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 Credits
EXPANSION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT Tim Huckelbery with Max Brooke

WRITING AND ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Robert Denton III, Lisa Farrell, Jordan Goldfarb, Dustin Hall, Josiah “Duke” Harrist, and D.G. Laderoute

EDITING Christine Crabb

PROOFREADING Jeremiah J. Shaw and Megyn Johanson

RPG MANAGER Sam Gregor-Stewart

LEGEND OF THE FIVE RINGS STORY REVIEW Daniel Lovat Clark and Tyler Parrott

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF STORY AND SETTING Katrina Ostrander

EXPANSION GRAPHIC DESIGN Scott Nicely

GRAPHIC DESIGN COORDINATOR Joseph D. Olson

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GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER Christopher Hosch

FRONT AND BACK COVER ART Mauro Dal Bo

INTERIOR ART

Daniel Alekow, Imad Awan, Francesca Baerald, Lukas Banas, Stu Barnes, Sergio Camarena Bernabeu, Cassandre Bolan,
Marius Bota, Matt Bulahao, Joshua Cairós, Alexander Chelyshev, Calvin Chua, Mauro Dal Bo, Stanislav Dikolenko, Jason Engle,
Shen Fei, Felipe Gaona, Lin Hsiang, Amélie Hutt, MuYoung Kim, Pavel Kolomeyets, Alayna Lemmer, Joyce Maureira,
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Darren Tan, Alberto Tavira, Halil Ural, Nino Vecia, Mario Wibisono, and Robin Wouters

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ART DIRECTION

MANAGING ART DIRECTOR

QUALITY ASSURANCE COORDINATOR

Jeff Lee Johnson

Tony Bradt

Zach Tewalthomas
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PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT Justin Anger and Jason Glawe

VISUAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR Brian Schomburg

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER John Franz-Wichlacz

EXECUTIVE GAME DESIGNER Nate French

HEAD OF STUDIO Chris Gerber

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PLAYTESTERS

Roger Ashton-Winter, Cady Belicki, Joe Belicki, Howard Brandon, Martin Brimacombe, Ernie Brow, Lucinda Charles,
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John Vilandre, Kris Van Beurden, and Thomas van den Berg
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 Table of Contents

5 WELCOME TO THE 108 CHAPTER 3:

BATTLEFIELD acts of war
6 CHAPTER 1: 109 Expanded Mass Battle Rules
glorious histories 118 Battle Zones
122 New Terrain Types

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7 Armies of the Empire 123 Running Military-Themed Campaigns
14 Great Clan Army Styles 127 Outfitting an Army
17 Armies in Action 131 New Titles
19 Bastions of History 138 Spending Opportunity in Times of War
26 The Empire at War 140 Tenets of Bushidō: Honor

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45 The Lion Clan 142 New Demeanors and NPC Templates
45 Families of the Lion

64 CHAPTER 2:
defenders of the empire
65 The Badger Clan
72 New Schools
82 New Advantages and Disadvantages
86 New Samurai Heritages
88 Weapons
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92
93
95
Personal Effects
Blessed Treasures
Item Patterns
New Techniques
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 14th Day of the Month of Shiba, 1120, on the Plains of Honor

Akodo Saburō could see the battlefield as though he This was what it meant to be a leader, to have the
were standing among his generals, the dry wind of the fates of many in his hands, to end lives without draw-
plains ruffling his hair. Across the level ground stood ing a sword. The outcome of this battle, perhaps the
an army led by his old teacher, Matsu Chihiro, famed safety of the Empire itself, would depend on the deci-
for her wise words, sharp tongue, and relentless drill- sions he made, and a single mistake could lose him his

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ing. He did not fight her by choice, but duty and honor strongest fighters, and his own good name. One wrong
demanded they face each other, and only one could move, or a right move made at the wrong time, could
claim victory. put a sudden end to his ambition.
He would defeat her today. Lion facing Lion, his war- His teacher’s generals brooded where they were;
riors reflected hers, but though they looked the same, they did not attempt to escape his foot soldiers, and

