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shalcar
Oct 21, 2009

At my signal, DEAL WITH IT.
Taco Defender
I'm a ninja, It's your birthday - Let's Play Total War: Shogun 2




Table of Contents
Opening Post (Spring 1545)
Summary Post 1 - Buildings
Summary Post 2 - Buildings Part 2
Summary Post 3 - Units
Summary Post 4 - Arts
Summary Post 5 - Agents
The Lessons of the Past (Update 1 - Spring 1545) (Added General Unit, Hattori Yari Ashigaru, Hattori Yari Samurai, Hattori Bow Ashigaru, Ninja, Fort, Sake Den, Rice Paddies, Trails and Mountain Hideout)
A Journey Begins (Update 2 - Spring 1545 to Autumn 1545) (Added Samurai Retainers, Way of Chi, Chi Arts)
Establishing a Claim (Update 3 - Autumn 1545 to Winter 1545) (Added Stronghold, Improved Irrigation, Yari Ashigaru, Bow Ashigaru, General Skills)
A Silent Blade (Update 4 - Spring 1546 to Summer 1546) (Added Sword School, Holy Site, Todofuken, Ninja Skills)
Seizing Green Fields (Update 5 - Autumn 1546 to Winter 1546) (Added Market, Metsuke, Commissions)
Hard Choices (Update 6 - Spring 1547 to Summer 1547) (Added School, Trading Port, Burakumin Village)
The Finest Hattori Blades (Update 7 - Autumn 1547 to Winter 1547) (Added Hattori Katana Samurai, Trade Ship, Equal Fields)
The Many Paths to Victory (Update 8 - Spring 1548) (Added Rice Exchange, Metsuke Skills)
A New Champion (Update 9 - Summer 1548) (Added Yari Samurai, Bow Samurai)
Rivers of Gold (Update 10 - Autumn 1548) (Added Zen, Archery Dojo, Yari Drill Yard, Mountain Hermitage, Roads, Bow Kobaya, Medium Bune)
An Unbreakable Blade (Update 11 - Winter 1548) (Added Stables)
True Masters of Kisho (Update 12 - Spring 1549 to Summer 1549) (Added School of Shinobi, Library, Hattori Kisho Ninja, Light Cavalry, Art Bonuses, Trade Goods)
Unjust Rewards (Update 13 - Autumn 1549 - Winter 1549) (Added Gambling Hall)
Recap Update
The Mightiest Walls (Update 14 - Winter 1549 (Enemy Turn) - Spring 1550) (Added Terrace Farming, Bow Ronin)
A Father's Fury (Update 15 - Spring 1550 (Enemy Turn) - Summer 1550)
Miyoshi's End (Update 16 - Summer 1550 (Enemy Turn) - Autumn 1550) (Added Horse Breeders, Ninjutsu School, Warhorse Stables)
No End in Sight (Update 17 - Autumn 1550 (Enemy Turn) - Winter 1550) (Added Stonemason, Tax Reform)
Traitor's Rewards (Update 18 - Winter 1550 (Enemy Turn) - Spring 1551) (Added Criminal Syndicate)
The Price of Hubris (Update 19 - Spring 1551 (Cont.) - Spring 1551 (Enemy Turn)) (Added Fortress, Post Roads and Stations, Military Port, Fletchers)
The Homeland Bare (Update 20 - Spring 1551 (Enemy Turn - Cont.) - Summer 1551) (Added Bushido, Bushido Arts)
Down, but not out (Update 21 - Summer 1551 (Cont.)) (Added Blacksmith, Jodo Shinshu Temple, Ikko Ikki Naginata Warrior Monks)
One Province at a Time (Update 22 - Summer 1551 (Cont.) - Summer 1551 (Enemy Turn))
The Support of the Temples (Update 23 - Autumn 1551) (Added Buddhist Temple, Naginata Dojo, Sawmills)
A Desperate Gamble (Update 24 - Autumn 1551 (Cont.) - Autumn 1551 (Enemy Turn))
To the Death (Update 25 - Autumn 1551 (Enemy Turn - Cont.) - Winter 1551) (Added Monk, Monk Skills, Strategy of Defence)
The Hattori Ascendant (Update 26 - Winter 1551 (Cont.)) (Added Coastal Village, Sengoku Bune)
The Rallying Cry (Update 27 - Spring 1552 - Spring 1552 (Enemy Turn))
Realm Divide Recap
A Hostile Market (Update 28 - Summer 1552 - Summer 1552 (Enemy Turn)) (Added Merchant Guild, Naginata Samurai, Strategy of Attack)
Redemption (Update 29 - Autumn 1552)
A Floating Forest (Update 30 - Autumn 1552 (Cont.))
Korekata's Test (Update 31 - Autumn 1552 (Enemy Turn) - Winter 1552)
Shoguns of the Sea (Update 32 - Winter 1552 (Cont.))
Foundations of Stone (Update 33 - Spring of 1553 - Spring 1553 (Enemy Turn)) (Added Stoneworks, Weaponsmith, Ikko Ikki Loan Sword Ashigaru)
Taketoshi Unleashed (Update 34 - Summer of 1553)
A Friend in Need (Update 35 - Summer of 1553 (Cont.))
Tosa Stands Tall (Update 36 - Summer of 1553 (Cont.))

Multiplayer Tournament Updates
Signup post
Sydin vs GettingLostHere (Round 1)

Bonus Updates
Basic unit outline
Shogun 2 Economic Analysis Part 1 - Overview
Shogun 2 Economic Analysis Part 2 - Farming
Shogun 2 Economic Analysis Part 3 - Markets
Shogun 2 Economic Analysis Part 4 - Other Economic Buildings
Archery and you: Eyes on the prize
Finding the wealth of an enemy province
The 12 Playable Clans of Shogun 2
A guide to going Christian (Thanks to Sydin)

What is Total War: Shogun 2?

Shogun 2 is the latest game from Creative Assembly in the Total War series. It's a remake/sequel of their very first Total War game, which is a turn based strategical game with real time battles. In the campaign map you create armies, improve provinces, levy taxes and use agents, while in the real time battles you fight the opposing forces on land and sea using a spectacular combat engine. Your goal is to own a certain number of provinces as well as specific ones, the one all clans have in common is to have siezed power in Kyoto, home of the Emperor. The base game occurs within the Sengoku Jidai (The Age of the Country at War) which happened during the 16th century. The player takes control of a clan inside Japan during this period and must use military might and diplomatic cunning to lay claim to enough of Japan that all other clans concede to their leadership.

What about this LP?

This LP will be conducted in a hybrid format, with screenshots for the turn based campaign map and videos for the real time battles. I plan to update on a roughly weekly schedule due to the time it takes to prepare an update and each update will be roughly 1 game year in length, although the earlier ones may be longer as there is less to cover and the later ones shorter due to the intense finish that realm divide causes. Trivial battles will be autoresolved in order to keep things interesting.

I'll quite happily explain things as we go along for anyone with questions about the game and anyone interested should check out the Total War Megathread where they can answer more general questions.

:siren: Do not discuss Hard, Very Hard or Legendary difficulties in this thread. :siren: This LP is intended to be informational and informative for newer players who are starting out on Normal or Easy. While the finer points of breaking the game or exploiting the AI are an interesting topic for conversation, they simply serve to confuse newer players and so should be taken to the Megathread.

Didn't you just finish a Shogun 2 LP?

I did! You can find it here. In fact, it was Rise of the Samurai, which is a DLC for Shogun 2 that takes place in the Gempei War several hundred years prior to the Sengoku Jidai in which Shogun 2 takes place. Events that happened in that LP have echoed down history to change Japan in this war, so things won't quite be the same as they were in our world!

I don't have time to read your old LP, what are the meat of the changes?

The Taira have won the Gempei War and were heroic unifiers of Japan, with both the Emperor and the Shogunate of Taira blood. A succession crisis in the Shogunate and the reduction of the emperor to a figurehead have caused the collapse of this once stable situation and now many clans vie for power once again. Several of the central clans are the dynasties of major characters in the first LP, so don't complain when a monk called Hisakane is responsible for founding the Ikko Ikki!

Did you know that Kenshin is the greatest guy ever and he fought dragons and could cut arrows with his fire gaze and shoot lightning bolts from his arse?

No. This thread is not the place to inform everyone about how much you know about the Sengoku Jidai or to :spergin: out about minor issues. There are other threads to discuss that to your hearts content, but this thread is for the LP and the world it inhabits. While trivia facts are perfectly all right and interesting, if it can't be expressed in a sentence or two it's probably a little too much. Use your judgement on if it adds to the thread or is simply a textdump from Japanese History 101. Also, please don't anime up the thread, thanks in advance.

Will there be a multiplayer tournament at the end of this LP?

The Tournament at the end of my last LP was very popular but had limited participants due to many people not owning Rise of the Samurai. There will be a tournament that will start about halfway through the LP (So the tournament and LP can finish up around the same time) which I will be discussing in the thread at a later date. Needless to say, only vanilla Shogun 2 will be needed for this one! The last one was totally electrifying and had a nailbiting finish, so I can't wait to see what goons manage this time!

By popular request, here is where the thread title comes from
Ninja of the Night (Skip to 4:13 if it doesn't autoskip)

Previous LP's Fan Art


my dad demonstrates the best way to take a castle.


my dad illustrates Tomomori taking the final Minamoto Castle and winning the Gempei War

This LP's Fan Art


Peddler of Smiles captures a little father-son moment.


Enemies of the Hattori beware! This fortress* is guarded by the invincible bowninjasamurai, Masanari! *no girls allowed - By Third Murderer


Fat Samurai shows Masanari getting an economics lesson from a very familiar samurai!


AssassinPrincess presents Masanari showing off his skill with the sword to his father, Yasunaga.

Want to play along with the LP?
Shogun 2 is available on Steam here!
The Hattori Clan Pack is available on Steam here! (Adds the Hattori as a playable clan)
The Saints and Heroes Pack is available on Steam here! (Adds a Hero unit for every unit type instead of just Sword, Spear and Bow)
The Ikko Ikko Pack is available on Steam here! (Adds Warrior Nuns and Naginata Warrior Monk Heroes)
The Sengoku Jidai Pack is available on Steam here! (Adds a unique unit to each clan)

Only the base game is required to have a fantastic time, but I will be playing with all the DLC on to give us oodles of options!

Steam Trading Card Images

Attack:


Daimyo and Arrows:


Geisha:


Leader:


Ninja:


Volcano:


Well Rested:



Hattori Introduction (HD)


Initial Position - Spring of 1545


"Ragh!" yelled the boy, leaping out from behind a suit of ceremonial armour. "I got you, dad!"
His father smiled. "That you did! Come on now, it's time for your lessons."
"I don't want to do my lessons" pouted the boy. "I want to be a ninja!"
"You will be Daimyo of the Hattori after I am gone" his father responded, patiently. "Lessons are important."


The clan we will be playing in this LP is the Hattori Clan. The Hattori are the only clan with a drawback, with all of our samurai and ashigaru units requiring a third more upkeep compared to the other clans. In exchange, all our samurai and ashigaru units have kisho training, allowing them to be deployed anywhere on the battlefield that isn't the enemy deployment zone, the ability to hide better than regular units and the ability to scale walls twice as fast with no casualties. Our ninja agents also have a 2% bonus to their success chances and our generals all begin with the "Night Fighter" trait, allowing them to conduct night battles. Night battles prevent reinforcements from assisting in the fight and so unlock a great many tactical options for us. The Hattori start in central Japan, surrounded on all sides with no access to trade goods or trade nodes, making it one of the hardest starts in Shogun 2. Combined with their extra upkeep, the Hattori will struggle with finances all game to cover all the fronts needed to secure Japan.


"Let's practise our formal address" the boy's father stated. "What is my title?"
"Daimyo Hattori Yasunaga!" exclaimed the boy.
"Very good" nodded Yasunaga. "What is your title?"
"Hattori Masanari?" asked Masanari.
"Nearly" replied Yasunaga "Your relation to me is?"
"Hattori Masanari, eldest son of Hattori Yasanaga!" beamed Masanari.
Yasunaga smiled at the excited youngster. "Well done. Now we must cover the lands and people you will one day rule..."


Our starting position as the Hattori is less than ideal, underneath the shadow of the Shogun in Kyoto and disliked by the Tsutsui clan in Yamato. While we are adjacent to Omi, the most valuable province in all Japan, the Asai who own Omi are also our only friends in all of Japan, giving us the unenviable choice of attacking our friends and leaving ourselves surrounded on all sides by enemies or taking the fight to our enemies over the relatively poor province of Yamato. Inaction is not an option, as Iga itself is particularly poor!

Sneak Peak: The lessons of the past

shalcar fucked around with this message at 15:16 on Jan 8, 2015

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shalcar
Oct 21, 2009

At my signal, DEAL WITH IT.
Taco Defender
The advisors guide to Japan

"One can not advise great men to glorious victory without knowledge of all their tools. Know yourself and know your enemy and you will be undefeated in one thousand battles."

Buildings (Part 1)

Castle Chain


Cost: Free/1600/3200

The most basic building in the Castle chain, the Fort is present in all provinces from game start. It provides small stone walls and a single regiment of Samurai Retainers as a garrison. Defenders inside the walls will never flee from morale loss and must be killed to the last man, rendering troops defending here more powerful than they would seem. It also allows recruitment of units in the province and provides repression, suppressing rebellion in the province. It allows recruitment of Yari Ashigaru, Bow Ashigaru and with the appropriate art, Matchlock Ashigaru. The second building in the Castle chain, the Stronghold provides additional repression, a boost to bushido arts, bigger walls, arrow towers, a bonus to replenishment, a Yari Ashigaru unit in the garrison and an additional building slot. It is the only way to allow more building chains in your province. Consumption of food is also higher than the Fort, however. The Fortress is the third upgrade in the Castle chain and adds an additional concourse to the fortifications, additional province repression, Bushido arts rate, replenishment rate, recruitment slots, combat rank of ashigaru recruited in the province and an additional building slot. It consumes an additional food.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Fort posted:

A fort is a basic defence against attackers, and can be garrisoned with troops to slow down and hinder any enemy incursions. Even the smallest castle can be difficult to take, and leaving the garrison unmolested and behind an advancing army is not always an option. A fort is also a symbol to the locals to remind them of their overlord's power, and it can be used as a recruiting centre for some basic types of warrior.

Historically, the castles of the early Sengoku Jidai were a good deal less majestic than what is now considered to be the classical Japanese castle. The first castles were practical structures, made of wood and without multi-storeyed towers and stone walls. They were used for the defence and surveillance of the surrounding region, where the grand later buildings were also lordly mansions and seats of government, often with entire towns built around them. Early castles were located on rivers, at ports and other strategic points, and cunningly took full advantage of the natural landscape: mountainous positions were favoured, and nearby streams were diverted and dammed as moats. It was common for the defenders to not lurk behind their walls when attacked: the defenders would, more often than not, sally forth to meet the enemy rather than rely on the walls.

In-game encyclopaedia - Stronghold posted:

A stronghold looms above the people in their villages, a reminder from dawn to dusk of where their loyalties should lie, and to whom they must pay their taxes. It is a strong base for the local garrison troops, enabling them to control the area, and act as a barrier to any invader. The stronghold also acts as a centre for recruiting new troops to serve in the daimyo's armies, and helps increase the clan's fame.

