Sekigahara Game Rules

Hey there! Welcome to the Sekigahara Game Rules guide. I’m here to help you navigate the intricate world of this historical strategy game. So, if you’re ready, let’s dive in and discover how to play this exciting game together!

Objective

In Sekigahara, you’ll step into the shoes of one of the famous generals who battled for control of Japan in 1600. Your objective is simple yet challenging: to conquer enough provinces and gather the support of powerful factions to establish dominance over Japan.

Setting Up

Before the battle begins, make sure you have a clear understanding of the game pieces and the board. Familiarize yourself with the different forces at play, such as the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Western Army, as well as the alliances they form.

Turns and Actions

When it’s your turn, you’ll have several actions to choose from. Depending on your strategy and the current state of the game, you can move your armies, recruit new troops, or engage in fierce battles. Remember, each action has consequences and can shape the course of the war.

Combat

Prepare your troops for combat! During battles, you’ll need to strategically deploy your forces, command them effectively, and consider the terrain to gain the upper hand. Victory depends on skillful tactics and a deep understanding of your enemies’ strengths and weaknesses.

Alliances and Betrayal

Don’t forget the complex web of alliances and potential betrayals that define Sekigahara. You may start the game as allies, but in the heat of battle, loyalties can shift, and former friends can become enemies. Keep a watchful eye and adapt your strategy accordingly.

Victory

Claiming victory in Sekigahara requires more than just military might. To succeed, you must balance military conquests with political influence. Gain the support of key factions, control vital provinces, and outmaneuver your opponents to secure your place as the true ruler of Japan.

Conclusion

Now that you have a solid grasp of the Sekigahara game rules, it’s time to gather your forces and embark on this epic historical journey. Remember, fortune favors the bold, and the outcome of this decisive battle lies in your hands. Good luck!

Sekigahara is an exciting game for two people that brings to life the historic battle in 1600 that established the Tokugawa Shogunate. In this game, one player takes on the role of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the most powerful daimyo in Japan, while the other becomes Ishida Mitsunari, the champion of a warlord’s child heir. The goal is to gather a group of loyal daimyo and fight a 7-week battle to gain control of Japan. The decisive battle takes place at Sekigahara, where treachery and defections change the course of the war and give Tokugawa the advantage.

Let’s talk about what comes in the game box. When you open it up, you’ll find a 22×34 inch map that represents the battlefield. There are also stickers included, which you can use to mark certain areas on the map. To represent your forces, there are 48 gold rectangular blocks and 48 black rectangular blocks. There are also two gold disks and a single square block. Each player has their own deck of cards, tailored to their coalition. There are two draw bags included, as well as two reference cards that are identical.

Sekigahara is a game that transports you back to a pivotal moment in history. Will you be able to lead your coalition to victory and establish the Tokugawa Shogunate? The fate of Japan is in your hands.

How to Play

Introduction

Hey there! Have you ever wondered how to play the game “Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan”? Well, I’m here to guide you through it. It may seem a little complicated at first, but trust me, it’s a lot of fun once you get the hang of it. So let’s dive in!

Setting Up

The first thing you need to do is set up the game. Don’t worry, it’s super easy. Just follow these steps:

1. Take out the game board and unfold it on a flat surface.
2. Place the three black cubes and the three gold cubes in the designated areas on the board.
3. Put the disks in a bowl or bag and mix them up.
4. Each player takes turns drawing a disk. The player with the gold disk goes first.
5. Lastly, place the blocks on the board according to the setup diagram in the rulebook. Make sure to use the gold Ishida Mitsunari labels on the gold blocks and the black Tokugawa Ieyasu stickers on the black blocks. The only exception is the square Turn Track block, which gets one black and one gold sticker. Oh, and don’t forget – no stickers for the small cubes!

Objective of the Game

Now that everything is set up, let’s talk about the objective of the game. Your job is to lead your faction to victory by gaining control over key areas of Japan. You’ll need to use your tactical skills, make alliances, and make tough decisions to outmaneuver your opponents and secure your path to victory.

Playing the Game

Once the setup is complete, the game starts with the player who has the gold disk. Players take turns performing actions, such as moving their armies, recruiting new units, and engaging in battles. The strategic placement of your units and the careful management of your resources will be crucial to your success.

Throughout the game, you’ll face various challenges and obstacles. Diplomacy plays a crucial role, as you’ll have to negotiate with other players and form alliances to achieve your goals. But beware – trust can be a fragile thing, and alliances can crumble in an instant.

As the game progresses, you’ll face difficult decisions that will shape the course of the war. Do you focus on attacking your enemies or defend your territories? Do you allocate resources to strengthen your armies or invest in diplomacy? The choices you make will have a direct impact on the outcome of the game.

Conclusion

So, there you have it – a brief overview of how to play “Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan.” It’s a game of strategy, negotiation, and tough choices. Are you ready to embark on this epic journey and rewrite history? Gather your allies, plan your moves, and conquer Japan!

