points, they have a ryu based upon 7 points rather than the usual 12.

Ferocity/Fire 1

Prudence/Wood 2

Discipline/Earth 2

Speed/Wind 0

Cunning/Water 0

Endurance/Metal 2

The Sano forces are all encamped in the supposedly peaceful open ground to the west of the river. Their camp is surrounded by a light barricade of bamboo frames, against which mantlets and bundles bound brushwood and bamboo have been places. These count as palisades, though they are flimsy, and can be destroyed by any unopposed enemy unit that begins a turn in contact with them (the palisade is destroyed with no penalty to movement). The camp gate is blocked by carts, and only counts as ‘difficult footing’ – although the Sano may elect to open the gates and make the gateways clear road terrain. The interior of the camp is open terrain.

The Sano initially have only two small units that are ‘standing to arms” and on duty. The first is a 2 base unit of spears that is holding a barricade at the north road. The second is a 2 base unit of spears at their camp itself, deployed at the northern gate. One leader is currently deployed with the unit at the camp gate.

Pickets

2 bases of infantry lancers – infantry, training level 2, light armour, yari.

1 leader on foot.

There are some small 1 or 2 man picket posts along the riverside roads. These sound the alarm once an enemy force reaches the riverbank (They see the enemy approaching a little way out into the river – but it takes a moment for conches to be blown!)

The camp

The remainder of the Sano forces are all peacefully in camp.

This camp is wide enough to fit all of the defender’s bases, and will be bounded by a light barrier of bamboo poles with occasional sections covered by mantlets. There are ‘gateways’ that are loosely blocked by carts, and count as difficult footing for attackers.

Undefended sections of palisade and gateways can be utterly demolished by any attacking troops that are in contact with them after movement.

Place the remaining Sano troop units within the camp as desired. These troops are currently in quarters, unarmoured. When the alarm is sounded, they will take 1 turn to become active. They will, however be disordered and unarmoured.

Troops may arm themselves with light armour if they spend 2 turns stationary, doing nothing else.

Firearms troops must spend 1 turn unmoving in order to light their slow match before they can fire.

Cavalry will be unable to mount until they  have spent 4 turns stationary finding their mounts and saddling up.

1x champion

2 bases – Hatamoto – elite cavalry, training level 3, heavy armour, yari (but can only deploy as light armoured)

2 bases – Cavalry – cavalry, training level 3, heavy armour, yari (but can only deploy as light armoured)

2 bases – Samurai lancers – training level 3, heavy armour, yari (but can only deply as light armoured)

4 bases – Lancers – training level 2, light armour, yari

2 bases – Samurai gunners – training level 3, heavy armour, samurai-zutsu (but can only deply as light armoured)

2 bases – Gunners – training level 2, light armour, ban-zutsu (cannot fire until slow-match is lit)

2 bases – Archers – training level 2, light armour, bow

The second force – The Ichi-Ikki

This force is more chaotic than the Sano, consisting of regional ikki troops with a high level of ferocity and religious zeal, but minimal hard discipline. As a smaller force, it has a ryu made with 7 points rather than the usual 12.

Ferocity/Fire 3

Prudence/Wood 0

Discipline/Earth 0

Speed/Wind 0

Cunning/Water 2

Endurance/Metal 2

The Ikki troops are all rather haphazardly and raucously encamped in and around the village. Place the units inside village bounds.

The Ikki are disorganised (and some have been drinking). They take 2 turns to don armour and grab their main weapons.

C in C (mounted)

2x champions

2 bases of Temple cavalry – cavalry, training level 3, heavy armour, yari (will deploy with light armour)

4 bases of Temple contingent – training level 3, elite, heavy melee weapons, light armour

8 bases of Ikiki warriors – training level 2, light armour, yari

8 bases of ikki followers – training level 2, no armour, yari

8 Bases of archers – training level 2, light armour, bow

Attackers – The Hoko

The Hoko bushidan has gathered cavalry from many allied families. Their force for this midnight assault is entirely mounted. Supporting infantry are being piggy-backed with the cavalry (riding double), or are mounted upon pack horses and nags.

Any units that carry piggy-backed infantry, or who ride pack horses are automatically disordered if in combat (and the piggy-backed troops do not join in the fighting). These infantry troops may freely dismount at the start of any turn, and then move normally

Ferocity/Fire 3

Prudence/Wood 0

Discipline/Earth 0

Speed/Wind 3

Cunning/Water 3

Endurance/Metal 3

C in C (mounted)

Leader (mounted)

3 Champions (mounted)

2 bases of Hatamoto cavalry – training level 3, elite, heavy armour, yari

12 bases of Samurai cavalry – training level 3, heavy armour, yari

4 bases of Samurai horse archers – training level 3, heavy armour, bow

8 bases of gunners riding double with samurai – training level 2, light armour, ban-zutsu

4 bases of lancers mounted on pack horses – training level 2, light armour, yari, pack horse

2 bases of Stampeding cattle

All attackers deploy in the river anywhere on the eastern side of the table.

Stampeding cattle are represented upon the table as any cavalry troops the attacker desires. They are only revealed to be cattle when they come within two DU of an enemy unit. Stampeding cattle can be made to contact an enemy force. This disordered the enemy but removes the cattle bases that are in contact. A stampeding cattle base in contact with palisades will destroy both the cattle and the palisades.

The attackers are all mounted. Each unit of cavalry carries a unit of infantry ‘doubling up’ riding behind the riders. The infantry will dismount for free once reaching  the western bank of the river.

Scenario 3: The 6 ½ Samurai

A village in a valley has been regular prey to a large force of bandits. This year, however, the peasants have a surprise in store for the marauders. They have managed to secure the assistance of several samurai heroes, who have organised the villagers to battle the invaders!

This is a ‘small scale’ fight, with forces of 150 points or less each.

Terrain:

The villagers have created barricades to protect their village. These offer cover from missile fire. They may elect to open the barricades at any road area, allowing troops during that turn to treat the road zone as clear terrain.

The hills to the north and south are extremely steep. They are impassable to horses.

Bandit forces:

The bandit player may design their own ryu, or they may take the default ryu as listed (7 points):

Ferocity/Fire 2

Prudence/Wood 0

Discipline/Earth 0

Speed/Wind 2

Cunning/Water 1,

Endurance/Metal 2

Forces:

1x bandit leader (C in C) – mounted

1x leader – mounted

1x Character O-zutsu

1 x character

2 bases of bandit armoured cavalry – cavalry with yari, heavy armour, training level 3

4 bases of bandit rabble cavalry – cavalry with yari, light armour, training level 2

16 bases of bandits – infantry with light armour, training level 2

8 bases of bandits – infantry with no armour, training level 2

2 bases of bandits with firearms – infantry with light armour, ban-zutsu, training level 2

Defenders:

The defending player may design their own ryu, or they may take the default ryu as listed (7 points):

Note – the defending force adds +1 to its “endurance/metal” as long as the commander in chief is alive.

Ferocity/Fire 2

Prudence/Wood 1

Discipline/Earth 2

Speed/Wind0

Cunning/Water 0

Endurance/Metal 3

Forces:

1x commander in chief

2x leaders

3x champions

20 bases of peasant spearmen – training 1, no armour, yari

4 bases of peasant archers – training 1, no armour, bow

4 bases of enraged women and youths – training 1, no armour, heavy melee weapons

All characters of the defender’s army roll one extra dice during any duel with an enemy character.