Stone was introduced as a construction material for Japanese castles to provide protection against the elements and create sturdy foundations, always a problem in a nation so beset by earthquakes. Stone foundations also allowed the building to have more storeys. A large, sloped foundation platform was first carved out of the earth, which was then clad in stone to make a very strong bastion. These foundations could support impressive multi-storeyed towers, a sign of wealth and power. The bastions were also obstacles for any enemy attack, and were perfect for the defenders to rain arrows down on besiegers.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Fortress posted:

To properly defend and govern a province, a daimyo requires a strong base. That a fortress also inspires respect, even fear, among his people is no bad thing either. A fortress represses a province by its presence, helps the tax yield, and increases the fame of a clan, as rivals and enemies are awed by its construction. Any garrison can hold out against enemy attacks, and the castle acts as a centre for recruiting troops.

The development of castle design coincided with the rise in importance of the warrior classes in Japan. Warfare grew in scale, and the castle also grew so it could withstand prolonged sieges; the traditional wooden fortifications could no longer be expected to hold out against large armies with siege engines. The Hojo clan was responsible for the defences of Odawara, built in 1416. The castle survived two sieges before it finally fell in 1590 to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Odawara was actually the central defensive position of a network of castles, as it was surrounded by smaller, satellite fortresses. Some of them, in turn, had their own ring of satellite forts. The entire system provided a layered defence that was extremely difficult and time-consuming for an enemy to reduce.

Stealth Chain


Cost: 850/1600/2200

The first building in the Stealth chain, the Sake Den increases the happiness of the people in the province, adds town wealth and allows the recruitment of Ninja in the province up to the number of Stealth chain buildings in your empire (Maximum 5). The second building of the Stealth Chain, the Gambling Hall further increases province wealth and happiness. The third building in the Stealth Chain, Criminal Syndicate, further increases the wealth in a province and allows the recruitment of Kisho Ninja units.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Sake Den posted:

A sake den makes people happy, after a fashion. There is much to be said in favour of a flask of sake at the end of a long, hard day, and many troubles look much smaller after a convivial evening. In the shadows, however, and hidden behind smiles, darker business can be transacted: secrets exchanged and arrangements made. Among other dangerous types, ninjas are to be found here.

One of the most popular beverages in Japan, sake was originally only produced in small quantities for personal consumption. In the 1300s, however, mass production began in larger distilleries, often near temples and shrines. In later years, the main producers kept to the same places thanks to the availability of good sake rice and good, clean water. Sake was often used in Shinto rituals, and today barrels of sake are still left at shrines as rather splendid offerings to the spirits. Sake is also central to the Shinto ceremony of "kagami biraki", performed at weddings and festivals. Wooden casks of sake are smashed open with a mallet, and the drinks are then served to all the guests to bring them good fortune.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Gambling Hall posted:

The chance to gamble, with some small chance of winning, is a good way to keep people occupied and happy. The gambling hall helps to improve a province's wealth and, additionally, attracts ninjas looking to sell their skills to the highest bidder. There is always a darker side to something that is, after all, less than entirely respectable.

Social standing was of utmost importance in feudal Japan. The gentry and warriors were at the top of the system, peasants below them, followed by artisans and merchants. There were, however, groups even lower than merchants, outcastes who did not even belong to society. These people included burakumin, the hinin, and the bakuto. The burakumin had jobs that were held to be taboo, such as undertakers and tanners: people who worked with the dead, human and animal (although, to be fair, tanning was a disgusting process and no one who had any sense of smell could stand being anywhere near). Hinin were almost non-human, defined as such by their actions: criminals and those such as actors and entertainers. The bakuto were gamblers, who did not earn an honest living. This did not stop them becoming rich and relatively powerful, although without status.

Farming Chain


Cost: Free/950/1950

The first building in the Farming chain, Rice Paddies provides wealth to the province and food to your empire. The amount of wealth generated is modified by the fertility of the province. The values are Barren (1x), Meagre (1.3x), Average (1.5x), Fertile (2x), Very Fertile (3x). Improved Irrigation, the second building in the Farming chain, provides an additional +150 wealth (modified by fertility) and an additional food. The third building in the Farming chain, Terrace Farming, provides an additional +100 wealth and another food.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Rice Paddies posted:

Paddies are the artificially flooded fields where rice is grown. Rice is the staple foodstuff of all Japanese people, from the lowly peasant growing the crop to the mightiest daimyo enjoying his rice from an exquisitely elegant bowl. Taxes are measured in koku, or sacks of rice. Each province's basic wealth and therefore potential tax yield is measured by its rice output.

Working in rice paddies has always been long, exhausting work. The preparation of small dikes and channels to manage the water supply is a huge task for any farmer. Once the fields are properly laid out and flooded, the individual rice plants have to be hand-planted one at a time, a backbreaking task for anyone. The work was often communal, as most villages were self-governing and self-sustaining. A successful crop was not guaranteed, and a poor harvest would be doubly devastating as the peasants starved and their taxes to the local daimyo, often in taken rice, went unpaid. The violent repercussions of such disrespect and failure were rightly feared. Where the ruling clan was too weak or ineffective to impose taxes things were often no easier, as bandits would quite happily impose their own "taxes" on villagers. From the villagers' perspective, there was little to choose between taxmen and bandits. In this, at least, the Japanese peasants were identical to others all across the world.

In-game encyclopaedia - Improved Irrigation posted:

Farmers must use every scrap of land as efficiently as possible to grow enough food to survive and pay their taxes. By using water intelligently, more land can be cultivated and to better effect. The result is that the wealth of a province is improved, along with its potential to be taxed.

The landscape of Japan was, and is, dominated by mountains, volcanoes and densely wooded areas, leaving very little good, level farmland. To overcome this, farmers had to exploit the numerous small rivers by diverting and damming them to irrigate their lands. In addition, wet farming overcomes the acidic soils produced by volcanic activity and keeps the growth of weeds to a controllable minimum.

Organised irrigation in Asia can be traced back to ancient China where, in 256 BC, a system was constructed at Dujiangyan to divert water from the Min River. This not only prevented flooding and watered crops but also allowed the river to be used for military transports. As with many other ideas, the Japanese copied the idea from the Chinese and cleverly refined it over the centuries. Dujiangyan is still impressive today.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Terrace Farming posted:

Terrace farming increases the amount of land that can be cultivated, and so adds to the wealth and potential tax income of a province. Eventually farmers will use every square inch of level land available, at which point they must make more. By carefully shaping the hills into a series of giant steps, new land can be created that is suitable for farming. Each step becomes a new, ribbon-shaped paddy field that hugs the contours of a hill. If this is done cunningly - and there is little point doing otherwise - water is used and re-used as it flows downhill over the terraces.

Terrace farming is used in many parts of the world with mountainous landscapes. The landscape is carefully formed into a system of contour-following platforms, with water cascading down from the highest level to the lowest. The result is an extremely efficient use of available space, even where paddy fields are not used; in the Andes of South America terraces were used for virtually all crops, for example. The result is also extremely picturesque, and an impressive piece of human, manual landscaping. The technique still finds favour today because it can stop heavy erosion and help prevent landslides as well as being an effective agricultural method.

Infrastructure Chain


Cost: Free/850/1200

The first building in the Infrastructure chain, Trails increases the movement of troops and agents that use them. Enemy troops and agents will still gain the benefit of improved roads, so be careful which provinces you upgrade. Roads, the second building in the Infrastructure chain, further increases the movement speed of armies and agents that use them, as well as providing a province wide boost to unit replenishment. As the third upgrade to the Infrastructure chain, Post Roads and Stations further improves the movement bonus of units and agents and the replenishment rate of the province as well as increasing town wealth growth slightly.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Trails posted:

Trails aid movement in a province. They are little more than the tracks to and from the fields, linked by the rough paths blazed by particularly adventurous peasants.

Historically, most people rarely left their home village. Most folk lived and died within a few miles of their birthplace. There was simply no point in travel for most people: moving somewhere else would merely bring them under the control of a different warlord. Day-to-day life would be exactly the same, and largely spent labouring in a soggy field. Also, wrinkly feet are not conducive to travel!

Ingame Encyclopaedia - Roads posted:

Roads improve the movement extent of armies and agents in a province. Everything moves faster thanks to the improved surface. This also improves the replenishment rate of casualties. The comings and goings along the road are also carefully watched, meaning that line of sight is improved also.

While roads improve movement, this was not necessarily what the rulers of Japan wanted. Although they may not have realised it, the daimyo relied on their people to maintain their power and wealth. While trade might be welcome, the population could not be allowed to move freely, otherwise they might simply leave in search of a better lord. Such a turn of events was unthinkable. Travel, therefore, was made more difficult than might be expected, to keep the people in their proper place. The free movement of armies was one thing, the free movement of farmers quite another!

Ingame encyclopaedia - Post Roads and Stations posted:

Post roads and stations significantly improve the movement of armies and agents, economic growth in a province and the rate at which replacement troops reach their units. All travellers are carefully monitored at each station, so that line of sight is increased and there is also a better chance of detecting enemy agents. Along each of these roads are a series of post stations, where officials can rest on their journeys but, more importantly, where all other travellers must present the correct documentation before they can travel onwards. The roads are rather good and allow swift passage, but only to those with the right paperwork.

Post stations were places where travellers could rest during their journeys. Lodgings were constructed for officials and government agents, but all kinds of taverns could be found there too. Of course, anyone who stopped at a post town or station would be seen and recorded, so as well as helping travel, the post stations also served as a warning system if unwelcome or shady characters came through. These were first established under the Tokugawa Shogunate, a regime which had every interest in maintaining peace and social control after the chaos and wars of the Sengoku Jidai.


Assassin Chain


Cost: Free/1250

Available only in provinces which have the Ninja Clans speciality, the Assassin Chain can be upgraded into two alternative paths that provide differing bonuses. The first building in the Assassin chain is the Mountain Hideout, common to both upgrade paths, providing improved Ninja agents and also improved Kisho Ninja troops. One of two possible second buildings in the Assassin Chain building, Burakumin Village further increases the ranks of ninja agents recruited here and provides a small boost to town wealth.


Cost: Free/1350

Available only in provinces which have the Ninja Clans speciality, the Assassin Chain can be upgraded into two alternative paths that provide differing bonuses. The first building in the Assassin chain is the Mountain Hideout, common to both upgrade paths, providing improved Ninja agents and also improved Kisho Ninja troops. One of the possible second buildings in the Assassin chain, the Ninjutsu School further increases the experience bonuses for kisho ninja recruited in the province.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Mountain Hideout/Burakumin Village/Ninjutsu School posted:

Although ninja may be regarded as dangerous, troublesome and underhanded, there is no denying their usefulness to a daimyo. An enemy who meets a knife in the dark will be just as dead as one killed in battle. The ninja here can be encouraged along two paths: to become better killers, or to act as smugglers, and improve the income of the province.

Ninja "clans" were not uncommon in Japan, as families tended to pass the secrets of ninjutsu between father and son. The matter was never openly talked about. Much of what is commonly believed about ninja is largely movie invention: even the ninjato, the ninja sword, has no proven historical basis. A ninja almost certainly carried a katana, the finest sword he could, if he carried a sword at all. Shuriken (darts, stars and other projectiles) were also carried and used.

One, possibly apocryphal tale, illustrates the dedication and danger of the ninja. Having been hired to assassinate a lord, the ninja allegedly waited down a toilet, surrounded by faeces, for the bottom of his target to appear in the appropriate place, then thrust home his blade. The victim's death must have been surprising, agonizing and swift! The ninja must surely have been blessed with a strong stomach, or no sense of smell, to spend days in such hideous conditions.

Sword Chain


Cost: 850

The first building in the Sword chain, the Sword School allows the recruitment of Katana Samurai units, the prime anti-infantry units of Shogun 2.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Sword School posted:

The sword school allows the recruitment of katana samurai units. Use of the sword is a serious business, and the teaching and practice of sword fighting is equally serious. Students are expected to approach the subject with the deepest reverence. This is not unsurprising, given that a katana, or long sword, can easily sever a limb if handled carelessly!

Samurai were the only people allowed to wear a pair of swords, the daisho (literally "long and short") of a katana and a wakizashi. Constant practice was required to use a sword properly, and many schools taught the art of kenjutsu. Iaijutsu was also taught, but this was the specialised skill of drawing and striking with a sword away from the battlefield, a useful thing for self-defence in dangerous times. The emphasis in all teaching, however, was on combat, not on sport or fun. Style mattered, but only as long as it aided the serious business of beating an opponent. Teaching also concentrated on the katana, although a few practitioners, such as the famous sword-saint, Miyamoto Musashi, favoured a two-sword style.

Holy Site Chain


Cost: Free/1350

Available only in provinces which have the Holy Site speciality, the first building in the Holy Site chain, the Holy Site increases the skill of monk agents produced in the province, as well as providing a small experience bonus to all warrior monk troops created there. It can be upgraded into one of two separate buildings. One of two possible upgrades to the Holy Site, the Mountain Hermitage further increases the bonus ranks to warrior monks recruited in the province.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Holy Site posted:

This province has a site of religious significance. By developing this site, better monks can be produced for use on the battlefield as fanatical warriors. Alternatively, the site can be developed along less martial lines, and be inspirational to all the clan's warriors, increasing their morale on the battlefield. This more contemplative approach also allows monk agents to be trained to a high standard.

A shrine is important not because of the building or marker, but because of the spirit it houses. People may need and appreciate the buildings around a shrine, but they do not alter the fundamental sanctity of the place. As long as the kami are respected and honoured, the shrine remains a source of spiritual strength.

Today many shrines are revered historical monuments as well as shrines, and some have been listed as World Heritage Sites. Some 103 shrines and buildings in Nikko, in the modern Tochigi prefecture have been given this status; the structures belong to a Buddhist temple and two Shinto shrines.

Market Chain


Cost: 850/1600/3400

The first building in the Market chain, the Market increases the wealth of the province, the town growth of the province and allows the recruitment of Metsuke up to the number of Market chain buildings in your empire (Maximum of 5). The second building in the Market chain, the Rice Exchange provides additional wealth and town growth, but at the cost of food. The Merchant Guild is the third building in the Market chain and further increases the province wealth, province growth and food consumption.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Market posted:

A market adds to a province's wealth and growth, and also allows a clan to recruit metsuke as agents. When two peasants barter, there is a market. When many come to do the same, there is wealth to be made and probably taxed. A permanent market can offer many services and goods for everyone in the province, and allow people to sell their surplus goods. Once people can trade, they can specialise, even a little, produce more and then trade for what they lack. A wise ruler encourages this.

It was, of course, beneath any samurai to engage in anything as common as trade. Wealth came from rents, land ownership and in rewards for loyal service. Often, wealth was accumulated in the form of rice koku, as taxes in kind. It was left to others to do business, and live as merchants in towns. Under the Tokugawa Shogunate, the merchants did gain a certain practical influence, because they were the only people that the rice-rich daimyos and samurai could sell their koku to. The rice bartering system was never able to compete with a proper cash economy, if only because of the difficulty of moving mountains of rice sacks around!