Welcome to The Game of Instant Victory!

If you manage to eliminate Ishida Mitsunari or capture Toyotomi Hideyori, victory will be yours in an instant. For the Ishida player, eliminating Tokugawa Iesayu will lead to an immediate win. However, if both sides achieve instant victory simultaneously, the Ishida player takes home the prize.

Meet Ishida Mitsunari

Scoring Points

When the game reaches the end of week 7 without an instant winner, victory points come into play. For each castle, players earn two points, and for every Resource Location, they earn one point. The player with the higher total wins the game. In the event of a tie, the advantage goes to the Ishida player.

The Pieces

Colors

The Tokugawa pieces are black, while the Ishida pieces are gold. Make sure to position the blocks on the board in a way that only the owner can see their true identity.

Warrior Blocks

Hey there! Let me give you some cool information about warrior blocks. It’s super interesting, I promise!

So, these blocks are like a group of warriors. And get this, each block represents around 5,000 warriors! That’s a lot, right?

Now, pay attention to this part because it’s really cool. Every block has a leader called a daimyo. And guess what? The daimyo’s symbol, known as a mon, is printed on the block! How awesome is that?!

Oh, and something really cool is that each card has a historical name written on it that matches the symbol on the block. That way, you can learn more about the daimyo and the warriors!

Now, the strength of the block is determined by the number of mon printed on it. It can be anywhere from 1 to 4. So, the more mon, the stronger the block. Makes sense, right?

So, now you know all about these amazing warrior blocks! Pretty cool, huh? If you’re into history and warriors, you’ll love this!

Blocks in the game come with various abilities, and some even have the added bonus of being able to function as gun or cavalry units. You can easily identify these special blocks by the stencils depicting a gun or a cavalry unit. The inclusion of these abilities adds an extra layer of strategy and options to the game, making it even more engaging and exciting for players like you and me.

In feudal Japan, there were powerful leaders called daimyo. You could tell who they were because they were represented by special blocks called nobori, which had a banner on them. Most nobori had just one dot, but the main figures of the campaign, Ishida Mitsunari and Tokugawa Ieyasu, had nobori with three dots.

Cards: Power in Your Hands

Imagine having the power to command armies, with each card in your hand representing their unwavering loyalty. That’s what cards symbolize in the game – the unwavering allegiance of your troops. The more cards you have, the stronger your support becomes. These cards serve a multitude of purposes. They allow you to compete for Initiative, which can give you a crucial advantage. You can use them to strategically move your troops, whether it’s a regular move or a swift Force March. And when it’s time for battle, you can deploy your units with precision, thanks to the power of these cards.

When I play this game, I use a deck. You have a deck too. We both shuffle our decks and put them face down. These are our draw piles.

During the game, we play our cards face up. Everyone can see our discards and card plays. But we can’t look at each other’s discard piles.

When my draw pile is empty, I shuffle my used cards to make a new pile. Then I can draw cards from there.

There are other things we need to play this game.

Disks are units that can’t move or fight, but they can be destroyed like a block. We have two disks in the game, each one connected to a castle.

Hey there! Let’s talk about some interesting aspects of the game.

First off, there’s this cool thing called a Turn Marker. It’s like a little square with symbols on each side. One side has the Tokugawa symbol, and the other side has the Ishida symbol. We use this marker to keep track of turns and determine which player goes first each week.

Next up, we have these special cubes. They come in black and gold and are super important in the game. We use these cubes to show who controls the resource areas on the board. They’re also used to keep track of the Impact delivered during combat on something called the Impact chart. So yeah, these little cubes have a big role to play.

The board is all about the central Honshu, which is the main island of Japan. This is where most of the fighting happened. The board has a map and the locations that are being used. It also has the Impact Track, the Turn Track, and the Recruitment Boxes.

Places

A place is somewhere on the map (usually a city) connected to other places by roads. It looks like a circle and might have a castle. Any number of blocks can be in a place. Blocks start and end their turn in a place.

Special Places

Special places are areas that produce wealth, popular trade routes, or other important regions. They represent the country’s infrastructure.

Special places are red (regular places are white). The last player to move a block onto or through a special place controls that place.

Use a cube to show control. Until a special place is claimed, no one owns it. Special places give one victory point at the end of the game and extra troops during the Reinforcement Step.

Castles: The Pillars of Power

Hey there! Let’s talk about castles. They’re pretty important in this game. Castles are those cool locations you see on the board. You know, those fancy-looking places? Well, each castle has a special connection to either Ishida or Tokugawa, and you can tell which one it belongs to by its color. If you have your blocks at a castle and your opponent doesn’t, guess what? You’re in control of it!

Now, here’s something interesting. If nobody has blocks at a castle, it goes back to its original alignment. It’s like nature reclaiming its territory! But during a siege, things get intense. One player takes control of the castle, while the location attached to it is controlled by the other player. It becomes a battle for power! And you know what’s great about controlling castles during the Reinforcement Step? You get rewarded with an extra card. Nice!

