CW Thunder's Challenge
CW Thunder's Challenge
CW Thunder's Challenge
T k u n d ers C h a llen g e
O e d its C on ten ts
“Revelations” ............................................................................... 2
Thunders’ Challenge
Battle for Doji P a la ce................................................................. 8
Written by: Ken Carpenter, Mike Eamst, Steve Hough, Doji Hoturi returns to his homelands... at the head of a great
Patrick Kapera, Bob King, Jim Long, Matthew McGreevey, Tom Shadowlands horde
Phillips, and Ree Soesbee
Regions of Rokugan ................................................................. 16
Cover Artwork: Cari Frank Two new battlefields: The Takezo Cliffs and The Snow Plain
Interior Artwork: Cris Domaus, Cari Frank, Scott James, “The First and Last Line” .........................................................20
Michael Phillipi
The False Hoturi ....................................................................... 26
Graphic Design: Steve Hough Use the False Hoturi in your own Clan War scenarios
Miniatures Painting: Alexander Bond, Ken Carpenter, Mike Claws of the Crab ..................................................................... 28
Emst, John Knox, Tyson Koch, Shawn Marcione, Frank Martin, Try this brutal Crab army against your opponents
Tom Phillips, Brian Riley
The Great Bear ......................................................................... 32
Layout: Steve Hough Grievously zvounded during his assault on Otosan Uchi,
Hida Kisada is far from useless on the battlefield
Editing: Steve Long and D.J. Trindle
Conflict at the Asahina Temples .............................................33
Clan War and Clan War Daimyo Edition: Ken Carpenter
Doji Hoturi faces his most challenging foe... himself!
Clan War Design Team: Mike Emst, Marcelo Figueroa, Steve
The Brotherhood of Shinsei.....................................................41
Hough, Tom Phillips
The followers of Shinsei step forward and commit themselves
during the final days of the Clan War
Playtesters: Jim Callahan, David Abate, Rob Bowes, Nick
Cuaresma, CJ Dunnigan, Greg Ortiz, Eric Silveira, Bob King, Crossroads................................................................................. 46
Sam Kennedy, Don Lynch, Pete Orphanos, Mark Perneta, When four armies collide, there can be no backing down
Boyd Kleen, Tony Rodgers, Robert Morris, Chad
Fear the Common M an.............................................................54
Richardson, Mark Rodgers, Nathan Rodgers, Paul Rodgers, A surprising Toturi army
Geoffrey Schaller, Joe Keyser, Mark Shurtleff, Tracy Harms
and Max Harms Among the T rees....................................................................... 57
Tsukuro and his Shadowlands army make the mistake of
retreating past Naga lands
L egend of the Five Rings, C lan War, T h e E m erald Em pire of
Rokugan a n d all o th e r r e la te d m a r k s a r e tr a d e m a r k s o f W iz a rd s o f th e C o a s t, In c .
© 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved. Made in USA.
Smiling by the fire, the storyteller spoke to children no older than ten summers, clustered tightly
against the chill of the long Kakita ballroom zuhere they had gathered after the night’s festivities. It
was too late for these children to be awake, but they had clamored for another tale, and Shizue had
laughingly agreed.
A few courtiers still stood throughout the great hall, whispering of politics and war. Shizue
ignored them, uninterested in their dull chatter. “A reyou going to tell the children a story, maiden?”
A voice spoke at her shoulder.
“I am. Would you like to attend us?” Shizue smiled pleasantly at the hooded figure behind her.
“You seem chilled; come and enjoy the fire with us.”
“I would appreciate that,” the man said. “I have been traveling and the winter is coid. Though I
m usí joum ey on, I am honored to share your fire, and your story.” Quickly, Shizue scanned his
clothing for any sign of clan or family - and found none. A ronin, probably one of Toturi-sama’s
messengers.
“You are welcome here,” the storyteller said genuinely, motioning to a pillow by the fire for the
ronin’s comfort. “I hope my story pleases you.”
“Story! Story?” the children said eagerly, and Doji Shizue laughed and began.
“Once, the Empire was covered in grasses. No cities, no fields tended by industrious heimin, only
wide green valleys and sharp m ountains rising from a land untamed and wild
“Then, the Kami fell, the Empire rose, and everything changed
“Fu Leng and his minions flooded from the distant south, and the new Empire was threatened
with extinction only a short while after it had been bom. The kami, great warriors and immortal
souls, struggled to defeat an enemy a thousand times stronger than they. Soon the capital city of
Rokugan was threatened It seemed Fu Leng had won.
“Until one man changed the world.
“Shinsei the prophet, and his Tao of Man.
“When he had finished speaking to the First Hantei, Shinsei rodé out into the land to find human
samurai - not kam i- to change the world ‘The path of the future is in the hands of mortal souls’ the
prophet had said and to prove that goal, he sought out the greatest warriors and shugenfa of the
Empire. When he found them, m any were reluctant to go - but all agreed and because of their valor
Rokugan was saved from Fu Leng.
“First, Shinsei went into the lands of the Dragón, to seek out Mirumoto and convince him that
the fight was true... ”
Hitomi looked up at the great stretch of ground upon which the Kitsuki maze was located, and
saw the bell faintly over the tops of the garden. Something was moving within the trees, but when
she looked at the maze, it became as still as glass. Shaking her head and turning to leave, the daimyo
of the Mirumoto snorted.
“Good afternoon, daimyo-sama.” The voice startled her. He had not been there a moment ago.
The guide was tall and dark, but not handsome. His features were too bland, eyes too gray to be
purely brown and hair the color of the muddy spring earth. Hardly a samurai at all, Hitomi thought,
despite the aristocratic tilt of his slanted eyes and the courteous bow he performed for her. He was
clean shaven, his short hair covered by a brown hood that clung to the sides of his face with each
motion, shadowing the hollows of his light eyes. The man - a ronin, Hitomi presumed by his lack of
a proper mon - wore a thin brown gi and hakima, hardly enough to shelter him from the morning
frost and the coid wind of the Dragón mountains. “You may cali me Hyoji.”
“Hyoji?” Hitomi said, not returning the ronin’s greeting. “The word simply means ‘guide’. You have
no ñame?”
“No, my lady. I never needed one.”
She looked curiously at him, noting his calm demeanor and completely assured stance. This, then,
was no ordinary ronin. However, many men became dishonored through deeds that were not their
own, or through the deaths of their lords, and so this might well be a man with some sense of duty
■-'■#£■ -*w •;■:- *♦/ ' ; 'V .
hidden beneath his drab clothing. He could be hiding a noble lineage behind his false ñame, or he
could be hiding some greater shame. It would pay to be cautious - but because Togashi Yokuni "Shinsei found the
himself had chosen this ‘guide’, it would only be corred to treat him with a modicum of honor.
“You are the man of whom Yokuni spoke?” The ronin nodded. “And how can you prove your
Unicom maiden,
purpose?” Hitomi stared frankly at the man, taking in his dusty and unkempt appearance.
“The Tao of Shinsei says one should never question a falling star - only follow where it leads,”
the ronin smiled easily.
Hitomi sniffed. “Quoting the Tao only tells me that you are educated, guide. Not that you can be
trusted.”
“True. But having come this far, how can you afford not to trust me?” His eyes twinkled in the
shadow of his hood, and his hands fluttered expressively.
“Hmmph.” Hitomi bowed slightly, accepting the man’s purpose. “Come with me, and I will show
you the armies of the Mirumoto. I hope you are more convincing when you meet them.”
“My thanks, lady daimyo,” he smiled gently. “I assure you, I will be.”
The Unicom lands were nearly empty, their armies racing to the south to battle the Crab at
Beiden pass. After Kisada’s assault on Otosan Uchi, the Unicom were in a frenzy, determined to bring
the butcher to his knees before the rightful Hantei.
Kamoko had paused by a tree to let her mighty steed rest They had run for nearly three days
straight, and both rider and mount were weary to the bone. The Shinjo needed them to the south -
but they needed to be alive and in condition to fight. One does not fight a Crab without sleep. Even
a Unicom knows that
“May I share this fire?” a voice spoke in a friendly tone.
Kamoko leapt from her sleeping silks and put her hand on her sword in an instant “Who speaks?
What clan?”
“No clan, Otaku. I am simply a traveler, who saw the light of your fire.”
“A ronin? Very well, come forward.” The man was quiet unarmed and unarmored, wearing the
gi and hakima of a messenger. Kamoko slowly put away her blade. “You are welcome to share my
fire,” she said contritely. “I am sorry to have nearly assaulted you. I am Otaku Kamoko, of the
Unicom.” She bowed courteously. Ronin or no, this man might have news of Otosan Uchi, and for
that, she would be polite to Onnotangu himself.
“Where do you travel, Kamoko of the Unicom?”
“Otosan Uchi.”
The ronin nodded. “Much trouble there.”
Kamoko said seriously, “1 am needed, and I will go.”
“Do you always look at your duty that way? Unquestioned?”
The Battle Maiden smiled. “Always.”
“And when your orders do not come from the Champion of your clan?” the ronin squatted by the
fire, warming his hands. “Or from the Emperor?”
“Who else would give me orders? I am daimyo of my house, commander of the Otaku forces.”
Kamoko shrugged carelessly. “If there were someone greater than the Emperor, then I would listen.
The Sun, perhaps.”
“And if there were someone greater than the Sun?”
She laughed. “No one is more powerful than the Sun, ronin. You should know that.”
“The Tao says that The Gods created the world, but man can change it’ Is not man, then, greater
than the gods?”
*
“No, ronin. I do not think so. If we were, then the world would not be on the edge of being
swallowed by Fu Leng.”
“Kisada did th at The Scorpion changed the world of Hantei, and the Crab brought in Fu Leng.
Were those not mankind’s choices?”
Kamoko stared at the ronin untrustingly. “Yes, those were mortal hands.”
“Then mortal hands can change them back.”
“Fair enough,” Kamoko said. “But who will lead the charge? There are no Thunders today, ronin-
who-speaks-the-Tao. No one will rise to save us. We must save ourselves.”
Smiling, the hooded messenger stood, wiping his hands on his hakima. “Thank you, Kamoko. I
could not have said it better myself.” He shouldered his bag and bowed to her once more. “Thank
you for the use of your fire, Kamoko-sama. I appreciate the words we have spoken, and look forward
to seeing you again.”
Watching the madman’s back retreat down the road, Kamoko shook her head to dismiss his
words. “When the end of the world comes, ronin - that’s when we’ll meet again... and not a day
before.”
“Into the lands of the Crab, Shinsei walked, drawing the Thunders together one by one... ”
Yakamo knelt by his father’s broken body, unsure if the rise and fall of Kisada’s breath would
continué until the dawn carne.
A whisper in the dark, and Yakamo’s tetsubo leapt into his hand. Kisada did not awaken, the
guards outside the small cave did not move. But deep in the shadows, something shivered and
stepped forth.
“Who are you?” Yakamo snarled, raising his weapon over his father as if to protect him from the
small man that had come forth into the firelight.
“No one of cónsequence.” Kneeling down near Kisada, the ronin frowned at the wounds that
crisscrossed the Great Bear’s face. “Your father will live.”
“Don’t make me kill you, ronin,” said Yakamo, prepared to fulfill his threat “I am tired of killing
men today.”
“Ah, but if you kill me, son of Hida, who will tell you the future?”
“I know the future. The future is darkness, and we have made it happen.” Yakamo lowered his
right arm, and pushed the huge crab’s claw toward the ronin guide. “Do you see this? This is the
future,” Yakamo’s eyes clouded and his face contorted into rage. “This is the future, and I have allowed
it to happen.”
“Yes. And that is a failure you can either accept, or avenge. Will you die here, with yourfather, or
will you bring life to the Empire, to Kisada, and to the Crab?”
“What do you mean?” Yakamo said warily.
“I have something for you, if you will accept it. It is a gift from Togashi Yokuni.”
“Yokuni? That wasted excuse for a warrior? He sits upon his mountain and does nothing while
the Empire dies around him. Why should I accept a gift from him?”
“Because this is a gift you will need to save your clan from the ruin that you havehelped to bring
about” The ronin reached into his bag and drew forth a wrapped object, tied together with hemp and
swathed in thick silk blankets. Yakamo felt his crab hand begin to throb in its presence, and an icy
coid crept through his nerves.
“I will not take it. It is evil. I can feel its presence even now. Leave here, monk, ronin, Mirumoto,
or whoever you are. Get o u t before I kill you.”
“Very well. I will leave, Hida, but I leave this behind for you. It is a part of your future, whether
you wish to accept it or n o t Accepting it is as much your choice as leaving it behind.” The ronin set
the bundle on the ground, stood, and strode toward the front of the cave. “Remember, Yakamo, that
you make your own destiny and you choose your own future. When this is done, you will understand
that - or the Crab will die forever. All is as you will.”
Yakamo ignored the monk, pushing aside with his tetsubo the wrappings of the object that the
ronin had left behind. When the coverings finally tore, Yakamo stepped back in shock and
amazement as a green light filled the cavern. Kisada moaned in his sleep, and his wounds - touched
by the light - began to cióse. The Taint began to recede. “Atarasi’s blade!” Yakamo swore.
In the shreds of its wrapping silk shone a hand of jade.
“The Grane Thunder died and was rebom, singing in the sword of their ancestors... ”
The fields of the Asahina were covered in blood, but the day had been won. Hoturi stood upon a
balcony and looked over the gentle plains, wishing that the war had not come to this. Yet it had, and
despite it all, his rogue twin - the False Hoturi - was dead and gone. The Crane would not Uve with
the taint of his dishonor any more.
“You have saved your clan, Hoturi, and that is honorable. Can you see beyond it?” The voice carne
from a ronin standing beneath the balcony. Hoturi looked down on the man, at first tempted to cali
the guards, but then changing his mind. This evening was to be a festival time, to celébrate the Crane
victory over the Shadowlands. This was not the time for suspicion or anger.
“Speak, ronin. I am in a mood to listen,” the Crane Champion said quietly.
The ronin smiled, leaning against the wall of the Asahina temple and breaking off a twig from a
nearby bayberry bush to chew thoughtfully. “What now, Lord of the Doji?