Ingame encyclopaedia - Rice Exchange posted:

A rice exchange significantly improves a province's wealth and growth. Rather than each village relying on its own crops and living from harvest to harvest, an exchange allows merchants to buy up rice crops, and ship them to market as needed. Overall, the effect is to even out the good and bad harvests at some cost to the peasants, who may not always be able to afford the food they have grown.

Merchants were part of the social class of chonin, or townsmen. This gave them few privileges compared to the samurai warrior class. However, they were able to amass considerable wealth. This helped them survive the transition from an age of warfare to an age of enforced peace under the Tokugawa Shogunate. Business went on as usual and, if anything, improved. In the long run, the samurai were not so fortunate: their social caste meant that they could not work and retain their honour as samurai. The strict social edicts of the Tokugawas didn't help either, and many samurai were reduced to penury when there was no longer constant warfare.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Merchant Guild posted:

A merchants' guild greatly improves a province's wealth and growth. Rather than competing with each other, a town's merchant class work together, pool their resources and information, and look forward to enlarged profits. They can at last start to plan beyond the next harvest, or for the arrival of the next shipment of trade goods. Associations of merchants were useful for collective risk-taking and collective bargaining. One merchant alone had little chance of getting any concession from his samurai overlords, but an entire town's worth of merchants could present a united, if still respectful, front. Guilds were granted trading rights within a lord's territory, in return for certain considerations. From a lord's point of view, he could influence trade, tax it effectively, take a share of the wealth and still not actually sully his hands in the dirty business of trade. By acting together, the merchants could help finance major trade enterprises when one man alone would have difficulty raising the required working capital.

Port Chain


Cost: Free/???/1800/2300

The first building in the Port Chain, the Coastal Village increases the growth rate of the province. The third building in the Port Chain, the Trading Port adds a sea trade route, increases the value of goods traded through here by 80 koku and allows the recruitment of Trading Ships and Siege Tower Bune (with Gunpowder Mastery). One of two possible upgrades to the Trading Port, the Military Port boasts an extra recruitment slot and the ability to recruit Heavy Bune, Siege Tower Bune, Sengoku Bune and Fire Bomb Kobaya.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Coastal Village posted:

A regular haul of fish can help sustain and grow a community, supplying a source of both fresh food and income. It is also the foundation for a larger construct, which can be expanded to specialise as either a trading or military port. A good coastal village can become the heart of a community, providing jobs for the populace and the money needed to start families, growing as the fishing business grows. Historically, the divisions between social classes in Japan were very clear and seen as vital for the maintenance of good order in the country. Social status and employment were often tightly intertwined, and most jobs had a hereditary element to them: sons followed fathers into the same trade. As well as restrictions on weaponry, the clothes and housing of classes were also laid down in law and custom. Fishermen and farmers had to work hard for little money, but their status was certainly higher than townsmen and merchants. When, under the Tokugawas, some commoners attempted to improve their homes with features copied from the warrior classes, the Shogunate discouraged the practice almost immediately. Everyone had to know, and keep to, their place.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Trading Port posted:

Trade and warfare are vital to the success of a clan, and each supports the other. Warships built here can protect the port's trading vessels, which in turn earn money to buy more warships. A busy port encourages growth in the province too.

Historically, Japan was organised along strict social divisions, with fishermen and farmers classed as commoners, while samurai warriors and daimyos were the superior class. Because they did no honourable work, merchants had a lower status than the peasants. The merchants, however, were wealthy, as the samurai considered trade to be a necessary evil, but one that could be left to others. This snobbishness was all very well, but the samurai eventually found themselves unsuited to a peaceful Japan or a modernising Japan after 1868. The merchant classes had, in effect, eclipsed them, leaving the samurai with few honourable ways of making a living.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Military Port posted:

A military port specialises in the construction and maintenance of warships. These vessels are built for battle, and are not just floating platforms for warriors. This makes them expensive, and means that special yards are needed ashore, but also means that vessels can be properly repaired here too.

Historically, the Japanese had no warships to speak of until the Sengoku Jidai. Though they had fought at sea, the ships were floating platforms for archers and warriors who would board enemy vessels to fight a land battle at sea. Ships were simply armoured with the same kind of wooden screens foot soldiers carried into battle, and so were vulnerable to fire arrows and bombs hurled from the decks. The intention, however, was to always close with the enemy and fight honourably in close combat. Sinking an enemy vessel might have been more effective, but it was not a proper way to conduct warfare.

Intellectual Chain


Cost: Free/2300

Available only in provinces with the Philosophical Tradition speciality, the Intellectual Chain may be upgraded in two separate ways providing different bonuses. The School, the first building in the Intellectual chain, increases the rate at which all arts are mastered and increases the rank of Metsuke recruited in this province. One of two possible paths in the Intellectual chain, the Library further increases the rate at which arts are mastered.

Ingame encyclopaedia - School posted:

The people of this province are noted for their cultural and intellectual attainments. Their skills may be developed along one of two paths: firstly, they can be encouraged to contemplate and develop the many arts and techniques a clan needs to stay ahead of their rivals. Secondly, their skills can be used for the more prosaic business of espionage and counter-espionage. In this case, the quality of metsuke training will be markedly improved.

The Chinese philosophy of Confucianism sees education as a good thing, and this idea percolated across to Japan. A samurai was expected to embody the idea of "pen and sword in accord" and be equally able with his katana or a calligraphy brush. Clear and clever thinking was a good thing, whether in peace or war. Learning was worthy in itself, and improved a man. There was also a sense that cultured men made better, more civilized rulers and administrators, and could deal with the lower social orders in a more just and equitable fashion. Of course, the practical day-to-day administration of a daimyo's territory required a large number of literate, intelligent agents and ministers.

Yari Chain


Cost: 850/2000

The first building in the Yari Chain, the Yari Drill Yard allows the recruitment of Yari Samurai, Bulletproof Samurai when paired with an Armoury (Date only) and Longspear Ashigaru when paired with an Encampment (Oda only). The Naginata Dojo is the second building in the Yari chain and allows the recruitment of Naginata Samurai and Naginata Warrior Monks (with Monastery).

Ingame Encyclopaedia - Yari Drill Yard posted:

The drill yard allows the recruitment and training of yari-armed samurai units. Using a spear effectively in battle requires training, discipline and trust.

The art of using a spear, sojutsu, is one of many Japanese martial arts, and probably among the oldest. The spear was, with the bow, one of the traditional weapons of the samurai. The spear also has its place in Japanese mythology, because drops falling from the tip of ame-no-nuboko, the "Heavenly Jewelled Spear" formed the islands of Japan. This spear, however, is also referred to as a naginata, a slightly shorter slashing pole arm.

The spear came to be seen as a very cost-effective weapon for troops during the feudal wars of the Sengoku Jidai. Combined with bow and matchlock armed troops, spearmen formed the core of most clan armies. Spear fighting in Japan was a good deal more aggressive than the "push of pikes" that went on in European battles of roughly the same period. This probably reflected the more honour-bound and glory-hungry nature of Japanese warfare, as many European armies were full of mercenaries who could only be paid if they were still alive!

In-game encyclopaedia - Naginata Dojo posted:

This dojo allows the recruitment of naginata-armed samurai units; if there is a large enough temple in the province, naginata-armed monks can also be trained. The naginata itself is a fearsome weapon, and requires considerable training to use effectively in battle. It is also a weapon favoured by samurai women for "home defence" when their men are on campaign. It should not, however, be considered in any way effeminate because of that!

To the untrained eye, the naginata looks like a spear with a wickedly sharp sword instead of a point. It can be used as a spear, of course, to thrust into an enemy or braced to receive a charge, but it is at its most effective when an adept uses it to cut and parry. Anyone facing a naginata has to deal with something that can cut and slash at a greater range than any sword, and be used to block any counterattack: the shaft is as much a part of the weapon's strength as the blade itself! Traditionally, it was considered an extremely useful weapon against mounted enemies.

Archery Chain


Cost: 850

The first building in the Archery Chain, the Archery Dojo allows the recruitment of Bow Samurai, Bandits when paired a Sake Den (Hattori only) and Daikyu Samurai when paired with a Hunting Lodge (Chosokabe only).

Ingame Encyclopaedia - Archery Dojo posted:

The ability to shoot accurately should be prized in all archers, but it requires training and dedication to achieve. An archery range allows basic archery to be taught, and bow-armed units to be recruited. It does not, however, teach the advanced skills of archery: it is sufficient here to hit the target and do so in the proper manner. Combat will teach men how to keep firing when under threat!

The bow was not solely used for war. Recreational archery and hunting played an important part in the art. The bow itself was a beautiful and complicated piece of equipment, with an unusual asymmetric shape: the grip was well below the mid-point. This unusual design came about because horse archery was the first skill of all samurai: a bow with the grip in the middle would have been completely unmanageable on horseback and become entangled in the saddle furniture. The short lower section meant it could be swung over the horse's neck and back quickly. The bow itself was a composite, made of bamboo, wood and leather and was often much taller than the user. The design was extremely strong, and it was not uncommon for bow strings to snap under the strain of being fired. Archers would carry at least one spare string at all times for such emergencies.

Cavalry Chain


Cost: 850/1600

The first building in the Cavalry chain, the Stables allows the recruitment of Light Cavalry, Mounted Gunners with a Gunsmith (Tokugawa only) and Fire Cavalry with a Proving Grounds (Takeda only). The Warhorse Stables is the second building in the Cavalry chain and requires access to the Warhorse trade goods in order to build. It increases the quality of the Light Cavalry recruited in the province as well as allowing the recruitment of Bow Cavalry, Yari Cavalry and Katana Cavalry with the Archery Dojo, Yari Drill Yard and Sword School respectively. It also allows the recruitment of Donderbuss Cavalry (Otomo only) with a Powder Maker.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Stables posted:

An army of peasants will fight as peasants. An army of foot soldiers will be ponderous. An army with horses will be fleet and deadly! Stables allow the training of light cavalry, who can quickly move across a battlefield to exploit a weakness or hold a line.

Mythology has it that the monkey protects horses and stables. This belief has its roots in the Chinese story "Journey to the West" about a monk and his companions, a monkey, a pig and a water spirit travelling to India. The monkey is making the trip as penance for disobedience to the Jade Emperor, who appointed him protector of horses to calm his desire for power. The monkey image is often found on stables, and a particular fine "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" set of images can be seen at the Toshuga Shrine, built to honour Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Ingame Encyclopaedia - Warhorse Stables posted:

Where horses are available these stables allow the recruitment of a wide range of cavalry units. Battle tests the spirit of horses as surely as it tests their strength. Some are better suited to the clamour and din than others, and accept the training required of them. Warhorses must be able to ride headlong into an angry crowd, ignore flames, and keep going even when every natural instinct tells them to run.

As might be expected, cavalry furniture for horses in Japan developed in a somewhat different fashion compared to the rest of the world. Japanese saddles were traditionally made of wood, and carefully designed to give the rider a stable platform for archery. Such considerations made them unsuitable for use over long distances, or at speed, as they were heavy and uncomfortable. The reins and bridle, however, were light and made of silk. The strangest pieces of equipment, to outside eyes, were the umagutsu. These straw sandals were shoes for the horses, and very similar to human footwear. The umagutsu provided extra traction in wet conditions, and this alone was no small matter when battles were often fought across paddy fields and farmland. They also helped quieten the sound of the horses' hooves.

Warhorses Chain


Cost: 1350

Available only in the Horse Breeding speciality provinces, the Horse Breeders is the second building in the Warhorse chain. It further increases the wealth of the province as well as producing extra Warhorse trade goods and increasing the charge bonus of any cavalry recruited in the province.

Ingame Encyclopaedia - Horse Breeders posted:

This province is ideally suited to horses and animal husbandry. By investing here, the quality of the horse stock improves, leading to better mounts for all cavalry in the clan's armies. This improves the charge bonus of all cavalry too. Horses were always vital to samurai warfare, as nearly all of them fought as cavalry before the Sengoku Jidai. The animals were highly valued, judging by the elaborate harnesses and trappings that their riders bought. Warhorses also had to be hardy to withstand the rigours of campaigning. Horses used by mounted archers were so well trained that the rider could control them while standing in the stirrups and firing his bow with both hands. Most samurai were good horsemen, and some were recognised by their fellows as exceptionally good: Tokugawa Ieyasu was widely regarded as a superb horseman. He obviously knew the value of a good horse, because a grave marker at Nikko in Tochigi prefecture shows the burial place of the horse he rode at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600.

Stone Chain


Cost: ???/1350/2000

The second building in the Stone chain, the Stonemason further increases the wealth and trade goods generated, while further reducing building construction costs. The final building in the Stone chain, the Stoneworks provides the largest number of trade goods and building cost reduction, while providing additional town wealth.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Stonemason posted:

Good quality stone can be found in convenient places in this province, and the local stoneworkers are reasonably expert in getting it out of the ground. As the stonemasons are given more equipment, they can improve the amount of usable stone they extract, and so improve the defensive value of any castle that is constructed.

This kind of development also includes the transport system needed to ship stone to where it is required. Before the advent of powered transport, moving masonry and stone was often more work than actually extracting the stuff, and it is no coincidence that many quarries were near either the coast or a navigable river: boats were often the only way to transport heavy items over any distance. Final shaping and any detail work is, and was, nearly always done on the building site.

Craftwork Chain


Cost: ???/1350

Fletchers, one of two possible upgrades to Artisans, further increases province wealth and the accuracy boost to range troops produced here.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Fletchers posted:

By investing in the artisans of this province it is possible to help the economy grow through paper production and other craft industries or, by specialising in fletchers, you can improve the accuracy of the clan's bow-armed units. Craftsmen of all kinds are vital to a province, and add to the quality of life for all the people. Even the simplest peasant can appreciate good workmanship when he sees and uses something.

Craftsmanship has always been admired in Japan, and no matter how it is expressed: from the calligrapher who produces the perfect brush stroke, to the potter who makes a perfect bowl. What is required from all of these men and women is absolute dedication to their craft and, eventually, the ability to make the remarkably difficult seem easy.

Today the Japanese government recognises great craftsmen as ningen kokuho "living national treasures" or, more properly, juyo mukei bunkazai hojisha which translates as "preservers of important intangible cultural properties". Behind the formalised bureaucratic language is a simple and worthy idea: to preserve what is best among these highly skilled men and women.

Ikko Chain



The first building in the Ikko Ikki chain, the Jodo Shinshu Temple, increases the happiness of the province, converts the local population to the Ikko Ikki faith, converts neighbouring provinces to the Ikko Ikki faith, allows the recruitment of the Ikko Ikki Monk agent, increases the rate at which Chi arts are mastered, adds a garrison unit of Ikko Ikki Naginata Warrior Monks and allows the recruitment of Ikko Ikki Naginata Warrior Monks (with a Naginata Dojo).