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their maneuvers would be different. Saburō knew how so he set up an attack to claim his victory, sending his
she thought; her tactics would be tried, tested, and lancers behind enemy lines. Yet when her own lancers
tired, while he had a few tricks and surprises ready for threatened one of his generals in turn, he realized he
her. Today, he would prove he had studied hard and could not get his units back there in time. He couldn’t
learned well—and had become a worthy opponent. just run them through the foot soldiers, who suddenly
All his bushi were ready to fight and die, but before seemed more of a hindrance than a help. There was
Saburō could give the order to charge, he must fortify nothing he could do.
his defenses, protect his most precious general, and One of her generals put himself in a vulnerable
position his lancers to make best use of their range and position, but was it some sort of trap? An invitation
speed. Small changes in formation now, while there for him to seek vengeance, and make a terrible mis-

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was still time, could make the difference between ulti-
mate victory and defeat. Across the plain, his teacher’s
forces shifted as though in response to his. Whatever
she was planning, she did not commit to it yet, only
prepared her warriors to withstand his attack when it
take? Saburō tried to remember what she had said of
sacrifice in their lessons. Hadn’t she always said sacri-
fice was a lazy path to victory, that a true leader found
another way? He took a gamble and sent a cadre of
foot soldiers in to eliminate the weakened general. He
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came. He could see no other plan in her movements, was honest with himself; it felt like just retribution for
but that didn’t mean there wasn’t one. his own loss.
While he was still contemplating her intentions, Her mounted samurai came out of nowhere, and
she sent her mounted samurai to attack his, forcing a he lost another general. How had he missed them? He
retreat. Despite the sting of her small victory, the attack should have held back some of those soldiers, but it
was hardly devastating. He had far more foot soldiers, was too late now. His last general put up a courageous
and his plan was to send them forward, to use their fight, but inevitably fell. The battle was lost; the game
numbers to surround and pin her generals. It would was over.
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surprise her, that he let so much ride on his weakest “An entertaining game for me,” Chihiro said, “and
force. He had always believed in the strength of the hopefully, an educational one for you, Saburō-kun.”
common soldier, their courage and determination He bowed his head.
making up for their weaker armor, their lesser training. “Thank you,” he said.
She had warned him before that soldiers are merely “And what have you learned here today?”
their leader’s tools, like the duelist’s sword or smith’s He paused, sure she would tell him the correct
hammer. Their value would come from how he used answer, whatever answer he gave.
them. So he must use them well. “Never to assume I can predict your moves,”
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he said.
“Even a Lion might advise one path, yet take
another,” she said. “Remember, on the shōgi board,
all actions are honorable.” They reset their units on the
Plains of Honor for another game.

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 INTR O DU CTIO N

Welcome to the Battlefield Adventure Seeds

RUMORS AND
LEGENDS

Since the dawn of the Emerald Empire, conflict has Throughout this book,
Throughout this book, you’ll find sidebars like
you’ll find sidebars
embroiled the realm. Ambitious provincial lords raid this one presenting adventure seeds for GMs. presenting just a few of
rival territory, daimyō struggle for dominance and If you’re a player, you might want to avoid the tales in circulation

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glory, and enemy invaders have attempted to conquer reading these, as doing so could spoil things about a particular loca-
Rokugan. To defend their borders, the generals of the tion or group. As a GM,
should your GM adopt the ideas! If you’re a
you might use these for
Great Clans marshal their best warriors, and when all GM, you can expand on these seeds to create inspiration when PCs
of Rokugan is threatened, the Emperor marches the fully fledged adventures, take bits and pieces, inquire about any local
grand host of the Imperial Legions to war. On the fields or simply use them for inspiration. gossip or anecdotal

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of battle, legends are forged and destines are decided. reports. Following up
一 Hook This hook provides the context on such rumors could

What’s in this book? for starting the adventure and introduces

the important NPCs. We also provide a sug-
even form the basis for
an adventure.

Fields of the Victory is a guide to Rokugani warfare and gested way to involve the PCs in events, As with all tales, it is
the Lion Clan, whose generals and soldiers are military which you can tailor to fit your campaign. not always clear which
are true and which are
masters. In this book, players can study the pivotal bat-
二 Rising Action In the next part of an false. We’ve left it up to
tles of the Emerald Empire and train and equip their you to determine which
adventure seed, we briefly describe the
characters to rise from the rank of soldier to Shōgun. are which. Of course,
most likely way for events to escalate, further
Fields of the Victory is divided into three chapters: even the most outland-
embroiling the PCs and raising the stakes.
ish stories might have a

Chapter 1
Glorious Histories describes the general makeup of
Great Clan armies and recounts the heroic military
struggles of Rokugan’s past and present. This chapter
e 三 Climax Finally we offer a likely climax
for the adventure, whether that is a decisive
encounter with an NPC or a difficult choice
the PCs must make. By this point, the events
of the adventure are likely to have taken
grain of truth.
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also features the greatest collections of knowledge in unexpected turns based on the PCs’ actions,
the Empire, from the High Histories of the Ikoma to the and you should feel free to modify the climax
Great Library at Kyūden Isawa. Finally, this chapter dives or resolve matters in whatever way fits the
deep into the valiant Lion Clan and its military traditions. ongoing adventure.