Recruitment Boxes: A Toolbox of Troops

Next up, let’s talk about recruitment boxes. Both players have one. These boxes are basically where you get your fresh troops from every week. So, at the start of each week, new blocks are magically placed inside these boxes. Pretty neat, huh? And here’s the cool part. During the week, you can muster these forces onto the board. It’s like building up your army and preparing for the battles to come. Oh, and by the way, the Ishida player also has a special Mori box. From there, Mori units can join the action in Osaka. How awesome is that?

Capitals: The Crowning Jewel

You know what’s really interesting? In this game called Kyoto and Edo, two places are considered capitals. And get this, they’re affiliated with Ishida and Tokugawa, which gives each of them their own distinct flair. When you see them on the game board, they’re actually highlighted in different colors. But get this, these capitals aren’t just normal places. They’re actually Resource Locations, which means they provide some really helpful stuff. And, as if that wasn’t cool enough, they also give you a Leadership Movement Bonus. Talk about a double win!

Take a look at the diagram above. It gives you an idea of how the game starts. You’ll see some question mark blocks, which are drawn randomly.

Getting Started

• First, set the turn counter to Week 1.
• Next, shuffle the two decks separately.
• Each player draws 5 cards from their deck. This represents the limited organizational capacity each army has in the early stages.
• Then, take the blocks with geometric shapes in the lower right corner and separate them. Mix the remaining blocks into two draw bags, one for each color.
• Now, it’s time to place the blocks on the map. Follow rule 5.2 for guidance. Make sure that only the owner of a block can see its identity, except for the 5 blocks in the Mori Box, which remain face up.

Placing the Blocks

Blocks with Specific Locations

When playing the game, you need to place the blocks with different shapes in the lower right corner of the map. The locations on the map have symbols that match the shapes of the blocks. Each symbol on the map represents one block that should be placed on the board. Keep in mind that at the beginning of the game, there are 5 Ishida blocks that match the Mori box symbol.

Mix and Match

Once you have placed the designated blocks, take all the remaining blocks and split them into two draw bags, one for each player. Then, put random blocks in the indicated locations. These locations are marked on the board with a +1, +2, or +3 symbol.

The number tells you how many blocks you should draw randomly from the bag and place in that location. Before drawing the blocks, you need to specify which location on the board they are for.

Power Up with Reinforcements

I’d start by laying down the foundation. Both sides need to add more soldiers to the battle. We each grab four blocks from our bags and put them in our Recruitment Box.

Now, let’s talk about the game turn. The game is divided into seven weeks, and each week has two turns, cleverly named A and B. There are specific steps that happen in order during each week. Here they are:

1. Reinforcement Step: This is when each player gets new cards and blocks. Here’s how it works:

– First, we both discard half of the cards in our hands. If there’s a decimal, we round up.

– Then, we draw five new cards. But, there’s a bonus! The player who has control of the most castles gets to draw an extra card, making it six in total.

2. Turn Order Step: Next up is determining the order of turns. This is crucial because it decides who goes first.

3. Turns A and B: Finally, we have the actual turns. These happen in order, with each player taking their A turn first, followed by their B turn.

So that’s the game turn in a nutshell. We add reinforcements, follow the steps in the week, and take turns. Easy to understand, right? Let’s keep going!

When it’s time to start a new turn, here’s what happens:

• I reach into my bag and draw some blocks based on the reinforcement track on the board. In weeks 2, 3, and 4, I’ll draw two blocks. In weeks 5, 6, and 7, I’ll only draw one block. If I control more Resource Locations than my opponent, I get to draw an extra block. If we’re tied on Resource Locations, we both get an extra block.
• I take the blocks I drew and place them in my Reinforcement Box.

Remember, during the first week of the turn, we skip the Reinforcement step because we already have our starting cards and blocks.

Now it’s time for the next step:

Turn Order Step

We both want to go first, so we bid for turn order. We each pick a card from our hand and place it face down on the table. Then, at the same time, we reveal our cards. The player whose card has the higher number in the bottom corner wins and gets to go first.

Hey there! Let me explain how the game works. The winning player gets to choose who goes first in both turns for the current week. To keep track of turns, we use a Turn Marker. Place it on the Turn Track, specifically on the “A” space with the color of the first player facing up.

Both players need to get rid of the card they played.

Now let’s talk about Turns A and B.

A Weekly Cycle consists of two turns: A and B. In each turn, the First Player takes their turn first, doing Movement and Combat. After that, it’s the Second Player’s turn to do the same.

When Turn “A” is done, it’s time to move the Turn Marker to “B” and play the “B” turn. The player who was first in the “A” turn goes first again in the “B” turn.

Once the “B” turn is over, it’s time to move the Turn Marker to the next week and start the Weekly Cycle all over again. The game ends after 7 weeks.