In-game encyclopaedia - Jodo Shinshu Temple posted:

The temple is the centre of the community. From within its walls, monks spread the teachings of Buddha to the people, converting many and inciting others to revolt. The temple monks bring a message of hope too, spreading happiness and, in war, their presence is an inspiration. Unlike other Buddhist sects, Jodo Shinshu Buddhism placed great importance on the lives of those who followed its teachings. Followers were not expected to devote their entire lives to study. Instead, their faith was to be part of their ordinary, everyday lives. It was these principles that brought about the Ikko Ikki. As well as strong religious beliefs, the Ikko Ikki had equally strong political beliefs, desiring an end to feudal government, the Shoguns and the whole state. Instead, the people would rule themselves, and the Ikko Ikki were willing to die to bring about their aims. Naturally, this pitted them against the great lords of the time, including Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga. It would be Nobunaga who eventually brought destruction to the sect at the brutal battle of Nagashima.

shalcar fucked around with this message at 15:23 on Sep 23, 2014

shalcar
Oct 21, 2009

At my signal, DEAL WITH IT.
Taco Defender
Buildings (Part 2)

Smith Chain


Cost: Free/1350

The Blacksmith is the first building of the Smith Chain. It increases both the melee attack and armour of samurai units produced in the province. Weaponsmith, one of two possible upgrades of the Smith chain, increases the melee attack of ashigaru and further increases melee attack of samurai recruited in the province, at the price of the loss of bonus armour to samurai.

In-game encyclopaedia - Blacksmith posted:

There are specialist blacksmiths in this province. They may be ordered to follow one of two paths: that of the sword, or the way of the armourer. These specialists will greatly improve the melee attacks of the clan's units, or their armour in battle.

Iron working has always been a much-appreciated skill in Japan. The art of forging swords is a delicate and time-consuming business, and skilled swordsmiths were both honoured and sought after as retainers. Armourers, on the other hand, sometimes fared less well in terms of social status because their craft used leather, and tanning was a job for social outcasts as it involved handling dead animals. Some armourers would sign their work, and produce complex family histories to elevate their status. Nevertheless, the products of their labour, such as the elaborate and beautiful o-yoroi, are still valued today. King James I of England was sent gifts of samurai armour by the Tokugawa Shogunate; the armour is still in the Royal Armouries collection.

Finally, armour was expensive, and this often meant that suits of armour re-used pieces from older sets. This makes dating particular pieces of armour tricky, because it was not uncommon for older maker's marks to be erased and the refurbisher's mark to be put on instead.

Timber Chain


Cost: ???/???/2000

Sawmills is the final building in the Timber chain, further increasing the wealth of the province, the number of wood trade goods produced and even further reducing the cost of building ships in the province.

In-game encyclopaedia - Sawmills posted:

If the kodama are properly respected, the forests in this province will flourish. With the right investment, the lumbermen will be able to harvest enough good trees to reduce the cost of any vessels constructed. As the lumberyard and sawmill are developed, the costs of ships will be greatly lessened. Not all timber taken from a forest will be suitable for shipbuilding: for some European designs, for example, quite specific trunk-and-bough shapes are required for certain parts of the vessel, but wastage can be minimised.

It also takes time for cut timber to dry out and season properly for use in shipbuilding. While green timber can be used, it tends to warp and distort as it dries, making it difficult for shipwrights, or any other builders, to work straight.

Buddhist Chain


Cost: 850

The first building in the Buddhist chain, the Buddhist Temple increases the happiness of the province, converts the province towards Buddhism, increases the rate of research for Chi arts and allows the recruitment of an additional Monk agent (up to a maximum of five).

In-game encyclopaedia - Buddhist Temple posted:

Construction of a temple enables the training of monks. These Buddhist agents can spread the faith, or comfort and inspire believers; they can also spread revolt and despair among enemies. The temple itself is a place of solitude and contemplation, the perfect place to consider the world and a man's place in it.

Everyone turns to the gods in their hour of need. In the sixth century, when Prince Shotoku of the Soga needed help to banish anti-Buddhist elements from Japan, he called on the fearsome Bishamon to aid him in his efforts. Originally the protector of the north, Bishamon became the protector of the law who guarded people from illness and demons. He was also worshipped as a war god, and was one of the Shichi Fukujin, the seven deities of happiness and good luck. He normally appeared as a blue-faced warrior with a spear and a pagoda. These items represented his dual personality, half warrior, half monk, but always a protector of the faithful.

Shogun 2 Trade Goods

What do trade resources do?
Trade resources, like the name suggests, are items which your clan exports or imports and enables you to construct the final buildings of certain chains (The third and fourth Temple buildings requires Incense, for example).

So I only need to import or export them? Why get them then?
Exporting a trade good gives you the value of the trade good (shown underneath the resource icons below) for each item of the trade good you sell, in addition to the normal tariffs you would get if you traded with a clan. This is a flat bonus to your income, so it is unaffected by your tax rate or administrative cost.

Wow, why would I ever build anything else?
Your trading partners can only purchase so many trade goods from you based on their size (Around 2 per province they own is a rough estimate), so any unpurchased goods only provide half their value as income. Nevertheless, trade goods can earn you a lot of money. It's also important to note that in Realm Divide no-one will trade with you and these will be basically worthless, so if your economy is too heavily trade based, Realm Divide will wreck you. Vassals created after Realm Divide can be used to help restore your economy.

So I can be worse off if I grab an Iron province if I have maxed out my trading partners on Warhorses?
No, the maximum amount of trade goods you can sell to a clan is per trade good, not total.

If I lose access to a trade good, what happens to buildings that need it which are under construction or already built?
If you lose access to a trade good, any buildings which require it will still function and any construction that is under way will continue as normal. You will not be able to start construction of any new buildings which require it, however.




Incense: This trade good is required for third and fourth temple buildings.
Available from: Naval trade node only
Required for buildings: Temple Complex, Famous Temple


Warhorses: This trade good is required for the second, third and fourth cavalry buildings.
Available from: Higo, Suo, Awa, Mikawa, Kai, Naval trade node
Required for buildings: Warhorse Stables, Bajutsu Master Dojo, Legendary Bajutsu School


Crafts: This trade good is required for the third and fourth market buildings.
Available from: Buzen, Hoki, Echizen, Hitachi
Required for buildings: Merchant Guild, Kabunakama


Stone: This trade good is required for the fourth and fifth fort buildings as well as the final road upgrade and also for the third and fourth Christianity buildings.
Available from: Sanuki, South Shinano, Ugo
Required for buildings: Castle, Citadel, Church, Cathedral, Imperial Roads and Towers


Wood: This trade good is required for the final port buildings.
Available from: Tosa, Hida, Fukushima
Required for buildings: Drydock


Iron: This trade good is required for the third and fourth sword buildings.
Available from: Mimasake, Miyagi, Naval trade node
Required for buildings: Sword Master School, Legendary Kenjutsu Dojo


Silk: This trade good is required for the third and fourth bow buildings as well as the fourth ninja building.
Available from: Naval trade node only
Required for buildings: Bow Master Dojo, Legendary Kyudo School


Cotton: This trade good is required for the construction of the third and fourth yari buildings.
Available from: Naval trade node only
Required for buildings: Yari Master Dojo, Legendary Sojutsu School

shalcar fucked around with this message at 15:23 on Sep 23, 2014

shalcar
Oct 21, 2009

At my signal, DEAL WITH IT.
Taco Defender
Units


Cost: Special

This is the first time we have seen a unit card, so I will just briefly cover the information it contains. The top displays an icon that allows easy reference for the type of unit it is, in this case the katana and the horse indicate that it is heavy cavalry. Below that is a brief description of the unit, the current number of men in the unit (with the starting number in brackets, only relevant on the combat map) and right of that is both the current combat rank of the unit and the progress towards the next combat rank. Statistics are below that and will be covered in detail in a later update. For now, higher is always better. Underneath that is the upkeep cost, which is how many koku a turn we have to pay to maintain the unit. Special abilities are indicated by circular icons, which in this case are (from left to right): Rally, Inspire, Set Rally Point and Able to Dismount. If the general has the appropriate skill, he can also perform Stand and Fight. Any modifications to the hidden statistics (stamina/fatigue, morale resistance, kisho trained etc) are displayed in text at the bottom of the card. This General has Resistant to Morale Shocks and Good Stamina, which means that the "Recent Losses" morale penalty does not apply to the unit and that it has 50% more stamina than a regular unit, allowing it to fight and run longer than most.

These troops are the general's personal bodyguard and possess exceptional loyalty and fighting skill. With solid melee attack and high armour, these troops work as heavy cavalry early in the game when other, more elite troops are unavailable. Their usefulness in this role is limited by their small unit size and the risk associated with losing a general, but their combat acumen should not be underestimated.


Cost: 250/700/750

Yari armed troops are exceptionally effective against cavalry and will be needed in all but the most specialised armies. Yari Ashigaru (Spear Peasants) are capable of slaughtering all but the most elite cavalry with ease and their extreme cost effectiveness at this role means they will be a staple of armies all the way throughout the game. Their melee abilities against infantry are poor, however, so they should be phased out for more effective anti-infantry troops when your clan develops to that point. As peasants, their morale is poor and so they should not be relied upon to operate outside the generals aura or against samurai troops. The Ashigaru have access to the "Spear Wall" ability, which makes the unit tightly packed and increases their defence at the cost of their attack. Yari Samurai (Spear Warriors) perform the same anti-cavalry role as Yari Ashigaru, but they are even more devastating to cavalry and as samurai, more effective against infantry. Yari Samurai are an odd unit, however, as the Yari Ashigaru is able to perform their anti-cavalry role just as well for a fraction of the price. Yari Samurai have the "Rapid Advance" ability which lets them gain a large temporary speed boost helping to place them where they need to be on the battlefield. They are perfectly competent as a core line unit, but will perform less cost effectively compared to other core unit types. Naginata Samurai are the most heavily armoured non-hero units in the game and are effective against both cavalry and infantry, although not as much as their dedicated counter-units. Their incredible armour enable them to shrug off all but the most wilting arrow fire and charges, but they are slow and will tire easily climbing walls or running long distances. Naginata Samurai are unmatched in a defensive battle.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Yari Ashigaru posted:

The spear is a remarkably flexible weapon in tactical terms. It can be used in single or mass combat and is equally effective for attack and defence. Yari ashigaru are armed with very long spears that are almost pikes, and can be used to lead a battle charge into battle or act as pincers. They are well-drilled, but lack the skill and dedication of samurai. Yari ashigaru are most effective when they work together as a block, forming a wall of spears. Any cavalry that charges into a well-managed formation of yari ashigaru will be wiped out as the horses and riders are skewered.

By the Sengoku Jidai, the yari was the most common weapon issued to ashigaru and samurai, although they used different fighting techniques and tactics. The ashigaru would use spears in formation, particularly against cavalry charges. Each would take a kneeling position and form a line, laying their spears on the ground in front of them. As the charge grew nearer they would be ordered to raise their spears and, at the last moment, thrust the spears upwards into the belly of the horse. Once a spear was in a target it was to be held firmly in place until otherwise ordered.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Yari Samurai posted:

Yari samurai are extremely adaptable in battle. Spears can be used at the charge, while in defence they form an almost impenetrable wall against cavalry. The length of spears makes them especially effective against mounted troops, where they can pierce the breast of the horse or skewer a rider. In melee, yari samurai are skilled warriors that perform well against all but the best infantry troops. However, they have no defence against missile attacks, lacking the mobility to move quickly out of range.

The yari became increasingly popular among generals as the Sengoku Jidai progressed: ashigaru as well as samurai warriors were armed with it, though each used it very differently. Ashigaru yari were much longer, as they were used to create a wall of spears, and even then the length varied from clan to clan. For the samurai, the yari became used as they realised that the bow made them vulnerable when in close combat.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Naginata Samurai posted:

The naginata is a long staff with a curved blade fixed to the end. Its length and flexibility of use make it a great melee weapon. Like all samurai, these warriors have trained hard to achieve full mastery of their chosen weapon and excel when fighting enemy cavalry and infantry. Despite their versatility, they are still vulnerable to the very best cavalry and infantry and they have little protection against missile attacks. Historically, the naginata proved to be a very adaptable weapon, used by a variety of different groups in many ways. Samurai women were trained to use it in self-defence when their men were away at war, where the polearm's length compensated for the height disparity between men and women. The sohei warrior monks used it en masse, which suited their mob-like formations, while samurai used it both when mounted and on foot. To extend its already formidable reach, a samurai would hold the end of his naginata and whirl it above his head, or stand up in the stirrups of their horses and use slashing motions at the enemy.


Cost: 400

Cheap and easy to recruit, Bow Ashigaru are the cost effective way to put a lot of arrows towards the enemy. Hitting anything is quite another matter! Although their accuracy and reload skill is poor, sheer volume of fire will ensure that some arrows find their mark. As such, they are best used against other packed Ashigaru units as their bows are the worst at penetrating armour in the game. In addition, their abysmal melee stats mean that they will lose any fight they are in, assuming they don't run first from their terrible morale. They must be protected from cavalry at all costs.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Bow Ashigaru posted:

These soldiers do not possess the prowess or prestige of samurai, but they are still a formidable force. In the same time it takes to fire and reload a firearm once, these archers can loose a dozen arrows upon the enemy. Once hand-to-hand fighting starts they should retreat to safety behind the battle line, as bow ashigaru are not trained or properly equipped for melee. They must also be wary of cavalry, having little defence against a charge.

Historically, bow ashigaru were used as skirmishers and sharpshooters, and were also expected to take part in close combat once they had fired all their arrows. Perhaps surprisingly, they were not made obsolete by the arrival of guns. While gunners reloaded, archers could continue to fire arrows, providing cover and maintaining the pressure on an enemy.

It was the job of the yumi ko gashira, an ashigaru commander, to judge when the enemy was in range and when to fire so that no arrows were wasted. Assistants would be ready with well-stocked boxes of arrows for resupply, and, if they ran out, an archer could always pick up enemy arrows and return them to the original owners!




Identical in every way to Hattori Yari Ashigaru/Hattori Bow Ashigaru except slightly worse at hiding and lacking the ability to deploy outside the your deployment zone, these troops make up for it by being a full 24 koku a turn cheaper in upkeep (25% less!), enabling other clans to afford 5 units of Ashigaru to every 4 of ours (This applies to our samurai as well). Yari Samurai are identical to the Hattori Yari Samurai, but they lack Kisho Training and have lower upkeep. Bow Samurai are identical to Hattori Bow Samurai, but they lack Kisho Training and have lower upkeep.



Available only to the Ikko Ikki, Bow Ronin have improved stats compared to the Bow Samurai, which they replace. In exchange, however, they have less men in the unit. Bow Ronin are deadly, capable of inflicting serious damage on all but heavily armoured troops.



Naginata Warrior Monks are highly trained elite units with exceptional melee defence and offensive skill. Their naginata makes them effective against both infantry and cavalry, although not to the same degree as katanas or yari. Regardless, their exceptional combat statistics more than make up for any lack of weapon specialisation. The only weakness of the warrior monk is their poor armour, making them vulnerable to both ranged weapons and also to charges. Regardless, their terrifying Warcry ability, which reduces both enemy morale and melee defence to up the 3 adjacent enemy units, make them a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

In-game encyclopaedia - Naginata Warrior Monks posted:

A warrior with an unshakable faith can be very dangerous, for the truly devout have little to fear from death. For these monks, faith is not just a matter of conscience, but another weapon and one that gives them very good morale in battle. The weapon they carry is a naginata, a long staff with a blade fixed to the end. The polearm's long reach makes it effective against cavalry and infantry, but this versatility is no protection against specialist troops.