“Now, I take my clan, and we rebuild.”
“Rebuild? To what end? To become a bastión of culture in a world of Taint? The armies of the
Dark God have taken Otosan Uchi and claimed the Emperor’s Ufe. Can you ignore that?”
Shocked, Hoturi whispered, “I did not know ...”
“No, ñor do any of your men, or your vaunted courtiers. But listen to your heart, and you will
know that it is true.”
“I must challenge this - I must fight against it But how?” Hoturi’s question was rhetorical, but
the ronin answered it anyway.
“You have something that no other man in the Empire can claim. You have a Thunder by your
side.”
Looking down at his family’s ancestral sword, Hoturi said, ‘Tes. I do.”
“Let it guide you, Hoturi. You will know when to strike.”
“I will know ...” whispered Hoturi, looking up at the coid moon. Then he whispered,
“When coid winds blow
Let the rain come.
The sun will follow after.”
When Hoturi looked down from the balcony to thank the ronin for his words, the hooded shadow
was gone.
“The Scorpion, hidden among their secrets, carne despite the command of their master... ”
The rain was coid on her skin, but the shivering in her bones was not from the rain. She looked
up to the Imperial Palace where only a few hours ago her plan for revenge had been crushed like a
paper boat on a coral reef. The night wind blew her black hair across her eyes, stinging them shut.
All she could hear was the wild wail of the wind, the steady rhythm of the rain and the rapid
hammering of her frantic heart
But then Togashi Yokuni’s voice surrounded her, a voice like the thunder that resounded about
the plains of Otosan Uchi. “I told you it would come to this, Lady,” the voice said. He was not alone,
but his companion made no noise, no sound. A hooded man, barely visible, nodded from beneath the
shadow of the wall.
Her eyes flashed open. She knew the voice, remembered it as if she had first heard it in a dream.
Its resonance struck deep inside her and she pulled her ruined kimono tight about her body. She
heard his form moving above her as lithe as a serpent but she kept her eyes turned away from him.
She did not want anyone to see the fear in her eyes, not now.
“T-to Jigoku with you and your prophecy,” she stammered at the voice in the darkness. “Toturi’s
army is on the march. I will go there and join with the fallen Lion. He will have much to gain from
what I have learned tonight.”
“No.” The voice was steady and calm. “He knows. Toturi knows his part in destiny... as do you,
Lady.”
She shook her head, the pain in her side growing steadily. “No. No, I cannot. There is nothing
left....”
“You know what you must do,” the voice interrupted. “You must return to the palace. The
Emperor’s body is weakened from your poisons. You must continué to keep it so. If you do not, all
will be lost. You are needed, Lady. And you are wise enough to know not to try to deny destiny.”
She was very still for a long time, but then, slowly, she nodded. “I do.”
“It is as I told you before. You are to play a greater part in this than you know. Perhaps the greatest
part. And there are others.”
She blinked away the rain in her eyes. “Six others?”
“No,” the voice said as she felt the presence fading into the rain. “There are seven. Do not forget
that the descendant of Shinsei walks among us as well.”
And with that, the voice was gone. Despite what Yokuni had told her, she did not move, did not
daré move. “But I must,” she whispered to herself, her voice only barely audible over the wind and
thunder. She looked up at the palace one more time, and remembered what she had seen. She
shuddered, but then she steadied herself, remembering the reason why she was here at the palace.
As delicate as a kiss, a single ñame passed through her lips and she felt the strength return to her
as if it had never left.
She stood in the rain and began the long walk into the Imperial Palace. The lights burned brightly
there, and a maniacal laughter rang through the halls. It was the Emperor’s voice, but the laughter
was not his.
The laughter belonged to something older...
“Then he zoalked through the Lion lands, to find Lady Matsu and bring her courage to the
fig h t...”
In his tent at Beiden Pass, Toturi cradled his head in his hands. The road had been difficult, the
men were weary, and still the Crab showed no signs of being beaten. Shadowlands creatures flooded
the pass, and Kisada’s armies drained his own at every opportunity.
A figure appeared at the door, a young man in brown gi and golden belt.
“How did y o u ...” Toturi began pleasantly, surprised and cautious to see an intruder so far past
his guards. Still, the man did not seem hostile, and so, Toturi saw no reason to shout for his men.
“Akodo Toturi-sama. Let me say, first,” the man said, bowing, “that it is a great honor to meet you.”
‘Tm certain... but I am only Toturi now.”
“No, Akodo-sama, you are wrong. There is Lion blood in your veins, and you cannot deny i t Your
brother would not have, and your kami relies on you to carry his honor. Do you cast their souls
aside?”
“Who are you?” Toturi said, shocked, as the little man strode forward and placed himself on one
of the pillows facing Toturi across his low table.
“I am your memory, gentle Lion. I am the things you have left behind. The world is coid and bitter,
but your soul still burns with the fire of Thunder. Do you understand?”
“Riddles. Shall I cali my guards?”
“No, Toturi-sama, though you may if it pleases you. But if you will give me a minute to speak, I
leave you - even if you do not wish me to go.”
Stunned by the ronin’s forthright behavior, Toturi laughed sharply. “Very well!”
“I am a messenger. I carry a message for you that no other man in the Empire has ever heard, or
ever will. Will you accept it?”
Intrigued, Toturi nodded. “Tell me what you wish, ronin. I am listening.”
Reaching into his bag, the hooded man pulled out a delicate scroll-case, its jade coverings palé
with age. “This message is to be delivered to you, but the person who wrote it did not even know
who you were. She had no idea of your ñame, ñor your birth, ñor your dishonor. She only trusted
that you would be a Lion. Nothing more.” He placed the scroll case on the table, watching with
interest as Toturi slowly began to untie the stopper that held the paper within.
The paper, darkened with age and fragile with the weight of so many years, slid out of the case
with a sigh. “How oíd is this?” Toturi said in surprise, seeing the paper.
“Over a thousand years. It has been in our possession, awaiting this day, since the Seven Thunders
left for Fu Leng’s land on the First Day of Thunder.”
“Ancestors...” Toturi swore, slowly unrolling the delicate rice paper. “Who is this from?”
“From the Lady Matsu, to her heir.” said the ronin, and Toturi’s fingers stopped moving.
“The Lady.. Toturi whispered.
“I was to tell you one more thing, Toturi-sama. One thing that has been passed down from age
to age, for your ears when the time was right.”
“She said to tell you that no matter what the cost, remember that she will always be with you.”
“No... there is more to tell. Where did you get this scroll? Who are you? How did you know to
bring it to me?”
The ronin simply smiled. “Farewell, Toturi. Never forget who you truly are.”
“I know who you are,” Tadaka said, not looking up from his scroll. “And I know why you have
come.”
The ronin smiled. “I would expect no less, lsawa.”
“I will not go with you.” The ronin’s smile faded as Tadaka spoke. “You seek the return of the
Empire against Fu Leng’s corruption. 1 am not suited for the fight.”
“Not suited? Your soul is puré. You are strong in your magic, and you are familiar with the
Shadowlands and its minions. How could anyone else be more apt for this battle?” The hooded ronin
leaned over the table, looking down at lsawa Tadaka’s research. As the product of his labor became
clear to the guide, he stepped back with a muttered “Fortunes...”
Suddenly standing, Tadaka’s eyes snapped fire. “Yes. Now you see.” He pointed down at the Black
Scroll of Fu Leng with an accusing finger. “You see, Hyoji - or whatever you cali yourself now - that
I am unfit”
“You have opened the scrolls,” the ronin’s face fell into somber lines. “You have called this upon
us, and now you must pay for your misdeeds.”
“Pay?” Tadaka laughed bitterly, then reached up to pulí away his black mask. “I have already paid,
Hyoji. A hundredfold.” The skin beneath Tadaka’s mask had begun to pulí away from his bones,
twisting flesh and muscle into a mockery of human features. The ronin stared at it somberly as
Tadaka continued to talk. His mouth contorted into grotesque mockeries of the human form as he
continued, “I am Tainted, prophet Surely I can be of little help to you now.”
“Your flesh is corrupted, but your spirit is strong. Fu Leng does not control you - yet.”
“How do you know that? How can you possibly know where my heart lies, or what I might be
forced to do?”
“Because I know your soul, as my ancestor knew the soul of lsawa. Your path is the most difficult,
but you will not fail.”
Tadaka sank back to his knees behind the low table. “I pray you are corred, ronin. May Shinsei
walk with you.”
“He will, lsawa,” the ronin said quietly. “I promise you. He will.”
“Are you finished with your tale, Shizue?” the children asked sadly, hoping for more.
“Yes, little ones, ” the storyteller smiled. “The moon has úsen, and it is time for you to hide in your
beds and go to sleep.” One by one, the children stood, bowed politely, and began to seek out their
parents and their beds. The winter snow outside continued to fall, covering the dead, brown fall earth
in a thick blanket of white. Shizue stood at the window, looking out at the shadows with a faintly
troubled smile. The world was changing again.
A tug at the hem of the storyteller’s kimono made her look down into the huge blue eyes of the
littlest Kakita ckild The girl hugged a wett-loved toy to her chest, speaking around the thumb which
floated in and out of her rosebud mouth. “But what if Fu Leng comes in the night, to take us away
into the S ’a dowlands?” she whispered fearfully.
Picking up the child and holding her cióse, Shizue sm iled “D on’t worry, Kiako. If Fu Leng comes
again, Fm certain Shinsei will save us.” The little girl hugged her neck tightly, closing her eyes in the
near haze of sleep.
When Shizue looked up, the ronin was standing in the doorway, his hood pulled cióse around
his features. “Tm sure he will, gentle storyteller” the hooded ronin sm iled T m sure he will.”
With that, he was gone.
7
O í a n W a i *
Hoturi’s unit until Kuwanan’s unit does so. During the first moved off the battlefield unless the Lion unit is Broken or
turn of such an attack, Kuwanan and his unit suffer a -1 Routed.
ATT penalty to represent their reservations about If players have selected their own forces for this scenario,
performing such an action. After the initial attack, all Crane the threshold points for a Decisive Victory is to remove 1/2
units attack normally. of the total Lion and Shadowlands VP available. The
If the False Hoturi is removed as a casualty, every unit in threshold for Marginal Victory is to remove 1/3 of the total
the Shadowlands army must make an immediate Morale Lion and Shadowlands VP available.
Test.
L io n & S h a d o w l a n d s A r m y
TWO SEPARATE ARMIES The Lion and Shadowlands army claims a Marginal
Although they both fight against the Crane, the Lion and victory if they prevent both types of Crane Victory. The Lion
Shadowlands forces do not belong to the same army. As a and Shadowlands army claims a Decisive Victory if they
result, count Lion and Shadowlands units as allies in most elimínate all Crane units by the end of turn six, no matter
instances, but as enemy units for Move Through maneuvers how many of their own units are destroyed.
and similar effeets. They may not engage or direct attacks at
each other. The Lion and Shadowlands do share one Tactical
deck.
S p e c ia l R u le s
The False Hoturi must lead the Shadowlands army. If
players select their own forces, the Lion army’s koku cost
may be up to 50% of the Crane Army’s koku cost. The
Shadowland Army’s koku cost may be up to 110% of the
Crane Army’s koku cost.
O bjcctivcs
Crane Arm y
The Crane have little hope of defeating the armies
arrayed before them - however, to achieve a victory it is not
always necessary to defeat the opponent. The Crane achieve
a Decisive Victory if they still have at least 5 VP worth of
forces on the board at the end of turn six and they have
eliminated 17 VP of enemy forces in that time (Broken and
Routed forces are not included in the 5 VP remaining). They
achieve a Marginal Victory if they elimínate at least 15 VP
of enemy forces in the same time, regardless of remaining
Crane forces. The Crane do not gain VP for Lion units
Clan Wat*
Lion Army
^ * - 3»
I J J |,x p !
39 IIftíM
w
lü
■T^mI
plllillllli tn y
Maul
2 VP; threshol
2297
||i§ÍF
THimders' Challenge
Crane Army
1 Doji Sonok
2 VP Crane Tactical Deck
20 Daidoji Sab 2 x The Arrow Knows the \
Additional Ti 3 x Facing the Shadows
2 VP; thresho 3 x Grirn Determination
2 x Here and Now!
1 Doji Kimura / 3 x Iaijutsu Duel
Writ of Command 3 x Know the Terrain
Yumi 3 x Parade Grotmd Practice
2 VP 3 x Shadowlands Sickness
19 Crane Regular Bowmen 3 x Stout Heart
3 VP; threshold 8,16,19 3 x To Do What I Must
2 x Parade Ground Practice
1 Kakita Shura 3 x Trap!
Evil Ward
2 VP
16 Kakita Academy Students
3 VP; threshold 8,16 (x2 VP)
O í a n W a t 1
S h a d o w lo n d s yV w ny P la c e m e n t
©
Air: 4 ATN: 7
Daidoji Sonoko
TL: 6 Equipment: Katana, Light A rm or
i ATN: 6
Daidoji Saboteaos
TL: 6 Equipment: Katana, Light A rm or
s u
císiTrt :-'.V■+. .V ’í ■
1
D oji Kimura
©
Air: 5 TL: 6 Equipment: Katana, Light A rm or
1 ©
C r a n e Regular Bowmen
SU
ATN: 8 Air: ATN: 6 TL: 7 Equipment: Yumi, Light A rm or
Earth: 3 Wounds: 3 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry', Unique Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 7 Traits: Infantry, Skirm ish
Fire: 3 ATT: +1 Fire: ATT: +0/+0 Glory:
Glory. 4 skills: B attle 3, L eadership 2, D efense 2, laijutsu 3 Skills:
Water: 3 DAM: +0 Honor: 2 Water: DAM: -17+0 Honor: 2
Void: 4 #S: 1 Cost: 118 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 13
Crane Sam urai y-:;* Crane Unit
Ability (SO): Once per battle, du rin g an engagem ent involving his unit, Kim ura m ay challenge Ranged (yumi): 15" cióse, 3 0 " extended (-2 ATT).
the leader of the enem y u n it to an laijutsu duel (Void based). If the leader refuses th e duel, M áxim um of tw o units.
he is dishonored and m ay m ak e no Attack rolls against K im ura's un it d u rin g Cióse Com bat
for the rest of th e engagem ent.