Now, let’s dive into Turn A:

A Week in Battle

Let’s dive into the exciting world of tabletop strategy games! Today, I want to talk about the turn structure and movement phases in a game that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Brace yourself for epic battles and strategic maneuvers!

Turn A:

Imagine you’re playing a game, and it’s time to start your turn. The turn structure is divided into four phases, each with its own unique actions:

1. First player Movement Phase: This is your chance to move your stacks of blocks on the board. You can move as many or as few as you like, depending on the number of cards you spend for movement. It’s your call!
2. First player Combat Phase: Prepare for battle! Use your stacks of blocks to engage in combat with your opponent. Every move counts, so plan your strategy wisely.
3. Second player Movement Phase: Now it’s your opponent’s turn to move their stacks of blocks. Will they take the offensive or play defensively? Only time will tell.
4. Second player Combat Phase: The tables have turned, and it’s now your opponent’s chance to strike back. Defend your positions and make every move count.

Turn B:

As the game progresses, it’s time for the second turn. The structure remains the same, but the excitement is far from over:

1. First player Movement Phase: The game is in full swing, and it’s your turn to move your stacks of blocks. Will you seize the opportunity and turn the tides of battle in your favor?
2. First player Combat Phase: Engage in combat and outsmart your opponent. Victory awaits those who strategize and adapt to the ever-changing battlefield.
3. Second player Movement Phase: Your opponent is ready to make their move. Will they be able to break through your defenses, or will you emerge as the victor?
4. Second player Combat Phase: The final clash of titans has arrived. Make your last stand count and conquer your enemy’s positions.

But wait, there’s more! As each turn comes to an end, be sure to advance the Turn Marker to the next week space. However, if you’re already on Week 7, brace yourself for the grand finale – the game is over!

Movement Phase

Now, let’s focus on the Movement Phase, which is a crucial part of the game. It’s during this phase that you’ll make strategic moves and determine the outcome of the battle. Here’s what you need to know:

As the active player, you have the power to move your stacks of blocks on the board. You can decide whether to move all of them or just a few. The number of stacks you can move depends on the cards you spend for movement. So, choose your moves wisely and surprise your opponent with your strategic maneuvers!

But that’s not all – the Movement Phase also brings the possibility of Mustering and Overruns. Keep an eye out for opportunities to replenish your forces or overrun your enemy’s position.

Cards For Movement

Now, let’s talk about the cards you’ll need for movement. These cards play a vital role in determining the number of stacks you can move during the Movement Phase. Collect them, strategize with them, and use them wisely to gain the upper hand in battle.

Are you ready to take charge of the battlefield? Grab your cards, gather your troops, and get ready for a thrilling game where every move counts.

Hey there! So, when we start the Movement Phase, we have a few options for how many cards we want to discard from our hand. It’s up to us to decide how much movement we want to allow for our troops. Let me break it down for you:

• No Movement (0 cards): In this case, none of our stacks can move. However, we can discard any number of cards from our hand and replenish them.
• Minimal Movement (0 cards): If we choose this option, we can move one stack or perform a Mustering action (7.2).
• Limited Movement (1 card): Here, we can move three stacks. Alternatively, we can use one of the moves to conduct a Mustering action.
• Total Movement (2 cards): This is the big one! With this choice, all of our friendly stacks can move, and we can also perform one Mustering action.

Once we’ve made our decision, we can start making our moves. We have the freedom to move our stacks in any order we want. It’s all about strategizing and deciding how best to use our resources.

The Art of Mustering

Mustering is a clever tactic that involves strategically placing blocks from the Recruitment Box onto the map. It’s a move that I can make once per turn, adding an extra layer of complexity to my gameplay. When movement is limited, I have the choice to Muster instead of making a stack move. This means sacrificing one of my stack movements in order to execute the Mustering.

However, it’s important to note that there is a movement restriction. Once I’ve mustered my blocks and placed them on the map, they are unable to move in the same turn. It’s like they need a moment to catch their breath or plan their next move.

So, where exactly can these blocks be mustered to? Well, they can only be placed in recruitment locations. These are specific locations on the map that are labeled with the mon, or symbol, of a friendly daimyo. These recruitment locations come in two different colors: black or gold. It’s just a little clue to help me keep track of them.

Now, let’s talk about my options when it comes to Mustering. Lucky for me, I have two ways to go about it:

1. Hey there! You can bring any blocks from the Recruitment Box to a Recruitment location that matches the daimyo. Just make sure you show your opponent that they match.
2. Or, if you prefer, you can Muster a single block of any daimyo to any friendly Recruitment Location. No need to display it in this case.

Now, let’s talk about Mustering Into Combat. You can only Muster blocks into a combat situation if the combat was started by blocks on the board. Attacks can’t come from the Recruitment Box, but they can definitely receive support from there!

Let’s Move!

When I want to move, I start from one place and go to another. But there are some rules I need to follow. Here they are:

• I can only move one group of blocks at a time.
• Before another group can move, the first group has to finish its move.
• I can’t use the same road for more than one group during the move.

