Samurai - Oban Teppo | Shimazu

Samurai - Oban Teppo | Shimazu Image

Basic Unit Statistics (can be modified by difficulty level, arts, skills, traits and retainers)

Recruitment Cost 180
Upkeep Cost 63
Unit Limit 1
Unit Size 90 (on ultra unit size)
Morale 30 60%
Melee Attack 6 17%
Melee Defence 6 17%
Charge Bonus 5 10%
Bonus vs Cavalry 0 0%
Armour 18 120%
Range 125 25%
Reloading Skill 26 26%
Accuracy 57 57%
Ammunition 12 15%

Strengths & Weaknesses

Requires

Description

For some targets a simple musket is disrespectful. Better by far to use a heavy gun.

These gunners carry immensely powerful, heavy pieces. The large calibre bullets fired from the oversized barrels will not only kill, but can also do damage to buildings. The guns are expensive and weighty; they are in short supply as are men strong enough to use them. As a result, the unit is numerically rather small, and this will count against them in close combat. The musketeers also move relatively slowly, leaving them vulnerable to cavalry attacks. European "harquebuses" of the period came in many different sizes and calibres. Standardisation was almost unknown, and some of the huge bullets fired look ridiculously large to modern eyes. However, when Portuguese traders were blown off course and arrived in Japan, the Shimazu were quick to recognise the military worth of the two guns aboard the vessel. Their master weaponsmith was a master sword maker but, sadly, this did not help him copy the European guns. Eventually a deal was done: the smith got lessons in gun making from a second group of Portuguese traders; they got the smith's daughter. A harsh bargain for harsh times, perhaps.