A naginata was, and still is, a polearm weapon similar to the medieval European glaive: a long, wooden shaft with a curved killing blade. The blade varied in length and was made to the same quality standard as a sword blade. These distinctive looking weapons were closely associated with warrior monks, and most famously used by Gochin no Tajima (Tajima the "arrow cutter") at the battle of Uji in 1180. Gochin was part of a group of samurai and warrior monks pursued by the Taira clan. He made a defensive stand at a bridge, whirling his naginata with such expertise that the enemy's arrows harmlessly bounced away.


Cost: Special/750/750

Samurai Retainers are a sword equipped unit of Samurai that are tasked with defending the castle. Despite their small numbers, they will deal terrible casualties to enemy yari or bow units in melee and will hold their own against other sword units. Against ashigaru units, they are incredibly deadly and should be treated with caution. They are, like all melee units, vulnerable to sustained arrow fire. Samurai Retainers are only found defending castles as a garrison, they can not be acquired any other way. Katana Samurai are the dedicated core anti-infantry unit of the game, capable of beating any other samurai or ashigaru unit in one on one combat. However, they are vulnerable to cavalry and non-ashigaru archers. Kisho ninja are incredibly powerful melee units, quite capable of dealing heavy damage to even the most skilled opponents. They have powerful grenades and smoke bombs, able to disrupt and demoralise enemy formations, while also possessing the ability to become invisible even while running! Kisho ninja are also invaluable for castle attacks, as they climb walls twice as fast as regular troops and never lose their grip. The low number of men in the unit and their high cost relegate them to a purely support role.

In-game encyclopaedia - Samurai Retainers posted:

Samurai retainers are elite expert swordsmen who remain behind to protect their master's castle from enemy attacks while the daimyo is on campaign. The retainers go into battle accepting death and fearing little, which gives them excellent morale. Accepting death is not the same thing as foolishly throwing away your life, so samurai retainers must be wary of threats from cavalry and missile troops against which they have little defence.

The katana is the weapon most readily associated with all samurai. Its elegant, curved single blade is created from high carbon steel, which is sharp but brittle, and low carbon steel, which is tough and flexible but not able to hold an edge. By cunningly combining both metals, the katana manages to be tough whilst retaining its sharp edge. The katana was made to be used as a two-handed sword; the sharp edge of the blade would cut into an enemy and the momentum of a blow would carry it through the body, often killing in one deft movement. It was a sword used for cutting rather than thrusting, and doubled as a shield because the samurai could parry and deflect enemy attacks with the flat of the blade.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Hattori Katana Samurai posted:

Katana samurai are an elite heavy infantry unit. They form part of the main line in battle, charging forward to engage the enemy in close combat. The katana is a very effective melee weapon. Its incredibly sharp blade easily cuts through enemies, while the flat deflects enemy blows.

A samurai goes into battle accepting death and fearing little, which gives him excellent morale. Accepting death and foolishly risking your life for no purpose are not the same thing, and katana samurai must be wary of threats from cavalry and missile troops, against which they have little defence.

The katana sword is the weapon most readily associated with the samurai. Its elegant, curved single blade is created from many folded layers of high carbon steel (that can take a sharp edge but is brittle), and low carbon steel (that is tough but relatively soft and prone to blunting). By combining both metals, the katana manages to be tough and retain a razor sharp edge.

Historically, the katana was made to be used as a two-handed sword, the sharp edge of the blade would cut into an enemy and the momentum of the samurai's blow would carry it through their body, often killing in one deft movement. It was a sword used for cutting rather than thrusting. A shield was not necessary, as the sword could be used to parry and deflect an enemy's strikes using the flat of the blade, without fear of it breaking.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Hattori Kisho Ninja posted:

Kisho ninja have mastered the art of invisibility, making them highly effective assassins who possess terrifying supernatural powers! In fact, their skills are actually the product of a lifetime of intensive training, cunning and the clever use of misdirection. The ability to move about largely unseen on the battlefield means they appear from nowhere, launch an assault on an enemy general and then vanish before they are caught or killed.

In addition to a small number of deadly fire bombs, they are armed with blinding grenades to disorientate an enemy for a short time, reducing their fighting ability. To remain as stealthy as possible kisho ninja operate in small numbers, so must avoid prolonged close combat because they cannot afford to take many casualties.

Historically, ninja were rarely used on the battlefield itself, although their fighting prowess was certainly equal to the challenge. Instead, a daimyo would hire them to undertake espionage missions or assassinate rivals. The ninja's role was to carry out tasks that others could not honourably accomplish, as they were not constrained by bushido, the code that governed samurai behaviour. During sieges, ninja would infiltrate an enemy's castle in disguise, gather intelligence and cause confusion by, for example, setting fires - leading the enemy to assume he had turncoats within his walls.


Cost: 400

Unique to the Ikko Ikki, Loan Sword Ashigaru are katana armed ashigaru, incredibly deadly against all other ashigaru in melee and can even do respectable damage to samurai, but their low morale and armour make them incredibly susceptible to ranged and flanking attacks.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Loan Sword Ashigaru posted:

These foot soldiers carry katana: swords renowned for their razor sharpness and cutting power. The ashigaru form part of the main battle line and, once enemy infantry has been sufficiently weakened by missile troops, the ashigaru charge in and engage in melee. Though ashigaru lack the swordsmanship of samurai, the sharp katana does most of the work. Once it cuts into an enemy, momentum carries it through, carving bone and flesh like silk. Because ashigaru don't have the same social standing as samurai, their morale isn't as good, and they are weak against cavalry charges or missile attacks. In 1588, the Japanese regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi banned all peasants from owning arms to remove the threat of peasant revolts and to hopefully limit other daimyo's attempts to seize power. This measure also meant the existing ashigaru rose in stature. Once they had been little more than trained peasantry who split their time between farming and soldiering, but now they were professional soldiers. While of a lower class than the samurai, they could fight in battle without worrying how their crops were faring.


Cost: 400

Light Cavalry are the fastest unit in the game (tied with Yari Cavalry) and have the longest sight range. While their poor melee statistics mean they should not be used in extended melee, their relatively high charge and bonus against cavalry make them cost effective morale shock units or general hunters. The low numbers of men in the unit mean that an enemy that does not break will almost certainly cripple the unit, however.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Light Cavalry posted:

Light cavalry are swift, and can deliver a devastating charge thanks to their spears. However, they should then break off, reform and attack again rather than remaining in melee. Like all samurai, they are well motivated by their sense of honour and have high morale in battle. Their speed over a battleground comes in useful when chasing down fleeing troops, or when they are needed to deliver a final blow to wavering enemies. They are, however, the weakest cavalry when fighting infantry, and are vulnerable if mishandled when facing spear infantry or if left within range of missile troops.

Historically, mounted combat was the traditional identifier of the samurai as a warrior and social class, just like the knights of medieval Europe. Being a mounted warrior required wealth and position to sustain the expense of horses, armour and servants. Perhaps this goes some way to explaining why many samurai came to fight on foot, as it was cheaper to take part in battle! Some traditions, however, such as seeking out an equally skilled and honourable foe refused to die, even though they ran counter to the idea of army and unit discipline.


Cost: 100

Trade Ships are terrible combat vessels, but can use trade nodes located in the seas around Japan to generate certain Trade Goods depending on the node. Each Trade Ship in the fleet increases the amount of goods generated in this way, although with diminishing returns.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Trade Ship posted:

All samurai consider trade and the associated money-grubbing to be vulgar. It is, quite rightly, beneath them, even though merchants often end up rather wealthy! Trade ships are seen as a necessary evil, importing valuable weapons from overseas such as cannon and firelocks. Trade ships are unarmed vessels and should run away at the first sign of trouble: this wise tactic is their only defence! They are constantly threatened by enemy clans blockading supply lines, and by the wako pirates who infest the seas around Japan!

Historically, trade between Korea and Japan was usually hampered by piracy. The Japanese wako pirates would routinely raid Korean and Chinese coasts, while the Japanese authorities seemed powerless to stop them. China responded by declaring war on the pirates, ambushing them and burning their ships. The Chinese also attacked known pirate bases and beheaded those they captured. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi came into power he banned the owning of arms by all the peasantry, which greatly reduced the power of the wako. However, the same pirates who had just been suppressed were then recruited for their naval expertise: Hideyoshi needed them for his ill-fated invasion of Korea in 1592.


Cost: 350

The Medium Bune is a flexible early game warship, travelling with the speed of lighter ships, yet carrying a respectable complement of archers and swordsmen. Designed to be able to both board and capture lighter ships, yet also able to provide ranged support against heavier ships, the Medium Bune serves as a solid compliment to any other ship.

Ingame Encyclopaedia - Medium Bune posted:

Medium or "seki" bunes are likely to be the main element of any clan navy, thanks to their size and general "handiness". They have reasonably strong hulls and carry enough crew to give them the ability to support bigger ships. They also retain enough speed and manoeuvrability to combat the lighter, faster ships. This puts them somewhere between the o ataka bune and kobaya in terms of their uses and deployment. Because they are not specialised, medium bunes will not be able to match speeds with lighter ships or the strength of heavy vessels, but they have versatility on their side.

Historically, seki bunes hulls resembled smaller versions of the o ataka bunes, with the addition of a pointed bow. They also lacked the o ataka's deck house. Ataka bunes were extremely powerful but their size made them sluggish and unresponsive. The seki bunes were a response to this, and managed to combine speed with strength, making them flexible fleet units for any sea-going general.


Cost: 150

The Bow Kobaya is a light, fast vessel with a relatively numerous archer compliment for its size. While it won't stand up to heavier vessels one on one, if given the chance to attack unopposed it will do incredible damage for the price. Bow Kobaya are also good for chasing down fleeing enemy vessels and boarding them to force surrender.

Ingame Encyclopaedia - Bow Kobaya posted:

The ship's purpose is to stay on the edges of a fleet, quickly moving to key points to provide fire wherever necessary. Its speed means it can avoid being boarded by soldiers from heavier, more powerful ships while harassing them with arrows. The crew of this vessel is not expected to launch boarding attacks, only soften up a target for other friendly ships. They also have the ability to fire flaming arrows for a short period of time, which are much more devastating than standard arrows. Ironically, the archers are also vulnerable to missile fire as the upper deck of the ship has no protection.

During the Sengoku Jidai, ships were mostly made from wood, occasionally augmented by thick bamboo or iron plates. This made them inflammable, and it was quite common to set fire to a vessel prior to boarding it. Archers would use fire arrows, or bombs would be thrown, all in the interests of making life as difficult as possible for the defenders. However, boarding actions were the most important tactic of war at sea, and everything else was subordinated to them. This was just as well, as incendiary weapons lacked the power of cannons, which were hardly common. Japanese naval warfare never went the same way as European naval tactics, with ships becoming gun platforms and fighting at a distance for the most part.


Cost: 400

The Sengoku Bune is a middle tier warship, designed for speed and boarding actions. Lacking the archers of other ships, the Sengoku Bune makes up for this with a large, well protected complement of melee soldiers. In addition, the sail enables the Sengoku Bune to move faster than almost all other ships, with the exception of the lightest.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Sengoku Bune posted:

The sengoku bune is distinguished from other Japanese ships by its sail. This sail is carried in addition to the oarsmen on board, and sailing with the wind allows it to chase down enemy ships. The sengoku bune has few crew compared to similar sized ships, so it is best used to attack smaller, weaker ships rather than those in its own weight category. Historically, sengoku bunes were large junk-style ships used to carry rice and sake. In 1609, converted sengoku bunes were used in the Shimazu raid on the independent kingdom of Ryukyu. These were joined in the attack by ataka bunes, warships that resembled large floating castles. The combination together was an interesting attempt to advance the art of sea warfare.

shalcar fucked around with this message at 15:25 on Sep 23, 2014

shalcar
Oct 21, 2009

At my signal, DEAL WITH IT.
Taco Defender
Arts

Chi Arts



The Chi tree grants benefits of an economic nature, increasing trade revenues, boosting tax rates, unlocking economic buildings and focusing on improvement to your people through religion and fortifications. Listed on the above graphic you can find the arts, the time it would take to research them (assuming no art bonuses) and the benefits they would provide. We won't be seeing the Military tree, Bushido, for a little while, as in Shogun 2 the Chi tree has two critical arts which must be researched as soon as possible, these are Todofuken and Equal Fields. Luckily, Todofuken is the only pre-requisite for Equal Fields, so we collect everything critical in one pass.

Bushido Arts



The Bushido tree grants benefits of an military nature, increasing unit combat statistics, unlocking new abilities, unlocking military buildings and focusing on improvement to your forces through experience boosts. Listed on the above graphic you can find the arts, the time it would take to research them (assuming no art bonuses) and the benefits they would provide. Now that we have finally reached the Bushido tree, we can expect a rapid collection of critical military arts like Strategy of Defence, Heaven and Earth, Way of the Bow and Form.

Arts Bonus in Shogun 2

The way arts work in Shogun 2 can be a little obtuse to newer players, but is actually quite simple. Each turn, the player generates 100 points towards mastering their next art. Each bonus percentage increases that 1 to 1 (So a 10% boost to arts adds another 10 to the total). Short campaigns give the player a base boost of 20% to arts to partially compensate for having half the number of turns available.

The reason art boosts can seem odd to players is that they doesn't always work like it appears at first glance.

For example, assume an art takes 10 turns to research. A 10% boost to research "feels" like it should take one turn off, but it won't. Here is why:
The art takes 1000 points. To complete it in 9 turns we need to have a rate of 1000/9 = 112 (111.1) or a boost of 12% to arts.

Things get trickier when you already have a boost to arts. Take for example our 1000 point art but let's say that we are doing it in 7 turns due to our 45% boost in arts. If we want to bring that down to 6 turns, we would need to have a 67% boost to arts, a full 25% more than our current, rather than the ~17% you would expect. This means that arts boosts are more effective the less of them you have, which makes arts easier to acquire in the long campaign compared to the short (Part of the reason why the Long campaign is the easier of the two).

To complete an art of any given length, here are the bonuses to arts required:



Mastered Chi Arts:







Mastered Bushido Arts:


shalcar fucked around with this message at 06:21 on Jun 15, 2014

shalcar
Oct 21, 2009

At my signal, DEAL WITH IT.
Taco Defender
Agents

Ninja

Ninja are incredibly versatile, remaining hidden on the campaign map unless revealed by enemy agents or armies. Ninjas have the highest sight range of all the agents and it increases as they gain ranks. In addition, they are the best at scouting and seeing the composition of enemy armies. A ninja acting on their own can sabotage enemy buildings, causing damage and preventing the use of them, sabotage enemy armies, preventing them from moving, reinforcing and losing men proportional to the skill of the ninja and assassinate enemy generals and agents, removing them from the game for a limited amount of time or even permanently. When a ninja is placed into a friendly town they establish a spy network, increasing your sight range beyond the borders of your province and making enemy actions significantly more difficult against the town. If a ninja is assigned to a friendly army, they increase the movement speed of the army on the battle map and make it exceptionally difficult for enemy ninjas to perform actions against them. Ninja are most effective at killing enemy Monks and Missionaries, but are exceptionally vulnerable to the Metsuke agent. Ninjas have the lowest life expectancy of all the agents by a very large margin!