.* ' fá f í¿ r-"' + t ‘
€> Kakita Sh u ra
1 m
Kakita Acadewy Students
SU
Air: 5 ATN: 7 TL: 7 Equipment: W akizashi Air: ATN: 6 TL: 6 Equipment: Katana, Light A rm or
i Earth: 4 Wounds: 4 ML: 6 Traits: Com bat, Infantry Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry
Fire: 3 ATT: +2 Glory. 4 skills: M agic 3, Balde 3, L eadership 2, D efense 1 Fire: ATT: +1 Glory:
Skills:
Water: 3 DAM: -1 Honor: 2 Water: DAM: +1 Honor: 3
Void: 3 #S: 1 Cost: 147 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 13
C rane Shugenja, Artisan Crane Unit
Innate (SO): Once per battle, w hen leading a unit, S h u ra targets h er ow n unit. Every m odel in Ability': Any personality leading o r associating w ithin this unit gains + 1 to all D am age dice
her unit gains one of the follow ing effeets: Badger (+ 2 to M orale tests for 2 turns), Crab (+1 du rin g a duel, even if th ere is no m odifier allowed.
ATN for 2 turns, m ax ATN 8), Crane (Flight for 4 turns), D ragón (Fear 1 for tw o turns), Ability: W hen a personality' in this un it u ses a Tactical card d u ring a duel or to iniiiate a duel,
Dragonfly (-2 ATT to enem y Ranged Attacks for tw o turns), H um m ingbird (one extra Free the personality's player m ay im m ediately draw a Tactical card from his deck, w ith a
M aneuver per m ovem ent phase for 4 turns), Lion (+ 2 DAM for 2 turns), U nicom (Cavalry m áxim um of one draw n card per duel.
for 2 turns), Wasp (+1 ATT to all Ranged Attacks for 2 turns). M áxim um of tw o units: no m ore than 20 m odels per unit, no m ore th an 32 m odels total.
«*
a#p(a
™ w--,
i i? i?f" v;' ' ■* :
Ka
Kakita D isaru Kakita Regular Infantry
! # su
Air: 3 ATN: 7 TL: 7 Equipment: Katana, Light A rm or Air: ATN: 6 TL: 6 Equipment: Katana, Light A rm or
Earth: 2 Wounds: 2 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry
Fire: 3 ATT: +1 Glory: 2 Fire: ATT: +1
Skills: Battle 1, Leadership 2, D efense 2, laijutsu 2 Glor*: Skills:
Water: 3 DAM: +0 Honor: 3 Water: DAM: +0 Honor: 2
Void: 3 #S: 1 Cost: 61 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 12
C rane Sam urai Crane Unit
Kiso: W hen leading a Crane unit, D isaru's un it does not need to m ake a M aneuver test when Kiso: Personalities in this unit m ay decline an y duel, even if it cannot norm ally be declined, and
perform ing a breakaw ay o r w ithdraw al m aneuver - the m an eu v er autom atically succeeds. ignore all other effeets of th e duel or challenge.
Any o th er tests o r requirem ents m ust be m et. M áxim um of two units, no m ore th an 60 m odels total.
%
%
T h e False tloturi Plague 2om bies IU
; Air: 5 ■ ATN: 8 TL: 6 Equipment: Katana, Light A rm or ATN: 6 TL: 6 Equipment: Various
Earth: 6 Wounds: 6 M L: 5 Traits: Fearless, Histórica!, Infantry, Tainted, Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Fear 1, Fearless, Infantry, Tainted, Undead
. Fire: 5 ATT: +2 G lory: 8 U nique ATT: +0
Glot*: n Skills:
Water: 6 DAM: +2 H o n o r: 0 Skills: Battle 5, Leadership 4, D efense 4, DAM: +0 Honor: 0
f e f e í Void: 4 #S: 2 Cost: 400 laijutsu 3, Charge #S: 1 Cost: 14
Shadow lands Unit_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
S hadow lands S am urai _______
Kiso: W hen recruiíing a un it of Plague Zorabies, your arm y loses 4 honor.
S ? || Kiso: The False Hoturi an d Doji H oturi m ay never serve in the sam e arm y. Kiso: Any u n it th at does not have the Undead trait and is engaged w ith the Plague Z om bies at
; Ki so: The False Hoturi will not join a Crane arm y, but will join a Scorpion arm y, autom atically the end of a Cióse C om bat phase m u st m ak e a Resistance test (TN 6) before M orale tests
■ gaining Scorpion affiliatíon w hile retaining Shadow lands, at his standard cost. are taken. If the test fails, the un it receives one W ound for every point by w hich the test
Kiso: T he Fasle H oturi m ay lead any Scorpion or S hadow lands u n it regardless of H onor and failed - casualties are added to Cióse C om bat losses for th e turn. Example:A unit's
líi ¡ Glory requirem ents. modified Resistance test results in a 4. The unit receives 2 Wounds (TN 6 - test result of 4
I j Kiso: W hile T he False H oturi is alive an d u n sp e n t enem y Crane arm ies m ay not gain Honor = difference of 2) in addition to Cióse Combat losses. Undead units ignore this effect.
f e -' ¡ d u ring a battle. M áxim um of tw o units, no m ore than .2 4 m odels per .u n it........................................................
¡IÉ É ¡¡ÍÍB ÍÍ
Shadowlands yV\«dmen
ATN: TL: - Equipment: As unit ATN: 6 TL: 7 Equipment: Various
Wounds: ML: - Traits: Loyal, As unit W ou nd s: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Creature, Fear 0, Fearless, Infantry, Tainted
ATT: ATT: +0 Gloiy:
Glory. ‘ skills: Battle 2, L eadership 2, D efense 1, Mob, Skills:
DAM: Honor. - Stalw art D efender DAM: +0 Honor: 0
#S: Cost: + 2 5 #S: 1 Cost: 11
Shadow lands Unit
Shadow lands Leadership Package
Kiso: W hen recruiting a un it of Shadow lands M adm en, your arm y loses 2 honor.
Ability: D uring the first tu rn of an en g ag em en t discard a Tactical card attached to this u n it or
from the plaver’s hand. Until the end of the turn, M adm en m odels in this un it gain ATT
and DAM m odifiers equal to th e Focus valué of the discard. At the end of the Cióse Com bat
phase, this unit tak es a n u m b er of W ounds equal to the Focus valué of th e discard, which
are added to com bat losses before M orale tests are taken.
M áxim um of two units, no m ore th an 20 m odels per u n it
mmwmm
Skeletal Traops
ATN: TL:- Equipment: As unit ATN: 6 TL: 7 Equipment: K atana, Light A rm or
Wounds: ML: - Traits: Loyal, As unit Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Fear 0, Fearless, Infantry, Tainted, U ndead
ATT: Glory: • ATT: +0 Glory:
Skills: Battle 1, Leadership 2, C ountercharge Skills:
DAM: Honor: - DAM: +1 Honor: 0
#S: Cost: +15 #S: 1 Cost: 11
Skeletal Arahers
ATN: 6 TL: 7 Equipment: Yumi, Light A rm or
Wounds: 1 ML: 6 T ra its : Fear 0, Fearless, Infantry, Tainted, U ndead
ATT: +0/+1 Glory:
Skills:
DAM: +0/+0 Honor: 0
#S: 1 Cost 14
st Une
by Patrick Kapera
Doji Chomei stumbled down the spiraling stone staircase within the palace, listening
for the horrible sounds of bending metal and splintering wood. Prayers to the Fortunes ran
through his mind, hunted by images of the horrible monsters surrounding the fortress.
Chomei had listened to many stories of the awful nature of Fu Leng’s minions as a child,
and heard more than his share of battlefield accounts, some even first-hand. But nothing
he had ever heard prepared him for the shambling legions he and his troops faced this
night.
' - v The blood and gristle covering his breastplate and helmet were washed away by sheets
of rain as he skidded into the castle’s courtyard. Stealing one precious moment, Chomei
glanced up into the night heavens, relishing the fresh pelting rainfall that scoured the area.
The Asahina shugenja had performed their duty well, calling down the worst elements to
aid the Crane’s defense. Chomei hoped their spells would suffice to keep Lost Daughter
Inlet open; without the Mantis reinforcements he had summoned, Kyuden Doji would soon
fall.
Another anguished groan at the compound’s main gate brought Chomei’s mind back to
the business at hand. Signaling his intent to leave the castle to the kenshinzen standing
watch along the palace’s roof, he headed down the central gallery, past rows of pillars each
sculpted in the likeness of a Doji hero. Crews of the famed Empress’ Guard dragged the
palace’s immense outer doors open for him, then slowly shouldered them closed after he’d
passed.
Outside, the grounds of Kyuden Doji had become a mockery of their former glory. Rows
of warehouses storing this year’s taxes burned, consuming the crop meant to feed the Doji
family. Rows of Daidoji traps and pitfalls broke the landscape’s gentle flow, in preparation
for the moment Fu Leng’s army pierced the structure’s outer defenses. Soldiers had
converted the bath house, garden-maze, Imperial guest home, and even the glittering lake
into a ragged defensive line. It was obvious the Crane had built Doji Palace for visual
appeal and not military fortification.
Once, Chomei had relished that fact
Only the guardhouses and barracks - the eye of the storm - remained calm in the face
of the Shadowlands assault; all the soldiers who lived within were already engaged at the
palace’s outer wall, fending off the inhuman invaders. Chomei fixed his gaze beyond them
to the outer wall, observing the gaps between teams of archers and bushi. He had to know
where the weaknesses in the lines were before he arrived; no one along the wall could see
them all.
As he crossed the palace grounds, Chomei deftly avoided a string of Daidoji snares,
guiding his footfalls carefully between the nearly invisible tells left behind by the siege
engineers. He was nearly to the barracks when a wave of screaming fireballs arced over
the Southern wall and into the flaming wreckage of the warehouses. Goblins, Chomei
noted to himself, set a fla m e a n d ca ta p u lted in to e n em y territory. O nly th e forces o f th e
D ark O ne c o u ld conceive su ch a thing.
Chomei reached the base of the outer wall and pushed past the Doji commanders
without comment; they needed no further orders from him. The defenders of Kyuden Doji
were well-trained. In this battle, the problem was numbers. The Shadowlands forces
outnumbered those of the Crane nearly three to one - and they were, individually, much
tougher and more aggressive than the defenders.
The only report Chomei wished was from Asahina Ejigen, who was posted within the
towers high above the main gate. To reach him, Chomei would have to skirt the outer wall
for several hundred ken-an, within the front line of the fighting.
Unadulterated fear swept through Doji Chomei as he crested the highest battlements of
the outer wall and looked outside. Beyond the forward ranks of undead bushi, skeletons,
and minor oni, the fields along the inlet had become a sea of churning madness. Trolls vied
with ogres and other abominations to reach the fortress. The horde stretched on well
beyond Chomei’s visión, across the River of the Blind Monk and into the foothills of the
Spine of the World Mountains.
Hozo d id they m a k e it th is far? Chomei marveled. Hozo d id th is m a n y slip through the
Crab W all? When the grim reports of the Shadowlands advance had first reached him
Chomei - like most this far away from the Festering Pit - had assumed they were
exaggerated by fearful gunso and generáis unwilling to accept the shame of their defeats.
Never had the Doji considered that such an army could muster inside the realm of the
Shining Prince.
Chomei searched for a weakness among the ranks of the horde - a vulnerable leader
or lightly guarded link in the ranks. But he could see nothing; the Shadowlands troops
seemed to act independently of one another. It didn’t help that there were so many different
kinds of creatures among the enemy; only a few appeared human, and none followed the
standard conventions for mass warfare. Their only common link seemed to be the Taint -
and their mutual desire to destroy the Crane palace.
How were the Rokugani supposed to fight a war against this kind of enemy? We are
trained to fig h t each other, Chomei worried, n o t a b o m in a tio n s.
Up ahead, only two dozen ken-an from the guard house above the main gate, Chomei
saw a Daidoji spearman deliver the final blow to one of the attackers, twisting around and
kicking outward at the body to free his weapon. The invader’s inert form twisted bonelessly
as it plummeted toward the palace grounds below, leaving the defender to tura his
attention to another group of opponents clambering over the wall’s outer edge.
“Excellent form, soldier,” Chomei commented as he took a stance beside the Crane
bushi and turned his attention to the approaching zombies. Receiving no response, he dove
forward, cleaving at one of the invaders and kicking its lower half out toward the rest of
the horde. Then, lifting his sword to strike again, he caught a glimpse of the soldier
approaching from behind - the skin sloughing from its face and its gait uneven.
The next few seconds became a blur as Chomei ducked low and twisted about, his blade
dancing with smooth strokes learned from Mantis sensei. He found himself first beside the
zombie he had mistaken for one of his own, and then in front, using its lumbering bulk to
protect him from the others. He struck out defensively, clipping the undead with minor
wounds, until he maneuvered them toward the edge of the wall, forcing them into each
other. While they struggled for a free angle of attack, he surged forward. They floundered,
and two were lost over the edge, bellowing inhuman sounds before they crashed into the
hard-packed earth.
This left only one zombie, though he could see more pushing themselves onto the wall
beyond it Chomei recognized the wicked countenance of his current opponent, knowing it
as the one who had duped him - who had led the insertion here. It must be their
equivalent of a gunso, or a chui, he thought as he assessed the creature’s movements. It
was quick, especially for a zombie, and handled its weapon with unexpected grace. It was
easy to understand how he had mistaken the monster for a Crane.
The deafening cadenee of unearthly drums filled Chomei’s mind and threatened his
concentration, but he focused on the zombie lord before him, studying it for weaknesses
and compensations. It was well trained as a duelist Perhaps that skill was something
known by the fallen bushi before he joined the ranks of the undead. But it was without
that fundamental “spark” the Crane were schooled to watch for - the single, defining
quality shared by all Rokugani descended from Heaven.
Chomei smiled to himself, knowing he could outwit this beast, even if he could not
overpower it. All he had to do was wait for it to lash out Time froze around the two
warriors, every moment crystallizing between them. Chomei mentally catalogued the
motion of each muscle, searching for the moment it would strike. He knew when it was
coming even before the zombie did, sensing the creature’s actions in reverse, from the
moment of its attack to the instant before, when his own blade swept out before him.
