A given scenario will define the starting units for each side using the following formulae.

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1 WORKING RULES 1 1 Introduction This game is driven by a single vision and two underlying concepts of war. The vision that drives this game is that there is no chance. All processes in the game are deterministic. No random dice rolls or random card draws occur. The closest the game gets to any stochastic mechanism is in the construction of units, which (as you will see) is done by selecting from a set of face down (and therefore hidden) blocks. Only a general indication of the value of a block is known during this process. In this sense, this game has almost no element of luck. The two underlying concepts that have driven design are uncertainty and command decision. Uncertainty generates the sense of events happening outside one s control. Uncertainty in the game replaces random die rolls and card draws. You don t feel in complete control because you don t know everything there is to know, even though everything there is to know (such as the composition of your units) is predetermined before the game begins. Command decision drives the actions that occur during the game. These actions determine the trajectory of events and outcomes, and therefore the game result. Again, the fact that your opponent will do things that you can t predict or didn t expect gives the game the sense of some sort of unpredictability, but this unpredictability isn t stochastic in nature. This deterministic quality may seem a little strange: combat is resolved solely by the forces committed to it and not by any die roll or card draw; morale failure is likewise purely a function of the amount of damage and shock a unit experiences; even the cards in your hand are chosen by you, the player, to support your specific strategy. There are no surprises about what you hold for each turn, but you are forced to make judicious use of your hand and to select hands that allow you to enact your strategy while mitigating your opponent s. The setting of this game medieval Japan, the sengoku jidai is a favourite of mine, but it is merely the context for the broader concepts of uncertainty and command decision and the principle of no chance articulated earlier. Nevertheless, the game is designed to reflect the qualities of warfare in medieval Japan, and you ll find plenty of flavour to go along with the underlying mechanics. So, play and enjoy. And know that, if you win, you win not by the hands of fickle fate, but by out thinking your opponent. 2 Key concepts 3 Components 4 Set up Set up involves establishing the scenario, board configuration, building units and building a draw deck. 4.1 Unit blocks A unit block has a front (top image) and back (bottom image) facing. The front facing shows, in order from left to right, the attack value of the unit, the cohesion rating, the break range (which is made up of a cohesion value and a ratio separated by a diamond) and the unit type (an image, in this case of a sashimono, signifying an ashigaru). The back facing shows (from left to right) the quality markers for that block (in this case, 2) and the unit type. Until a unit is revealed in play, only the back face is ever exposed. Neither player knows more than that the unit is of a certain type and has a certain quality. This is the inherent fog of war. 4.2 Building units Each side is comprised of a so taisho (supreme general), busho (contingent leaders), contingents (the collection of individual units under a busho) and heroes. A given scenario will define the starting units for each side using the following formulae. ST [x]; B1[x: yas(4); ycav(5); yt(3)]; B2[x: etc]; H1[x]; H2[x] This reads as: 1 so taisho of quality x; 1 busho of quality x leading y ashigaru units of up to quality 4 each, y cavalry units of up to quality 5 each; y teppo ashigaru of up to quality 3 each and so on Each busho commands a contingent, so in the above case busho number 1 commands y ashigaru units, y cavalry units and y teppo ashigaru Building the unit stack Each unit is made of a stack of blocks referred to from now on as a unit stack. The number and type of blocks in a unit stack is determined by the quality of the unit. In the example above, the ashigaru units each have a quality of 4. To construct a unit, determine its quality and then select a number of blocks such that they total number of quality markers on the back of the blocks does not exceed the quality number. An ashigaru unit of quality 4 could be constructed using two blocks with 3 and 1 markers respectively) or two blocks with 2 and 1 markers respectively. This process of construction is driven by the player; in other words, it is up to you. Make sure that this selection is done with the blocks arrayed face down (so the actual unit statistics are hidden) and shuffled. Until a block s front face is revealed, neither side will know more about that block than its quality and type. Once the blocks making up the unit stack are selected, arrange them from bottom to top (face down still) in ascending order, placing the block with the lowest number of quality markers on the bottom, and successively higher quality blocks on top. When building a unit, never use two blocks with the same number of quality markers on their back face in the same unit. For example, the ashigaru unit of quality 4 discussed above cannot be constructed by using two blocks each with two quality markers. Once a unit stack is constructed, the owning player may examine the stack, but not the front face of any of the blocks within the stack. The opposing player may only ever examine the stack if he plays a SCOUTS stratagem. Otherwise, he is only allowed to look at the top block.

