Hills are created using the plastic tiles. A hill hex can have any type of terrain on top of the hill. Simply place the right kind of terrain tile on the hill tile. The terrain on top of the hill determines any bonuses or penalties units receive for being in that hex.
You can create hills of any height by stacking 1 or more hill tiles in the same hex. The diff erence in number of hill tiles between two adjacent hexes determines how steep the slope is. The type of slope may apply a movement penalty to some units if they move between those hexes:
If the diff erence in height is 1 hill tile, there is a gentle slope.
Infantry units with the Run order may not move across a gentle slope.
If an infantry unit executes an Assault order across a gentle slope, its movement is reduced: the unit may only move 1 hex.
If the diff erence in height is 2 hill tiles, there is an abrupt slope.
Cavalry cannot move up or down an abrupt slope.
Infantry units with Assault or Run orders may not move up or down an abrupt slope.
No unit may engage in melee with an enemy that is on the other side of an abrupt slope.
If the diff erence in height is 3 hill tiles, there is a steep slope.
Only Ninja units can move up or down a steep slope.
No unit may engage in melee with an enemy that is on the other side of a steep slope.
Hills block Line of Sight for all units except those standing on the hill itself.
If the fi ring unit is on a hill hex, its Line of Sight is blocked for only 1 hex behind any terrain that blocks Line of Sight, but not any hexes farther away.
Example: The archers on this hill cannot see the Ashigaru right behind the forest, but they can see the mounted Samurai farther away.
Most battlefi elds are not simple, wide open, flat fields. Hills, trees, or buildings can all appear on a battlefield, and each type of terrain can infl uence a battle in different ways. Clever use of terrain can be the difference between victory and defeat, so consider the terrain carefully during the battle!
Some types of terrain grant bonuses to unit abilities, such as Defense Value, for any unit that occupies the hex. Many terrain types also reduce movement, and some block Line of Sight.
Units may only execute an Ambush order if they are in the right kind of terrain.
Any reduction to movement is applied only when the unit enters a hex with this terrain.
Example: An Infantry unit assaults an enemy and must move into a hex with light woods. The unit can only move 1 hex when entering light woods, so it will only reach the enemy if it began its movement in a hex adjacent to the light woods.
Plains hexes do not block Line of Sight.
You cannot issue the Ambush order to any unit that is in a plains hex.
Light woods hexes block Line of Sight.
No unit can execute the Run order into or through a light woods hex.
If a unit executes an Assault or Move and Fire order into or through a light woods hex, its movement is reduced: infantry units may only move 1 hex and cavalry may only move up to 2 hexes.
All units may execute an Ambush order when in a light woods hex.
Heavy woods block Line of Sight. No unit can execute Assault or Run orders into or through a heavy woods hex.
Cavalry units cannot move into or through a heavy woods hex.
Infantry units may execute an Ambush order when in a heavy woods hex.
Rice fields hexes do not block Line of Sight.
No unit can execute the Run order into or through a rice fi elds hex.
If a unit executes an Assault or Move and Fire order into or through a rice fields hex, its movement is reduced: infantry units may only move 1 hex and cavalry may only move up to 2 hexes.
You cannot issue the Ambush order to any unit that is in a rice fi elds hex.
River hexes do not block Line of Sight.
Any unit can attempt to cross a river, but it must make a Loss Test. The Loss Test is made immediately when the unit enters the river hex. All units except Ninja units must spend their entire turn to enter a river hex (they can only enter the river from an adjacent hex). The unit moves out of the river hex normally during the next turn, but it can only use the March order (the unit may not run): infantry may only move 1 hex, cavalry may move up to 2 hexes.
If a unit crossing a river enters a hex adjacent to an enemy unit, it must enter melee after the Loss Test, and does not recieve any benefi ts from the Assault order.
To make the Loss Test, roll 1 die for each model in the unit. Each die roll that is 1-10 means that one model has safely crossed the river. Each result that is 11 or higher means that the unit suff ers 1 casualty (the soldiers have drowned). Defense Value has no effect on these casualties. If a unit suff ers any casualties due to a Loss Test, the unit must make a Fortitude Test as normal (if using the Intermediate Rules).