Chapter 2
Defenders of the Empire introduces the hardy Badger,
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a Minor Clan appointed as the guardians of Rokugan’s

northern border, along with rules for creating characters
from this clan. This chapter also offers other new player
options, including new schools, combat-related equip-
ment, advantages and disadvantages, and techniques for
leading forces into the fray and turning the tide of battle.

Chapter 3
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Acts of War offers game master advice on running

military-themed campaigns and staging grand
battles. It also provides expanded rules
for mass battles, including battle zones
to more closely track the positions of troops
and terrain, as well as rules for how to raise,
equip, and train an army. Finally, new titles,
NPC templates, and a new demeanor
help GMs bring the heroes and support-
ing characters of battle to life.

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 1
CHAPTER

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Glorious

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Histories
The horse grooms were waiting for him as the rider
descended on the Lion Clan way station at a full gallop.

eAt the last possible moment, Hosokawa Tesshū pulled

on the reins to bring his horse to a stop and slid down
the saddle wordlessly. As he turned around, one of the
attendants offered him the water dipper. Tesshū greed-
ily accepted it with a nod of thanks, slurping down the
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cool water between heaving breaths. He yanked off a
riding glove and splashed his dust-covered face in a
meager effort to stave off the heat of the early sum-
mer sun. His heavy armor didn't help, but he couldn't
risk being taken by surprise by a Unicorn Clan scouting
party. His family's duty was to record and to ride, and
that was what he would do.
"Your horse, my lord," came a voice. The sil-
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ver-black steed was fresh from the stable and ready to

take him through the next leg of the journey. Although
he would have to ride all day and all night, by the time
Lady Sun rose the next morning, Lord Matsu Gohei
would know that the war had begun.
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 CHAPTER 1: G L O R IO U S HIST O R IES

Armies of the Empire Basic Units

While the discipline and structure of Rokugan’s armies
By nature, battles are chaotic, destructive storms of vary by clan, terrain, and strategy, the lifeblood of each
metal, blood, and smoke. The shape of an army— army is its soldiers, and each soldier must operate as
along with the placement of its units—has an enor- part of a unit. A single insubordinate soldier may cost

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mous impact on the likelihood of success in war. Place their army the victory; a unit acting as one may sweep
a cadre of mounted archers in the fray, and they might the battlefield with the force of a typhoon.
snipe the vulnerable from a line of armored ashigaru,
but they may prove a liability otherwise. Allow them to Conscripts
move as a free, mobile unit, and they may suddenly

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destroy an enemy’s tactical advantage with a well- Conscripts are forces that are levied from a lord’s lands
placed shot at its commander. The best army does not in times of war or great need. They are plucked from vil-
necessarily contain the brightest or the most fearsome, lages, towns, and cities and thrown onto the front lines
but it does come prepared with a solution for any plan with minimal training. They might be provided with
of attack. secondhand or piecemeal ashigaru armor—otherwise,
The most skilled warrior knows to bring the appro- they must scavenge and loot armor from defeated ene-
priate weapon to any fight; the same is true of armies. mies. Conscripts are lucky to receive spears, but more
The heavy-armored, slow-moving Crab Clan warriors often they will use whatever they can bring with them
may create an impenetrable wall from high in their from home, such as farm implements. Due to their min-
stone fortresses, but in soft, muddy marshland or end- imal training and defenses, they suffer the most casual-
ties in battle. As a result, they are often the first to flee
less desert, their renowned armor becomes a liability
both in and out of battle. The vast multitude of the
Lion Clan armies, too, lose their fearsome edge when
forced to trudge, single file, through dense forest or
up perilous mountain slopes. When compromised, an
e when the tide turns against their forces. If a conscript
survives and proves capable in battle, they might try to
enlist as an ashigaru in future conflicts.