2 2 WORKING RULES Deception It is possible to construct the unit stack in a way that disguises its capabilities. Two possible strategies exist to do this. The first method allows the blocks in a stack to be placed out of order. For example, a block showing three quality markers may be placed below one showing two quality markers at the cost of 1 quality point during construction of the unit. For example, if a unit was defined as quality 5, it could be constructed with two blocks, with a block showing 2 quality markers on the bottom and a block showing 3 quality markers on the top. To build the block so as to deceive his opponent, a player may forgo one quality point (making the unit quality 4) in order to place a lower quality block on top of the unit. So, he may place a block with 1 quality marker on top of a block with 3 quality markers. The second method, generally stipulated by scenario, allows a player to place a block on top of dummy blocks that are effectively just filler. A large unit stack looks more intimidating than a small unit stack. A dummy unit is revealed using the following conditions: 1. An enemy unit moves into a square adjacent to the dummy unit in closed terrain OR 2. An enemy unit moves within two squares of a dummy unit in open terrain OR 3. Vision is impeded (night, fog, snow, rain) and an enemy unit moves into the square containing the dummy unit OR 4. A dummy unit moves so that it satisfies any of the above conditions OR 5. A dummy unit is revealed by a SCOUT event. 4.3 Building the draw deck Each player plays the game with a draw deck consisting of somewhere between 20 and 30 cards. Unlike most games, cards are not drawn randomly from this draw deck. Instead, each turn players purposefully select cards from the deck and use them to command their forces. A draw deck is constructed by selecting cards from the deck supplied with the game. The nature of the scenario determines the number and type of cards selected, but each player still has significant say in the mixture of cards in his draw deck. Once cards are selected, any remaining cards are put aside and are no longer be used during the scenario. The draw deck should be placed within easy reach of the player who owns it. A player may never look at his opponents draw deck. 4.4 Board layout Each scenario defines the board layout. A scenario will define either a square or rectangular arrangement for the boards, and will also define the terrain features present on the board at the start of play. Boards are marked with 3 squares. As such, a 4 by 4 board will contain a 16 by 16 grid of 3 squares while a 6 by 4 board will contain a 24 by 16 grid. In all respect, squares are treated just like hexes for the purposes of movement, range and line of sight with some exceptions to accommodate the use of squares rather than hexes. 5 Actions The phasing player is the player who currently controls initiative. During his turn, the phasing player may: 1. Conduct actions with his available action cards OR 2. Play a Gambit and support that gambit (where appropriate) with stratagems OR 3. Discard cards from and rebuild his action card hand. Players may undertake actions outside their turn. The number of actions a nonphasing player can take is still limited by the number of cards in his hand and how many he is willing to use before his next turn arrives (remember, hands are replenished a the end of a turn, not the beginning, so using all your cards during your opponents turn leaves you with none during your own). 5.1 Action cards Each side has a deck of action cards. Action cards represent the orders, stratagems and gambits that a player may exercise in a game. A typical action card is shown below. Each action card displays an order (top most), a stratagem (middle) and a gambit (bottom most). The first two are played frequently during the game. The last the gambit is used very rarely. It is a big event that represents operational or strategic actions outside the scope of a single turn or even a few turns. [insert action card] At the beginning of a scenario, each player selects up to two cards from his deck to as gambits. These cards are placed face down in front of the player and are left there until the player reveals them during the course of play. After gambits are selected, each player draws five action cards from his deck to form a hand. Cards are not drawn randomly from the deck but are drawn purposefully by the player that is, the player chooses which cards he holds in his hand. Except for the first turn of the game, the hand of action cards held by a player is replenished at the end of each of that player s turns. A player s hand limit is equal to 2 plus the total number of initiative markers currently revealed on his units plus a single bonus card if any unit shows a red initiative symbol. If the player s so taisho is not in his honjin then the so taisho contributes only one additional card to the player s hand, regardless of the number of initiative markers displayed by the so taisho block. 