“Yoku yattaP A Crane term of admiration, from behind him. Chomei whirled, still
within the moment of the strike, ready for another attack. But instead, two kenshinzen -
Kakita Masters - stepped past him to deal with the next wave of undead scrambling onto
their feet at the edge of the wall. “Proceed, Chomei-sama,” one said in passing, relieving
the commander to continué toward Asahina Ejigen.
Chomei burst into the high guard station, calling for the shugenja by ñame. Haggard
soldiers turned momentarily away from the outpost’s Windows and arrow-slits, pointed
deeper within the structure, and returned to their work. Passing them, Chomei noticed that
their supply of ammunition was dangerously low - a problem no doubt plaguing archers
all along the wall by now. The siege was well into its twentieth hour.
“Ejigen-sama!” Chomei called as he entered the officers’ quarters, the very heart of the
castle’s forward defense. The shugenja looked up from his meditative trance, startled into
Chomei carefully knelt down beside the robed Asahina, trying to ease his
return to the task at hand. “Anything?” he asked, anxiety lacing his voice.
The shugenja shook his head. “No, Chomei-san. There is no word yet If the Mantis are
coming, they are being quiet about it.”
“And the harriers?”
“All lost to the Shadowlands horde. No one left outside the castle knows of our
condition.”
Chomei strained to hide the impact of this news. Without the help of the Mantis - or
someone else - Kyuden Doji would not last the night.
“Come, oíd friend,” Chomei spoke to Ejigen. “You should return to the palace. You can
try to contact Yoritomo again from there.”
“Chomei-san!” a soldier called from the forward line. He pointed toward the enemy, his
face a pallid mask of terror. For the first time since his exit from the palace, Chomei heard
silence at the main gate, and a bitter chill crept through him.
Outside, the horde had cleared from around the main gate, leaving the path free for a
lumbering giant, an oni towering several man-heights above the gate house itself. Armored
with a thick hide of long-dead skin, the creature roared above even the legion’s horrible
drums, its slathering maw large enough to swallow a full-grown Otaku war-horse.
“Retreat!” Chomei ordered, lunging after his troops, through the gate house and onto the
outer wall. The two kenshinzen who had stepped in to defend the wall beside the gate
house stood agape at the monstrous creature’s bulk as it stalked toward the bridgeabove
the main gate. “With me!” he cried, handing Ejigen into their care. “Hemust reach the
palace unharmed.”
The kenshinzen hesitated only a moment, but it was long enough to inspire Chomei’s
wrath. “Go!” he screamed at them. “Let the Daidoji attend to the horde!”
Asahina Ejigen fell in between the kenshinzen as they rushed across the outer wall,
toward the closest access to the grounds below, and Chomei considered his plan. Never a
stupid man, he had always assumed his death would be glorious.
It had never occurred to him that he would die insane.
Fighting back the fear within, Chomei dove back inside the gate house, pushing through
the building with as much speed as he could muster. He only glanced out toward the oni
once, gauging its distance and the chance he would make it out the station’s other side in
time to try a desperate gamble. No one had expected anything this large within Kyuden
Doji; the Daidoji pitfalls would offer little protection against it. If Chomei could not lure it
to the northern water gardens, it alone might have the strength to topple the palace and
crush the Crane defense for good.
With one final surge of speed, Chomei leaped through the guard station’s other side,
toward the safety of the outer wall beyond. Behind, he heard the stone and wood of the
station burst around the weight of the charging oni, exploding out into the palace grounds
and showering the retreating troops in debris.
Chomei tumbled down the closest staircase, grabbing for a Crane standard as he landed
on the packed earth below. The standard was tall and awkward, leaning to one side and
then the other as he struggled to balance it, but it had the desired effect upon the
monstrous invader. Attracted to the waving flag as a moth to a fíame, the oni stepped
toward Chomei, sweeping out at him with its long, uncoordinated arms.
Fleeing through the garden maze, Chomei tried to remember the way through. Right,
then two quick lefts. Dodge between the statues of Lady Doji and her fallen husband. Right
again, and then straight ahead, toward the lake - and salvation.
He was nearly through the maze when the lumbering oni appeared before him. With
its much longer gait, it had swept around the maze instead of following him directly
through. At least that saves the maze, Chomei though to himself as he searched for a way
around the beast.
The oni lunged down toward the standard, sweeping its hand toward Chomei, who
lowered the standard toward it and braced himself. A second later, Chomei was drenched
in fetid blood and the oni howled in pain as the standard stabbed into its palm and scraped
through to its wrist. Surprised at the unexpected wound, the oni recoiled and backed away
a few steps, howling to the skies.
Chomei looked to the standard’s shaft and found it unbroken. Silently thanking the
Fortunes, he ran for the bridge leading across the lake to the island guest homes. When he
arrived, he planted the standard firmly into the ground at the bridge’s edge - shallow
enough for it to be waved back and forth when the time carne - and made for the unlit
torches that his men had hidden behind the island’s decorative hedges.
Moments later, the oni spotted the waving standard and thundered out onto the thin
bridge, each of its footfalls rattling inside Chomei’s skull. The Crane bushi swallowed hard
prayed that - just this once - Crane construction would be less than legendary.
The bridge creaked and moaned beneath the oni’s tremendous weight, then snapped in
three, toppling the beast into the murky waters of the lake. Chomei waited only a moment,
until he was sure enough of the oil upon the water covered the monster, then cast a lit
torch toward its rising bulk. A second later, the oni’s form exploded into ñames, which
quickly spread across the surface of the lake, enveloping the oni in a raging inferno.
Chomei held his breath as he watched the oni splash out of the lake, shrieking its rage
and pain, and lumber about for a few moments before collapsing into one of the guest
homes and dying.
A deep sigh later, Chomei started across the island toward the stone bridge on the far
side, wondering how the battle was progressing at the Daidoji line.
Asahina Ejigen was not prepared for the rigors of cióse combat. Chomei had described
it to him a few times, but the true effect startled the introspective shugenja. His yojimbo
shielded him from the worst of the horde’s forward line. They guided him along the inside
edge of the outer wall, taking the long route toward the Doji Palace. This avoided the
Daidoji line, a long field of horrible pitfalls which consumed ogres, zombies, and trolls with
hideous efficiency. But it also guided them behind the burning wreckage of the rice
warehouses. The heat seared their skin and singed their clothes.
Occasionally, a volley of burning goblins arced above, landing in or around the bonfires
their predecessors had started. Few survived, and Ejigen wondered at the odd tactic. How
- and why - any creature would allow itself to be set on fire was beyond him. But to then
sit in a catapult to be fired over 50 ken-an into the air? Ludicrous.
The ñames ahead of the trio suddenly shifted and stepped out to block their way. Ejigen
recoiled and backed toward the outer wall as both yojimbo flanked the anímate blaze. The
warriors maintained position between the fire and Ejigen, loyal to their duty, but the heat
was so great that they could not approach cióse enough to attack.
Several times, the monster tried to embrace one of the samurai - each attempt a little
more desperate - until it teetered in place. Suddenly, a nearby pool of rain-water burst
upward, enveloping the creature and wrestling it to the ground. Stunned, the yojimbo
stepped back and watched as the water carne to rest around the scarred, steaming creature.
“A goblin warlord,” Ejigen observed as his spell effect settled. “Fascinating.”
Rolling their eyes in unisón, the yojimbo urged the shugenja to continué toward the
Doji Palace.
Ejigen focused upon the cool, crisp air within the labyrinth room. This far below Doji
Palace, the spirits of the air were calm and relaxed, regardless of the war raging above.
Withdrawing as far from the physical world as possible, the shugenja cleared his mind
except for one thought - an image of a particular wind spirit, one he had communed with
many times. It called itself Uitto, but he rarely referred to it directly.
The shugenja frequently called upon Uitto to carry messages for him - in particular to
the Islands of Silk, where he had first encountered it. Though a fickle kami with a very
short attention span, Uitto was the most reliable of all the spirits Ejigen had ever
communed with - but he feared something had distracted it this time.
Three days ago, Ejigen had asked Uitto to deliver a desperate message to the shugenja
of the Mantis daimyo, Yoritomo, in the hopes his recent alliance with the Crane might
prompt him to send troops to lift the seige of Kyuden Doji. But he had received no answer
and Ejigen now could not lócate Uitto.
Losing focus, Ejigen returned his attention to the room around him. Buried deep
beneath the palace, he was safe from the invaders for now. Ejigen couldn’t even hear the
fighting above, or the incessant pounding of the enemy’s drums which had so plagued him
while he was posted along the front line.
The floor of the labyrinth room trembled and the contents of the chamber shifted.
Confused, Ejigen rose, feeling along the wall and reaching out to the spirits of the earth.
What’s happening up there, he queried, only to receive a single, bellowing cry from the
earth in reply.
The earth weeps, Ejigen thought It is being injured.
Ejigen’s head snapped up, and his spirits soared. Scrambling though the deep corridors
of the palace labyrinth, he bolted up the stairs. Praying that his instincts were correct, he
reached the ground floor and made for the castle’s eastern wall, toward the open sea.
Doji Chomei allowed himself a moment of joy as the cheers of the soldiers at the
palace’s eastern wall rose around him. Below, the outermost layer of the cliffside beneath
the palace had collapsed into the inlet, burying the water-borne oni which had blocked it
and providing the approaching ships of the Mantis legión a place to land.
The Daidoji saboteurs’ secondary plan had worked, and reinforcements had arrived!
Beyond all odds, the Crane finally had a fighting chance to stand against Fu Leng’s
inhuman legions.
Out of breath, Asahina Ejigen joined the Crane commander along the castle’s parapets,
and looked over the edge. When he looked back, his smile was broader than Chomei could
ever remember.
“You’ve saved us, Ejigen.” Chomei beamed at his companion. “ Yoku yatta.”
“Hoturi lies hidden, deep within this palace, bound as we
plan his undoing. Tonight, this mystical egg, the Egg of Pan
Ku, will bring the destruction of both Hoturi and his Clan.
Tonight it will make a false versión of Hoturi, and the false
Hoturi will bring shame and dishonor to the Crane in a way
that we never could.
T he False flo ta n
Air: 5 ATN: 8 TL: 6 E q u ip m e n t: Katana, Light A rm or
Earth: 6 W ounds: 6 M L: 5 T ra its : Fearless, Histórica!, infantry, Tainted,
Fire: 5 ATT: +2 G lory: 8 Unique
Water: 6 DAM: +2 H o n o r: 0 S k ills : Battle 5, Leadership 4, Defense 4,
Void: 4 #S: 2 C ost: 400 Iaijutsu 3, Charge
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Shadow lands Sam urai_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Kiso: The False H oturi and D oji H oturi m ay never serve in the sam e arm y.
Kiso: The False H oturi will not join a Crane arm y, but will join a Scorpion arm y, autom atically
gaining Scorpion affiliation w hile retaining Shadow lands, at his standard co st
Kiso: The False H oturi m ay lead any Scorpion or Shadow lands unit, regardless of H onor and
Glory reouirem ents.
Kiso: W hile The False H oturi is alive and unspent, enem y Crane arm ies m ay not gain H onor
d u ring a battle.
Clan W ar
Cmb? \ r
Model TVpe(s) Cost
Hida Amoro 173
Crab Berserkers 110
Crab Gunso 20
Hiruma Scouts 160
that Archers placed on a hill have an increased long range, Steel. The boost is particularly effective on the second turn
but they will be hard pressed to get off the hill if they need of Cióse Combat, once bonuses from the initial engagement
to join the engagement. have worn off. Sensin should stay near the core units to
Kuni Sensin can slow an enemy’s advance using Calling start.
the Elements, or he can boost a personality using Biting The main tactic for this army is to use the small units to
flank an enemy unit once it engages your core units.
Flanked units do not get the benefit of Rank and Overlap
bonuses, and fight at penalties. If you can catch an enemy
unit between two of your units, it should break quickly.
Although the Crab are not known for dueling, most of
the personalities leading this army have a Water ring of five,
making the Test of Might card a natural choice. O-Ushi can
initiate her own duel, but all the others require tactical
cards. Kage and O-Ushi can even do well in an laijutsu
duel, but Tsuru and Amoro should avoid such duels
since they have neither high Void ñor the laijutsu
skill.
If an enemy unit declares an engagement against
one of your core units, use reactions to move your unit
out of position. This is even more effective if they charge
you, as the attacker will become unformed if it fails to
contact. Kage plays a key role here, as he can have his
unit perform the Hiruma Withdrawal. To facilítate this
tactic, you should ensure that your unit has an MIS
higher than the enemy units’ MISs, so that you are
free to act when the engagement is declared.
am z
ATN: 8
MM®
TL: 6
© -M aM
Equipment: Die-ísuchi, Heavy A rm or
i
Air: ATN: 7
C m b Heavy Infantry
TL: 6
122
Equipment: Várions 2-handed weapons, Heavy Armor
Wounds: 6 ML: 5 Traits: Experienced. Fearless, Infantry, Unique Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry
ATT: +3 Glory: 7 Fire: ATT: +1 Glory:
Skills: B attle 3, Leadership 3, D efense 3, Skills: Defense 3
DAM: +4 Honor: 1 Water: DAM: +1 Honor: 1
laijutsu 2, Frenzy
#S: 2 Cost: 285 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 14
Crab Sam urai Crab Unit
Ability (SO): Once d u ring each engagem ent involving her unit, O-Ushi m ay challenge a
personality leading the enem y unit to a duel. This duel uses W ater valué, rath er than Void,
to determ ine the n u m b er of D am age dice rolled. If the duel is declined, the enem y leader
becom es dishonorcd and loses tw o points of Void (this counts as the personality's Void
expenditure for the turn). If the enem y leader has less th an 2 Void rem aining Void, or has
already expended Void du rin g this tu rn , he m ay n o t decline O-Ushi's challenge.
