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SENGOKU JIDAI

DBA  FEUDAL JAPAN CAMPAIGN RULES (CIRCA 1560 AD):

6th amendment 14th June 2005.

Clans:   Takeda, Uesugi, Mori, Shimazu, Imagawa & Hojo.

Objective: To reunite Japan under one rule and claim the Shogunate.

Each Clan begins the game with 10 provinces under their control with one province containing their capital. They also have three armies and one fortress that they can place in any of their provinces. Each army must start in a province of their territory. A fortress can hold one army; a capital can hold two armies.

If less then 6 players play then any clans not being played are neutral. They still have three armies and a fortress. A Neutral army does not leave its territory and will move to attack any army that enters its territory or threatens the capital Neutral armies are unaffected by winter and supply and always contain 12 elements.

The Capital province (41) contains the nation’s capital Kyoto, where the incumbent Shogun resides. No army may enter this province unless claiming the Shogunate (see later) or is attempting to prevent a player claiming the Shogunate. The province can hold any number of armies. If a battle is fought in this province with more than two armies present, then the Big Battle DBA(R) rules are applied.

A Clan gains more armies depending on the number of provinces it controls. Each spring the number of provinces a clan has is divided by three rounding down. The minimum armies a clan will have, regardless of the number of provinces is 1.  New armies appear in the first month of spring at the Capital. If a clan loses enough provinces for its number of armies to be reduced the player removes the army furthest away from its capital.

To conquer a province an army must be occupying a province at the end of a turn (i.e. no opposition armies or sieges). After which the province forms part of their Clan’s territory. Only provinces adjacent to provinces already in the control of the clan may be seized.

Clan holdings as for turn 1.

Hojo:                1,2,3,4,7,10,11,14,19,20

Uesugi:             5,6,8,9,13,12,18,28,30,29

Takeda:            16,17,15,21,22,23,24,25,26,27

Imagawa:          31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40

Mori:                42,43,44,45,50,51,52,53,54,55

Shimazu:           46,47,48,49,56,57,58,59,60,61

Kyoto province: 41

See map below for Clan Holdings at start of game

CALENDAR YEAR:

The year proceeds bi-monthly as follows:

March (Spring), May (Summer), July (Summer), September (Summer), November (Autumn), January (Winter).

SEQUENCE OF PLAY:

Draw event cards

Diplomacy phase 5 mins

Movement phase

Siege phase

Battle phase

Supply phase

Prestige Phase

EVENT CARDS

To determine order of movement and clan selection for the first turn, each player draws a card from the deck. The player with the highest card selects their clan and will move first. The other players select their clans as per the order of cards from highest to lowest. Joker is the highest, followed by Ace, King and so on.. Any ties are resolved by the drawn players drawing another card. All cards are then returned to the pack and reshuffled. The movement order for each subsequent turn is determined by a dice roll. The highest roll goes first and play then proceeds clockwise around the table. Any draws are resolved by the relevant players rolling again.

At the start of a new turn all players draw an event card from the deck. Event cards are actioned immediately, while tactical cards can be kept by the player for use whenever they like. The tactical cards are not revealed to other players until played. Players that draw the "Marriage into Shogun family" event card retain the card for the duration of the game. If their clan is eliminated, then the card is passed on to the victorious clan.

After the last card has been drawn from the deck, the turn is played out (even if all players did not receive a card), after which all cards (whether used or not, except the "Marriage to Shogun Family") are returned to the deck. The cards are then reshuffled and the game continues.

DIPLOMACY PHASE

During this phase players may declare alliances, Claim the Shogunate, and may use Spy or Ninja cards. The time allowed for this phase is 5 mins.

Typical actions during the diplomacy phase include, treaties, surrenders, ceding of territory etc. There are no specific rules regarding these actions as it is up to the participating players. A player can accept or dictate whatever surrender terms it sees fit, like giving up territory or tactical cards etc. Friendly clans may exchange provinces, provided they satisfy the rules of being adjacent to their own territory. It is recommended that players write down surrender/treaty conditions, there are prestige penalties for breaking the conditions of a treaty. Players may not exchange armies or elements.

Spy rules: A player holding the spy card may use it to perform one of the following actions:

Examine all of a players cards.

Choose what order they will take their campaign move.

Modify the effect of a ninja assassination attempt i.e. +1 if you played the ninja card, -1 if opponent played the ninja card.

Cancel the effect of any of the above if used against you.

Spies can also be used during battle, see the battle section for rules on their use.