Ford hexes do not block Line of Sight.
A ford is a shallow part of a river than can be crossed more safely. A unit crossing a river at a ford hex does not make a Loss Test.
No unit can execute the Run order into or through a ford hex.
If a unit executes an Assault or Move and Fire order into or through a ford hex, its movement is reduced:
infantry units may only move 1 hex and cavalry may only move up to 2 hexes.
You cannot issue the Ambush order to any unit that is in a ford hex.
Bridge hexes do not block Line of Sight.
No unit can execute the Run order into or through a bridge hex.
If a unit executes an Assault or Move and Fire order into or through a bridge hex, its movement is reduced: infantry units may only move 1 hex and
cavalry may only move up to 2 hexes.
You cannot issue the Ambush order to any unit that is in a bridge hex.
Ravine hexes do not block Line of Sight.
Cavalry units cannot move into or through a ravine hex.
Infantry units cannot execute the Run order into or through a ravine hex.
If an infantry unit in a ravine hex executes an Assault order, its movement is reduced: the unit may only move 1 hex.
A unit in a ravine hex is visible only to units in adjacent hexes, and only has Line of Sight to the adjacent hexes.
Rocky ground hexes do not block Line of Sight.
No unit can execute the Run order into or through a rocky ground hex.
If a unit executes an Assault or Move and Fire order into or through a rocky ground hex, its movement is reduced: infantry units may only move 1 hex and cavalry may only move up to 2 hexes.
You cannot issue the Ambush order to any unit that is in a rocky ground hex.
If there is rocky ground on a hill hex, cavalry units cannot move up the slope into that hex.
Village hexes block Line of Sight.
All units may execute an Ambush order when in a village hex.
Some units have special abilities that apply only to that unit. These elite units can be very powerful, and can sway a battle in a moment.
Ninja are highly-trained assassins, often used to eliminate key enemy leaders during a battle. All Ninja units have these special abilities:
• Agility: Ninja units may enter types of terrain that are forbidden to other units, such as thick forests or steep slopes (see Terrain).
• Spies: Only Ninja units may execute the Reconnaissance order (see Orders).
• Assassins: If a Ninja unit infl icts casualties on an enemy unit that includes a Commander, the Commander must be taken as the first casualty (instead of the last – see Unit Commanders).
These units are very mobile, and can strike an enemy from a distance, making them an extremely valuable addition to your army. Only mounted Samurai archers can execute the Move and Fire order.
Each army has 1 General Staff unit. This represents your generals and their staff , and must be protected.
General Staff units have the following special abilities:
• High Command: General Staff units always count as having a Commander, as long as any models are still part of the unit. All rules that apply to units with a Commander also apply to General Staff units.
Each turn, you will assign orders to all of your units.
Each unit can only be assigned 1 order each turn. Mark the order you choose on each unit’s Unit Card. All orders are resolved during the Resolution Phase.
These orders are used for units that you want to defend themselves against enemy attacks. They are executed during the Defensive Orders Step of the Execution Phase:
This order prepares a unit to defend itself against enemies from all directions. This unit does not have any fl ank or rear sides, and no attacker receives those bonuses, even if they assault it from a direction this unit is not facing.
Cavalry units cannot be issued the All-Around Defense order.
Ranged units may not shoot ranged weapons when executing this order.
This order tells a unit to defend part of the battlefield.
The defending unit has a Defense Zone (see Defense Zone) You must write down which hex the unit will face when it executes this order. This will determine the direction of the unit’s Defense Zone.
If a unit with this order is attacked, it engages the attacking enemy units. If an assault comes from the unit’s front facing, it can engage 2 enemy units at once.
Turn the unit to face the attacker with the highest total Attack Value. If the unit is assaulted from any other direction, it is treated as a fl ank or rear attack, as appropriate.
Cavalry units cannot be issued the Defend order.
A ranged unit with Defend orders gains a Kill Zone in addition to its Defense Zone. You must write down the maximum range that the unit will fi re (in the order box for the Defend order).