Meeting Enemies

While I’m moving, I have to be careful. If I meet an enemy, I have to stop. Unless, of course, I can overrun them!

How Far Can I Go?

The Base Movement Rate is simple, really. It means that you can move one location per move. But guess what? There are ways to increase that rate! Here’s how:

– Highways: If you’re moving on a highway, you get to move one extra location. It’s like a little bonus for taking the fast lane.

– Leadership: If you start your move with a leader around, you also get to move one extra location. It’s like having someone cheering you on and giving you a boost.

– Force marching: This one’s pretty cool. If you force march, you can move one extra location. To do this, just discard one card from your hand. Force marching applies to a group of blocks that move together, from start to finish. Just keep in mind that you can only have one force march in effect for each block.

Now, let’s put it all together with an example. Imagine you have a stack of blocks. These blocks have Leadership, they’re moving on a Highway for the whole journey, and they’re also doing a Force March. Well, guess what? They get to move three extra locations! Talk about a speedy trip!

Oh, and I almost forgot! Let’s talk a bit more about Leadership. It’s like having a wise guide by your side. If you start your move with a leader around, they can give you that extra push, allowing you to move faster and farther.

So, there you have it! With these little tricks up your sleeve, you’ll be able to move around the board with style and speed. Enjoy your adventures!

When it comes to the game, leadership plays a critical role in increasing the movement rate of a stack. What exactly is leadership? Well, it can be a leader, a castle, or a capital. It’s a combination of these elements that gives you that extra boost.

If you decide to use a leader to enhance your movement, it’s important to let your opponent know. Transparency is key here. On the other hand, if you choose to utilize a castle, make sure it aligns with your color and is under your control. And if you go for a capital, it must be marked with your color and be a legitimate capital like Edo or Kyoto.

Let’s Talk About Movement and Force Sizes

Now, let’s explore how movement and force size are interconnected. It’s simple really – larger forces tend to move slower than smaller ones. This means that for every four blocks a moving contingent exceeds, its movement capacity decreases by one location. It’s like a game of give and take. You gain more troops, but you sacrifice a bit of speed.

But that’s not all! The size penalty also comes into play. The largest group you travel with during your move influences the movement capacity of each block. So, take into account the impact of your force sizes on your overall movement strategy.

Movement Chart

Check out this handy chart that shows you different types of movement and their modifiers:

Base move: 1 location
All Highway:	+1
Leadership Present:	+1
Force March:	+1
1-4 blocks:	0
5-8 blocks:	-1
9-12 blocks:	-2
13-16 blocks:	-3
17+ blocks:	-4 (cannot move)

Overruns

Overruns are situations where a big force overwhelms a smaller force. They can happen during movement or after a retreat. Overruns can also occur when retreating blocks are involved in battles, when blocks are being mustered, or when units are brought from the Mo-ri Box.

If I want to quickly defeat an enemy in a game, I need to have at least four times as many blocks as they do. The strength of each block doesn’t matter, it’s all about the numbers.

Here’s How an Overrun Works

An overrun happens right away, no matter what. Even if there hasn’t been a fight yet. The enemy blocks that got overrun are wiped out, and I don’t lose any of my blocks. If an overrun happens during a move, the blocks that overran can keep going after the enemy is defeated. And if I already have blocks engaged in battle in a certain place, they help me in overruns against my enemies there.

Here’s how it works: Let’s say there’s a defender with one block in a location. I, the Active Player, want to take over that location. So I move a stack of two blocks into the location, and then another stack of two blocks into the same location. This is when an Overrun can happen – the defending block gets eliminated, and I can keep moving my stack. However, the first stack that I moved already contributed to the Overrun and can’t move again.

Overruns And Castles

If the enemy controls a castle, I can’t Overrun their units. Also, if I’m attacking a castle, the forces inside the castle will automatically join in and help defend against any Overruns.

EXAMPLE OF MOVEMENT

1. I start by activating the location marked “A” on the diagram. There’s a friendly controlled castle here, so I get a Leadership Bonus of +1 for movement. I send all five blocks down the Highway path. They can move two spaces in total (1 for the base move, 1 for the Highway, 1 for Leadership, and -1 for 5-8 blocks). It’s worth noting that if I leave one block behind, the stack could move three spaces and reach Kuwana.
2. Next, I move stack B. Since stack A has already used the Kyoto-Minakuchi highway, I can’t use it again in the same Movement Phase. I have to either end the move in Kyoto or find a different route. I choose to end the move in Kyoto.
3. As for the single leaderless block at C, it can only move one space.
4. The stack at D can move two spaces – one for the base move and one for the Leadership block.
5. In Stack E, I have the Leadership Bonus, but I can’t use the Highway Bonus because my entire move doesn’t take place on the Highway. I can move two spaces.

Combat

After everyone has finished moving, it’s time for combat. We have to declare combat in any location where opposing pieces are together on the board. We do these declarations one at a time and resolve each combat immediately.

