• Units

Tokugawa Bow Infantry

Bow Ashigaru Garrison

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!

Unit Name Bow Ashigaru Garrison

Unit Key Inf_Missile_Bow_Ashigaru_Citizenry

Soldiers 160

Category Ranged Infantry

Class Bow Infantry

Multiplayer Cost 500

└ Multiplayer Limit 0

Recruitment Cost 400

├ Recruitment Turns 1

└ Unit Limit 0

Upkeep Cost 0

Melee Attack 2

└ Melee Weapon sabre

Charge Bonus 2

Bonus vs Cavalry 0

Range 150

├ Missile Weapon bow

└ Projectile shogun_arrow

Accuracy 25

Reloading Skill 25

Ammunition 20

Melee Defence 1

Armour 1

Morale 4

Abilities

• Flaming Arrows
  This unit can fire flaming arrows for a short period of time. Flaming arrows have a greater damage effect and can set fire to flammable objects. Flaming arrows don't function in wet weather.

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Long range and short reload time.
• Low accuracy and morale.
• Very weak in melee.
• Very vulnerable to cavalry.