Test of Honour

Ashigaru (literally “light foot”) were so named as they had lighter armour than the Samurai. They also formed the bulk of the armies of the day. Each Samurai was expected to provide two armed Ashigaru. Many of these would be armed with the yari (spear).

The biggest change in the Sengoku period (1467-1603) would affect the role of missile troops in battle. At the start of the period, these were all armed with the yumi (bow) and fought in coordinated units to pepper the enemy with their arrows. This bow, like the equivalent English Longbow, took many years training to perfect but was deadly when used correctly. Due to the training needed there were never as many yumi armed troops as a daimyo may have wanted!

The Samurai is an almost mythical warrior caste of Japanese history. Their most famous exploits occurred during the Sengoku period between 1467 and 1603. With the Emperor and the Shogun unable to control the many Daimyos, there was near constant fighting between the various factions. In these times the Samurai code (Bushido) became more defined and standards of fighting improved. Even the introduction of the musket in 1543 was seen as an opportunity rather than a threat.

The Samurai began life as retainers to the nobility and over time became known as the main warrior body of Japan. Initially, they were cavalry, armed with hand weapons and missile weapons. Hard hitting and superbly trained they were a professional force given many privileges as long as they served well.

These holy warriors are known as Sohei (monk soldiers), representing the militant arm of Buddhism on the islands of Japan between the 10th and 17th centuries. Like the crusading orders of European knights, these brotherhoods of battle-hardened warriors fought as cohesive units on the battlefield.

In the Warlords of Erehwon game, the Daimyo and Hatamoto have the ‘stubborn’ special rule to reflect their determination, which means that the unit removes two pin counters each time it is given an order instead of just one.