Ninja Skills


Seen Ninja Skills





General

Generals are the leaders of your armies, able to unleash the true potential of even the lowliest peasant! While he provides limited benefit as an Agent, Generals are decisive on the battlefield. Generals should avoid Ninja and Metsuke, for they are vulnerable to both steel and gold! A Generals likelihood of falling in such a manner is related to his rank and loyalty, respectively.

General Skills


Seen General Skills




Commissions in Shogun 2

In Shogun 2 there are 4 commissions that can be assigned to eligible generals. A Daimyo or Heir can not be assigned a commission. All other generals are eligible. Giving a general a commission increases their loyalty by 1, while removing a commission gives a general a -1 loyalty penalty (making a 2 loyalty difference). A general can only be assigned a commission once a turn and your starting general can not have his commission changed on the first turn. You may change commissions giving an existing general a commission that is unassigned without penalty. However, giving a general a commission that another general currently has will strip that general of his commission and cause the penalty, so you will need to juggle with swapping out to an unassigned commission if you wish to swap between two existing generals without penalty. If all four commissions are assigned, you can not swap without penalty.

Each benefit of the commissions are multiplied by the number of general stars on the appropriate general. A rank 1 general gets the below benefits, while a rank 4 general would get 4 times the benefits.



The Commission for Development reduces the cost of buildings you construct and the resistance to invaders from provinces captured by this general. This commission is moderately useful, but tends to be useful towards the later game. Early game, buildings are fairly inexpensive and so the savings are limited and your expansion speed tends to be dictated by the army you can afford rather than the happiness of your provinces. Late game, however, a high ranked general with development is capable of flying through provinces like a hot knife through butter, leaving almost no unhappiness from invasion.



The best all round commission, Finance is always useful given that koku is the universal solution to problems in Shogun 2. The clanwide boost to tax is rather substantial and scales perfectly with your realm size, unlike other commissions, making it the perfect early commission. The upkeep reduction tends to be modest for early game armies, but can be quite impressive with endgame stacks of samurai and monks, paired with a moderately ranked general. Unlike the other commissions, the benefits accumulate (koku just keeps building up in your bank, after all) while the other commissions only work while you are performing their action (making buildings or troops, replenishing armies).



Another early game powerhouse commission, the Commissioner for Supply increases the replenishment rate of all your troops empire wide and increases the movement range of troops under his personal command. Given that early game replenishment is a paltry 4%, having a mere rank 2 Commissioner for Supply increases this by 50%! The additional movement stacks with other movement buffs, making your Commissioner for Supply amazing for either covering multiple fronts or for launching blazing attacks against enemy weak spots.



The weakest of all the commissions, Warfare under-performs in everything it sets out to do. Given that the cost of a unit is eclipsed by a mere 3 turns of upkeep, a trivial reduction to troop purchase price represents a negligible benefit to troop recruitment and army size. Even worse is the reduction to unit cooldowns, as even with the cooldown reduction at a full 12% from a rank 6 general, battles will rarely last long enough to take benefit of using abilities twice unless you purposely use everyone's abilities right at the start, but that tends to be far less effective than waiting for the right time in the battle, so you don't really gain anything there.

Metsuke

Metsuke are the counter unit to ninja, but are susceptible to monks and missionaries. Metsuke can apprehend enemy agents, removing them from the game for a set period of time or permanently, have the highest ninja detection range of all the agents, can bribe enemy armies and garrisons and oversee towns, making sabotage more difficult and increasing the tax rate by 5% per star. Unfortunately, that last ability is so powerful that metsuke will rarely, if ever, see any of their other uses in an offensive manner. This is exacerbated by their skill tree, which gives ludicrous bonuses to overseeing or lacklustre boosts to the other skills, making the choice incredibly one sided

Metsuke Skills


Seen Metsuke Skills



Monk
MonkIcon.jpg
Monks are the counter unit to Metsuke, but are susceptible to Ninja. Monks can demoralise enemy armies, cause peasant uprisings, convert provinces to Shinto-Buddhism, raise the morale of your troops or increase happiness in your cities.

Monk Skills


Seen Monk Skills

shalcar fucked around with this message at 17:22 on Dec 3, 2014

Sydin
Oct 29, 2011

Another spring commute
Awesome, been waiting for your Shogun 2 LP! Hope this one fini-

shalcar posted:

:siren:HELL YES IT WILL!:siren:

Oh, well then.

But seriously, this should be good. Looking forward to all those dead ninja. :allears:

CommissarMega
Nov 18, 2008

THUNDERDOME LOSER
How far have the Hattori advanced in their anti-granary techniques? :v:

Scalding Coffee
Jun 26, 2006

You're already dead
I know you said there wouldn't be mods, but there are some that remove arbitrary unit limitations. You might be able to test out units you wouldn't be able to field.

Chaeden
Sep 10, 2012
I'm looking forward to this. I recently had a quite good run with the hattori though I admit to having mods going when I did. *the mods added a new unique unit for tokugwa and hattori that are basically lower number loan sword ashigaru that happen to be ninjas. Good at hiding, good at surprising, and useful in combat so long as you aren't dumb enough to think they'll survive a frontal charge against numerically surperior and statistically similar units.....also samurai eat them for breakfast.* Looking forward to a standard run of them and the failure to kill grain.

ZenVulgarity
Oct 9, 2012

I made the hat by transforming my zen

Glad to see you're going through with this Shalcar! Can't wait for this and the eventual tournament.

Revenant Threshold
Jan 1, 2008
The Hattori are great fun. I like desperate pitched battles against much larger forces, which is certainly what you end up fighting with these guys.

GhostStalker
Mar 26, 2010

Guys, find a woman who looks at you the way GhostStalker looks at every bald, obese, single 58 year old accountant from Tulsa who managed to win $4,000 by not wagering on a Final Jeopardy triple stumper.

Awesome, I was wondering when this would go up. Bring Nakamitsu's hatred of granaries to all of Japan, and they will bow to your might!

Scribbleykins
Apr 29, 2010

Any scientist with the right background can brew his own booze.

...

What do you mean electrolytes aren't used for brewing booze? That's silly!

...

Well when all you have are chunks of TNE and an overly large water ration, all the world looks like a still!
Grimey Drawer
Aha, it's up! Looking forward to it, Shalcar.

shalcar
Oct 21, 2009

At my signal, DEAL WITH IT.
Taco Defender

CommissarMega posted:

How far have the Hattori advanced in their anti-granary techniques? :v:

We will have to wait and see!

Scalding Coffee posted:

I know you said there wouldn't be mods, but there are some that remove arbitrary unit limitations. You might be able to test out units you wouldn't be able to field.

I won't be removing unit limitations for the same reason I'm not running other mods; I want this to be informative and instructional to new players who have just picked the game up or are considering picking the game up.

ZenVulgarity posted:

Glad to see you're going through with this Shalcar! Can't wait for this and the eventual tournament.

The tournament will indeed be epic! I'm excepting a much bigger turnout, not to mention the plethora of army types we can see. I'm also working on a handicap system of some sort to give newer players a fighting chance against certain other players.

shalcar
Oct 21, 2009

At my signal, DEAL WITH IT.
Taco Defender
The Lessons of the Past

Spring of 1545

"Tell me the history of the Hattori" Yasunaga queried. "Where did we come from and who are we?"
"Nakamitsu?" responded Masanari. "Nakamitsu was the first Hattori Daimyo?"
Yasunaga nodded. "He was indeed the first of our line, given his position by the great Taira Munemori himself."
"Nakamitsu was the best ninja in all Japan!" exclaimed Masanari.
"Indeed he was" replied Yasunaga, smiling. "We will honour the memory of heroes with a new empire. The Taira may be shattered, but we will rebuild their empire and return Japan to prosperity."


This is the Clan Summary Screen. It shows our current global effects, fame throughout Japan, empire statistics, victory conditions, diplomatic summary and current missions. A purely informational screen, the most important piece to note is our clanwide fame. Once the bar for fame fills, we will be seen as a real threat to put our family in permanent power and as such all other clans of Japan will turn hostile towards us leading to war within a few turns of it being reached. We will need to be wary of not getting too large without being prepared to face Japan's last onslaught. Alternatively, if we seize Kyoto before our fame bar fills, Realm Divide will trigger without warning! Many newer players often fall into the trap of taking Kyoto early, not realising that in doing so they have made their game harder far sooner than necessary. Luckily for us, Japan barely knows we exist right now, let alone worries about our dreams of conquest.


"What about uncle Taketoshi?" asked Masanari, puzzled. "Does he get an empire too?"
Yasunaga laughed. "No, he will help us with ours, but don't let your mother catch you calling him uncle! She never was all that fond of him."
"I like him" exclaimed Masanari. "He can make silly faces!"
"You should see his face when he does the mustering reports" whispered Yasunaga, leaning in close. "He looks like a man eating a lemon."


This is our family tree, showing all current members of our family. Our current Daimyo is Hattori Yasunaga, a man of solid but unremarkable honour as shown by the three pips to the right of his character frame. Beneath him are his son Masanari. Masanari, our eldest son and heir at only 4 years old, is not yet a man and so has no formal rank nor bodyguards. For game purposes, he is practically untouchable until he comes of age. While under-age children can be used as hostages for surety, it's pretty much always a terrible idea and so is rarely done. Underneath the family are any loyal generals, skilled men of dedication and exceptional intelligence, such as Momochi Taketoshi. His loyalty to the clan is higher than most, as demonstrated by the 4 pips to the right of his character frame. All generals, children of age and brothers have loyalty to the current Daimyo represented in that way. At the bottom are the controls where we can manage our commissions, assigning them to characters who are neither Daimyo nor heir for bonuses. The Daimyo is represented by the sun at high noon over the character portrait, while the heir is represented with the rising sun. Taketoshi, with the pair of crossed swords, is our Commissioner for Warfare.


"Dad, Taketoshi told me that you have killed 3 ninjas" Masanari stated. "He said you showed those bastards why you are the Daimyo"
"I definitely wouldn't tell your mother that story in those words!" Yasunaga exclaimed. "It's true though, there have been three attempts on my life and all three failed."
"Was it scary?" asked Masanari.
"Don't tell Taketoshi, but I got lucky. It never stops being scary son, the trick is to put the fear to one side and do what needs to be done."


With his honour of 3, Yasunaga provides no benefits to settlement happiness or to general loyalty, but also provides no penalties. He, like all Hattori generals, possesses the Night Fighter trait and so is able to command troops under the shroud of darkness, but he is also Protected by the Spirits, making him significantly more difficult to assassinate. This is most certainly a good thing, for who knows a ninja's tricks more than a ninja? At 32 years of age, he stands a decent chance of surviving until the end of the game leading his clan to glorious victory. As he is the Daimyo, any troops he leads will be inspired by his presence on the battlefield and receive a bonus morale. Like all generals, he is represented on the battle map by a unit of general's bodyguard. He is currently located in our clan capital in Iga. Note that the small structure at the bottom of the screenshot is a ninja school and the farm to the north, which can be attacked by hostile armies and damaged, after which it will need (usually costly!) repairs in order to regain their benefits. These buildings are denoted by the smaller mon (flag) of the controlling clan.


Cost: Special

This is the first time we have seen a unit card, so I will just briefly cover the information it contains. The top displays an icon that allows easy reference for the type of unit it is, in this case the katana and the horse indicate that it is heavy cavalry. Below that is a brief description of the unit, the current number of men in the unit (with the starting number in brackets, only relevant on the combat map) and right of that is both the current combat rank of the unit and the progress towards the next combat rank. Statistics are below that and will be covered in detail in a later update. For now, higher is always better. Underneath that is the upkeep cost, which is how many koku a turn we have to pay to maintain the unit. Special abilities are indicated by circular icons, which in this case are (from left to right): Rally, Inspire, Set Rally Point and Able to Dismount. If the general has the appropriate skill, he can also perform Stand and Fight. Any modifications to the hidden statistics (stamina/fatigue, morale resistance, kisho trained etc) are displayed in text at the bottom of the card. This General has Resistant to Morale Shocks and Good Stamina, which means that the "Recent Losses" morale penalty does not apply to the unit and that it has 50% more stamina than a regular unit, allowing it to fight and run longer than most.

These troops are the general's personal bodyguard and possess exceptional loyalty and fighting skill. With solid melee attack and high armour, these troops work as heavy cavalry early in the game when other, more elite troops are unavailable. Their usefulness in this role is limited by their small unit size and the risk associated with losing a general, but their combat acumen should not be underestimated.

Ingame encyclopaedia - General posted:

A general oversees a battle and provides an inspiring example to men whose courage is beginning to falter. His loyal bodyguards consider death in the line of duty to be the greatest thing a warrior can hope to achieve. They are hand-picked samurai of great courage and exceptional skill in combat. This unit can carry out vital manoeuvres such as flanking attacks or chasing routers, but that may leave the general vulnerable, so any aggressive action should be undertaken with great caution.

Historically, daimyo surrounded themselves with a large retinue of bodyguards, weapon carriers and various other attendants. The second great unifier of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) had seven men who acted as bodyguards, named 'yello-horo-shu' after the gold horo they wore, a mark of their great importance. A daimyo may also have had a 'zori tori', who acted as a close personal assistant. Even the task of carrying a warlord's sandals was seen as a great honour, as the attendant was hand-picked by the daimyo himself, proving that he could be trusted and was therefore worthy of respect.



"YOU CALL THAT HIDING?" Taketoshi's voice bellowed across the valley. "My grandmother could see you and she's been dead 10 years!"
The chastised samurai stood up and shuffled his feet. "Sorry, my Lord"
Taketoshi leaned in close. "It's not me that gets killed when you get spotted. It's you and your unit. Keep your profile low and be conscious of where your feet are. I don't know of a tree with extended feet!"


Taketoshi is our only general apart from our Daimyo and he, like all Hattori generals, is a Night Fighter. As the Commissioner for Warfare the abilities of troops under his command cooldown 2% faster and all units throughout our empire are 2% cheaper to recruit. As he gains command stars, these numbers will improve based on his skill (Twice as good for rank 2, three times as good for rank 3 etc). His loyalty is solid but not infallible, so he can be trusted with all but the most critical tasks. Given that he is the only other general we have, our options will be limited although there are ways of improving his loyalty. Taketoshi is currently on maneuvers to the northwest with the entire Hattori army consisting of 1 Yari Samurai, 2 Yari Ashigaru and 1 Bow Ashigaru.