5.2 Orders and stratagems Players use actions to issue orders and to supplement orders with stratagems. Each action expended requires the use of an action card (except where otherwise noted). Each player typically holds between 4 and 6 action cards in his hand. When a card is played, it is played either as an order or as a stratagem, but not as both. A player may only ever play one order at a time, but he may play several stratagems at a time to support his order or to disrupt his opponent s actions. During a given player turn, only those cards in a player s hand may be used to direct his forces, unless specified by the scenario. An order can be used to activate a leader (busho) and (through him) all or part of his entire contingent. Where a leader isn t present, an order can be used to activate a single unit. After an order is resolved the card is placed in the wait pile (for more information, see sections Standing orders and The Wait Pile Rule ). Only one order may be played per unit. Once a unit has been activated, either through its busho or individually, it is marked with an activated marker. It may no longer be activated to undertake further orders. Unlike an order, a stratagem does not activate a leader or unit, but it does produce specific tactical outcomes within the game. The use of a stratagem is determined by specific conditions resulting from play. A player may play a stratagem by expending an action, but all conditions required for the stratagem (if any) must be met before it can be played. When a stratagem marked with a unique symbol is played, the stratagem can no longer be used for the remainder of the scenario. Any action card containing that stratagem effectively becomes just an order card.

3 WORKING RULES 3 Under certain conditions, stratagem actions can be played out of phase, but the non phasing player must use cards in his hand (exception: if a friction symbol is revealed, the non phasing player may select a single stratagem from his draw deck and play it immediately, provided all conditions for playing that stratagem are met). When playing stratagems as a nonphasing player, the number of friction symbols revealed on the opposing player s force sets the limit for the number of stratagems played Standing orders A MOVE, ENGAGE or FIRE order may be left on the unit it is played on and is then treated as a standing order (requiring no action to play each turn). In subsequent turns, the unit treated with a standing order must enact that order if it can. A unit under a MOVE standing order will continue to MOVE until it occupies a square that also contains at least one enemy unit. At this point, the order is considered resolved. A unit under an ENGAGE or FIRE order will continue to engage with any eligible enemy units in melee or ranged combat. If no units are eligible for either melee or ranged combat, the order is considered resolved. A standing MOVE or FIRE order can be removed at any time if the controlling player executes a HALT order. A standing ENGAGE order can be removed at any time if the controlling player executes a WITHDRAW order The Wait Pile Rule Whenever a player plays an action, once the action is resolved it must be placed in the wait pile. For the purposes of this rule, a standing order is not resolved until it is cancelled. 5.3 Gambits Gambits represent significant strategic or operational efforts made by one side or the other, or perhaps both, o shift the balance of the tactical encounter. Typical gambits include an attempt to assassinate the enemy so taisho through the use of infiltration forces (such as shinobi). Unlike orders and stratagems, gambits are used sparingly. In fact, each player selects a set of gambits before play begins and places them face down for execution at some point during the game. To execute a gambit, a player simply reveals it as his sole action during the turn. Gambits may be countered (see 5.6 Countering actions ) just like other actions. Unlike cards used to play orders or stratagems, a gambit card, once used, is discarded completely from play. Gambits are considered to have eligible phases of use. Every game is considered to be comprised of an opening, a middle and a closing. A gambit may be playable in one or more of these stages of the game (as indicated by the gambit itself). A gambit that is eligible only for the opening stage may not be played after the opening stage is complete. For more on stages, see section Discarding cards A player may, instead of undertaking actions, choose to discard one or more cards from his hand into the wait pile. The scenario defines the limit to the number of cards that can be discarded. The wait pile is the pile of cards that a player has used or discarded. They cannot be drawn back into the hand until a player no longer has any cards left in his draw pile or until a trigger occurs that requires one or both players to rebuild his deck. The only trigger that requires a deck to be rebuilt is a time trigger that event that shifts forward the time clock. 