Kensai uses

[Algesan]

Ok, after messing around with them in SP custom battles, I wasn't real impressed. Nice big fat kill ratios, but just not enough meat to do the job. Ok, in my Shimazu 1580 campaign I just popped my 2d Kensai (R1 Taisho) and decided to have a bit of fun. Saved game and started hitting all kinds of places using port attacks.

As expected, my dynamic duo by themselves could kill 120-180 and lose. However, I added 60 Arqs, 120 H3/W3 ND, 120 H1/W1/A2 WM and they were in business. The fights got bloody at times, but the terrible twins were invaluable. Instant flankers, they turn on a dime, accelerate quickly and hit hard. The best one was fighting in woods up a hill. The Arqs, a ND and a WM are off chasing some CA and YC around. The other ND and WM are chewing up a partial SA, 2xYA, partial YS and partial WM. I know there are more guys around so I'm holding back my super samurai.

Boom, from the depths of the wood comes 120 more enemy WM. One Kensai at each and they fought them to a standstill. After a couple of minutes, the WM and ND have routed what they are fighting and I throw them with the Taisho Kensai and break that WM, then jump the last WM while the Taisho chases the enemy off the map. Now as long as I don't run into any BN with them. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif

[Khan7]

Yeah, as far as I can tell they are good for occupying/delaying, and taking out (rendering ineffective) your enemy's battle line missle units prior to a general charge. Can't hold out really on their own though. And that stuff about them holding bridges and castle gates is BS, don't listen to the developers they don't know how to use their own unit hehe.

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Khan7

[BSM_Skkzarg]

Kensai are great - but BN WILL take them out in a hurry. Also - you have to watch their fatigue level and keep them away from heavy type cav (MHC, JHC, JNC) since they cannot stand up to it alone. When they get "VERY TIRED or EXHAUSTED" get them out of combat! Otherwise the penalty they take means they WILL die soon.


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BSM_Skkzarg
"A mind is a terrible thing to taste."

[Warmaker]

Another useful situation for them is the bloody chaos of bridge crossing/defenses...

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There's no such thing as overkill, just ensured victory!

[Yomama]

I have been having good luck with Kensai when I group one with a group of No Dachi.

[Vanya]

Kensai good for Kensai rush... http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/frown.gif

[Gimmedc]

well i like to use the usanosfji and the doiasem to take them out, or the llr the bbcs and dnss , you know the intials pretty well http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif lol

[Hosakawa Tito]

I like to team them with BN,and work them behind any occupied enemy units,especially in wooded terrain or my personal favorite,heavy fog.Scout ahead with the BN,locate a good ambush site and bring up the kensai.Bring on my main force to attack,and then sneak in behind with the BN and Kensai to break the enemy line or kill the taisho.

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Diplomacy is the art of telling someone to go to hell so that they look forward to making the trip.

[A Nerd]

I've only been able to use kensai into an 8 turn 600 koku martyr!

[Jaguar]

The initials are easy, not gonna name them all, but examples:

WM - warrior monks
ND - No Dachi
YS - Yari Samurai
BN - Battlefield Ninja

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Honour to Clan Shades!

[KumaRatta Yamamoto]

I team them with nags (bridge crossings, castles or other hard defensive positions).

Otherwise i team them with one "shock troop" unit" (wm, ND, Nagi Cav)

[Kiwi]

Personally I do not like the Kensai. Take too long to get - legendary sword??? - and they take a long time to train for one guy who gets tired really easy in snow and who is dead meat with cav or BN.

My personal favourite is BN. Simply amazing http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif My new way of resolving bridge crossings or castle assaults is with them. 200 plus kills for anything from 1-4 losses. Oh yeah

[Warmaker]

Don't expect to use BN and Kensai to hold off/defeat an army by themselves. Eventually they'll wear out and die out or luck will simply say "no" to them.

I rather think of them as highly capable support units. They can greatly help those YA or other lower attack rating troops. Or you can simply add some efficient killing power to shock troops like ND/WM.

BN I like to use to hunt down enemy taisho or taking out annoying units... Just don't leave the BN on their own too long since casualties will eventually mount.

Also, those BN trained in Yamashiro and Iga are VERY nasty!

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There's no such thing as overkill, just ensured victory!