The unit will fi re its ranged weapons at the first enemy unit that moves into its Kill Zone, or that begins its movement inside the Kill Zone. The enemy’s
movement is temporarily interrupted until the ranged attack is complete. If multiple enemies move into the Kill Zone at the same time, the defender chooses which 1 enemy unit to shoot at. The ranged unit must spend 1 Ammunition point to make this attack (see Ammunition).
Example: This unit of archers has the Defend order with a Kill Zone range of 3 hexes. The highlighted hexes are in the Kill Zone. As soon as the enemy Samurai enter the Kill Zone, the archers will immediately attack. Then the Samurai can continue moving (assuming they survive).
This order tells a ranged unit to fi re at any attackers and fall back. You must write down the direction the unit will be facing when it executes this order. This will determine the direction of the unit’s Defense Zone. You may issue this order only to units that have a ranged attack.
The unit gains a Kill Zone with a maximum range of 2 hexes. If an enemy unit enters this Kill Zone, the defending unit immediately makes a ranged attack against the moving unit (its movement is temporarily interrupted). Then, the defending unit moves directly backwards 1 hex.
If multiple enemies move into the Kill Zone at the same time, the defender chooses which 1 unit to attack.
The unit must spend 1 Ammunition point if it fires its weapons at an attacker.
If the defending unit is assaulted from any direction that is not covered by the unit’s Kill Zone, it is treated as a flank or rear attack, as appropriate. The defender does not get to fi re its weapons or retreat.
Example: An arquebusier unit has Fire and Retreat orders, when a unit of enemy cavalry with Assault orders moves to attack through their Kill Zone.
The arquebusiers immediately re their weapons, in icting 1 casualty, then they move back 1 hex.
The cavalry unit passes its Fortitude Test and keeps moving, but because the arquebusiers retreated 1 hex, the cavalry cannot reach them—the attack fails!
Playing Hint: Use this order with caution: on the one hand, it allows you to shoot at an enemy from a short distance and then retreat, thus disrupting his assault.
On the other hand, if your unit is attacked by the enemy it will ght at a disadvantage. Think carefully before giving this order!
These orders can only be issued to units that can make a ranged attack. They are executed during the Ranged Combat Step of the Execution Phase:
This order tells the unit to fi re its ranged weapons at an enemy unit. You may only issue this order to units that have a ranged attack. You must write down the number of the enemy unit you want to shoot at. The target enemy must be within your weapons’ range and in Line of Sight (see Ranged Combat).
The unit must spend 1 Ammunition point.
These orders are used for units that you want to move around the battlefi eld. They are executed during the Movement Orders Step of the Execution Phase:
This order instructs a unit to move across the battlefield and attack an enemy in melee combat. You must write down the exact path that the unit will take
when it moves. Infantry units may move up to 2 hexes when making an assault. Cavalry units may move up to 4 hexes. You must also write down the number of the unit you want to attack. You can only target an enemy unit that is in Line of Sight of the assaulting unit when the order is issued. When a unit with Assault Orders moves, it has no Zone of Control.
Assault orders are resolved at the same time as other movement orders. To see if any units run into each other, you must resolve all movement 1 hex at a time (see Movement). Your assault movement may be interrupted by an enemy unit that fi res on or attacks your unit.
If your unit can move adjacent to the target unit, your assault succeeds and you engage that enemy in melee combat.
If a unit with the Assault order encounters another unit during movement (see Encounters), the assaulting unit must continue to move towards the target unit and engage it in melee combat. If two units with Assault orders encounter each other, roll 1 die for each unit and add its current Fortitude to the result of the roll. The unit with the higher total moves into the encounter hex. If the totals are equal, roll again.
Note: You can only receive bonuses for fl ank and rear attacks when you execute an Assault order.
This order tells your unit to move carefully across the battlefield. You must write down the exact path your unit will take when it moves. Infantry units may move 1 hex. Cavalry units may move up to 2 hexes. Some types of terrain can prevent your unit from executing a March order (see Terrain). Your movement may be interrupted by an enemy unit that fi res on or attacks your unit.
If your unit moves into an enemy Zone of Control or Defense Zone, it must stop moving and engage that enemy (see Movement).