SI
ATN: 8 TL:
Hhlida Tsurn
6 Equipment: Katana, Heavy Arm or, Horse
i Air ATN: 7
T s u m ' s
TL: 7
l_egion
Equipment: Various 2-handed weapons,
121
,, ■"r »í
mm WlíWIUIflliMi
— .........
-i ■ 'x . '
Na *á is Wk.
and daimyo. Yakamo began pulling together and reorganizing the
remnant forces of the Crab. He realized the existence of the Empire
was at risk - that the abomination sitting upon the Emerald Throne
would grow in power until no forcé in Rokugan could stop it.
Before that could happen, the clans must strike - all of the clans.
Kisada was a great help to his son. Though constantly under a
physician’s care, Kisada was a storehouse of military knowledge.
One of the Empire’s greatest strategists, he gave Yakamo the benefit
of his battle-earned wisdom.
.Asakina nearby rack. “Then little brother, you become the new
Champion of our clan.” Hoturi executed a brief kata in the
tight confines of the tent, his movements precise and
R e in f o r c e m e n t s Objectives
If players have previously played Battle for Kakita Palace,
reinforcements may be available to the Crane forces in this
scenario. If the Crane achieved a Decisive victory, the S h ado w lands A rm y
following unit is available to the Crane player during this Despite being outnumbered, the Shadowlands horde has
battle (it must be deployed with the Crane forcé at the every expectation of defeating the Crane. They achieve a
beginning of play as normal): Decisive Victory if they kill Doji Hoturi and elimínate 15 VP
of Crane forces by the end of turn eight. They will achieve
# Mdls Model Tvpe(s) Cost a Marginal Victory if they eliminate at least 15 VP of Crane
1 Doji Rimaki 118 forces or kill Doji Hoturi in the same time. If the players
VP 2 have selected their own forces for this scenario, the
11 Doji’s Fan 209 threshold points for Decisive and Marginal Victory is xk of
VP 3; threshold 6,11 (x 2 VP) the possible Crane VP eliminated.
Crane A rmy
Deployment and Setup The Crane win a Marginal Victory by avoiding either of
the Shadowlands victory conditions. In addition, they win a
The map is a standard 4' x 6' area with terrain as noted. Decisive Victory by avoiding the Shadowlands victory
The Shadowlands player begins deployment by placing the conditions and killing the False Hoturi.
first unit. Players use standard placement rules for placing
the rest of their units.
Shadowlands Army
#Mdls Model Tvpe(s) #Mdls Model Tvpe(s)
1 False Hoturi (army general) Thug
Obsidian Blade Troops
Writ of Fire threshold 10, 13
5 VP
20 Plague Zombies ' Maul
3 VP; threshold 8,15, 20 20 Skclctal
3 VP; threshold 9,17, 20
Thug
13 Shadowlands Madmen
2 VP; threshold 10,13
Thug
13 Shadowlands Madmen
2 VP; threshold 10,13
3 x Dark Lord’s Favor
Maul
3 x Evil Portents
20 Zombie Troops
3 x Frenzy
3 VP; threshold 9,17, 20
2 x Grim Determination
2 x Kharmic Betrayal
Thug
20 Zombie Troops 3 x Know the Terrain
3 VP; threshold 9,17, 20 ^ 3 x Loss of Face
2 x Night Fighting
3 x Parade Ground Practice
Thimders' Challenge
Crane Army
#Mdls Model Tvpe(s) Cost #Mdls Model Tvpe(s) Cost
1 Doji Hoturi (army general) 425 Crane Gunso 20
Crystal Katana 25 20 Daidoji Spearmen 280
6 VP 3 VP; threshold 8, 15, 20
16 Doji House Guard 432
5 VP; threshold 4, 8,12,15,16 Crane Chui 25
15 Crane Elite Archers 255
1 Doji Kuwanan 155 3 VP; threshold 6,12, 15
4 VP
20 Daidoji Heavy Regulars 260 87 2300
3 VP; threshold 8, 16, 20
The Forcé Profiles for this scenario are split between pages 37 and 40.
< Z \a n Wat*
¡rajarte
Skeletal Troops
Equipment: Katana, Light A rm or
© Skeletal ^Archers
TL: 7 Equipment: Yumi, Light A rm or
til
Air: ATN: 6 TL: 7 Air: ATN: 6
Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 T ra its : Fear 0, Fearless, Infantry, Tainted, U ndead Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Fear 0, Fearless. Infantry, Tainted. Undead
Fire: ATT: +0 Glorv: Fire: ATT: +0/+1
Skills: Glor*: Skills:
Water: DAM: +1 Honor: 0 i Water: DAM: +0/+0 Honor: 0
Void: #S: 1 Cost: 11 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 14
0
Air: 5 ATN: 8 TL: 6
D oe j i f l o t u r i
Air: ATN: 7
D oji flouse Guai'd
TL: 6 Equipment: Katana, Y um i H eavy A rm or
til
Earth: 6 Wounds: 6 ML: 5 Traits: Historical, Infantry, Loyal, U nique Earth: Wounds: 2 ML: 6 Traits: infantry, Loyal
Fire: 6 ATT: +3 Glory: 9 Skills: B attle 4, Leadership 4, Defense 4, laijutsu 5 Fire: ATT: +2/+0 Glory:
Skills:
Water: 6 DAM: +2 Honor: 5 W'ater: DAM: +Q/+1 Honor: 2
Void: 5 #S: 2 Cost: 425 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 27
Crane Clan Cham pion, Sam urai C rane Unit
Ability: Fast Strike du rin g Cióse Com bad Kiso: M ay only be led by a personality w ith a Glory of at least 6. Will not ro u t w hile their leader
Ability (SO): Once during each engagement involving his unit, Hoturi may challenge a is alive and honorable.
personality in the enemy unit to an laijutsu duel (Void based). If the duel is rerused, the Ranged (yumi): 15" dose, 30" extended (-2 ATT).
enemy army loses 5 honor; the personality is dlshonored and if the personality is the unit's Máximum of one unit, no more than 16 models.
leader; the unit must make an immediate Morale test
1
T h u n d e r s ' C h a lle n g e
a C im % ím S t w y l m e C v e n t
Fíame erupted nearby, the forcé o fth e explosión throwing earth Seppun Ishikawa glanced at the Emperor’s wife, Kachiko, the
and rock in every direction. The sound of the battlefield was a Lady ofScorpions. He found it almost comical that, after two years
cacophony of drum beats, furious warcries, screams of pain, and of trying to uncover Kachiko’s plotting within the halls of the
pleas for help from the dying. Imperial Palace, he was back at the capital commanding his elite
In the middle of everything, the Hooded Ronin lead a group of Imperial troops, about to aid an attack upon the Emperor himself
heroes. It seemed mad.
Hida Yakamo - who had killed the Oni which bore his ñame
earlier in the day on that very battlefield. Eight figures neared the wall of the Palace. They would soon be
Doji Hoturi - a former captive who escaped and destroyed the safe within - if pitting themselves against a kami could be
pretender that had assumed his identity to destroy the pride and considered safe.
honor of his clan. The huge gate loomed before them. Suddenly, a horde of
Mirumoto Hitomi - who had defeated Hida Yakamo, the object Shadowlands creatures broke from a nearby engagement and took
of her hate for many years, in a duel during the earlier battle, but position between the Thunders and the gate. There was no way for
had spared his Ufe for the good of Rokugan. the small band to fight through. Then the great doors of the gate
Akodo Toturi - whose leadership had marshaled the might of slammed open and the sounds of battle erupted, as Ishikawa led
the Empire’s ronin and tum ed that might to the defense of its his Imperial troops against the rear flank ofthe creatures trying to
people. prevent the Thunders’ entiy into the palace.
lsawa Tadaka - nearly debilitated by his exposure to the Black Though outnumbered four to one, Ishikawa and his men cut a
Scrolls and their menace. Helped by his sisters, he accompanied path nearly all the way through the Shadowlands forcé, using their
the other heroes to fulfill his role in the redemption of the Empire swords and sheer determination to part the tainted monsters and
and his Clan. create a gap through the slavering horde. But they could not forcé
Otaku Kamoko - vanguard for the small givup, she had the themselves all the way through.
image of the first Otaku, and Otaku’s devotion to the Ki-Rin clan, The tide tum ed against the Imperial forcé, the Shadowlands
forever engraved upon her mind. troops threatening to ovem helm the determined soldiers and end
The small group wound its way across the battlefield toward their attempt to reach the Thunders.
the wall of Otosan Uchi. Short one member, the Thunders would Without warning, a Clan unit broke from the fighting nearby
not prevail against the Empire’s oldest and most powerful enemy and attacked the flank of Fu Leng’s horrors, driving back the evil
unless that member joined them. forces and completing the path the Imperial soldiers had begun.
The Thunders raced to the gate without hesitation, knowing the
Hidden behind a locked gate, the last member of the band meager Clan and Imperial forces could not hold off the horde for
awaited the moment when her colleagues would most need her long. Behind them, the creatures broke through and the combat
semices. At her side was a man whose Ufe she had sought to take tum ed into a massacre of Imperial and Clan troops, but the
on a number of occasions. Thunders had made it into the palace and would soon confront Fu
Leng.
The Thunders’ Challenge Storyline Event is a two- T hunders’ Challenge part two, taking place
part event taking place over two months, October and November 11-12 and 18-19, will determ ine which Clan
November, at stores throughout the world. If your local Ishikawa will join once he fulfills his destiny and turns
store doesn’t know about Thunders’ Challenge, they can forever from his service to the extinct Hantei lin e ... or
learn m ore by checking out the Clanwar.com website. if he even survives.
T hunders’ Challenge part one, taking place October If the Shadowlands win either of these events.
21-22 and 28-29, will determ ine the affiliation of the
unit that carne to the aid of the Thunders as Ishikawa som eone w ill pay the price.
and his troops tried in vain to reach them. W hat glories
await for the clan that helped to save the Empire?
Join the great forces of Rokugan
on the Day of Thunder and let the
might of your clan be felt
throughout the Empire! The future
of L5R is yours to shape... to
command.
Now is the time to act! ^
Tkunders' Challenge
This is a day for heroes...
€>
Air: 3 ATN: 7
Doji Kuwanan
TL: 6 Equipment: K atana, Heavy A rm or
k 0
Air: ATN: 7
Daidoji
TL: 7 Equipment: No-dachi, Heavy A rm or
Earth: 5 Wounds: 5 ML: 5 Traits: Infantry, Unique Earth: W'ounds: 1 ML: 6 T ra its : Infantry
Fire: 4 ATT: +2 Glory: 5 Fire: ATT: +1 Gloryc
Skills: Battle 3, Leadership 3, Defense 3, Iaijutsu 2, Skills:
Water: 4 DAM: +1 Honor: 3 Water: DAM: +1 Honor: 2
Tactician 1
Void: 4 #S: 2 Cost: 155 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 13
^ 0
Air: 4 ATN: 6
Asahina Tomo
TL: 7 Equipment: W akizashi
k Air: ATN: 7 TL: 7
yojimbo til
Equipment: Tw o-handed W eapons, Heavy A rm or
Earth: 2 Wounds: 2 ML; 6 Traits: Infantry Earth: Wounds: 2 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry, Yojimbo
Fire: 3 ATT: +1 Glory: 3 Fire: ATT: +1 Glory: S k ills :
Skills: M agic 4, Battle 1, L eadership 1, Iaijutsu 2
Water: 3 DAM: +0 Honor: 2 W'ater: DAM: 4-1 Honor: 0
Void: 4 #S: 1 Cost: 82 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 19
Kiso: W hen selecting spells, Tomo pays 10 ko ku less for each Air scroll, b u t pays double the cost Kiso: Shugenja u n it o r C om m and G roup only. Yojimbo are rem oved from play if all
for each Fire scroll. personalities are removed from their unit A yojimbo may enter a Duel on behalf of a
personality in their unit always rolllng two ¿ce for Damage.
Kiso (Shugenja unit): This unit must indude at least one shugenja at the start of a battle A unit
must contato 1-3 yojimbo per shugenja. Yojimbo types may not be mixed to a unit
Air: 4 ATN: 7 TL-6 Equipment Katana, Light A rm or Air: ATN: 6 TL: 6 Equipment: Katana, Light A rm or
Earth: 4 Wounds: 4 ML: 6 T ra its : Infantry Earth: Wounds; 1 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry'
Fire: 4 ATT: +2 Glory: 4 Fire: ATT: 4-1 Glory:
Skills: B attle 3, L eadership 2, Defense 3, Iaijutsu 2 Skills:
Water: 3 DAM: +0 Honor: 1 Water: DAM: 4-0 Honor: 1
Void: 3 #S: 1 Cost: 116 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 12
C rane Sam urai C rane Unit
Kiso: W hen Sonoko is leading a unit of Daidoji Harriers, the target of th at u n it’s kiso suffers a Kiso: For each Saboteur un it in your arm y, you m ay place one T rap/card in your Tactical d cck
-2 Morale modifier rather than -1, and Sonoko gains “Ability: Fast Strike during Cióse Kiso: For an additional 15 koku, paid during army construction, all of your Thzp/cards will
Combat” cause one additional die of Damage when used. This effect is not cumulaüve (Le paying 30
Ability: Once per battle, if leading D aidoji Saboteurs, Sonoko adds two additional dice of koku will not add two dice to your Trap! Damage).
Damage to a Trap! card as it is played. Máximum of three units, minimnm of 10 models per unit
©Air: • ATN
C m ne C lan Cunso
TL: - Equipment: As unit
k 0
Air: ATN: 6
Daidoji Speawnen
TL: 6 Equipment: Yari, Light A rm or
i Earth: - W'ounds ME: - Traits: Loyal, As unit Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry
Fire: • ATT Glory'- - skills: Battle 3, Leadership 2. Defense 1 Fire: ATT: +1 Glory: Skills:
Water: - DAM Honor: - Water: DAM: +1 Honor: 2
Void: - #S Cost: + 2 0 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 14
Crane L eadership Package Crane Unit
©Air: - ATN
Cnane C lan Chai
TL: - Equipment: As unit
k ©
Air: ATN: 6
C m ne Clite
TL; 6 Equipment: Yumi, Light A rm or
Earth: - W'ounds ML: - Traits: Loyal, As un it Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 T ra its : Infantry
Fire: - ATT Fire: ATT: +0/+2 Glory:
G lorv. - skills: B attle 3, L eadership 2, Defense 2, S k ills :
W'ater: - DAM Honor. - Revered Sensei W ater: DAM: -l/+0 Honor: 2
Void: • #S Cost: + 25 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 17
C rane Leadership Package C rane Unit
Among the greatest of our brothers, he understands the The element of Void is the most difficult to understand -
Shadowlands in ways that we cannot fathom, and knows it is everything and nothing, it is within us yet all around
the weaknesses of the Dark One’s servants. His mind is us. To touch the Void is to glimpse all things. Those few who
focused and his heart is puré. have performed such a feat will never be the same, ñor
would they wish to.
