Gunsen: The Battle for Toshi Ranbo
Gunsen: The Battle for Toshi Ranbo Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
General Components
- 1 Main Board (side 1: 2–3 players; side 2: 4–6 players)
- 1 Toshi Ranbo Tile (uncontrolled side / controlled side)
- 3 Shrine Tiles
- 3 Watchtower Tiles
- 4 Upgrade Tiles (Armory, Recruit, Influence, Expand), 1 of each type in each of 3 quantities
- 12 Village Tokens (3 each of Troop, Koku, Influence, and Wood)
- 6 Battle Tracking Tokens (3 red attacker tokens and 3 blue defender tokens)
- 1 Battle Board
- 6 Identical Battle Dice
- 76 Order Cards
- 30 Koku Resource Tokens
- 30 Influence Resource Tokens
- 30 Wood Resource Tokens
- 7 Clan Boards (1 for each of the 7 clans)
- 1 Clan-Specific Storage Box per clan (store each clan's components in its matching box)
- Each of the 7 clans has the following components: 12 Clan-Specific Cards (3 Hero, 2 Tactics, 3 Goal, 2 Special Order, 2 Building), 2 Building Tiles, 1 Fort Tile, 3 Clan Hero Standees, 7 Achievement Markers, 15 Clan-Specific Troops
- Neutral components (store all neutral components in their designated box): 1 Neutral Storage Box, 13 Neutral Tactics Cards, 3 Mercenary Hero Cards, 3 Mercenary Hero Standees
Before your first game, attach the hero standees to their bases and assemble the storage boxes.
Game Overview
In Gunsen: The Battle for Toshi Ranbo, players take on the role of ambitious daimyō representing one of the seven Great Clans, recruiting samurai heroes, drafting powerful orders, and building their clan's military might and strategic influence. Through tactical maneuvers and clever engine-building, they will strive to fulfill seven victory objectives—from capturing and holding the coveted castle to completing clan missions and claiming sacred locations.
Map Features
The main board is marked with the following features: Clan Fort Spot, Toshi Ranbo, Shrine Territory, Village Territory, Player Count Indicator, Watchtower Territory, and Achievements.
General Setup for 2–3 Players
- Place the main board in the middle of the table, using the side indicated for 2–3 players.
- Place the koku, wood, and influence resource tokens near the main board.
- Place the battle dice, the battle tracking tokens, and the battle board near the main board.
- Place the 3 mercenary hero cards and their 3 standees near the main board.
- Place the Toshi Ranbo tile uncontrolled side up and the expand upgrade tile on the Toshi Ranbo territory.
- Place 2 watchtower tiles on the indicated watchtower territories; return the unplaced tile to the game box.
- Randomly place 1 shrine tile faceup on each of the 2 indicated shrine territories; return the unplaced tile to the game box. Place the 2 matching upgrade tiles on the shrine tiles.
- Randomly place 1 village token resource side down on each of the indicated village territories (7 total). Return any unused village tokens to the game box.
- Create the order deck based on your player count: Return order cards showing the 5/6-player marking to the game box, then shuffle all the remaining order cards into a deck. Deal 5 faceup cards on the order row spots on the main board. Place the deck on the deck spot beside the row.
Note: Order cards used in a 5- or 6-player game have a 5/6 marking.
General Setup for 4–6 Players
- Place the main board in the middle of the table, using the side indicated for 4–6 players.
- Place the koku, wood, and influence resource tokens near the main board.
- Place the battle dice, the battle tracking tokens, and the battle board near the main board.
- Place the 3 mercenary hero cards and their 3 standees near the main board.
- Place the Toshi Ranbo tile uncontrolled side up and the expand upgrade tile on the Toshi Ranbo territory.
- Place the 3 watchtower tiles on the indicated watchtower territories.
- Randomly place 1 shrine tile faceup on each of the indicated shrine territories. Place the armory, recruit, and influence upgrade tiles on their matching shrine tiles.
- Randomly place 1 village token resource side down on each of the indicated village territories (10 total). Return any unused village tokens to the game box.
