• Units

Choshu Matchlock Infantry

Matchlock Kachi

War is changing and those who stubbornly cling only to the old ways will surely perish. All armies require the firepower these musket-armed troops offer. Their accuracy makes them ideal for breaking enemy charges and providing support for the main line of troops. They should never be sent into melee combat, and their slow reload times leave them vulnerable to cavalry attacks. In ranged combat they will be outmatched by units with more modern firearms.

Muskets were originally introduced into Japan by Portuguese traders in the 1500s. These weapons were bought, copied, improved and then remained the standard Japanese firearm for years after. Despite the availability of better weapons from overseas, it was still not unusual to find armies using designs that were hundreds of years old and “native” rather than “foreign”. The matchlock had the advantage of being simple, quite rugged in operational conditions, and its use was well understood by men, officers and generals. To be fair to the Japanese, who might appear a little hidebound by their use of the matchlock, during the 19th Century many European armies had been strangely reluctant to abandon the familiar flintlock in favour of the new-fangled percussion cap.

Unit Name Matchlock Kachi

Unit Key Boshin_Inf_Missile_Matchlock_Kachi

Soldiers 120

Category Ranged Infantry

Class Matchlock Infantry

Multiplayer Cost 400

└ Multiplayer Limit 0

Recruitment Cost 570

├ Recruitment Turns 2

└ Unit Limit 0

Upkeep Cost 80

Melee Attack 6

└ Melee Weapon sabre

Charge Bonus 6

Bonus vs Cavalry 0

Range 100

├ Missile Weapon musket

└ Projectile boshin_matchlock

Accuracy 25

Reloading Skill 25

Ammunition 15

Melee Defence 2

Armour 4

Morale 7

Abilities

No Ability

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Average accuracy and slow reload rate.
• Weak in melee.
• Weak against cavalry.
• Weak against rifles.
• Average morale.