Ninja Rules:

If a player plays a ninja card, they declare the target and roll 1 die, on a roll of 6 the player is assassinated and wounded on a roll of 5. A wounded player cannot order his armies out of his provinces for a number of turns determined by rolling 1d6. If a player is assassinated, the player loses 40 PP and must roll a 4,5, or 6 to remain in the game, indicating that the legitimate heir to the clan leadership e.g. eldest son, has enough power and influence to secure the succession. On a roll of 1,2,or 3 a clan general attempts to seize the clan for himself. The player then fights a battle with the general's army (both armies at full strength) the usurping general is played by the player that played the ninja card. If the clan player wins they continue control of the clan. If they lose the player is out of the game, his provinces become neutral and any clan armies are disbanded.

The player using the ninja card is penalized -5 PP for stooping so low as to employ such dishonorable elements of Japanese society.

Ninjas can also be used during a battle, see the battle section for rules on their use.

Claiming the Shogunate: If a player controls at least 20 provinces, has a PP total of 200+ and, has a marriage linking them to the Minamoto family they can then claim the title of Shogun. They must move at least one army into the capital Kyoto. If they hold the Capital for two turns (i.e. are not forced from the capital province as a result of a battle) they are conferred the title of Shogun and win the game.

MOVEMENT PHASE

Each turn a clan may move each of their armies up to 3 provinces. Sea movement is only via red sea routes. When an army moves by sea, roll 1 die. On a roll of 1 a storm has hit the fleet and the player must roll 1 die to determine number of elements lost.

If an army enters a province containing a defending army the defending army has three options. It may refuse battle and retreat out of the province, moving directly away from the enemy. It may occupy a fortress and be besieged, or it may give battle. Any army that elects to retreat , in their own movement phase may only move back towards its own capital (i.e. it may not advance towards an enemy).

In the movement phase players may force march their army. For each province an army is forced marched, it loses one element of their choice. The maximum number of provinces that an army may be force marched is two.

Allied players can supply an allied contingent (3-6 elements) to the battle if their army has not already fought a battle this turn. The contingent may move as per normal movement rules (including force marches) to reach the battlefield.

If more than one army enters a province during a turn, if the defending army elects to fight it will fight a battle with the first army that entered the province. Depending on the result the victor will then fight a battle with the other army present (it may elect to retreat as well).

There is no movement allowed during the winter months, armies that are not in fortresses during winter may move only to try and reach winter quarters.

Troops can be redistributed during movement phase. Armies that are transferring elements must remain stationary. Elements can move up to three provinces to reinforce another army. A fortress can add an additional three provinces to the distance an element can be moved. i.e. If an army wishes to transfer elements to an army 6 provinces away a fortress must be in the third province acting as a link between the two armies.

SIEGE PHASE

If a defender elects not to fight a battle, the city is besieged. The defender’s army must retreat into its castle. The attacker now dices. He must score a 6 to capture the city. If the castle is undefended he must score a 4, 5 or 6 (Japanese castles were pretty but they weren’t as strong as European castles). If the castle is captured the defending army is destroyed. If the besieger fails to capture the city, he loses 1 element of his choice. The siege continues next turn, unless winter intervenes or the besieging army moves or is defeated in battle. The score needed to capture the castle reduces by 1 each month the siege lasts.

A field army can sally out to give battle in its next turn, but not to retreat without battle. If a relieving army arrives to raise the siege, the besieged army may contribute 3 elements as per the alliance contingent rules.

An army cannot besiege a city during winter.

If the besieger plays a Portuguese trader card they can add +1 to their roll for the duration of the siege. A forage card negates the loss of an element if they fail to take the castle that month.

BATTLE PHASE

Battles are fought as per the DBA version 2.2 rules; players can play any tactical cards that affect a battle. The maximum number of cards a player can use per battle is three. After setup the maximum time for each battle is 45 mins with each player's turn a maximum of 3 minutes. After 45 minutes the last turn is played out. The player who has lost the most elements is the loser. If there is a tie, then a coin is tossed. The loser of the coin toss retires his army as per the retreat after battle rules. Players receive PP for elements destroyed in battle, but no PP is won or lost for a victory. Players who continually abuse the time constraints during a battle will be penalized with loss of additional elements as per umpire's discretion (*evil grin*) or bludgeoned with a large wooden implement!

Army Lists: Below are the army lists for the various clans in the Sengoku campaign. If you wish to play the campaign in an earlier time period, ie. before 1542 AD, then use the standard army lists provided in the DBA version 2.2 rules.

All rules, factors, modifiers and outcomes are as in DBA version 2.2 except as stated below..