Ashigaru
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ill-fitted army is at its most vulnerable to attack.
The Great Clans of Rokugan consider themselves
Ashigaru, or foot soldiers, make up the bulk of most
above the barbarism of early warfare. Today, most
Rokugani armies. Ashigaru are semi-professional sol-
clashes among the clans result in relatively tame skir-
diers from various backgrounds and often have more
mishes instead of protracted wars. Feeding, training,
practical experience on the battlefield than their
and maintaining an army is a challenging affair that
leaders. They might be peasants who spend the time
requires numerous resources from the army’s clan; in
between planting and harvest on the battlefield, or
the interest of efficiency, clans rarely let battles play
they might have left their villages behind entirely to
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out on the grand scale of legend. Further, just as in

make a career of fighting. They might even be follow-
court, officers ensure each battle follows a rigid set of
ing in their parents’ footsteps—some families have a
rules and etiquette; true brutality has no place in clan
hereditary tradition of serving as ashigaru for a spe-
warfare.
cific lord. Over the centuries, some ashigaru have even
“Just as a single brushstroke may finish a painting,
been elevated to the rank of jizamurai in recognition
a single swing of a blade may finish the battle,” wrote
of their service, but they often face disdain from more
the eminent tactician Seppun Yoshisato. In Rokugan,
established samurai families.
tactics and decisive action are key to resolving battles
Ashigaru stand at the forefront in most skirmishes
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quickly with as little bloodshed as possible. Yet legions

between opposing clans. Ashigaru suffer fewer casu-
of Shadowlands monstrosities wage wars of attrition,
alties than conscripts but more casualties than bushi.
and foreign forces have been recorded using hit-and-
They are lightly armored and most often equipped
run tactics or sabotage to wear down their foes. Clans
with long-shafted spears, naginata, or bows. Not all
like the Unicorn and Crab, which have had to contend
clan ashigaru are equally well trained; Lion Clan ash-
with these unconventional opponents, have adapted
igaru are famously skilled in combat and proficient in
their tactics and style accordingly and, as a result, fight
many weapons, including the sword.
in ways alien to the rest of Rokugan.

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 C H APT E R 1 : GL O R I O U S H I S T O R IES

Bushi Medical Practitioners

Clan samurai bushi are the finest—but usually not the Healers and medics are essential to keeping soldiers
most common—type of solider in an army. Serving as and support personnel moving, fit, and battle ready.
elite forces, they fight for glory in the name of their They are trained in advanced treatments for all manner
family, clan, and daimyō. Their training is dependent of injuries, and are equipped with basic tools and med-

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on their family and clan, ranging from the heavily icines to heal the soldiers they accompany into battle.
armored spearmen of the Daidoji to the nimble cav- A swift treatment can mean the difference between
alry of the Shinjo, and the duel-wielding swordsmen of life and death for an injured warrior. It is a violation of
the Mirumoto to the ferocious berserkers of the Matsu. Courtesy and Compassion to attack or injure any sol-
Whether fighting on foot or horseback, even a single dier administering treatment on the field of battle, but

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bushi can change the course of a battle though dis- ruthless generals may ignore these virtues in the pur-
plays of martial prowess or stubborn resistance. The suit of victory.
placement of each bushi formation in an army can have
a marked impact on the outcome of a battle, although, Messengers
as the makeup of bushi units varies, there is no single
correct arrangement. Armies communicate urgent commands via everything
from flares to signals to coded messages. Military
messengers in their stiff horo, or canopy cloaks, brave
Mercenaries the heat of battle to deliver handwritten notes, coded
Mercenary gaijin, peasants, rōnin, and former criminals messages, and desperate, shouted orders. Some mes-
offer their expertise in short- or long-range combat to sengers also send army-wide signals via booming taiko

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any army. Unlike the lives of trained clan soldiers, their
lives are considered entirely expendable. It is mer-
cenaries’ responsibility to take care of their own and
maintain their own equipment. They are flexible and
may fill any role for which they are qualified. Highly
drums in the heat of battle or blow on conch shells to
issue sudden orders from leaders to those within ear-
shot. Battlefield messengers, called tsukaiban, may be
deployed in service of high-ranking officials, or they
may be placed strategically to form a network through-
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specialized mercenaries, such as shinobi or sailors, may out an army.
be deployed as needed to achieve special objectives.
Laborers and Servants
Specialized Units Noncombatants usually make up the bulk of an army,
In addition to combatants like bushi and ashigaru, especially when the army must establish itself in a single
armies also require support personnel to play specific location for an extended period of time. Servants follow
roles in a general’s strategy and allow soldiers to fight their lords into battle to assist them in getting dressed
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more effectively. and maintaining their quarters. Peasants clean, cook,

and tend and raise animals (and sometimes crops), mak-
Engineers ing traveling armies seem more like mobile cities. Unless
an army is especially desperate, its peasant population
Rokugani military engineers build siege engines and hangs back during the heat of battle and trails behind
field fortifications when an army invests itself for a the soldiers in a long caravan during travel. It is the
siege of a castle or town’s walls. They build scaling lad- height of dishonor to attack an army’s noncombatants.
ders and siege towers to allow soldiers to climb walls
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without being shot by defenders’ arrows, and they con-