88
i .
Speed and reflex are his toois, singularity of purpose his Seikua draws strength from our Brotherhood, in the
philosophy, and enlightenment his goal. Would that all support we give one another. He seems to sense
students of Shinsei studied the master’s teachings with the enlightenment in others and that sense bolsters his own
dilígence of Gekkai. grasp of the master’s teachings. Such a talent is rare, and
should be respected.
From his first year, his understanding of the way of Earth Gf our numbers, Suana most understands the nature of
was unquestíoned. His mastery of this element is complete battle and is among our most proficient leaders. His insight
and his manipulations of its power are accomplished with makes him a dangerous opponent and a valued ally. In an
ease. On the battlefield, his affinity to Earth is manifest in organization that valúes peace, Suana seems to thrive on
his troops. conflict
AA
Tflkao Disciples of the Owtei* Circle
Air: 3 ATN: 6 TL: 6 Equipment: Bo Air: ATN: 6 TL: 6 Equipment: None
Earth: 4 Wounds: 4 ML: 5 Traits: Fearless, Infantry Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry
Fire: 5 ATT: +2 Glory: 4 Fire: ATT: +0 Glory:
Skills: Battle 3, Leadership 3, laijutsu 3, Skills:
Water: 3 DAM: +1 Honor: 2 Water: DAM: +1 Honor: 1
D ouble Chi
Void: 3 #S: 2 Cost: 123 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 11
B rotherhood M onk, Acolyte of Fire B rotherhood U nit
Kiso: Takao will join a Dragón or Phoenix arm y at his standard cost He will join other arm ies as if Kiso: Will join a D ragón or Phoenix arm y at standard cost and m ay be led by a D ragón or
recruited from the Dragón or Phoenix clan (recruiting arm y’s choice). He must always lead a Phoenix personality. Will join other arm ies as if recruited from the D ragón or Phoenix clan
Brotherhood affiliated unit. (recruiting arm y's choice).
Kiso: If Takao loses a duel that was initiated by an enemy player or model, he takes no Wounds but all Kiso: O nce per turn, w hen this un it is being targeted w ith an effect th at provides beneficial
other effects occur normally. If he wins the duel, it is resolved normally. com bat m odifiers, its com m ander m ay expend one Void to increase beneficial com bal
Kiso: lf Takao enters a duel and his opponent has a higher Void, Takao's player may discard up to three m odifiers by + 1. Example: If targeting the unit with Charge, the unit would gain +2 ATT
Tactical cards from his had to give Takao one additional Damage die for each discard. These and +2 DAM instead of +1 ATT and +1 DAM.
Damage dice applv only to that duel.
Takao is the Brotherhood’s undisputed master of the These troops have a fundamental understanding of the
duel. He never behaves as predicted, as if he knows his Brotherhood’s beliefs and has the ability to magnify certain
opponenfs thoughts and deviates from any expectations. tactics as they are used during battle.
Though the swórd is swift, Takao’s hands and feet are far
more dangerous.
Air: ATN: 6 TL: 7 Equipment: Three-sectioned staff A ir: ATN: 6 TL: 6 Equipment: Bo
Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry, Resistance 2 E arth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: infantry
Fire: ATT: +1 Glory: Fire: ATT: +1 Glory:
Skills: Skills:
Water: DAM: +0 Honor: 1 W ater: DAM: +1 Honor: 1
Void: #S: 1 Cost: 12 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 11
Their combat bears the artistry of dance, the rhythm of For most military commanders, the Students defy
drums and the finality of the Void. With weapons weaving understanding. When used against these troops, the most
a web of defense, even arrows find it difficult to strike the dependable of tactics fail - in faet, they seem more capable
Acolytes of Wind. than many elite troops, at least when faced with many
common tactics.
Air: ATN: 7 TL: 6 Equipment: None Air: ATO: 7/6 TL: 6 Equipment: N unchaku
Earth: Wounds: 2 ML: 5 Traits: Infantry Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 T ra its : Cavalry, Infantry. 5" M ovem ent
Fire: ATT: +1 Glory: Fire: ATT: +0 Glory:
Skills: Skills: Daisho
Water: DAM: +1 Honor: 1 Water: DAM: +2 Honor: 1
Void: #S: 1 Cost: 23 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 19
Brotherhood Unit Brotherhood Unit
Kiso: Will join a Dragón or Phoenix army at standard cost and may be led by a Dragón or Phoenix personality. Kiso: Will join a Dragón or Phoenix army at standard cost and may be led by a Dragón or Phoenix
Will join other armies as if recruited from the Dragón or Phoenix clan (recruiting army's choice). personality. Will join other arm ies as if recruited from the Dragón or Phoenix cían (recruiting
Kiso: Once per turn, when this unit enters an engagement as the defender, its commander may expend one Void.
to allow the unit's player to search through his Tactical deck, remove a card with the Defensive Reaction arm y's choice).
trait and immediately play that card if it targets this unit or the engaging enemy. Kiso: All models in this unit gain the Cavalry and 5 " Movement traits.
Kiso: Once per turn, when this unit is targeted with an effect that provides beneficial combat modifiers, its Kiso: Any personality serving as unit commander to this unit gains the skill Tactician 1. if the
commander may expend one Void to increase the modifiers by +1. Example: If targeting the unit with personality aiready has the Tactician skill, he gains +1 to his rating
Charge, the unit would gain +2 ATT and +2 DAM instead of +1 ATT and +1 DAM. Kiso (SA): Once per battle, this unit gains +1 ATN (max ATN 8/8) until the end of the turn.
Máximum of one unit, no more than 16 models Máximum of one unit, no more (han 20 models.
The most dangerous troops of the Brotherhood, the A specially trained unit, the Wave Masters have
Disciples of the Inner Circle have a great understanding of developed and perfected their understanding of the element
Shinsei’s teachings and use them as a weapon when of Water, providing great mobility and tactical insight
necessary.
Clan W at1
table edge and the other in the center of the opposite table
edge.
Each player Controls his own army, and should have his
own Tactical Deck. Each army will attempt to control the
terrain objectives, each captured objective granting greater
control of the valley itself. These objectives will be the same
for each of the four armies.
Alliances between the different armies/players is not
allowed unless the alliances are Shadowlands and Phoenix
versus Lion and Toturi.
For the purposes of this battle, every model in the
Phoenix army is considered to have the Tainted trait
Seldom do the opposing forces of three clans come The Phoenix player must only deploy his Earth
together in battle, but it is even more rare that four or more Elementáis in terrain within 12" of his placement area,
armies desígnate the same objective and meet to battle over which does not include the central hill.
that objective. As indicated on the map, there are 5 ‘Terrain Objectives”.
As the forces of Rokugan prepare for the unavoidable Four of the objectives are worth 1 Victory Point each. The
battle to control Otosan Uchi, four forces contend for control remaining objective is worth 3 Victory Points. These points
of the Doro Crossroads. Four highways intersect in this are awarded at the end of the battle. To receive the VPs for
small valley, making it a strategic position that could forcé a terrain objective, an army must currently control, or be the
enemy armies to spend at least one extra day going around last to control, the objective in question. Control is defined
the valley. In addition, if the forces holding the crossroads as having the only presence on the objective.
are prepared to harry the passing army, they could cause the
enemy forcé an even greater delay and a loss of resources.
Deployment
The four generáis stood their ground at different points
around the valley and eyed each other, waiting to see if any Armies set up in the designated areas displayed on the
of the others would choose to fall back, but knowing that map. The Phoenix Army places the first unit and play then
none of them would As Kage surveyed the scene, Moto continúes clockwise to the Lion, Shadowlands, and Toturi.
Tsume and Isawa Tadaka bellowed orders to their troops. Placement continúes in this order until all units have been
Dairya and Kage watched as the other two armies shifted deployed.
formations and prepared to lunge into the Doro valley.
Dairya ordered his men to take position at the edge of
the valley, but Kage held his forces back - with his training
and experience, he could gain a greater advantage by
watching the movement of his opponents than by reacting
quickly to their threats.
After a time, spent ascertaining the intent of his enemies,
he began to position his forces for the coming battle.
Steel on steel and claw on wood; blood spilled and gore
filled the valley.
Scenario 'Rules
This scenario is designed as a four-player game, but may
be played with two or three players as well. For use with
three players, have two players begin at corners of the same
Thunders' Challenge líf ....
Phoenix Army
#Mdls Model IVpefs) Model IVpe(s)
1 lsawa Tadaka, expd Guardian of Fire
(army general) Tsunami Legión
Gust of Wind, Essence of Earth
Sharing Inner Strength, Ebb and
Flow of Battle, Soul of Discipline
20 Shiba Elite Guard Phoenix 1
1 X Advan Grim Determination
.i
1 lsawa Uona 2 x Anoth< Know the Terrain
Gust of Wind, Command the 3 x Cliargi Parade Ground Practice
Mind, Strength of 2 x EvÜ P( 1 x Return of Courage
Borne Speed, Fury of 1 x Focus 1 x All or Nothing
Osano-Wo, Heart of Path to Defensive Position
Inner Peace 1 x Indirect Fire
10 Hirricane Initiates 2 x Níght 2 x Resist Magic
2 x Turtle
Guardian of Earth
14 Earth Elementáis
Toturi’s Army
■Histórica! H eview
Kage stood on a hill near the intersection of the four
roads, his aides at his side. They stood and watched the
remnants of the Lion army chase off the broken and routing
remains of the enemy forces.
Later, their forces policed the battlefield for wounded and
eta were brought from nearby villages to tend to the bodies
of the casualties. As the sun set, the bodies of the dead were
burned.
Finally, as the last rays of Amaterasu left the sky and the
light blue horizon turned to sapphire, Kage knelt beside a
tree on the ridge overlooking the Lion camp, watching his
men relax after their victory.
Quietly he said, “Enjoy this victory now ... for if things
go poorly at Otosan Uchi, they will be back and we will be
swept away.”
Akodo Kage
ATN: 7 TL: 5 Equipment: Katana, Light A rm or ATN: 7 TL: 4 Equipment: Naginata, Heavy Armor
W ounds: 5 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry', Unique Wounds: 2 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry
ATT: +2 Glory: 6 ATT: +1 Glory:
Skills: Battle 4, Leadership 3, laijutsu 2, Charge, Skills:
DAM: +2 Honor: 3 DAM: +3 Honor: 2
C ountercharge, Revered Sensei
#S: 2 Cost: 224 #S: 1 Cost: 25
Lion Sam urai
Ability (SO): Once per battle, w h en leading a Lion Clan u n it Kage targets his unit. Until the end M áxim um of tw o units: no m ore th an 16 m odels p er unit, no m ore th an 24 m odels total.
of the turn, all m odels in Kage's un it gain + 1 ATT an d + 1 DAM.
Ikoma d it e Ciuardians
ATN: 7 TL: 5 Equipment: Katana, Light A rm or ATN: 7 TL: 5 Equipment: No-dachi, Heavy A rm or
W ounds: 5 ML: 5 Traits: Experienced, Infantry, Resistance 2, Unique Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry
ATT: +1 Glory: 5 ATT: +1 Glory:
Skills: Battle 3, L eadership 3, laijutsu 1, Charge, Skills:
DAM: +3 Honor: 2 DAM: +2 Honor: 2
Countercharge
#S: 2 Cost: 163 #S: 1 Cost 17
Lion Sam urai
Kiso: W hen targeting one or m ore m odels in G oem on's unit. E lem ental effects which generate Kiso: This unit autom atically succeeds at all M orale tests d u ring a tu rn in w h id i it entered an
D am age suffer -2 DAM. engagem ent as the atladker.
M áxim um of tw o units, no m ore th an 24 m odels p er unit.
o a iM c n m a
Kitsu Toja Kitsu yojimbo
Air: 4 ATN: 6 TL: 7 Equipment: W akizashi ATN: 7 TL: 6 Equipment: N o-dadii, Heavy A rm or
Earth: 3 Wounds: 3 M L: 7 Traits: Infantry, Unique Wounds: 2 ML: 5 Traits: infantry, Yojimbo
Fire: 4 ATT: +1 -dory. 4 skills: Magic 4, Battle 3 ATT: +1
Glol*: Skills:
Water: 4 DAM; +1 onor: 2 DAM: +2 Honor: 2
Void: 3 #S: 1 Cost 120 #S: 1 Cost: 21
Lion Shugenja
Innate (SA): Target a Lion clan unit th at you control w ithin 18" and LOS. Toiu becom es spent Kiso: Shugenja un it o r C om m and G roup only. Yojimbo are rem oved from play if all
an d all m odels in the target unit gain + 2 DAM in Cióse C om bat until tire end of th e turn. p erso n alices are rem oved from th eir u n it A Kitsu yojim bo m ay en ter a D uel on behalf of a
personality in th eir u n it alw ays rolling tw o dice for D am age.
Kiso (Shugenja unit): This unit m ust incluae at least one Lion shugenja at the start of a battle. A
u n it m u st contain 1-3 yojim bo per shugenja. Yojimbo types m ay not be m ixed in a unit.