5.5 Ending a turn A player s turns ends when he runs out of actions to expend, when he runs out of action cards to expend, when he chooses to end his turn, when the non phasing player reveals an initiative symbol as a result of combat or when the non phasing player plays a THE INITIATIVE IS OURS stratagem. Regardless of the reason for his turn ending, the phasing player immediately replenishes his hand, and then control of the game passes to his opponent, who becomes the phasing player. 5.6 Countering actions In many cases, players can counter specific actions, be they orders or stratagems or other things that occur in the game. Countering is the process of playing additional cards purely for their card value in order to shift the balance of outcome one way or the other. Countering is most common in combat, where each side will rely on the value of an additional card to improve their chances of success (see 6.1.1, for example). The countering process is simple. Once an action had been undertaken that allows countering (say the phasing player has played a ASSASSINATE THE LORD gambit), each player is able to play a single card face down from his current hand to counter that action. In the case of the phasing player, the extra card played is really supporting the action. In the case of our non phasing player, the extra card they play is a true counter to the action. When both cards are played, turn over the cards, revealing their point value. For the player who initiated the action, sum the value of the action with the value of the countering card. For the opposing player, use the value of the countering card. If the player who initiated the action has the higher total, then the action is successful and is completed as per the rules for that action. If the opposing player has the higher final value, the action has failed and nothing further needs to happen. If it is a draw, then the player who opposed the action may play another card to successfully counter, or he may choose to accept that the action succeeds. It should be noted that combat uses countering in a slightly different way. Refer to the section on combat for further details. 6 Combat Combat is the process whereby units engage in melee or missile exchange in order to destroy or disrupt the opponent. In this game, two principle forms of combat exist: melee combat and missile combat. 6.1 Melee Combat Melee combat is hand to hand combat between opposing forces using swords, yari, naginata and a range of other weapons. It is bloody and brutal. Only units under an ENGAGE or CHARGE order may participate in melee combat. The first player to play an ENGAGE or CHARGE order is the attacker, the other player the defender. ENGAGE orders can be played as standing orders, remaining in effect until the melee is terminated (see section for further details on standing orders). If an ENGAGE order has been played on both sides of a melee, then the attacker is that player whose forces have the ENGAGE order with the highest card value Melee Combat: Basic Steps Units involved in melee are placed so that their frontages align. If overlap exists, apply flanking advantages to the player who overlaps. The attacker determines his melee strength by taking the attack value of his unit and adding +1 for each flanking unit involved in the attack, and subtracting one for each cohesion hit the unit carries. The defender determines his melee strength by taking the attack value of his unit and adding +1 for each flanking unit involved in the attack, and subtracting one for each cohesion hit the unit carries

4 4 WORKING RULES Each player may play a single card to support his unit in melee (the equivalent of countering in combat). This card may be an ENGAGE card or any other card. The attacking player may use the ENGAGE card already played or he may play a new ENGAGE card, replacing the previous card. These supporting cards are placed face down, and only revealed when both players have played cards. If the card is a stratagem, resolve the event as required. If the card is not a stratagem, each player adds ½ the value of the card revealed (or the entire value of an ENGAGE card) to his melee strength. Melee strengths are compared on the combat resolution table. Determine the advantages for each side, and subtract the defender s number of advantages from the attacker s number of advantages. The final net advantage is either a positive or negative number. Shift along the CRT diagonally up towards the right if the net advantage is positive or down to the left if the net advantage is negative, one step for each point of net advantage. Determine if the combat is affected by any obstacles. Shift diagonally up and to the left for each obstacle present. Find the final number of cohesion hits on both the initiative and non initiative units. Adjust the number of cohesion hits based on the absorption rating of the leader and the unit s tactical modifiers (eg, Defending behind protection) Apply hits to each unit involved in the melee (see section below). The effects of combat are simultaneous. Reduce and break units as required, and change initiative when the defender reveals an initiative marker as a result of the resolution of any action Applying Hits At the end of every engagement (melee or missile combat), compare the number of cohesion hits