If a player is attacking an enemy army besieging one of his own fortresses, the following rules apply. Both armies must have a camp. The relieving army may place a garrison in the BUA. The loss of the BUA counts as a 1 element loss. The terrain is set up by the besieging army and the BUA is placed after table sides are chosen on a neutral side halfway between each army. If the besieging player occupies the BUA during the battle and is the victor then they have also taken the castle.

Troop Types

Mounted samurai armed with yari are Knights.

Mounted samurai armed with bow and mounted Sohei monks are Cavalry.

Foot armed with bows are Bows or Psiloi.

Foot armed with matchlock muskets are Shot.

Ashigaru armed with yari and Sohei monks on foot are Spears.

Ikko Ikki are Warband.

Range

Shot shooting range is 200p

 Factors                        vs Mounted                vs Foot

Shot                             +3                                +4.

Combat outcomes

If its total is less than that of the enemy but more than half:

Cavalry                        Flee from shooting by Shot.

Shot                             Destroyed in close combat by Knights if in good going or by Blades, Spears or Warband. Otherwise recoil.

Blades                          Destroyed by Shot in close combat.

Spears                          Destroyed by Shot in close combat.

Army Lists:

Imagawa, Hojo, Uesugi & Mori:

1x3Kn or 3Cav(Gen),1x3Kn or 3Cav, 4x4Bd, 3x3Sp,2x3Bw or 3Sh, 1x 3Bw or 3Sh or 2Ps

Bd are samurai or Ronin or Sohei monks.

Spear are ashigaru armed with Yari (long spear)

All cavalry must be same type.

Takeda:

1x3Kn or 3Cav(Gen), 3x3Kn, 3x4Bd, 2x3Sp, 2x3Bw or 3Sh,1x 3Bw or 3Sh or 2Ps

Bd are samurai or Ronin or Sohei monks.

Spear are ashigaru armed with Yari (long spear)

All cavalry must be same type.

Shimazu:

1x3Kn or 3Cav(Gen),1x3Kn or 3Cav, 3x4Bd, 3x3Sp, 3x3Bw or 3Sh,1x3Sh or Art or 3Bw or 2Ps.

Bd are samurai or Ronin or Sohei monks.

Spear are ashigaru armed with Yari (long spear)

All cavalry must be same type.

Shimazu Art cost 3 PIPs to move, range 5" , +3 against any.

Ikko Ikki:

1x3Kn or 3Cav(Gen),3x4Bd,4x3Bw or 3Sh, 4x5Wb

Bd are samurai or Ronin or Sohei monks.

All cavalry must be same type.

Gekokujo: Same as former clan.

Terrain placement: Terrain is placed by the defender unless an Excellent Reconnaissance card is played, in that case the attacker may set the terrain.

The following types of terrain must be used as follows:

Grassland:  Minimum of three of the following: Gentle Hills, Forests, Bad going (rough, swamp, rice field),Road.

Mountains:  Minimum of three of the following, one of which must be a Steep hill: Gentle Hills, Steep Hills, Bad going (rough), Forest, Road.

High Mountains: Minimum of three of the following, two of which must be Steep Hills: Steep Hills, Bad going (rough), Forest, Gentle Hills, Road

Any province that contains a river the player setting terrain rolls a 1d6. 1-4 no river, 5-6 river.

Any province that contains a fortress or Capital must have a BUA.

Morale:  An army will break after the following number of elements has been lost:

Army size is 15 -18 elements (including allied contingent), breaking point 6 elements unless loss of general as per DBA rules

Army size is 12 -15 elements (including allied contingent), breaking point 5 elements unless loss of general as per DBA rules

Army size is 9-12 elements, breaking point 4 elements unless loss of general as per DBA rules

Army size is 6-8 elements, breaking point 3 elements unless loss of general as per DBA rules

Army size is 1-5 elements, breaking point 2 elements unless loss of general as per DBA rules

A player may use the Bitter Enders card to add 2 to the number of elements it needs to break.

Allied contingents:  Allied contingents consist of 3-6 elements, one of which must be nominated as a general. The contingent does not arrive on the battlefield until the player rolls a 6. They move last, after the two main protagonists and may only contribute tactical factors in an allied player’s bound. Artillery or Distant shooting is in the allied player’s turn unless shot at. The quarter of the battle board that an allied contingent arrives on is determined by the player being assisted by the allied contingent. The player nominates three non preferred quarters, 1,2 & 3 with the 4 quarter given the numbers 4,5 & 6. 1 die is thrown to determine which quarter the contingent appears on. Any subsequent allied contingents are determined similarly from the remaining quarters. An allied contingent appears one move onto the board in column. Loss of the allied general in battle results in the entire contingent leaving the battle as per DBA 2.2 rules.

