I have seen manny times "Ashigaru are weak units". Yes tis is true if you don`t know there strenghts. Do they have strenghts ? Yes they do.
First is there upkeep ... only half of the samurai ... meaning 0.5 koku per Ashigaru yearly. Think of them as light infantry. Yari Samurai are the preferd ones by manny, but they are slower, get thiered sooner. Yari Samurai are medium infantry .. they have better armor, and morale ... but you may consider that for there price you can have 2 Ashigaru.
0 honour Ashigaru is weak ... -4 morale to start ... but there is a hope ... a genereal who has won at lest 2 battles can lead them to wicktory ... he gives them +2 morale ... dont expect them to win when outnumberd 4 to 1. Anny region can be defended whit 4 ashi and 2 to 3 archers... The key is there formation 5-6 ranks deep holding the formation.
They become usefull when they start whit honor 1 have bonus from palace and drill dojo ... this means there morale is -4+2(from dojo)+1(palace)+1(drill dojo).
There ary manny more aspects to dabate but as whit any unit they should be suported... they never be the elite of your army ... but they can thip the balance ... for exampe Enemy has 16 units of samurai you have 8 samurai and for a measly fractoin of the other 8 units valour in kuku you can have 16 ashigaru. You vin by nubers.
This happend in the Songoku Jidai.
1 more, team them up whit Sohei, or No-dachi. 4 Ashi whit 1 Sohei 1 Archer can kill an army of 8 samurai units of which 3 are elite. Which are the elite ?
Most respected are Heavy Cav. Sohei Naginata Cav. or well used No-Dachi...
more to come ...![]()
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