Warmaster Weekend "Samurai Vs Chaos"

Samurai Draft 2 record

Loss Dwarfs

Win Skaven

Loss Dogs of War

Win Chaos

         Today Adam from York is coming by for Warmaster. I will be playing Samurai. Fall In's Samurai list with a few changes. More Samurai, less Ronin and Cavarly length wise.

Changes
Cavalry; 15 point less and plus one attack. The 15 point deduction justification comes from the Dogs of War pikemen. They are 15 points more for the short end. I don't think the 15 points will matter. You can only take 4 Samurai Cavalry at the most it is 60 points. The extra 60 points can get you a Yari, or Yami, or Teppo Ashigaru. Yet the Teppo Ashigaru are also limited to 4. 
            The plus one attack is out of the Warmaster Ancients rules. The Cavalry in Ancients can be based short or length wise. Length wise gets a plus one to make up for the disadvantage of increased frontage. Samurai Cavalry charging in the open would deliver 6 attacks. This maybe be way too much?

My list;

Shogun                    150
2 Shagenja              160
2 Daimyo                160
4 Ashigaru Yari       180
4 Ashigaru Teppo    260  (only 3 were fielded)
2 Ashigaru Yami      110
1 Ninja                        70
2 Ronin                     130
5 Samurai                 400
4 Samurai Cav          380       2000
*** only 3 Ashigaru Teppo were fielded as this would have been the difference in point reduction to the Samurai Cavalry.****


Adam has Chaos.

Deployment. Adam went heavy on the Left flank with Warriors and Marauders. The center and right flank were Hounds. I went with the Hannibal Cannae Cavalry on the extreme flanks, Samurai just inside of them, with Ashigaru and Ronin in the center. 

End of turn 1. My general rolled an 11 and leadership dropped to 9. Ninja failed to show. Shagenja failed to stop the spell. Due to the Warriors and Knights on my left flank. I started a line shift right and sent the right flank on an end around.

End of Turn two. Right flank end around failed commands. The line short was good with the exception of the Samurai Cavalry. They failed. The ashigaru moved up in the center to screen the line shift.

 End of turn 3. The right flank end around pushed forward. Here is how the Samurai got the opportunity for Victory. The hounds would face Samurai Inf. If they can be bottled up, I can break the army.

End of turn 4. My center pickets crumble. Ashigaru are finger food for Chaos Warriors. Adams left flank fails to move. The hounds took a beating and are trying to get away. The right Flank end around is in position finally.

The game ended in turn 5. The center Chaos Warriors initiative charge the Ashigaru and Samurai in the woods. The Chaos Warriors on the far left in terrain and within 20cm caused the general to fail his first roll. Very lucky for me. Adams center had cut the Samurai down, 1 break point left. I needed 2 and a half. The end around on the right flank was doomed to fail. My Samurai were in terrain, within 20cm and a spell of blood provided an additional minus 1. The unit was command by the Hojo Daimyo. He needed a 4 or less. My history of rolling ones came thru. The samurai crashed into the hounds.

Action shots

Samurai Flank supported by Ashigaru Yami 

Left Flank Samurai face off against Warriors

Samurai are cut down by Chaos Warriors

         I had Adam give his thoughts on the Samurai and changes I made. Adam believes the Samurai to be a non issue as it is pretty much like the Empire army. As most the units are the same with just a different name. The Shugenja was a watered down version of the Dwarf character. (My Ninja never made it on.) The Shogun's leadership 10/9, Hannibal rule was never felt. I failed with an 11 in turn one. He never felt at any point during the game that there was an abusive element or an over powered unit.

       When asked about Cavalry based length wise. He didn't know what the saved maximum 60 points would get you. Under the current army rule it would be a non break point unit, but one more spear or bow wouldn't make a difference. The extra attack gained from length wise basing wasn't game breaking. He did say if the Army rule was inverted (Ashigaru not Samurai counting for break) the saved 60 points and basing bonus attack could be an easier sell.