Treachery. This card may be played at any time in a battle. When played, up to three elements of the opposing army will change sides or become in active. Roll 1d6, (1-2)1 element,(3-4) 2 elements, (5-6) 3 elements. Then roll 1d6 again with 1-3 the element becomes inactive and will not move or fight or contribute tactical factors for the remainder of the battle and 4-6 the units are now controlled by the player of the treachery card. After the battle these elements are considered lost. The loss of these units does affect the breaking point of the army.

Spies: This card may be played at the deployment phase of a battle. If played by the attacker it prevents the defender from swapping two elements after the attacker deploys. If played by the defender it allows the defender to redeploy 4 elements.

Ninja: This card may be played during the battle to enable the player to deploy a ninja element on the battlefield.

Element: 40mm frontage x 20mm or 30mm deep. 2-4 figures per base.
Deploy: A player may play the Ninja card at any time during the battle. The Ninja element is placed in any cover, not necessarily within the owning players deployment zone. The ninja element never counts as out of command but requires a pip to move as normal.
Moves: 300p
Subsequent moves in same bound: As for Psiloi.
Interpenetration: When moving; may interpenetrate and be interpenetrated by any and all friendly and enemy elements. When recoiling; as Blade element.
Factors:
               vs foot                vs Mounted
Ninja                +5                +3

-1 if Ninja element attacking BUA garrisoned by short American actor formally married to Australian babe.

Outcomes:
If score is less than that of enemy but more than half:
Any defending a BUA or Camp or if foot General or other Ninja element:        Destroyed by Ninja.

Otherwise treat a Ninja element as a Blade element.

A Ninja element cannot garrison a camp or BUA. Loss of the Ninja element does not count against the armies break point.

Winners & losers: The loser of the battle must retreat to the next province towards its own capital. If the army cannot retreat because of the ocean or another enemy army blocks its path, it is destroyed. An army cannot retreat across a sea route and is destroyed.

SUPPLY PHASE

An army is in supply if it is located in its clan’s territory or in an adjacent province (except where sea movement is required). In the supply phase, any army unsupplied must roll 1 die, add +1 for each province away from supply, +2 for any additional armies present in the province. A roll of 5 or 6 results in the loss of an element due to starvation. Use of the Forage card negates supply for one army for one turn. If during that turn a clan province is lost behind the province the army is currently located in (and controls) then the army’s chain of supply has been broken The player must roll 1 d6, on a roll of 6 the army loses an element.

Winter: During the month of winter each army must reside in a fortress or Capital. If the army is unable to reach winter quarters by winter, the army loses 3 elements plus an additional 3 elements for each province more than three provinces away e.g. A clan has an army 4 provinces away from a fortress at the onset of winter. The player loses 3 elements immediately, and the army is moved towards the fortress. For each extra province beyond three the player has to move, he loses an additional 3 elements . If the player has a forage card, it can reduce the number of elements lost by 1.

If the army is more than 5 provinces away from a fortress it is destroyed.

Reinforcements: Each army that is in a fortress or Capital during winter for the full turn receives 3 elements in reinforcements up to its maximum of twelve elements.

PRESTIGE PHASE

Each player starts with 10 prestige points. Players gain or lose points depending on their actions in the game. If after a turn has finished, a player’s prestige has dropped below -20 then that player is deemed to have lost any real power and the player must commit seppuku to restore his family honour. The clan is out of the game, all provinces the clan controls reverts to neutral status all armies are disbanded.

For each province you control                              1PP

For each victory in battle that turn                         3PP

For each victory in battle that turn as allied            2PP

For each enemy element destroyed in battle          1PP

Captured enemy’s camp in battle                          2PP

For each loss in battle that turn                            -2PP

For each loss in battle that turn as allied               -1PP

Refuse battle/retreat                                            -1PP

For each fortress captured                                    2PP

For each Capital captured                                    5PP

For loss of Fortress                                             -5PP

Army destroyed in siege/retreat movement           -2PP

For loss of Capital                                              -15PP

For each Fortress built                                          2PP

Form an alliance                                                   5PP

Break an alliance                                                -7PP

Break treaty obligations                                       -5PP

Use Ninja card                                                    -5PP

Claims Shogunate, but fails to hold city                -50PP

After the second deck of event cards has been dealt, the last turn is played and all prestige points awarded. The player with the highest total is declared the winner.

If you have any comments or suggestions about these rules, please send them to neil_hughes@optusnet.com.au June 2005.