This order instructs your unit to move across the battlefi eld and fi re its ranged weapons at the enemy.
You may only issue this order to cavalry units with ranged weapons, such as mounted Samurai archers.
Infantry units may not execute a Move and Fire order.
Note that mounted Samurai archers are not included in this Starter Set, but may be purchased separately.
You must write down the exact path your unit will take when it moves. Your unit may move up to 4 hexes. You must also underline the exact hex that your unit will fire from during its movement, and write the number of the enemy unit you want to attack. The target enemy must be within your weapons’ range and in Line of Sight when you make the attack.
Example: A unit of mounted archers has been assigned the Move and Fire order. It will move 2 hexes to the right, re its weapons, and then move 2 hexes towards the rear.
The unit must spend 1 Ammunition point.
Some types of terrain can prevent your unit from executing a Move and Fire order (see Terrain). Your movement may be interrupted by an enemy unit that fires on or attacks your unit.
This order tells your unit to move as quickly as possible across the battlefi eld. You must write down the exact path your unit will take when it moves. Infantry units may move up to 2 hexes. Cavalry units may move up to 4 hexes. Some types of terrain can prevent your unit from executing a Run order (see Terrain).
These orders include a number of activities that are not directly related to movement or combat. Not all units can execute all of these orders. You can only issue a special order to a unit if it appears on the Order Chart of its Unit Card. All special orders are executed during the Special Orders Step of the Execution Phase:
This order tells your unit to hide from the enemy. A unit that executes the Ambush order becomes “hidden”. You may only issue this order to a unit that is not engaged in melee combat, and there must be no enemy units within 2 hexes. You can only issue this order to a unit that is in certain types of terrain (see Terrain).
When you execute this order, remove the unit model from the game board, and place it on its Unit Card. You must write down the hex number where the unit is located, and the direction that the unit is facing.
A hidden unit has a Defense Zone and a Kill Zone (if it has a ranged attack):
• If an enemy unit enters the Kill Zone of a hidden ranged unit, and is within 2 hexes range, the hidden unit immediately fi res its weapons. If several enemy units move to within 2 hexes range (and are in the Kill Zone), you must choose which single enemy unit to shoot at. Your unit must spend 1 Ammunition point to make this attack.
Important: A hidden unit can only fire if the enemy is within 2 hexes range!
• If an enemy unit enters the Defense Zone of the hidden unit, the units are engaged in melee. The hidden unit attacks normally, but the enemy unit does not to get to attack the hidden unit this turn.
• If an enemy unit approaches the hidden unit from any direction that is not in its Defense Zone, the units are engaged in melee combat, but it does not count as a Flank or Rear attack.
A hidden unit cannot be the target of any ranged attacks or the Assault order.
If the hidden unit is engaged in melee by any enemy unit, or if it makes any ranged attack, it is immediately revealed. Return the unit model to the game board in the space written on the Unit Card.
A Ninja unit (and only a Ninja unit) can detect a hidden unit by executing the Reconnaissance order within 2 or 3 hexes of the hidden unit.
Note that Ninja units are not included in this Starter Set, but may be purchase separately.
This order allows you to combine two damaged units.
You must issue this order to two units of the same type that are in adjacent hexes, and may do so only if the total number of models left in both units (combined) is not larger than the full strength starting size of one unit of this type. You must also write down which hex the joined unit will be located in after the order is executed.
Place the models from the smaller unit in the base of the larger unit. Remove the empty model base and it’s matching Unit Card from the game.
When two ranged units join together, the new unit has Ammunition points equal to amount of Ammunition the larger of the two joined units had.
Example: Two damaged Samurai units in adjacent hexes are issued the Join Up order. The smaller unit only has 2 models left, so they are added to the larger unit. Together, they have a total of 6 models, so the combined unit is back to full strength!
This order allows a ranged unit to refi ll its Ammunition points. You may only issue this order to a unit that is adjacent to a Peasant Transport unit. You may give this order to multiple ranged units that are adjacent to the same Peasant Transport. You must also give the Receive Supplies order to the Peasant Transport unit.
The ranged unit cannot have more Ammunition than it began the game with (7 arrows per unit).
