Bushi No Yume Game 2 Bandits vs Oni!

Welcome to the world of 15mm and all its amazing people out there making the stuff.

There are sets of rules with associated miniatures.  Fantastic, you have to buy hugely overpriced miniatures if you want to play this particular game.  Then you get a fantastic range that just happens to mix exactly what you need to play a set.

Last time I told you about finding these rules.  https://www.dropbox.com/s/lfzqxe5qykfq3vw/Bushi%20no%20Yume%20web.pdf?dl=0&fbclid=IwAR09J5_Hqkq7rfSwxsohPTYWEg-PyoHp0cVfpwE8qvXF-V5BXOgFQwDXRwg

This time I'm going to talk about 2 figure ranges.  There are more, but for now-.





Alternatives Army Sengoku range.  
I've just got a few bits from the latest range:
Monks.  Naginata (2 different) sword & bow armed tops and 2 different bottoms.  These are better-than-average for this range and I'll be doing some big units.  Sword holder, easy to add a staff to make an upright naginata.  You can add-in some of the other tops, and head swaps to create a good range of figures.  I ended up with 4 flute players- needs a set piece possibly a mobile shrine.  These will feature in game 3.















Cavalry.  I'm not sold on the horses yet - they are lovely castings, well posed but a bit small.  I know, Japanese horses were small steppe ponies and these are probably more in-scale than most.  Provided with a blanket, ideal for dismounts or pack horses.  You get 2 bottoms.  They are both excellent, but I'd go to outstanding with the armoured.  I love the fact that they have holes in the middle to aid pinning and/or firm seating.  This is a nice touch most appreciated.




My Mars project left me with a load of Japanese style horses from RPE.  Now I can mount Samurai, Monks and bandits!

Samurai range available via Battle Valour and  https://www.dragonfroggames.co.uk/page/15mm-samurai-range in the UK.  I was warned that "postage rates are high".  I put in a £100 order and paid £10 - I got £5 back on posting.  The order was posted next day (after ordering late, so 12 hours turnaround) posted 1st class.  That's excellent service I'm happy with!

Here's 2 bandits, Leader from the leader pack and 1 each from mounted & dismounted.  Although not intended, there's a good enough match for mounted & dismounted.  You may recognise a certain film influence here-.

You'll see below that I got a lorra lorra Oni from this range on kickstarter.  I didn't have the funds for more so I'm really, really pleased these are now available here!

Great thing is- you need about 6 figures for this game.  If you have cavalry, you need dismounts. (thus separate horses needed- see above!)  And this range has exactly the right packs!  If you want to start, buy 1 Samurai, 1 Ashigaru and 1 Ronin and you have 3 Tomozei.  That will cost you £12.


Now for something completely different.


Ronin "The Tomozei will typically consist of: A Shuryou (Leader) who may be as ruthless or as honourable as the player desires. A dedicated follower/bodyguard who will probably be a Gunshin. A Hanchou (right hand man). A number of followers." 

Shuryou – 12 Koku Kyu Grade 2+ Bu3 Kyu and Daisho or Naginata

Skills-Nouroku

Shuryou * (Leader) – the character is the leader of the Tomozei and has a Command Distance of a Long Length. They are capable of giving a ‘Group Order’ and enhance a character’s Kyu Grade (-1) if the character is activated within the Command Distance and Line of Sight of the Leader. This also effects various Kyu Grade tests such as Morale.

Yuuki – the character is fearless, they are immune to the effects of gory deaths and test for morale at -1 to their Kyu Grade.

Youjinbou – 19 Koku Kyu Grade 2+ Bu3 Kyu and Daisho or Naginata

Gunshin * – the character is a Hero. They automatically pass one die roll on a 6 for activation, task and morale purposes. In addition to this they may cause a reroll of any one set of dice for their force or the opponents per game.

Yuuki – the character is fearless, they are immune to the effects of gory deaths and test for morale at -1 to their Kyu Grade.

Juukan – the character is adept at striking while moving past an opponent. They may strike at any point of their movement action. So long as the character does not lose the combat the character may continue moving.

Iai jutsu – the character is skilled at drawing and cutting with their weapon while they are moving. The character can strike with their weapon at the end of a movement action. However, this attack is at -1 to the Combat Total.

Sakki – the character can sense danger and can not be surprised or ambushed. All ‘fighting’ personality characters and all Gunshin have this ability as standard.

Menkyo Kaidan * – the character has attained the highest ability in their particular ryuha (martial arts school). They may make more than one attack per activation, using an action to make each attack.

Follower – Hanchou – 9 Koku Kyu Grade 3+ Bu3 Daisho or Naginata

Yuuki – the character is fearless, they are immune to the effects of gory deaths and test for morale at -1 to their Kyu Grade.

Hanchou * – the character is the Leaders ‘right hand man’ and has a Command Distance of a Short Length. Within this Command Distance a character will act as one better Kyu Grade during activation and Morale.

Follower – 6 Koku Kyu Grade 4+ Bu2 Daisho and Kyu or Yari

Forces of Evil "In a fantasy setting another tomozei can be formed from the forces of demons and evil Daimyo. The tomozei is harder to define than most of the other classes but one possible example would be: Ushi Oni - Shuryou Oni – Youjimbo One of the Oni will be the Gunshin An assortment of Dai-Bakemono (Japanese Orcs) An assortment of Bakemono sho (Japanese Goblins) They can of course have an assortment of mythical beasts attached to them."