on a unit with the cohesion rating score of that unit and apply the following: If the total number of cohesion hits equals or exceeds the cohesion rating, remove hits equal to the cohesion rating from the unit, take the top block from the unit stack and place it face down on the bottom of the stack. Reveal the next block. If cohesion hits remain on the unit after it is reduced, the unit may lose cohesion and break. Look at the first number on the cohesion range. If the remaining number of hits is at least equal to that number, then check the ratio of the opposing unit s strength to this unit s strength. If this ratio is greater than the ratio indicated, mark the unit with a break counter and apply the break rules. Remove any remaining cohesion hits from the unit. If the unit does not suffer any losses or break as a result of the cohesion hits, then leave the cohesion hits on the unit. Cohesion hits earned in this way accumulate until removed through a RECOVER order or as a consequence of the unit breaking or suffering losses as described above. Note that a unit cannot break in combat unless it has first suffered a reduction that is, a unit cannot break when its initial card remains on top of the stack Breaking A unit breaks: 1. Whenever it engages another unit in combat, at least one cohesion hit occurs and the ratio of cohesion is exceeded (where a hit results in a reduction in a unit, the ratio of cohesion of the unit after reduction is used) OR 2. Whenever cohesion hits are applied as a result of an adjacent unit breaking and the conditions for breaking are then met for that unit. When a unit breaks, the player who controls the unit places a break marker on the unit and must immediately retreat the unit. In effect, the unit is treated as if it has been placed under a MOVE order, although no activation is required, no action cards are used and the unit must retreat even if it has already been activated this turn. The unit retreats by moving up to its movement allowance directly away from the opposing units(s). It may retreat past enemy units, but not through them. It may retreat through friendly units, but it will incur cohesion hits on those friendly units as it does so (see Movement). A breaking unit may stop its movement if it is at least two squares from any enemy unit. At this point, immediately remove the break marker. Whenever a unit breaks and friendly units are nearby, cohesion hits are applied to all such friendly units. The number of cohesion hits is applied as follows: 1. If the units are friendly, but not of the same contingent, then they receive one cohesion hit if adjacent, but otherwise ignore the breaking unit; 2. If the units are of the same contingent, they receive a number of cohesion hits equal to the cohesion number of the breaking unit (in other words, if a very strong unit breaks, this is likely to cause weaker units to break as well). This number is halved is reduced by 1 if the friendly unit is two squares away and is ignored if the distance between the units is greater than two squares). When a breaking unit retreats past any friendly unbroken unit, those friendly units receive cohesion hits as if they were friendly units not of the same contingent (that is, use rule 1 above). 6.2 Missile combat Missile combat represents the exchange of missile fire through the use of bows (yumi) or arquebuses (teppo). It also includes the use of cannon. Bows were the primary form of ranged fire samurai used, but teppo, introduced to Japan by the Jesuits, were quickly incorporated into Japanese warfare, perhaps most strikingly at the battle of Nagashino. Teppo outrange bows, and also provide significantly more firepower, but they (initially, at least) had a slower rate of fire and were susceptible to moisture. The introduction of the cartridge in the 1600s improved their ease of use and therefore their performance considerably Missile Combat: Basic Steps A unit under a FIRE or COUNTERFIRE order is able to conduct missile combat against any eligible target. Units undertaking missile combat must not be in contact with any enemy units, but they must be within range of their target unit(s). Multiple units may undertake missile fire against the same unit, but they are treated as separate attacks, although they may all be enacted under the same FIRE order. The defender may counter the missile attack by playing a single card face down. The strength of the missile attack is equal to the missile strength of the attacking unit plus the value of the FIRE/COUNTERFIRE order the unit is acting under plus the leadership bonus of any leader acting with the unit minus ½ the value of any card the defender has played to counter the missile attack. The attacker cross references the final ranged strength with the distance to the target unit. If the target is at a lower level of elevation, the range column is shifted to the left by 1. Advantages and obstacles are applied to both sides. Unlike in melee combat, a net advantage to the attacker shifts the result to the right, while a net advantage to the defender shifts the result to the left. Any obstacle shifts the.