Wardens
ATN: 7 TL: 6 Equipment: Katana, Light Arm or, Horse
Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Cavalry, M ounted. Cavalry base
ATT: +1 Glory:
Skills:
DAM: +2 Honor: 2
#S: 1 Cost 20
TL: 5
n i®
Equipment: W akizashi
fe ® ^
%
Air: ATN: 6
Sh ib a
TL: 6 Equipment: K atana, iig r.: -_ ~ ü :
Earth: 8 Wounds: 8 ML: 5 Traits: C o m bat Experienced, Historical, Infantry', Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 T ra its : Infantry
Fire: 4 ATT: +1/+2 Glory: 8 Loyal, Tainted, Unique F ire: A IT : +1 Glory:
Water: 5 DAM: +1/+2 Honor: 1 Skills: M agic 6, Battle 3, L eadership 3, D efense 7 % . ;■ Water: DAM: +0 Honor: 1
Skills:
ÍÁ & É - - - - í- - - - -
$ CiuAwlifln of Fine
Equipment: As unit
# ATN: 6
Tsunami le g ió n
Equipment: Y art Light A rm or
IM
Air: ■ ATN: TL: • Air: TL: 7
Earth: Wounds: ML:- Traits: Loyal, As un it Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Cavalry, E lem ental. Infantry
Fire: • ATT: Glory: - Fire: ATT: +1 Glory:
Skills: Battle 2, L eadership 2, Charge, Go M aster Skills:
Water: • DAM: Honor: - Water: DAM: +2 Honor: 1 i
Void: - #S: Cost: +45 Void: #S: 1 Cost 17
Phoenix Leadership Package Phoenix Unit
As u n it Kiso (SA): Modify this u n it's M IS by up to 2.
Kiso: T he G uardian of Fire m ay accept a challenge on b eh alf of any personality in th is unit. Kiso: All m odels in this un it gain th e Cavalry trait.
W hen involved in a duel, th e G uardian of Fire rolls 4 D am age dice and aa d s + 2 to each die Ability: Fast Strike du rin g Cióse Com bat.
(even if th e duel does not norm ally allow modifiers). M áxim um of tw o units: no m ore th an 20 m odels p er u n it no m ore th an 32 m odels total.
M áxim um of tw o G uardians of Fire per arm y.
Skeletal Troops |jfc|
Air: 3 ATN; 8 TL:5 Equipment: Kalana, Heavy A rm or Air: ATN: 6 TL: 7 Equipment: K atana, Light A rm or
1 Earth: 5 Wounds: 5 ML: 5 Traits: E xperienced,Fear2 ,Fearless,Infantry,Undead, Earth: Wounds: 1 M L: 6 Traits: Fear 0, Fearless, Infantry, Tainted, U ndead
Fire: 5 ATT: + 2 Glory: 6 Unique Fire: ATT: +0
Glory: skills
,, / « ’ $ | | : Water: 5 D A M :+ 2 Honor: 0 Skills: Battle 3, L eadership 3, Defense 3, Iaijutsu 2, W ater: DAM: +1 Honor: 0
Void: 4 #S: 2 Cost: 218 Charge, Countercharge, Tactician 1 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 11
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Shadow lands Sam urai_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Shadow lands Unit
Kiso: W he recruiting M oto Tsum e, your arm y loses 4 honor. Kiso: W hen recruiting a un it of Skeletal Troops, your arm y loses 3 honor.
Kiso: At any tim e th at a un it w hich you control is w ithin 12" of M oto Tsum e and contains one
or m ore m odels th at are not Tainted, all m odels in th at unit suffer -1 to all rolls until it no
J P tIIIí longer m eets the aforem entioned conditions.
Kiso: W hen leading a un it that does not cause Fear; T sum e's unit gains Fear 0.
Kiso: W hen leading a unit that causes Fear; T sum e adds + 1 to th e Fear rating of that unit
(m áxim um Fear 2).
I
I ■.■ TriiiÉilüiiiiiriii ' ‘i mii-iÍMii
§H T ------------------
^ÉM riM sátfaÉM BaatfH^ttúÉÉiÉÉiaBaiiaÉÉíÉÉttiiBíúBÉÉii
Ronin Cavalry ti
Air: 4 ATN: 8 TL: 4 Equipment: Katana, Dai-kyu, Heavy Arm or, Horse ATN: 7 TL: 6 Equipment: Yari, Heavy A rm or
Earth: 5 Wounds: 5 ML: 4 Traits: Cavalry, Experienced, M ounted, Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Cavalry, M ounted, Loyal. Cavalry base
Fire: 5 ATT: +2/+2 Glory: 7 Resistance 2, Unique. Cavalry base ATT: +1 Glory:
Skills:
Water: 5 DAM: +2/+2 Honor: 4 Skills: Battle 3, Leadership 3, Defense 3, Iaijutsu 3, DAM: +2 Honor: 2
Void: 5 #S: 2 Cost: 302 Charge, Countercharge, D ouble Chi #S: 1 Cost: 21
Toturi Sam urai
Kiso: D airya m ay refuse any duel, even if it m ay not norm ally be refused, ignoring all other Ability: W hen perform ing an O verrun Attack, the Elite Ronin Cavalry gain a + 2 to all O verrun
effects of refusing the duel. D airya m ay not perform any attacks (Cióse Com bat or Ranged) related M aneuver tests.
d u ring a tu rn in w hich he refused a duel. M áxim um of one u n it no m ore th an 16 m odels.
Kiso: D airya m ay lead an y Mounted unit, regardless of clan affiliation.
Ranged (dai-kyu): 12" cióse, 24" extended (-2 ATT), 3 6 " extrem e (-4 ATT).
Mokoto ¿Elite fleavy Infantry
ATN: 7 TL: 6 Equipment: No-dachi, Light A rm or Air: ATN: 7 TL: 6 Equipment: No-dachi, Heavy A rm or
Wounds: 3 ML: 5 Traits: Infantry, H atam oto, Loyal, Unique Earth: W ou nd s: 2 ML: 6 Traits: Infantry
A n: +1 Glory: 4 Fire: ATT: +1 Glory:
Skills: Battle 2, Leadership 3, Defense 2, Skills:
DAM: +2 Honor: 1 Water: DAM: +2 Honor: 1
R evered Sensei
#S: 2 Cost: 135 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 20
Ability (SO): Once per battle, w hen serving in a C om m and G roup, M okoto targets a un it w ithin Kiso: Elite Heavy Infantry will join any arm y at a cost of 22 koku per m odel.
18" th at you control. Every m odel in the target un it gains + 1 ATT until the end of the turn. Kiso: This unit m ay b e led by a personality or Leadership Package of any affiliation.
Ability (SO): O nce per battle, d u rin g an engagem ent involving his unit, M okoto discerns the M áxim um of two units, no m ore th an 20 m odels per unit.
w eakness of the engaged enem y. Every m odel in M okoto's un it gain + 1 ATT and +1 DAM
until the end of th e turn.
Kiso: W hen selecting spells, Tokei pays up to 20 less koku for one scroll of h is choice. Kiso: Veteran Ashigaru with yumi will join a Yoritomo arm y at standard cost or any other army at a
Kiso: W hen a spell cast by Tokei is largeted by an enem y shugenja, he is considered to have cost of 11 koku per model.
Kiso: Veteran Ashigaru may be led by a personality or leadership package with any affiliation. This
M agic 6 for the purposes of the Counterspell only (m aking it m ore difficult to Counterspell does not override other reslrictions, such as loyal.
Tokei’s spell). Kiso: An ashigaru unit must have a leader.
Ranged (yumi): 10" dose, 20" extended (-2 ATT).
No less than 20 models per unit.
V* ■‘ *
O ía n W a r
1 Akodo
1 Ginawa,
Fan of
Fukushu
15 Crab
1 Morito Tokei,
Draining the
Wind Borne Speed
Gust of Wind
Strength of the Darkness
A few friends from the Dragón Clan never hurt anyone. several key benefits to the army, depending upon the
Togashi Mitsu and his Ise Zumi monks form one of the opposition and situation. Early in a game use Gust of Wind
main combat units of this forcé and are equipped with a and Wind Borne Speed to protect units from archery or gain
very potent weapon, the Dragón Tattoo. The tattoo allows position on the enemy. As the game continúes, use Strength
the unit when at a full frontage of 12, to unleash a total of of the Darkness to create or boost Fear ratings in units
17 damage dice to a unit within 9 inches - more than before they enter combat. You can best use his unit as
enough fiery destruction to stop all the reserve or second-line troops; with a casting of Wind Borne
monk jokes. Speed, it can quickly support a weakened battle line.
Ginawa leads another cióse combat The last two units are simply Veteran Ronin Archers led
unit. Armed with Fukushu, this unit by leadership packages. These allow the army to cause
has the ability to Charge, Frenzy, gain some early damage with Ranged Attacks. They can also be
Fear, and attack with Fast Strike. This used to plug gaps in the terrain; few opponents look
gives Ginawa and his troops huge forward to marching across a table under archer fire. But
potential when entering an you must avoid trading fire with the enemy Ranged
engagement as the attacker, so you Attack units, since the enemy can easily break and rout
should make every effort to initiate these small units. Consider using these units as
the engagement flankers after casting the Strength of the Darkness on
A tainted Morito Tokei, them; this tactic often catches your opponent off-
armed with the Deafening balance and unprepared.
War Drums of Fu T h e
Leng, leads the Tactical deck
Elite Heavy has two cards of
Infantry. great importance to
T o k e i this army. First, The Face
brings of Fear adds to your Fear
rating, thus boosting the penalty
to your opponent’s Morale test when
you engage them. Second, Loss of Face
further increases the negative modifier to
your opponent’s Morale tests. Used together,
these cards will have your enemies Broken
and Routed in no time.
However, this army has a few weaknesses. First,
three forces are well suited to facing this army; the
Shadowlands with its own hordes of fear-causing
troops, the Naga with all of their Fearless
troops resistant to this army’s effects
(although the tactical card The Price of
Caution allows you to negate a unit’s
Fearless trait for a turn), and finally,
the Lion Clan’s disciplined troops
which can cause this army
trouble.
Like most forces, this army
works wonderfully in some
games and fails apart during
others. But it’s always fun to
see your opponent’s face when
his most expensive unit fails
under a barrage of Morale
tests and runs from the
field.
Isc Zumi
ATN: 7 TL: 6 Equipment: None ATN: 6 TL: 7 Equipment: None
Wounds: 6 ML: 6 Traits: Experienced, Fearless, Infantry, Loyal, Wounds: 2 ML; 5 TYaits: Infantry, Tattooed
ATT: +2 Glory: 6 Tattooed, Unique ATT: +1 Glory:
Skills:
DAM: +2 Honor: 1 Skills: Battle 3, Leadership 3, Charge, Countercharge DAM: +1 Honor: 1
#S: 2 Cost: 229 #S: 1 Cost 17
D ragón Sam urai
Kiso: Will join Toturi arm y at standard price, b u t m ust lead a D ragón u n il Kiso: Will join Toturi arm y at standard price, b u t m ust b e led by a D ragón clan personality.
Ability (SA, Dragonfly Tattoo): Once per battle, M itsu m ay actívate this tattoo. All Ranged Kiso: This unit m ay attach up to three tattoos (items), adding the tattoo cost to each m odel in
Attacks targeting his un it have -2 ATT until the end of the next turn. this uniL
Ranged (D ragón Tattoo): Once per battle, target an enem y unit w ithin 12" and LOS. M itsu Ability (SO): This unit activates an attached tattoo. Each tattoo may be activated once per battle,
b reathes fire at the target unit, hitting autom atically. Roll 6 D am age dice. This m ay not be witn its effects detailed in the Tattoo description.
used for Reactionary Fire. M áxim um of tw o units: no m ore than 20 m odels per u n it no m ore th an 32 m odels total.
^Vkodo Ciodaigo
ATN: 7 TL: 5 Equipment: D aisho, Heavy A rm or
Wounds: 5 ML: 4 Traits: Fear 2, Fearless, H istorical Individual, Loyal,
ATT: +2 Glory: 6 Tainted, Undead, Unique
DAM: +2 Honor: 3 Skills: Battle 3, Defense 3, Charge, C ountercharge
#S: 4 Cost: 210
Toturi Sam urai
j Kiso: W hen recruiting Akodo Godaigo, your arm y loses 3 honor,
i Kiso: G odaigo m ay not attach Items.
I Kiso: Any effects w hich w ould cause A kodo Godaigo to en ter duel or becom e dishonored are
| im m ediately cancelled.
; Ability (SO): Target a unit w ithin 12" th at contains at least one Tainted m odel. Until the end of
| the turn, th e target un it suffers a -2 m odifier to all tests.
Trees Less than a mile away, a young Naga scout watched the
tall, lanky oni disappear into the ground near the undead
general. While there were few enough Naga left in the
forests of the north, there would never be so few that they
would allow a Shadowlands army to pass unhindered. The
As the horde of Shadowlands creatures descended into servants of the great evil must be destroyed.
the long valley, a storm of rock and earth burst from the
ground near Tsukuro’s feet. Rising nearly fifteen feet out of
the earth, the Kyoso no Oni left its burrow, chattering S c e n a H o "Rules
angrily at Tsukuro.
One of the Dark Lord’s most renowned generáis, Tsukuro
led the small forcé toward the Shadowlands following their D eploym ent a n d S etup
defeat at Otosan Uchi. Their path had led them across across The Shadowlands player begins army placement with
Lion and Crane lands, but they had turned south before the first unit. Players then altérnate placing units normally
entering the Unicom lands. In their wake, the army of until all units have been placed on the battlefield.
abominations left a smoldering trail of ruin.
Kyoso no Oni pointed southward, along the path that
Tsukuro had plotted out for their retreat, and in a voice that O bjectives
sounded like a cry of terror from a thousand lost souls, told
her general that their forcé was approaching too cióse to the
forests of the Naga. Tsukuro shook his head, his helmet N aga A rm y
rattling loosely on his bare skull. The Naga achieve a Decisive victory if they gain 10 VP
His voice, like the hiss of an angry cat, rose dryly from by the end of turn 5 and have removed at least one of the
his empty chest cavity. “No, Kyoso, there will be no Naga this Shadowlands personalities as a casualty. They achieve a
far north... there were far too many present near Otosan Marginal victory if they gain 12 VP by the end of turn 7.
Uchi for there to be much more than the young and aged
among the trees of the Shinomen, and we are passing far to S h ado w lands A rm y
the north of Shinomen.” The Shadowlands forcé achieves a Decisive victory if
The huge oni looked unconvinced, but turned and dove they gain 12 VP by the end of turn 5 and all of their
into the earth behind it. More and rock and earth flew, and personalities are still in play. It achieves a Marginal victory
if it gains 12 VP by the end of turn 7.