Each Peasant Transport only has a limited supply of Ammunition that it can give to other units. This Ammunition supply is shown on the Peasant Transport card. When a unit receives supplies from the Peasant Transport, you must cross off 1 Ammunition point on the transport’s Unit Card for each Ammunition point added to the other unit. If the Peasant Transport runs out of supplies, it cannot give any more Ammunition to other units.
Note that the Peasant Transport unit is not included in this Starter Set, but may be purchased separately.
A unit with Rest orders does nothing during the turn, though it may fi ght in melee if attacked.
Any unit that did not receive an order (for any reason), or which received an order that it cannot execute (such as shooting at a unit that is out of Line of Sight), automatically executes the Rest order instead.
This order can only be given to a Ninja unit. If there are any hidden enemy units within 3 hexes of the Ninja unit, all of them are revealed. Return the hidden units to the game board.
Units that are ordered to leave melee combat move during the Retreat step of the Execution Phase, after all melee combat is complete.
This is the only order that allows a unit to voluntarily leave melee combat. You must write down the exact path your unit will take when it moves. Infantry units may move 1 hex. Cavalry units may move up to 2 hexes.
This order is only executed if your unit is not destroyed or Put to Flight during melee combat this turn (see Melee Combat).
If all units engaged in a melee combat are issued Retreat orders, the melee is abandoned and all units move without any combat rolls being made.
Ranged combat occurs when a unit with the Firepower ability (a “ranged unit”) attacks an enemy unit from a distance.
A unit can only make a ranged attack against an enemy that it can see. Where a unit can see is called “Line of Sight”. Some types of terrain and most units on the battlefi eld block Line of Sight.
To determine if a unit has Line of Sight to an enemy unit, draw an imaginary straight line from the center of the attacker’s hex to the center of the target’s hex. It is recommended that you use a piece of string or similar object stretched between the centers of the two hexes to help determine if a unit can see the target. If any part of this imaginary line crosses any part of a hex that is occupied by a terrain type or a unit that blocks Line of Sight, the attacker cannot see the target and cannot make a ranged attack.
Important: All units except Ninja units block Line of Sight.
When you make a ranged attack, you must first determine the range between the attacker and its target. The range is the number of hexes between the
2 units, counting the target’s hex but not counting the attacker’s hex.
Example: The archers are at range 3 from the cavalry unit.
Every unit with a ranged attack has a range chart at the top of its Unit Card. The arrow symbol on the range chart shows the hex that the unit is in. Find the range to the target on the chart. The number in that box is the Firepower Value for the attack.
If the box for that range shows an “x”, your unit may not make a ranged attack against an enemy at that range.
Ranged attacks follow the same procedure as melee attacks, except that the attacker uses its Firepower Value instead of its Attack Value. When you determine the final Firepower Value, remember to check the range chart on the attacker’s Unit Card.
While melee weapons such as swords and spears can be used for the entire battle, ranged weapons like bows or the arquebus require ammunition each time they are fi red. Every ranged unit (archers, mounted archers, arquebusiers, etc.) begins the game with a full supply of 7 Ammunition points.
Each time the unit executes an order that requires it to fire its weapons (such as Fire Ranged Weapons) it must spend 1 Ammunition point. If the unit has no Ammunition left, it cannot execute one of these orders.
The arrow models are used to record the amount of Ammunition a unit has. At the beginning of the battle, insert 7 arrows into the unit’s stand. Each time an Ammunition point is used, remove 1 arrow.
A ranged unit can get more Ammunition from a Peasant Transport by executing the Receive Supplies Order (see Orders).
Note that the Peasant Transport unit is not included in this Starter Set, but may be purchase separately.
Some orders, such as Defend or Ambush, will give a ranged unit a Kill Zone. This is the area of the battlefi eld that the unit can fi re it’s weapons at. The Kill Zone is a cone of hexes that begins at the front side of the unit, based on the direction it is facing,
and extends to the maximum range that it will fire (determined when you issue the order to the unit).
A unit with a Kill Zone will automatically attack any enemy unit that enters this part of the battlefield, interrupting that unit’s movement.