Combat can either be a battle or a siege. If one of the forces is inside a castle, it’s considered a siege. We resolve combat in one location, and then move on to the next until all locations are resolved.

Battles

If neither force is inside a castle, we resolve the combat as a battle. Deployments determine the Impact. The side with the higher Impact is winning the battle. All blocks participating in a battle stay hidden until deployed.

Hey there! So, here’s the deal: I get the ball rolling in battle by deploying my troops first. Then, it’s your turn to respond and bring in your forces (check out Initiative 8.5 for more info on that). Now, let’s talk about the real deal – winning the battle. The side that dishes out the most Impact comes out on top. But here’s the catch: if there’s a tie in Impact, the defender gets the advantage.

Time to Talk Cards and Deployment

Listen up! We use cards to bring our troops into battle. Each card is responsible for deploying one block. Oh, and make sure the card matches the mon of the block you want to deploy. Mixing and matching different mons won’t work, my friend.

But wait, there’s a little exception to this rule: cards with any daimyo designations can be matched with the Ishida block and the Ii block. Just a little reminder: these blocks have a card-shaped rectangle in the corner to help you spot them.

Here’s the deal: you can’t play the same card or deploy the same block twice in the same battle. Gotta keep things fair and square, you know?

How to Deploy Your Forces

When it’s your turn to play, choose a card from your hand and place it face up. Look at your available forces and select a block with a matching symbol. Put that block next to the main stack of blocks, face up.

Take the chosen card and put it face up on your side of the board. This card will count towards your total Impact, so keep track of it on the Impact track.

Deploying a Leader Block

If your side hasn’t made any deployments with a card yet, you can choose to deploy a leader block without playing a card. This means the leader is immune to Loyalty Challenges.

Understanding Impact

Impact is how we measure the effectiveness of your forces in combat. Each side keeps track of their Impact individually using small cubes on the Impact Track.

Starting Impact Level

When it comes to deployments in the game, the number of soldiers on the block determines the impact it has. It can range from one soldier to four.

Boosting Impact

Every block of the same daimyo that is already deployed on your side adds an additional point of impact. So, if you have previously deployed two Tokugawa blocks and you deploy a 2-mon Tokugawa block into a battle, you would score four Impact (the number of mon on the previously deployed blocks doesn’t matter).

Special Attacks

Explosive Cavalry and Gun Impact

When you see cards with a sword in the corner, those are Special Attack cards. If you use them to deploy a block with a cavalry or gun symbol, you launch an attack of that type. During a cavalry or gun attack, the cavalry or gun block will gain an extra two points of Impact. Additionally, each block with the same type of attack that is already deployed on the same side in the current battle will also add two points of Impact.

However, if you deploy a cavalry or gun block without a Special Attack card, the cavalry or gun points will not be counted towards its Impact.

Double Cards

If you’re looking for a strategic edge, then you’ll love double cards. These special cards come with two identical symbols in each corner, giving you the ability to deploy one or two blocks on the battlefield. The catch is that both blocks must match the symbol on the card.

When deploying double cards, you have to place the blocks one after the other. The second block can even earn a +1 Impact Bonus if it matches the daimyo of the first block. It’s a powerful move that can turn the tide of battle in your favor.

There’s one thing to keep in mind, though. The blocks deployed with double cards cannot initiate a Special Attack. They’re best used for strategic positioning rather than offensive maneuvers.

However, there’s a trade-off for using a double card. If you choose a double card to deploy a block that can match any card, such as Ishida and Ii blocks, you’ll lose the ability to deploy a second block. It’s a decision you’ll have to make based on the needs of your strategy.

But who gets to go first?

In a battle, initiative matters. It gives you the chance to take the lead and dictate the flow of the battle. But who gets the initiative? In this game, the player who is losing the battle gets the initiative.

When you’re losing, you have the opportunity to deploy blocks one after the other, trying to turn the tide in your favor. It’s your chance to make a comeback. Once you manage to take the lead, initiative switches to the other player, and they get their chance to make a comeback as well.

So, it’s a back-and-forth game of strategy and tactics. It’s all about seizing the initiative, deploying your blocks wisely, and outmaneuvering your opponent. Are you ready to take on the challenge?

So here’s how it works: We take turns in this game, passing the initiative back and forth between us. Whoever currently has the initiative gets to decide when they’re done deploying their blocks. And once they say they’re done, the initiative permanently shifts to the other player. The other player then has the opportunity to deploy as many blocks as they want and can. And when they’re done, the battle is over.

But here’s the thing: Once a player says they’re done deploying, they can’t start deploying again later in the battle. It’s a one-time deal. However, they can still play Loyalty Challenge cards against the other player’s deployments.

Loyalty Challenge Cards

Loyalty Challenge cards come with a nobori (banner) marking. They are played as a response to the opposing player’s deployment, aiming to test the loyalty of the block that was just deployed.