5 WORKING RULES 5 The final number indicates the cohesion hits suffered by the target. 6.3 Banzai Banzai, or follow through, occurs when a unit breaks and retreats and the opposing units follow through in an attempt to continue the melee assault on the breaking unit. In medieval Japan, units had a tendency to follow through. As such, it is assumed that all units that occupy the same hex as a breaking unit will follow through unless the player controlling those units counters the banzai. To determine the whether or not a banzai occurs, the player controlling the unit that is about to follow through can play a single card to deter his unit. The player controlling the retreating unit can then play his own countering card (or the Banzai! event) to further increase the target needed to resist the follow through. Like all counters, cards are played face down and then revealed. If a banzai occurs, the player who controls the unit following through must immediately move that unit its full movement allowance directly towards the retreating unit as if the controlling player had played a MOVE order. If it is able to reach the retreating unit, it must immediately engage the unit in melee as if the controlling player had played an ENGAGE order. Melee combat continues between the two units. [Note: that banzai as used here is the broader mechanism underlying the Banzai! stratagem, which provides additional impetus for a unit to follow through.] 7 Movement Units can move up to their movement allowance. Movement can only occur if a MOVE order is played. Once played, a unit remains under a MOVE order until another order is played on that unit in other words, a MOVE order is a standing order (see section for further discussion). Movement points are expended to move a unit into an adjacent square, with the cost of the move dependent upon the nature of the terrain in the square the unit is moving to (see Table 1). If a unit does not have enough movement points to enter any adjacent square, it may not move any further, although any unit may move at least one square as part of a MOVE order. Units accumulate cohesion hits (treated just like hits for the purposes of determining loss of cohesion) when they move through certain types of terrain. Units inflict cohesion hits on other friendly units if they forcefully move through them as if they were obstacles. Terrain Type MP Cost Cohesion Hits Open 1 Closed 2 Easy Hard +1 1 Obstacle +1 1 Table 1 Movement cost 7.1 Terrain Each square on the board represents the space that can be occupied by a typical unit. Each square can be classified as open or closed, and as easy or hard going. Open squares represent fields, grasslands, roads and so on. Closed squares represent woods and forests, rice paddies, heath and so on. Hard going represents hills or steep climbs, muddy ground, snow, rain and so on. It is possible for a given square to be open and hard, or closed and easy. Units may encounter obstacles as they move from one square to the next. Obstacles can be along a square edge or across a square. Units may cross an obstacle provided it is not a prohibited type of terrain for the unit. Friendly units count as obstacles, so a unit moving through a square that contains a friendly unit suffers a cohesion hit and a movement point cost. In addition, the friendly unit that is in the square also suffers a cohesion hit, as outlined above. The following table (Table 2) lists the terrain features and their respective type. Terrain Type Feature Field/Clear Open Road Open Light Woods Closed Heavy Woods Closed Hard Castle Closed Stream Obstacle River Obstacle Hard Wall/Gully Obstacle Level Rise Hard Level Fall Easy Table 2 Terrain and terrain type Units moving along a road are treated as moving through open terrain, despite the type of terrain either side of the road. 7.2 Squares Movement on a board constructed of squares is, in the main, much like movement on a hex board, but with the following exceptions. A unit can only ever move diagonally once before moving horizontally or vertically. When measuring range, measure the horizontal and vertical distance, and then determine the effective range using the range table. Squares in the game measure roughly 500 yards across. 