Shugenja
struct battering rams to knock in gates so that troops
may break in. They direct crews as they dig trenches for Calling the elemental forces against their foes,
cover or excavate tunnels under walls that are stable shugenja are highly volatile additions to any army. One
enough for troops to charge through and surprise the cannot count on the kami’s favor at any given time,
enemy within. During an army’s travels, engineers may as their motivations and their feelings about humans
do double duty as cartwrights, fixing wheels and wag- are subject to change on a whim. However, a well-
ons, especially if the army doesn’t have any dedicated planned elemental strike may shift the terrain to an
carpenters of its own. army’s advantage or scatter an otherwise impervious
foe. While entreating the spirits, shugenja make easy
targets, and they must be well defended if they are to

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 CHAPTER 1: G L O R IO U S HIST O R IES

province. In this way, an army might have several spear

Battlefield Healing ashigaru and archer ashigaru units in addition to sev-
eral different samurai units, plus units of conscripts
Medics are dispersed throughout an army when applicable. Maintaining focus on the battlefield
to tend to the wounded of every rank. Any and withstanding the horrors of war requires intense
substantial cadre of soldiers likely has a med- concentration and fortitude, often facilitated by the

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ical attendant on hand to dress wounds and Meditation and Martial Arts skills.
address sundry health issues. Other med-
ics may be highly specialized, switch roles Unit Leader
according the needs of their leaders, or serve
as members of a dedicated medical unit. A unit leader, or kashira, is a member of a unit who com-

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In some cases, medics will serve under the mands their fellow soldiers in battle. Unit leaders also
supervision of a shugenja and assist in triag- direct their unit’s noncombatants, such as medics, taiko
ing the injured. drummers, messengers, and banner bearers. They must
often make use of their skills in Courtesy and Sentiment
to effectively influence their fellow soldiers.
leverage the meteoric currents of the spiritual world.
The best placement of a shugenja on the battlefield is Sergeant
highly subjective, and they usually must be protected
A sergeant, or gunsō, leads a single squad compris-
by yōjimbō if they are to succeed in swaying the kami
ing two or more basic or specialized units and directs
during combat.
it in the heat of battle according to the orders of the

which are also vital roles in armies. Water and earth

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Shugenja also serve as healers or spiritual advisors,

elementalists can entreat the spirits to hasten the heal-

ing process or purge infection. Shugenja can augur the
coming weather or beseech the ancestors for wisdom.
chūi (see page 10). While a gunsō does not have
a comprehensive view of the larger tactical choices at
play, they are keenly aware of their squad’s movements
and successes in battle. Depending on their relation-
ship with the squad and the requirements of the battle,
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They can also speak to ethics, history, and philosophy,
a gunsō fights in the thick of combat, shouts orders
and they serve an important function in maintaining
from the rear, or charges headfirst at the front line. The
morale and counseling soldiers on their own mortality.
gunsō may make effective use of the Command skill to

The Hierarchy of Armies

direct troops in real time and must know when to pull
back if their squad becomes overwhelmed.
In the furor of battle, a basic chain of command is key
to transmitting orders, and troops’ ability to receive
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and execute those orders is imperative to victory. With-

out guidance, even the most exceptional unit may find
itself isolated and vulnerable.
The feudal mindset extends to armies, which follow
a hierarchical structure that mirrors the Celestial Order
as interpreted by the samurai. A single unit of cav-
alry, scouts, infantry, or shugenja follow a unit leader.
These unit leaders report to their sergeant, while the
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sergeants report to a lieutenant, and the lieutenants

report to a captain, with the chain of command culmi-
nating in an army’s general. This basic power structure
can be found among most Great Clan armies, although
variation exists across forces.

Unit
A single unit of conscripts, ashigaru, bushi, or special-
ists comprise the simplest building block of a Rokugani
army. Units might be organized into groups of ten to
fifty soldiers based on their primary weapon and home