Here’s how it works: if the player who deployed the block can show another card from their hand that can also deploy the same block, then the block remains loyal. The card used to counter the Loyalty Challenge goes back to the player’s hand.

However, if the player cannot produce such a card, then the block switches sides and becomes loyal to the player who played the Loyalty Challenge. The block is moved to the challenger’s side of the battle. The impact of the block is counted on the challenger’s Impact table. But don’t worry, once the battle ends, the block goes back to its original owner.

Now, let’s talk about Loyalty and Special Attacks.

When a block switches sides, it doesn’t immediately use its Special Attack, even if it was mentioned on the card that deployed it. However, it can later contribute to Special Attacks for the side it switched to, and give its loyalty to.

Loyalty and Double Cards

A Loyalty Challenge card can be used to challenge the use of a double card. To refute the challenge, only one additional card needs to be displayed, even if two blocks were deployed. If the challenge is successful, both blocks defect to the challenging side. The second block will still receive the Impact bonus (+1 Impact for matching the mon of the first block).

Losses

When I engage in battle, both sides experience losses based on the Impact they receive. For every 7 Impact I receive from my opponent, I lose one block (always rounded down). But, if I end up losing the battle, I will lose an additional block.

Let me give you an example to clarify things. If I win the battle and only had 5 Impact delivered against me, I wouldn’t lose any blocks. However, my opponent, who lost the battle, had 9 Impact delivered against them, so they would lose two blocks.

How Losses are Determined

In a battle, the attacker always suffers damage first, followed by the defender. As the player, I have the power to choose which of my blocks will be sacrificed. First, I must select any blocks that have defected to my opponent, followed by any deployed blocks, and finally any blocks that have not been involved in the battle. It’s important to note that the identity of the lost blocks will be revealed to all players.

The Consequences of Loss

When blocks are lost in combat, they are permanently removed from the map and cannot be brought back into play. Defeated blocks are kept on the side of the board where they can be seen by both players.

The Art of Retreats

After a battle, the loser is obligated to retreat their remaining forces to a location that is adjacent to the site of the battle, connected by a road. There is no limit to the number of blocks that can retreat together. It’s important to note that overruns do not come into effect until after the retreat has taken place.

Attacker’s Retreat

If the attacker retreats, they must move to a location from which some of their forces originally entered the battle. This could be a castle, or if that’s not possible, any other location on the map. However, the attacker cannot retreat to the Recruitment Box or the Mo-ri Box.

Defender’s Retreat

When I find myself in a battle and things aren’t going well, I have a few options. As the defender, my first priority is to retreat to a safer location, away from the enemy. If there’s a spot nearby that doesn’t have any enemy units and where the enemy didn’t enter from, that’s where I’ll go. But sometimes, there’s no such spot available. In that case, I can retreat to any adjacent location, as long as there’s a road connecting them. This includes places where the attacker came from or even places with enemy units.

A Safe Haven in a Castle

Now, here’s something interesting. If the battle took place in a location that has a castle, I can use it as a retreat destination. But there’s a catch. I can only retreat into a castle if my side controlled it before the combat started. Once there, I can leave up to two blocks in the castle for protection. If I have more blocks, I’ll have to retreat with them to a different location, as a group.

A Surprising Twist

Retreating can sometimes lead to another battle, known as an Overrun. If this happens, the battle is immediately carried out with the retreating blocks becoming the attacking force. If the retreating force enters an ongoing battle, their blocks are added to the fighting forces.

It’s important to note that a retreating force can join a besieged force inside a castle, even if this causes the number of blocks to exceed the stacking limit. However, this will only change the siege into a battle until combat is declared again.

Siege Combat

What happens during a siege?

Imagine a battle taking place near a castle. Sometimes, one side decides to stay inside the castle instead of joining the fight. When this happens, it’s called a siege. To be able to stay inside the castle during a siege, you must be the one who owns the castle and have no more than two blocks inside (ignoring disks).

Deciding where to fight

During a battle, the blocks can be either inside or outside of the castle. However, only two blocks can fit inside the castle. When combat is about to begin, the side that owns the castle gets to decide whether they want to fight inside or outside of it. If they choose to fight outside, a regular battle ensues. But if they choose to fight inside, it becomes a siege.

Whenever there are more than two blocks involved, it’s best to stay outside. It’s not possible to keep any blocks inside if some are already outside. Even if I made the decision to stay inside earlier, I have the option to fight outside the castle later on.

However, if I own the castle and I choose to stay inside, then there won’t be any battle or Siege Combat happening in this location during this phase.

Disks

The disks are always considered as part of the castle, regardless of where the blocks are positioned. They don’t count towards the limit of two blocks for the castle. Disks are units that can be destroyed just like blocks, but they can’t move or fight. Only the outcome of a siege can affect a disk, battles have no effect on them.