Cost: 250/700

Yari armed troops are exceptionally effective against cavalry and will be needed in all but the most specialised armies. Yari Ashigaru (Spear Peasants) are capable of slaughtering all but the most elite cavalry with ease and their extreme cost effectiveness at this role means they will be a staple of armies all the way throughout the game. Their melee abilities against infantry are poor, however, so they should be phased out for more effective anti-infantry troops when your clan develops to that point. As peasants, their morale is poor and so they should not be relied upon to operate outside the generals aura or against samurai troops. The Ashigaru have access to the "Spear Wall" ability, which makes the unit tightly packed and increases their defence at the cost of their attack. Yari Samurai (Spear Warriors) perform the same anti-cavalry role as Yari Ashigaru, but they are even more devastating to cavalry and as samurai, more effective against infantry. Yari Samurai are an odd unit, however, as the Yari Ashigaru is able to perform their anti-cavalry role just as well for a fraction of the price. Yari Samurai have the "Rapid Advance" ability which lets them gain a large temporary speed boost helping to place them where they need to be on the battlefield. They are perfectly competent as a core line unit, but will perform less cost effectively compared to other core unit types.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Yari Ashigaru posted:

The spear is a remarkably flexible weapon in tactical terms. It can be used in single or mass combat and is equally effective for attack and defence. Yari ashigaru are armed with very long spears that are almost pikes, and can be used to lead a battle charge into battle or act as pincers. They are well-drilled, but lack the skill and dedication of samurai. Yari ashigaru are most effective when they work together as a block, forming a wall of spears. Any cavalry that charges into a well-managed formation of yari ashigaru will be wiped out as the horses and riders are skewered.

By the Sengoku Jidai, the yari was the most common weapon issued to ashigaru and samurai, although they used different fighting techniques and tactics. The ashigaru would use spears in formation, particularly against cavalry charges. Each would take a kneeling position and form a line, laying their spears on the ground in front of them. As the charge grew nearer they would be ordered to raise their spears and, at the last moment, thrust the spears upwards into the belly of the horse. Once a spear was in a target it was to be held firmly in place until otherwise ordered.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Yari Samurai posted:

Yari samurai are extremely adaptable in battle. Spears can be used at the charge, while in defence they form an almost impenetrable wall against cavalry. The length of spears makes them especially effective against mounted troops, where they can pierce the breast of the horse or skewer a rider. In melee, yari samurai are skilled warriors that perform well against all but the best infantry troops. However, they have no defence against missile attacks, lacking the mobility to move quickly out of range.

The yari became increasingly popular among generals as the Sengoku Jidai progressed: ashigaru as well as samurai warriors were armed with it, though each used it very differently. Ashigaru yari were much longer, as they were used to create a wall of spears, and even then the length varied from clan to clan. For the samurai, the yari became used as they realised that the bow made them vulnerable when in close combat.


Cost: 400

Cheap and easy to recruit, Bow Ashigaru are the cost effective way to put a lot of arrows towards the enemy. Hitting anything is quite another matter! Although their accuracy and reload skill is poor, sheer volume of fire will ensure that some arrows find their mark. As such, they are best used against other packed Ashigaru units as their bows are the worst at penetrating armour in the game. In addition, their abysmal melee stats mean that they will lose any fight they are in, assuming they don't run first from their terrible morale. They must be protected from cavalry at all costs.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Bow Ashigaru posted:

These soldiers do not possess the prowess or prestige of samurai, but they are still a formidable force. In the same time it takes to fire and reload a firearm once, these archers can loose a dozen arrows upon the enemy. Once hand-to-hand fighting starts they should retreat to safety behind the battle line, as bow ashigaru are not trained or properly equipped for melee. They must also be wary of cavalry, having little defence against a charge.

Historically, bow ashigaru were used as skirmishers and sharpshooters, and were also expected to take part in close combat once they had fired all their arrows. Perhaps surprisingly, they were not made obsolete by the arrival of guns. While gunners reloaded, archers could continue to fire arrows, providing cover and maintaining the pressure on an enemy.

It was the job of the yumi ko gashira, an ashigaru commander, to judge when the enemy was in range and when to fire so that no arrows were wasted. Assistants would be ready with well-stocked boxes of arrows for resupply, and, if they ran out, an archer could always pick up enemy arrows and return them to the original owners!


As she sat by the campfire, Chisato wondered why she, of all the new recruits, had been chosen to perform missions for the Daimyo himself. She wasn't the strongest or the fastest. When she asked her teacher why, he had only replied "Observation yields all answers".
"What observation?" she wondered. "What answers?"


We start with a single agent, a Ninja. Ninja's are incredibly versatile, remaining hidden on the campaign map unless revealed by enemy agents or armies. Ninjas have the highest sight range of all the agents and it increases as they gain ranks. In addition, they are the best at scouting and seeing the composition of enemy armies. A ninja acting on their own can sabotage enemy buildings, causing damage and preventing the use of them, sabotage enemy armies, preventing them from moving, reinforcing and losing men proportional to the skill of the ninja and assassinate enemy generals and agents, removing them from the game for a limited amount of time or even permanently. When a ninja is placed into a friendly town they establish a spy network, increasing your sight range beyond the borders of your province and making enemy actions significantly more difficult against the town. If a ninja is assigned to a friendly army, they increase the movement speed of the army on the battle map and make it exceptionally difficult for enemy ninjas to perform actions against them. Ninja are most effective at killing enemy Monks and Missionaries, but are exceptionally vulnerable to the Metsuke agent. Ninjas have the lowest life expectancy of all the agents by a very large margin!



"Our home, Iga, has poor soil and makes poor harvests" lectured Yasunaga. "But this hardship is our strength! The men and women of this province are the hardest people in Japan."
"Like you!" announced Masanari.
"Our ninja and warriors are second to none" continued Yasunaga, waving away the compliment as a slight smile touched his lips. "Our smuggling isn't too bad either!"


Our home province of Iga is incredibly modest, containing a Fort, Sake Den, Rice Paddies, Trails and Mountain Hideout. In Shogun 2, all provinces have some buildings in common. Each province has a castle, a farm and road network. By upgrading the castle additional building slots are unlocked. As we only have the most basic castle, the Fort, we only have one extra building available to us, which is currently filled by a Sake Den. Farms provide food, which is empire wide, as well as providing a boost to town wealth based on the fertility of the province. As Iga is only Meagre fertility (the second worst!), farming provides very little wealth to the town. Upgrading castles consumes food however, so it's often a good idea to upgrade even your less fertile provinces so that you can support more buildings and fortifications in your empire. Roads increase the speed at which agents and armies travel along them and at higher levels, the replenishment rate of troops and economic growth of the province. Enemies benefit from your roads just like you do, so be careful to not make a highway right into your weak spots!

Some provinces in Shogun 2 have a speciality. In the case of Iga, our speciality is Ninja Clans. A province with a speciality has an extra building slot representing the benefits of the local people. Our Mountain Hideout is this building for Ninja Clans. It means that the ninja agents we recruit here are of higher quality than those produced elsewhere and our kisho ninja are more experienced. Like all building chains, it can be upgraded and it has the option of improving our ninja agents further or our kisho ninja.

This is our first look at the town summary screen, which has several key items of information stored here. To the top left we can see what proportion of the peasants/province administrators are of a certain religion. As this is our territory that we have held for some time and we are a Buddhist clan, we have the full support of the people. The top right shows the net food impact of this province, as you can see, Iga produces as much food than it consumes, the exact mechanics of food I will cover later. Beneath that we have the happiness of the province and the detailed breakdown. On the positive bar you can see that the repression from our Daimyo's bodyguard is 1 and the local castle is worth 4 happiness, with our Sake Den providing the remaining 2. The negative bar shows that our taxation rate is -4 happiness so our overall happiness is 3. To the lower left is the wealth breakdown of the province, with farming improvements providing 780 koku of wealth a season, Commerce buildings (our Sake Den) worth 100 and the town economic activity worth 300 koku a season. Farming and building wealth is static based on items built in the province, while wealth from the town grows or shrinks depending on the factors on the right window. Town buildings are currently adding nothing to growth, but our tax rate retards growth by 2 a turn, leaving our town wealth reducing by 2 a turn.

To the bottom of the wealth section, the total province wealth, tax rate and resultant income is listed. Tax rate is the effective tax rate, this will reduce as administrative overheads increase or increase as corruption and inefficiency are eliminated.


Cost: Free

The most basic building in the Castle chain, the Fort is present in all provinces from game start. It provides small stone walls and a single regiment of Samurai Retainers as a garrison. Defenders inside the walls will never flee from morale loss and must be killed to the last man, rendering troops defending here more powerful than they would seem. It also allows recruitment of units in the province and provides repression, suppressing rebellion in the province. It allows recruitment of Yari Ashigaru, Bow Ashigaru and with the appropriate art, Matchlock Ashigaru.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Fort posted:

A fort is a basic defence against attackers, and can be garrisoned with troops to slow down and hinder any enemy incursions. Even the smallest castle can be difficult to take, and leaving the garrison unmolested and behind an advancing army is not always an option. A fort is also a symbol to the locals to remind them of their overlord's power, and it can be used as a recruiting centre for some basic types of warrior.

Historically, the castles of the early Sengoku Jidai were a good deal less majestic than what is now considered to be the classical Japanese castle. The first castles were practical structures, made of wood and without multi-storeyed towers and stone walls. They were used for the defence and surveillance of the surrounding region, where the grand later buildings were also lordly mansions and seats of government, often with entire towns built around them. Early castles were located on rivers, at ports and other strategic points, and cunningly took full advantage of the natural landscape: mountainous positions were favoured, and nearby streams were diverted and dammed as moats. It was common for the defenders to not lurk behind their walls when attacked: the defenders would, more often than not, sally forth to meet the enemy rather than rely on the walls.


Cost: 850

The first building in the Stealth chain, the Sake Den increases the happiness of the people in the province, adds town wealth and allows the recruitment of Ninja in the province up to the number of Stealth chain buildings in your empire (Maximum 5).

Ingame encyclopaedia - Sake Den posted:

A sake den makes people happy, after a fashion. There is much to be said in favour of a flask of sake at the end of a long, hard day, and many troubles look much smaller after a convivial evening. In the shadows, however, and hidden behind smiles, darker business can be transacted: secrets exchanged and arrangements made. Among other dangerous types, ninjas are to be found here.

One of the most popular beverages in Japan, sake was originally only produced in small quantities for personal consumption. In the 1300s, however, mass production began in larger distilleries, often near temples and shrines. In later years, the main producers kept to the same places thanks to the availability of good sake rice and good, clean water. Sake was often used in Shinto rituals, and today barrels of sake are still left at shrines as rather splendid offerings to the spirits. Sake is also central to the Shinto ceremony of "kagami biraki", performed at weddings and festivals. Wooden casks of sake are smashed open with a mallet, and the drinks are then served to all the guests to bring them good fortune.


Cost: Free

The first building in the Farming chain, Rice Paddies provides wealth to the province and food to your empire. The amount of wealth generated is modified by the fertility of the province. The values are Barren (1x), Meagre (1.3x), Average (1.5x), Fertile (2x), Very Fertile (3x).

Ingame encyclopaedia - Rice Paddies posted:

Paddies are the artificially flooded fields where rice is grown. Rice is the staple foodstuff of all Japanese people, from the lowly peasant growing the crop to the mightiest daimyo enjoying his rice from an exquisitely elegant bowl. Taxes are measured in koku, or sacks of rice. Each province's basic wealth and therefore potential tax yield is measured by its rice output.

Working in rice paddies has always been long, exhausting work. The preparation of small dikes and channels to manage the water supply is a huge task for any farmer. Once the fields are properly laid out and flooded, the individual rice plants have to be hand-planted one at a time, a backbreaking task for anyone. The work was often communal, as most villages were self-governing and self-sustaining. A successful crop was not guaranteed, and a poor harvest would be doubly devastating as the peasants starved and their taxes to the local daimyo, often in taken rice, went unpaid. The violent repercussions of such disrespect and failure were rightly feared. Where the ruling clan was too weak or ineffective to impose taxes things were often no easier, as bandits would quite happily impose their own "taxes" on villagers. From the villagers' perspective, there was little to choose between taxmen and bandits. In this, at least, the Japanese peasants were identical to others all across the world.


Cost: Free

The first building in the Infrastructure chain, Trails increases the movement of troops and agents that use them. Enemy troops and agents will still gain the benefit of improved roads, so be careful which provinces you upgrade.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Trails posted:

Trails aid movement in a province. They are little more than the tracks to and from the fields, linked by the rough paths blazed by particularly adventurous peasants.

Historically, most people rarely left their home village. Most folk lived and died within a few miles of their birthplace. There was simply no point in travel for most people: moving somewhere else would merely bring them under the control of a different warlord. Day-to-day life would be exactly the same, and largely spent labouring in a soggy field. Also, wrinkly feet are not conducive to travel!


Cost: Free

Available only in provinces which have the Ninja Clans speciality, the Assassin Chain can be upgraded into two alternative paths that provide differing bonuses. The first building in the Assassin chain is the Mountain Hideout, common to both upgrade paths, providing improved Ninja agents and also improved Kisho Ninja troops.

Ingame encyclopaedia - Mountain Hideout posted:

Although ninja may be regarded as dangerous, troublesome and underhanded, there is no denying their usefulness to a daimyo. An enemy who meets a knife in the dark will be just as dead as one killed in battle. The ninja here can be encouraged along two paths: to become better killers, or to act as smugglers, and improve the income of the province.

Ninja "clans" were not uncommon in Japan, as families tended to pass the secrets of ninjutsu between father and son. The matter was never openly talked about. Much of what is commonly believed about ninja is largely movie invention: even the ninjato, the ninja sword, has no proven historical basis. A ninja almost certainly carried a katana, the finest sword he could, if he carried a sword at all. Shuriken (darts, stars and other projectiles) were also carried and used.

One, possibly apocryphal tale, illustrates the dedication and danger of the ninja. Having been hired to assassinate a lord, the ninja allegedly waited down a toilet, surrounded by faeces, for the bottom of his target to appear in the appropriate place, then thrust home his blade. The victim's death must have been surprising, agonizing and swift! The ninja must surely have been blessed with a strong stomach, or no sense of smell, to spend days in such hideous conditions.


"Our location in central Japan gives us many fronts, but many opportunities as well" continued Yasunaga. "Many valuable provinces lie nearby."
"What about all the rest of Japan, dad?" asked Masanari. "Are they all rich?"
"Some are" conceded his father. "Until we meet official envoys, however, we can only guess as to their motives."


This is the map of Japan to the best of our knowledge and as you can see, we know very little right now! The snowflake in the centre represents Kyoto, the capital of Japan and the home of the Emperor and current Shogun. It is currently owned by Ashikaga Shogunate. To our south is the blue Kitabatake, the grey Tsutsui to our west and the purple Asai to the north-east. Along the ocean are little anchor icons, these represent the international trade lanes and can be controlled by a clan to enable the importation of trade goods impossible to find in Japan.


"What are their motives, dad?" queried Masanari. "Doesn't everyone like us?"
"Not many people like us" replied Yasunaga. "They fear the shadows and they fear what lurks in them."
"Even the Asai?" responded Masanari. "You said they were friends"
"The Asai in Omi to the north have long been supporters of our people" a look of something like regret passed across Yasunaga's face. "They have incredibly rich lands which any man would love to command."


This is the Diplomacy screen and enables us to not only conduct inter-clan relations, but it shows us what the other clans think of us and why they feel that way. It can also be used to find out what clans think of other clans when working out who has a lot of friends or who might be interested in joining a war against a common enemy.