Naga Army
Shadowlands Army
#Mdls Model Tvpe(s) Tactical Deck
1 Tsukuro (general) 2x
4 VP
2x
24 Plague Zombies
3 x Charge
3 VP; Thresholds
2 x Crushing Forcé
Kyoso no Oni 2 x Dark Lord’s Favor
3 VP 3 x Evil Portents
2 x The Face of Fear
Goblin Warmonger 3 x Grim Determination
2 VP 2 x Mob Tactics
Goblin Mofe 2 x Night Fighting
3 VP; Thresholds 15, 29, 3 3 x Parade Ground Practice
2 x The Price of Caution
Oni no Shikibu ...
1 VP (each time he is killed)
Marsh Trolls
3 VP; Thresholds 5, 10, 15
Kumo Nest
IF 336
4 VP; Thresholds 4, 8,11,12
1987
'Uhunders' Challenge
TVaga y \ m y Placement
E arth: 5 W ounds: 5 ML: 3 T ra its : Experienced, Fearless, Naga, Non-hum an, E arth : W o u nd s: 2 ML: 5 T ra its : Fearless, Naga, N on-hum an. Cavalry base
F ire: 4 ATT: +1/+3 G lory: 6 Unique. Cavalry base Fire: ATT: +0/+1 G lory: S k iljg;
W ater: 5 DAM: +2/+3 H o n o r: 2 S k ills : Battle 3, L eadership 3, D efense 3, Stalw art W ater: DAM: +0/+1 H o n o r: 1
Void: 3 #S: 2 Cost: 222 D efender, Tactician 1 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 24
Naga Sam urai N aga Unit
Kiso: Isha rolls íour Attack dice when making a Ranged Attack. Ability: All m odels in this unit gain Fast Strike du rin g R anged Attacks.
Kiso: When produdmg a Ranged Attack, Isha's unit may ignore the requirement to target the nearest enemy unit - it R anged (yumi): 1 5" dose, 3 0 " extended (-2 ATI).
may select its target freely from all visible enemy units. A unit targeted by a Ranged Attadc from Isha's unit No m o re to an 20 m odels p er u n it
may not benefit from any effect that increases its printed ATN or imposes a negaüve ATT modifier on Isha's
unit
Ability: Models in Isha's unit which have a Ranged Attack gain +2" to their dose and +4" to their extended tanges.
Ranged (yumi): 15" dose, 30" extended (-2 ATI).
-- -- mm „....................
O a ra s h © J\)aga Foresters m
A ir: 5 ATN: 7 TL: 4 E q u ip m e n t: Yumi A ir: ATN: 7 TL: 6 E q u ip m e n t: Yumi, L ig h t,Armor
E arth : 4 W ounds: 4 ML: 4 T ra its : Fearless, Historical. Naga, Non-hum an. E arth : W 'ounds: 2 ML: 5 T ra its : Fearless, Naga, N on-hum an. Cavalry base
F ire: 3 ATT: +1/+2 G lory: 5 Cavalry base Fire: ATT: + 0/+1 G lory:
W ater: 5 DAM: +2Z+2 H o n o r: 1 S k ills : Battle 3, L eadership 2, Defense 4 W ater: DAM : +0/+1 H o n o r: 1
V oid: 3 #S: 2 C o s t 186 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 24
N aga Sam urai N aga Unit
Kiso: W hile Q arash's un it is w ithin w oods, all Cióse C om bat an d Ranged Attacks th at target his A bility: This unit suffers no terrain movement penalties for woods or brush.
| u n it suffer an additional -1 ATT modifier. Ability: All models in this unit may draw LOS thiough up to 3" of woods tenain.
Kiso: All m odels in Q arash's u n it ignore m o vem ent p en alü es for w oods an d brush. Ability: While this unit is within woods terrain, enemy Ranged Attacks targeüng this unit suffer an additional
Ranged (yumi): 15" d o se, 3 0 " extended (-2 A H ). -1 ATT modifier.
Ability: All models in this unit gain Fast Strike during Ranged Attacks.
Ranged (yumi): 12" cióse, 24" extended.
Máximum of one unit, no more than 12 models.
© A ir: 4 ATN: 7
iV a g a
T L -5 E q u ip m e n t: Various W eapons
i
E arth : 4 W ounds: 4 M L: 5 T ra its : Fearless, Naga, Non-hum an. Cavalry base
Fire: 3 ATT: +1 G lory: 4
S k ills : Pearl 4, BatÜe 2, Leadership 2, D efense 2,
W ater: 4 DAM: +1 H o n o r: 1
laijutsu 2
Void: 3 #S: 2 Cost: 128
N aga Shugenja
Kiso: A N aga arm y m ay include up to three N aga Shugenja.
Kiso (SA) Blessing of the Akasha: Target a N aga u n it w ithin 12". This sh ug en ja becom es sp en t
an d every m odel to toe targ et u n it g atas + 2 ATT and + 2 DAM, for eith er Cióse C om bat or
R anged Attacks, u n til to e en d of to e turn. I b is effect m ay n o t targ et a u n it already
benefiting from a Blessing of the Akasha.
© S4 h a la sh a
E q u ip m e n t: Katana, Light A rm or
^ 0 ) Vipers 1 Í1
A ir: 3 ATN: 7 TL: 6 A ir: ATN: 6 TL: 6 E q u ip m e n t: None
E arth : 3 W 'ounds: 3 ML: 6 T ra its : Fearless, Naga, N on-hum an. Cavalry base E arth : W ounds: 2 ML: 5 T ra its : Fearless, Naga, N on-hum an. Cavalry base
Fire: 3 ATT: +1 G lory: 3 Fire: ATT: +0/+1 G lory: S k jjjs;
S k ills : Battle 2, Leadership 2, D efense 2, laijutsu 3
W ater: 3 DAM : +1 H o n o r: 2 W 'ater: DAM: + 3/+2 H o n o r: 1
Void: 4 #S: 2 C ost: 88 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 26
N aga Sam urai N aga Unit
Kiso: W hen leading Asps, S halasha gains the skill Stalw art Defender. Kiso: If the Naga Vipers are not benefitting from a Blessing of the Akasha, they m ay perform
Ability: W hen leading a n ag a u n it o th er th an Asps, an d th at u n it contatos no m o re th an 14 Q o se C om bat attacks against a u n it d u rin g a tu rn to w hich th ey used R eactionaiy Fire
m odels, all m odels to Shalasha's un it ignore terrain m ovem ent pen alü es for B rush and agafast th a t u n it
W oods terratos. Ranged (venom): 4 " cióse, 6 " extended (-2 ATI).
M áxim um of one unit, no m o re th an 16 m odels.
©A ir: 3 7
jV a g a © "Rattleps
ATN: TL: 5 Air: ATN: 6 TL: 6 E q u ip m e n t: K atana
E arth : 5 W ounds: 5 ML: 5 E arth: W 'ounds: 2 M L: 5 T ra its : Fearless, Naga, N on-hum an. Cavalry base
Fire: 4 ATT: +1 G lory: 4 Fire: ATT: +1 Glory:
S k ills : Battle 3, Leadership 3, D efense 3, laijutsu 2 S k ills :
W 'ater: 3 DAM: +1 H o n o r: 2 W ater: DAM: +1 H o n o r: 1
Void: 3 #S: 2 C ost: U2 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 18
N aga Sam urai N aga U nit
Kiso: A N aga arm y m ay include up to th ree N aga Warlords. Ability (SA): Once per battle, this unit gains Fear 1 until the end of the turn.
Kiso (SO): O nce p er battle, th e W arlord targets h is u n it U ntil th e end of th e tu rn , every m odel to M áxim um of tw o units, no m o re th an 16 m odels p er u n it
to e N aga W arlord's u n it gatos + 1 ATT an d + 1 DAM, for Cióse C om bat o r R anged Attacks.
# 1Tsukuro
E q u ip m e n t: Katana, Heavy A rm or
^ Plague Zombies l l i
Air: 4 ATN: 8 TL: 3 Air: ATN: 6 TL: 6 Equipment: Various
Earth: 6 Wounds: 6 ML: 4 Traits: Fear 3, Fearless, Histórica], Infantry, Earth: Wounds: 1 ML: 6 Traits: Fear 1, Fearless, Infantry, Tainted, U ndead
Fire: 5 ATT: +2 Glory: 8 Tainted, Undead, Unique Fire: ATT: +0 Glory:
Skills:
Water: 5 DAM: +2 Honor: 0 Skills: Battle 4, L eadership 4, D efense 3, Water: DAM: +0 Honor: 0
Void: 6 #S: 2 Cost: 350 Countercharge, Go M aster, Tactician 2 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 14
Shadow lands Sam urai Shadow lands Unit
Kiso: W hen recruiting a u n it of Plague Zom bies, y o ur arm y loses 4 honor.
Kiso: W hen recruiting Tsukuro, your arm y loses 4 honor. Kiso: Any unit th at does not have the Undead trait and is engaged w ith the Plague Z om bies at
Kiso: When leading a Shadowlands affiliated unit, Tsukuro's unit gains Fear 0. If the unit already the end of a Cióse Combat phase must make a Resistance test (TN 6) before Morale tests
causes Fear, the unit gains +1 to its Fearrating (máximum of Fear 3). are taken. If the test fails, the unit receives one Wound for every point by which the test
Kiso: When recruiting Undead models for Thukuro's unit, their cost is reduced by 2 koku per failed - casualties are added to Qose Combat losses for the tum, Example: A unit's
modeL modified Resistance test resultsin a 4. The unit receives 2 Wounds (TN 6 - test result of 4
= difference of 2) in addiüon to Cióse Combat losses. Undead units ignore this effecL
Máximum of two units, no more than 24 models per unit
Kyoso no O ni
Air: 3 ATN: 7 H: 6 Equipment: None
Earth: 5 Wounds: 5 ML: 6 Traits: Cavalry, Elem ental, Fear 0, Fearless,
Fire: 5 ATT: + 2/+1 Glory: 6 Individual, Oni, Tainted. Large base,
W'ater: 4 DAM: +1/+1 Honor: 0 ’ M ovem ent
Void: 5 #S: 3 Cost: 300 Skills: Battle 2
Shadow lands Oni
Kiso: W hen recruiting Kyoso no Oni, your arm y loses 4 honor.
Kiso: Kyoso no Oni rolls two Damage dice for each hit in Cióse Combat
Ranged (elemental): 12" cióse, 24" extended (-2 ATT). Roll four Attadc dice and roll two
Damage dice for each hit Kyoso no Oni becomes spent This attack may be used for
Reactionary Fire and may also be performed instead of Cióse Combat (all Wounds are done
to a specified engaged enemy unit).
© ¿ g o b lin
© O ni no Shikibu
Equipment: Various
© Mapsh Trolls
iM
Air: 3 ATN: 6 TL: 7 Air: ATN: 7 TL: 8 Equipment: Various
Earth: 3 W'ounds: 3 ML: 7 T ra its : Infantry, Oni, Tainted Earth: Wounds: 2 ML: 6 Traits: Fear 0, N on-hum an, Tainted. Large base
Fire: 3 ATT: +1 Glory: 2 Fire: ATT: +1
Skills: Battle 2, L eadership 2, Countercharge GlorY: Skills:
W'ater: 2 DAM: +0 Honor: 0 Water: DAM: +1 Honor: 0
Void: 3 #S: 1 Cost: 80 Void: #S: 1 Cost: 20
Shadow lands Oni Shadow lands Unit
Kiso: When recruiting an Oni no Shikibu, your arm y loses 3 honor.
Kiso: Oni no Shikibu may not lead an Undead un it Kiso: When recruiting a unit of M arsh Trolls, your arm y loses 3 honor.
Kiso: It at the end of any tum, Oni no Shikibu is the last model in his unit ¡gnoring Undead models, Ability (SA): When entering an engagement as either an attadeer or defender, the Marsh Ttolls may
he is removed as a casualty. Frenzy (as the skill).
Ability (SA): If Oni no Shikibu was removed as a casualty while leading a unit with at least two models Máximum of two units: no more than 16 models per unit, no more than 24 models total
remaining (ignoring models with the Undead trait), remove one model from that unit and retum
Shikibu to play as the unit's commander. All Wounds are restored. Enemies may gain Victory
Points and honor each time that Shildbu is removed as a casualty.
Kumo J V e s t m
“There is
no power,
no magic,
no forcé
that can defeat
the strength of
one man’s
soul.”
Rokugan gathers its strength for the inevitable confrontatíon T he sound of clashing swords and the smell of charred flesh
a t O tosan Uchi. W eakened by years of internal strife, as well drift across the battlefield and thousands upon thousands of
as the growing darkness within their own ranks, the forces of warriors battle for the future of Rokugan - their visión of that
the Empire array themselves against the massed followers of future. Six of the Seven Thunders, accom panied by the last
Fu Leng. descendant of Shinsei, journey toward the Imperial Palace to
face the Em pire’s oldest and m ost pow er ful enemy... Fu Leng.
Working from the shadows, the H ooded Ronin and Togashi
Yokuni m anipúlate events, as Go Masters positioning their Thunders’ Challenge contains:
pieces, to ensure that certain individuáis are present during
the coming climax to fulfill their destiny. If these seven • Four scenarios for Clan War, all of which include Daimyo
individuáis, each a symbol of their Clan’s spirit and pride, fail Edition forcé profiles so you can play without any further
their destinies, the Empire is doom ed. preparation. Two ofthe scenarios are linked, detailing the
assault of The False Hoturi upon the Crane
• Región rules for two more of Rokugan’s well-known
battlefields: The Takezo Cliffs and The Snow Plain
• Fiction by Ree Soesbee and Patrick Kapera describing the
advancing story of the Clan War epoch through the
characters of Rokugan
• íntroduction of the Thunders’ Challenge storyline
tournament
• Hints for playing two powerfuí armies: Crab and Toturi
.
IS B N 1-887953-16-7
T h u n d e r ’s C h allen g e
9781887953160