Siege Combat Procedure

When it comes to sieges, the attacking player always has the advantage. They have control over the action and can deploy as many blocks as they want. The defending player, on the other hand, doesn’t get to play any cards or deploy any blocks. Here’s how a siege combat works:

1. The attacker can deploy as many blocks as they want.
2. After the attacker is done deploying, theycause damage to the defending force. However, the attacking force doesn’t suffer any damage during a siege. For every 7 points of Impact, one defending block or disk is lost. It’s important to note that the attacker can choose to deliver less than 7 points of Impact, but that won’t harm the defender.
3. The defender gets to decide which block or disk they want to lose. Everyone can see which ones they choose.
4. If all the blocks and disks inside the castle are destroyed, the castle falls and it now belongs to the attacking force.

In this game, there are certain rules that determine when a castle is considered besieged. First of all, if the defender’s blocks and disk are not removed, both sides’ blocks will co-exist in the location. This means that the castle is besieged and combat must still be declared during every Combat Phase.

When the castle is besieged and combat occurs, the defending player will draw one card for every block lost. This provides an incentive for the defender to protect their blocks and prevent them from being lost during combat.

During Siege Combat, there are some restrictions:

• No gun or cavalry Special Attacks are allowed. This helps to maintain a fair and balanced gameplay experience.
• Neither side can play Loyalty Challenge cards. These cards have a significant impact on the outcome of battles, so it’s important to exclude them during Siege Combat.

Besieged blocks have certain limitations:

Blocks that are part of the besieging force can freely move away from the site of the siege during their Movement Phase. However, besieged blocks cannot be moved out of the location containing the castle. This adds an extra layer of strategic thinking for both the attacker and defender.

If other blocks enter the location with friendly besieged blocks, all the blocks in that location are counted in the battle. It doesn’t matter if there’s a castle or not, any battle in a location includes all the blocks there.

After a battle, siege, or overrun is resolved, card replenishment happens. This occurs right after the losses and retreats, but before any follow-on battles caused by those retreats. Both sides discard all the cards they used during the combat and draw the same number of cards from their draw pile.

In addition, both sides draw one extra card for every two blocks lost in the battle, rounding fractions down. After a siege, the defending player draws one card for each block lost. Losing a disk doesn’t result in drawing a card.

Let me give you an example of how combat works.

So, there’s this intense battle going on between seven Ishida blocks against six Tokugawa blocks. It’s like a big mystery because none of the players know what blocks their opponents have. The blocks only reveal themselves when they’re deployed.

Since Ishida is the attacker, they have to deploy their first block. They start off by deploying the Mori Leader block, and surprisingly, they don’t even need to play a card for that. The block has a single emblem on it, giving Ishida an Impact of 1.

Now, the initiative changes to Tokugawa because Ishida is in the lead. Tokugawa plays their Maeda cavalry block and uses a Maeda Special Attack card. This combo gives them an Impact of 3 (1 for the emblem and an extra 2 for the cavalry).

But wait, now it’s Ishida’s turn again! The Impact count so far is 1 to 3, and I should really remember to write that down on the Impact Track. Ishida, playing double Ukita card, deploys two Ukita blocks. The first block earns them 2 Impact, and the second one earns them 3 Impact. So in total, Ishida’s Impact is now 6.

Now it’s Tokugawa’s turn to make a move. They counter Ishida’s deployment by deploying a 3-mon Tokugawa block with a Tokugawa card. That brings their Impact to 6, which actually ties with Ishida’s Impact. Since defenders win ties, Tokugawa is now in the lead. The initiative switches back to Ishida once again.

Ishida decides to deploy a Uesugi block with a Uesugi card. This adds 1 more point to Ishida’s Impact. Unfortunately, they can’t use the gun on the block because the card doesn’t have any Swords indicators for a Special Attack.

Now it’s Tokugawa’s turn again. They play a 1-mon Tokugawa block with a Tokugawa card. They get an additional point for the previous Tokugawa block they deployed. So the total Impact score is now 7 to 8, with Tokugawa still in the lead.

Ishida is still not giving up. They deploy their Mori cavalry block, and this time they use a Mori Special Attack card. This card gives them an Impact of 4 (1 for the emblem, 2 for the cavalry, and an extra 1 for the previous Mori block deployed). The score is now 11 to 8, Ishida is catching up!

Tokugawa isn’t backing down either. They deploy a 3-mon Tokugawa block with a Tokugawa card. This gives them an Impact of 5 (3 for the emblem and an extra 2 for the previous Tokugawa blocks deployed). So, the current score is 11 to 13, in Tokugawa’s favor.

Ishida still has two blocks and two cards left, but unfortunately, the emblems don’t match, so they can’t be used. Ishida decides that they’re done with deployments.

Tokugawa also declines to deploy because they don’t have any other legal moves left.

Since no more blocks can be deployed by either player, the battle comes to an end with a victorious Tokugawa. Each side loses one block due to Impact, and the losing side (Ishida) loses an additional block for the defeat. Ishida has no choice but to retreat from the location.