In the top left we see a breakdown about our clan. The name of our Daimyo, our relative military strength, our relative economic strength and how many provinces we own, as well as our vassals, allies, trading partners and enemies. As this is the start of the game, our Power and Prosperity are in the middle of the track at "Moderate". This means that we are about average in Japan. By mousing over another clan, you can find out the same information about them (located on the top right corner), in addition to finding out their Temperament and Integrity. These indicate the behaviour of the AI with respect to military/economic priorities and their likelihood of keeping their deals respectively.

In the top centre we can see an attitude map of Japan towards us, with green representing goodwill and trust, while red represents hostility. No colour indicates the clan have no opinion of us. As you can see, we are not well liked by a lot of Japan despite having not met most of them!

In the bottom centre we can see a list of all the known clans, their religion (Everyone is Shinto-Buddhist, as denoted by the wheel), what they think of us and their trading status. All the known clans are open to trade with us via land trade (as denoted by the cart), with the exception of Ashikaga Shogunate, who are currently trading with us (as denoted by the cart with the gold coins).

The bottom left and right show what trade goods a clan is currently importing or exporting and as such has access to.


"We are tough because we are not rich" stated Masanari. "Who wants to be rich and weak?"
"Gold buys men" explained Yasunaga. "Without wealth, a family is as nothing. We must be ever vigilant in protecting our wealth."
"Is that why we trade with the false Shogun?" Masanari asked.


This is the finance summary screen and gives us a breakdown of our financial situation at a glance. The map shows the happiness level of our provinces using the selected taxation rate. Here we can also see our Administration Cost, which is the percentage of taxation lost to minor corruption and overheads. Our base tax rate of normal is 30%, which is why the tax rate in the town screen shows 30% (Since we have 0% admin costs, 0% is lost). Admin costs increase as the number of provinces you own increases.

We can also see the income from our taxed provinces and the income we generate from trade agreements as well as other income sources (The base 1200 koku all factions get, tribute from vassals etc). To the right of that is the total upkeep of our army and navy, with the net profit/loss shown as the bottom.


"Being choosy about trading partners is a luxury we can't afford" Yasunaga told his son. "The gold makes us strong"
"We should smash them!" exclaimed Masanari, swinging an imaginary sword at an imaginary foe complete with whooshing noises and a strangled death cry. "Just like that!"
Yasunaga laughed. "We will! But not for a long time yet. Until then, we need their gold."
"Father" Masunari stated, his big eyes serious. "When I grow up, I'm going to smash the Shogun for you."
Yasunaga knelt down and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I know you will grow up to be a great leader and mighty warrior, but for now, it's time for bed. Off you go!"


The trade screen shows the breakdown of our trade income. Currently we are trading with the Ashikaga Shogunate. We don't have any special resources of our own to sell, so the only income we gain from this are the tariffs levelled on the imports, currently worth 79 koku. The little cart next to the Ashikaga Shogunate icon indicates this is a land trade route and so can not be blockaded or raided, unlike sea trade.

Some buildings require access to resources before they can be built, so these must be acquired though trade or produced in your lands.

The resources from left to right are: Warhorses, Iron, Silk, Incense, Cotton, Crafts, Stone, Wood

Sneak Peak: A journey begins...

Torrannor
Apr 27, 2013

---FAGNER---
TEAM-MATE
Wow I really love your angle to the story here. There is no rational reason to ever stop trading with the shogunate until realm divide, but at the same time you are working to bring them down. Which fits perfectly with the greatest ninja clan in all of Japan.

Lustful Man Hugs
Jul 18, 2010

I am really looking forward to this. Is this completely vanilla S2, or have there been modifications made to represent the previous LP (though, I realise that's more of a paradox thing).

Xenoborg
Mar 10, 2007

You are right about hostages being of questionable usefulness, I don't think I've ever gotten one back.

twig1919
Nov 1, 2011
I am an inconsiderate moron whose only method of discourse is idiotic personal attacks.

Xenoborg posted:

You are right about hostages being of questionable usefulness, I don't think I've ever gotten one back.

Not like losing one really matter either though.

Scalding Coffee
Jun 26, 2006

You're already dead
I will always remember my first game I used my son in several deals. Each time I got him back, the clan died one or two turns after. I don't know if they kill the wife of a Daimyo, but his sister was married off just in time to move my troops through some troublesome province which quickly fell. My future Shogun ended up invading that province and wiping out the clan.

Stumbling Block
Nov 6, 2009
Of all my time playing this game I've never had a night battle before. Looking foward to seeing what advantages this brings to the faction.

twig1919
Nov 1, 2011
I am an inconsiderate moron whose only method of discourse is idiotic personal attacks.

Stumbling Block posted:

Of all my time playing this game I've never had a night battle before. Looking foward to seeing what advantages this brings to the faction.

It pretty much will give him less incentive to use archers and more incentive to get cavalry. Just a guess since I don't own vanilla Shogun 2.

Ratoslov
Feb 15, 2012

Now prepare yourselves! You're the guests of honor at the Greatest Kung Fu Cannibal BBQ Ever!

I'm rooting for Chisato to have a long and storied career!

Yes, that's a long bet. She's probably going to die to the first granary she meets.

Xenoborg
Mar 10, 2007

twig1919 posted:

It pretty much will give him less incentive to use archers and more incentive to get cavalry. Just a guess since I don't own vanilla Shogun 2.

From my experience night battles don't play very differently from day battles. Their main advantage is that there are no enemy reinforcements in night battles.

Josef bugman
Nov 17, 2011

Pictured: Poster prepares to celebrate Holy Communion (probablY)

This avatar made possible by a gift from the Religionthread Posters Relief Fund
Are you only doing a short campaign Shalcar? I thought the more normal campaign length would be more your style.

my dad
Oct 17, 2012

this shall be humorous
So, with troops so adept at climbing walls, will you ever need siege weapons?

shalcar
Oct 21, 2009

At my signal, DEAL WITH IT.
Taco Defender

ChaosSamusX posted:

I am really looking forward to this. Is this completely vanilla S2, or have there been modifications made to represent the previous LP (though, I realise that's more of a paradox thing).

While I considered making modifications to reflect the old LP, I decided against it, both as it would make this LP that much less useful to newer players of Shogun 2 and also because it would take a lot of the challenge out, not to mention a mighty hegemony fell down in real life in the same timespan so it's a nice blank slate for everyone to play with.

Xenoborg posted:

From my experience night battles don't play very differently from day battles. Their main advantage is that there are no enemy reinforcements in night battles.

Night battles prevent all reinforcements (friendly and enemy), double wall attrition rate and half wall climbing speed (for 4x the wall climbing casualties) and provide a flat -10 (or is it -15, I can't remember) modifier to the accuracy of ranged troops in a similar manner to fog and rain.

Josef bugman posted:

Are you only doing a short campaign Shalcar? I thought the more normal campaign length would be more your style.

Out of the three campaign lengths of short, long and domination, long is actually the easiest since the extra time you get more than offsets the new provinces you have to conquer especially considering you are big enough pre-realm divide to really consolidate your empire before the world turns on you. The smaller size that Realm Divide happens in on short actually makes for a more intense game. Domination is just a mammoth slog that's a race against the clock. It's fun, but it would really drag out the LP and reduce the intensity. For the reason of keeping the pace fast (arts are sped up 20% in short for example) and keeping the narrative fresh, we will be playing on short.

e:

my dad posted:

So, with troops so adept at climbing walls, will you ever need siege weapons?

Considering you basically never require siege weapons without our crazy ninja skills, it's safe to say we won't be playing with Mangonels. This is a blessing, since siege weapons are *terrible* in Shogun 2.

Deceitful Penguin
Feb 16, 2011

I laughed when I saw the mission. Here's to hoping that Japanese Granary Fire-proving hasn't improved. :v:

Randalor
Sep 4, 2011



I love Shogun 2 despite sucking terribly at it. I did have one question about the buildings that give +X exp to Y unit though. Is that a flat bonus to whenever they gain experience, or is that a passive "this unit gets X experience a turn"? And I'm assuming "+1 rank" just means they start at a higher base level?

Sydin
Oct 29, 2011

Another spring commute

Randalor posted:

I love Shogun 2 despite sucking terribly at it. I did have one question about the buildings that give +X exp to Y unit though. Is that a flat bonus to whenever they gain experience, or is that a passive "this unit gets X experience a turn"? And I'm assuming "+1 rank" just means they start at a higher base level?

Neither, rank and experience mean the same things in terms of Buildings. "+3 to experience for all Bow Units" means that any bow units produced in that province will start out at Rank 3. It doesn't affect rate of experience growth over time.

LokAmir
Oct 9, 2012
I have been looking forward to seeing this thread! Thanks for posting a link in the previous thread, helped me get here.

Good luck to you Shalcar! I enjoyed your previous LP, and I look forward to enjoying this one too!

Randalor
Sep 4, 2011



Sydin posted:

Neither, rank and experience mean the same things in terms of Buildings. "+3 to experience for all Bow Units" means that any bow units produced in that province will start out at Rank 3. It doesn't affect rate of experience growth over time.

Are you sure about both meaning "starts out at a higher rank"? I only ask because things like the Mountain Hideout say "+1 rank(s) for ninja recruited in this province" and "+1 experience for all kisho ninja recruits". Why phrase it like that when they have an actual experience meter if both mean "+1 rank"?

Edit: Nevermind, I see that experience refers to combat units, not to the specialists and generals in this case.

Randalor fucked around with this message at 21:13 on Jul 10, 2013

my dad
Oct 17, 2012

this shall be humorous
Because, I assume, agents get ranks (which give them new abilities), and troops get experience (which increases their stats).

shalcar
Oct 21, 2009

At my signal, DEAL WITH IT.
Taco Defender

Randalor posted:

I love Shogun 2 despite sucking terribly at it. I did have one question about the buildings that give +X exp to Y unit though. Is that a flat bonus to whenever they gain experience, or is that a passive "this unit gets X experience a turn"? And I'm assuming "+1 rank" just means they start at a higher base level?

This will be covered in the next update where we get both experienced troops and an agent rank, but it won't hurt to answer it now as well.

Combat units gain experience which increases their combat statistics, while agents gain ranks which make their actions cheaper and more likely to succeed, as well as making it harder for other agents to take hostile actions against them. The general unit has both experience and ranks, as he exists on both the campaign map and the battle map, making him a unique unit.

All agents are recruited at rank 1, while all units are recruited at rank 0. I like to call them agent rank and combat rank, but the game uses rank and experience to demonstrate the same thing.


You will notice on the image above that the description item talking about ranks to ninja has a little ninja star next to it, any time you see this icon it means it's talking about ninja agents on the campaign map. The experience bonus to kisho ninja instead has three troops standing next to it and this is used whenever a combat unit will be affected by the appropriate item. When we get to agent skill trees and retainers, we will be seeing a lot of these shorthand items.

As to what the building actually does, it means that any ninja agent recruited here will start at rank 2 instead of rank 1, making them more effective in everything they do and having skill points to spend right off the bat. For ninja this is amazing, as it's the first few levels that are the most dangerous and anything that shortens that time is amazing. Since Chisato starts at rank 1, it also means it's usually cheaper to order her to kill herself and buy a brand new ninja at rank 2, since the missions to get her to rank 2 will cost more koku than a new ninja. I'm not doing this though, since that really is incredibly cheesy, although it's an option if you need an edge!

Any Kisho Ninja units (which we have not seen yet) recruited in the province start at combat rank/experience level 1 instead of 0.

Each experience level grants 0.5 morale, 1 melee attack, 1 melee defence, 2 reload skill and 2 accuracy (rounded up).

Once units/agents are recruited, they only gain experience through combat or performing missions respectively, there is no passive xp gain.

Randalor
Sep 4, 2011



I realized that after the fact. I think what was throwing me off was that there are Ninja Agents and Ninja Units, and the building refers to both in the same description. I... never actually got the Shinobi arts before, so never really saw the Ninja military units before. It doesn't help that there is a unit that has both rank and experience, it can be confusing at first.

Yukitsu
Oct 11, 2012

Snow=Yuki
Fox=Kitsune
Snow Fox=Yukitsu, ne?

shalcar posted:

The tournament will indeed be epic! I'm excepting a much bigger turnout, not to mention the plethora of army types we can see. I'm also working on a handicap system of some sort to give newer players a fighting chance against certain other players.

This sounds like it could really hurt. Can't wait to see what ends up happening there, and who turns up. Have high hopes that Sydin will be a really tough fight in it.

FredMSloniker
Jan 2, 2008

Why, yes, I do like Kirby games.
So I'm all caught up with the previous thread and this one, and I can finally ask a question that I missed the answer to: what do you mean by 'building chains'? I mean, I get that, for instance, the Castle chain contains the Fort and all the buildings a Fort can be upgraded into, but the phrase also gets used in places where I'd have expected just 'buildings' to be used, e.g. 'The Stronghold chain increases the size of the city, allowing additional building chains to be constructed in the province'. Is it just the game's way of saying 'you can't build more than one building in the same chain in the same province'?

Yukitsu
Oct 11, 2012

Snow=Yuki
Fox=Kitsune
Snow Fox=Yukitsu, ne?

FredMSloniker posted:

So I'm all caught up with the previous thread and this one, and I can finally ask a question that I missed the answer to: what do you mean by 'building chains'? I mean, I get that, for instance, the Castle chain contains the Fort and all the buildings a Fort can be upgraded into, but the phrase also gets used in places where I'd have expected just 'buildings' to be used, e.g. 'The Stronghold chain increases the size of the city, allowing additional building chains to be constructed in the province'. Is it just the game's way of saying 'you can't build more than one building in the same chain in the same province'?

Most of the time, when you have an empty slot, you think about putting down a building in terms of the upgrade path that you are going to put there, not necessarily just the basic building that you plan on using. For example, if you have an empty slot, you generally think about adding in the gambling chain rather than just adding the sake den which is the first step in the gambling chain. It's simply how some people prefer thinking about the game, as it grants a better long term understanding of the buildings you're placing, and your long term strategy.

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shalcar
Oct 21, 2009

At my signal, DEAL WITH IT.
Taco Defender

FredMSloniker posted:

So I'm all caught up with the previous thread and this one, and I can finally ask a question that I missed the answer to: what do you mean by 'building chains'? I mean, I get that, for instance, the Castle chain contains the Fort and all the buildings a Fort can be upgraded into, but the phrase also gets used in places where I'd have expected just 'buildings' to be used, e.g. 'The Stronghold chain increases the size of the city, allowing additional building chains to be constructed in the province'. Is it just the game's way of saying 'you can't build more than one building in the same chain in the same province'?

I call them building chains for several reasons, the most important being that is what the game and the in-game encyclopaedia call them, so it's a term that's directly applicable to players trying to pick up the game for the first time. Secondly, each building in a chain requires the construction of the one before it, so you can't build a Castle without first building a Stronghold which you can't build without having a Fort, so they are follow each other like links in a chain. Lastly, you are limited to each chain happening once in a province, so you can't have two Markets or a Market and a Rice Exchange, for example. So yes, in a way it is the game's way of saying 'you can't build more than one building in the same chain in the same province'.

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