Ushi- Oni - 13 Koku Kyu Grade 2+ Bu4 Impact weapon – often a tetsubo 

+1 Koku for cutting weapon

Oki – the character is very large (Dai-oni for example). They receive an additional +1 in close combat against characters who are not themselves classed as ‘Oki’. Any ranged attack on an Oki character receives a +1 to the Combat Total.

Yuuki – the character is fearless, they are immune to the effects of gory deaths and test for morale at -1 to their Kyu Grade.

Shuryou * (Leader) – the character is the leader of the Tomozei and has a Command Distance of a Long Length. They are capable of giving a ‘Group Order’ and enhance a character’s Kyu Grade (-1) if the character is activated within the Command Distance and Line of Sight of the Leader. This also effects various Kyu Grade tests such as Morale.

The Ushi-Oni can make a Long Length move if the move ends in close combat and the first attack is at Bu5. Always counts as having partial armour.

+3 Koku to make the Ushi-oni a Gunshin

Gunshin * – the character is a Hero. They automatically pass one die roll on a 6 for activation, task and morale purposes. In addition to this they may cause a reroll of any one set of dice for their force or the opponents per game.

Oni (ogre/demon) -9 Kyu Grade 4+ Bu4 Impact or cutting weapon

Yuuki – the character is fearless, they are immune to the effects of gory deaths and test for morale at -1 to their Kyu Grade.

Always counts as having partial armour.

Dai Bakemono – Orc – 5 Koku Hanchou Kyu Grade 4+ Bu3 

Cutting/Piercing weapon  Partial armour is the norm +1 Koku

Bakemono sho – goblin – 3 Koku Kyu Grade 4+ Bu2 

Either cutting or piercing weapon or Kyu (ranged weapon) May have Partial Armour +1 Koku If acting as a group of 3-5 characters their Bujutsu will increase to Bu3. However, they tend to squabble and fight so their Kyu Grade for activation purposes drops to 5+

Ushi- Oni – 13, Bodyguard 16, 2 x Oni 18 = 34

The Warband.
Leader Ushi- Oni 
Ushi- Oni 
3 Bakemono sho, partial armour cutting or piercing weapon

6 Bakemono sho, Kyu 

The game.  I took the Ronin attackers.  Tony the Oni defenders.  He placed his forces around the board, I diced for entrance.  The general layout is heavily influenced by the border post in Hidden Fortress.

The tower sits on a platform.  It's not bad for a Poundland find.

My leader comes on, calling (group move) his minions forward.

The others surge forward.

"I'm going up here".

Big Oni comes on swinging, to be met by a wall of naginatas, get shoved back.

One of the archers moves up on reaction.

Failed with 3, lets try this one -

No, that didn't work - here's another one.

Here comes the big boss, hits a group, same result.

Sneaking around, the hero runs into a Bakemono.  He's joined by the archer.

The bodyguard is down, wounded.  Interesting mechanism, you roll for the effect at the start of the players next turn.

the leader has floored a follower.

Now it's only 2 on 1.

The archer tries for a shot.

The follower is badly wounded, can only do a small move and -2 in combat.

The archers gang up on the first Oni forcing him to take cover.  The bodyguard has recovered with no ill effect.

She goes in for more, the second follower archer tries for a shot.

The Bakemono shoots the hero, but he shrugs it off, but is then forced into cover by more shooting.

In a pause, the leader calls his followers forward.

This ding-dong fight is still going on.
#

3 on 1, doesn't seem fair-.

Archer dead, they go hero hunting.

Do you like my mill?  AA building with Blotz wheel.  Not finished and there should be water-.

Charge!

At last, the first Oni goes down wounded.

The followers are starting to arrive.  Note the wounded bandit heading off table.

The hero is down!  Shafted by a Bakemono.

The first Oni dies of his wound. Another archer goes to his aid.  A bit late.

He's up, but takes cover again.

The bodyguard rushes the archers, cuts one down who fumbles.  There's a chart for charging archers.

Meanstwhile,  a follower takes on the bandit leader.

The bandit archer gets shot & wounded.

Then the Oni dies and there's the effects of morale.

The archer survives but the leader is pushed back into cover by archery.

Oni leader goes in again.  Archer moves on reaction.

He gets shoved into cover by shooting -  "I'm right behind you boss!"

Bakemono Banzai!

Meastwhile the bandits charge the archers.

Another one cut down.  A dagger is no defence against a naginata.

Standoff.

Leaving the last archer to the hero, the bodyguard heads back to the main fight.

That shook things up a bit.

Leader vs leader!

The Oni manages to get a group activation in, the spear go for the bodyguard.

She shoves 2 back before the last pushes her back.

The last archer is down, wounded.

The Bakemono archers are enboldened, on is it enbiddened?

My leader is forced back.  He snaps off a shot and wounds an archer.

The spear go in, archers target my archer.

My leader is shot and wounded!  the Bakemono archer is badly wounded but up.

The leader goes in for the kill.

With the leader gone, the lesser bandits run.

We enjoyed that!  It felt right, very cinematic.  Any new rules set is a bit like a new pair of boots.  Needs breaking in.  We are wriggling our toes and finding comfy.