7.3 Unit Stacking More than one unit may occupy a square, but no more than six blocks may ever occupy a square. Squares may be over stacked during movement, but cannot be over stacked once movement is complete. In the event that a square is over stacked at the completion of movemet, a unit (or units) in the square must be reduced until the square is no longer over stacked. To reduce a unit, simply remove blocks, starting from the topmost block, until only six blocks in total remain in the square. These blocks are treated as lost for game victory purposes. Remember that moving through a square already containing a unit is treated as if moving through an obstacle for both the moving and stationary units in the square. 7.4 Unit formations The blocks of a unit may be arrayed in one of three formations: standard, deep or wide. A standard formation is one block wide and one block deep, with blocks stacked atop one another. Standard formations have no special rules. A deep formation is made of two ranks arrayed in depth as shown in the diagram below. In order to adopt a deep formation, the unit must be comprised of at least two blocks. Deep formations suffer a 1 penalty to melee strength but can move along roads and through light woods as if they are open and heavy woods as if they are easy. A wide formation is made of two ranks arrayed side by side as shown in the diagram below. In order to adopt a wide formation, the unit must be comprised of at least two blocks. A wide formation adds flanking bonuses where an enemy unit is flanked, but suffers an additional +1 cohesion hits when moving through hard terrain or over obstacles. It costs one MP to change formation from deep to wide, or to return to a standard formation. [Note: Using a non standard formation necessarily reveals more information about the unit to the opposing player, because it exposes the quality of each block.]

6 6 WORKING RULES 7.5 Facing It costs one MP to change the facing of a unit by more than 90 degrees. Units must face one of eight cardinal directions that is, toward either one of the four sides of a square or towards one of the four apexes of a square. A unit must change facing in order to change direction. 7.6 Zones of control All units enforce a zone of control in the square they are in. Any unit may move into a square occupied by an enemy unit, but it can t move through that square. It must stop all movement in that square, even if it doesn t subsequently ENGAGE the enemy unit using an order. 8 Orders Orders are used to make units do things. They are the commands passed down from the so taisho (which is, ostensibly, the player) through busho to their contingents. In some cases, they are commands spontaneously arrived at by a unit who isn t within command range of a busho or so taisho. Historically, orders were carried by signal (horn, drum and fan) or by messengers (honjo?). In this game, this mechanism is abstracted. As detailed in section 5, orders are played by expending action points. An order applies to a unit or contingent through a busho. A busho may activate any portion or his entire contingent within his command radius to follow an order. For example, a single busho may activate all, some or only one of his units to carry out a MOVE order. As long as the so taisho is within his honjin, with ready access to his advisors and messengers, he contributes fully to the number of actions a player is allowed. If the so taisho is every forced to move out of his honjin, his effectiveness is reduced. This effect is reflected in the method used to calculate the number of actions the player can undertake (see section Error! Reference source not found.). Orders are listed alphabetically below. 8.1 Charge 8.2 Engage/Withdraw 8.3 Fire/Counterfire 8.4 Move/Halt 8.5 Recover/Rout 9 Stratagems 9.1 A Hero Steps Forth 9.2 Ambush 9.3 Banzai! 9.4 Behind Enemy Lines 9.5 Challenge 9.6 Distracted By Victory 9.7 Heroic Death 9.8 Initiative Is Ours 9.9 Kagemusha 9.10 Leader s Prayer 9.11 Miraculous Shot 9.12 Scouts 9.13 Standard Has Fallen 9.14 Unexpected Terrain 10 Gambits 10.1 Assassinate The Lord 10.2 Deception 10.3 Divine Provenance 10.4 Reinforcements 10.5 Snow/Storm/Fog (Preemption) 10.6 Treacherous General 11 Time and Victory 11.1 Determining Victory Victory is determined by who has the most victory points at the end of the game or (in some cases) whose forces rout from the field first. Victory points are gained for each unit reduced or destroyed, each unit routed and for the gaining of specific objectives within a scenario Game time The length of time of a scenario is not fixed, so after a certain number of turn changes, the game will end and neither player knows exactly when this will be.