- Create the order deck based on your player count: In a 4-player game, return the order cards showing the 5/6 marking to the game box, then shuffle the remaining order cards into a deck; in a 5- or 6-player game, shuffle all the order cards into a deck. Then deal 5 faceup cards in a row near the main board. Place the deck facedown near the row.
Note: Order cards used in a 5- or 6-player game have a 5/6 marking.
Clan Setup
- Randomly choose a first player. Starting with the first player and proceeding clockwise, each player chooses a clan and takes the following components specific to that clan: (A) 1 clan board, (B) 15 troops, (C) 3 hero standees, (D) 2 building tiles, (E) 7 achievement markers, (F) 1 fort tile (set this aside for step 3), (G) 12 clan-specific cards (3 heroes, 2 tactics, 3 goals, 2 special orders, and 2 buildings).
- Place your clan board in front of you with all of your clan-specific components on the indicated spots.
- Place your fort tile on the main board. Place it on the fort location physically closest to you.
- Starting with the first player and proceeding clockwise, each player takes the following resource tokens and places them on their clan board, then they place the following number of troops on their fort tile:
- Player #1: 3 koku, 1 wood, 1 influence, then place 3 troops on your fort tile.
- Player #2: 4 koku, 1 wood, 1 influence, then place 3 troops on your fort tile.
- Player #3: 4 koku, 1 wood, 1 influence, then place 4 troops on your fort tile.
- Player #4: 4 koku, 2 wood, 1 influence, then place 4 troops on your fort tile.
- Player #5: 4 koku, 2 wood, 1 influence, then place 5 troops on your fort tile.
- Player #6: 4 koku, 2 wood, 2 influence, then place 5 troops on your fort tile.
- Place your remaining troops on your clan board.
- Shuffle the neutral tactics cards and deal 2 facedown to each player. Return the remaining neutral tactics cards to the game box.
You are now ready to start the game!
Player Area Setup Diagram
It is recommended that you save room on all sides of your clan board for card placement.
Clan Card Types
It is recommended to sort your cards by type and keep them in hand or within easy reach. Clan cards are all public information. (Keep neutral tactics cards dealt to you hidden from other players.)
Each clan has 5 types of clan-specific cards:
- Hero Cards (x3): Represent unique samurai heroes belonging to your clan, each with its own printed effect that applies once the hero is recruited.
- Special Order Cards (x2): Powerful one-time or ongoing orders unique to your clan, gained through the special order noble action.
- Building Cards (x2): Represent your clan's unique building and camp building, each with its own printed effect and control benefits.
- Tactics Cards (x2): Clan-specific upgrades bought during the expand column, in addition to the 2 neutral tactics cards dealt to you during setup.
- Goal Cards (x3): Clan-specific objectives; completing one earns an achievement. One goal card, "Golden Rule," reminds players that "The golden rule always applies: 'If any text on a card contradicts these rules, follow the rules on the card.'"
Clan Board Features
Each clan board is marked with the following spots: Village Token Spots, Order Card Spots (located above the columns), Goal Card Spots, Tactics Card Spots, Resource Spots, Troop Spots, Noble Action Spots, Achievement Marker Spots, and Building Card Spots. The 4 columns are labeled Armory, Recruit, Influence, and Expand.
Winning the Game
The first clan to complete 7 achievements wins.
Goal Cards: When you achieve a goal (even if it is in the middle of a turn), announce that you have achieved it, place it on your clan board, and earn an achievement. "Overachieving" any part of a goal still counts.
The 7 achievements are:
- Win a Battle as the Attacker (you may earn this twice)
- Perform a Clan-Specific Goal (you may complete 2 different goal cards)
- Build 2 Buildings
- Buy 3 Tactics
- Use All 3 Noble Actions
- Control 2 Shrine Territories at the Same Time (must have 1 or more troops at each)
- Gain Control of Toshi Ranbo
- Have 3 Village Tokens on Your Clan Board
- Maintain Control of Toshi Ranbo: Place the achievement marker in the Toshi Ranbo territory. This achievement, unlike the others, is lost if you no longer have troops in Toshi Ranbo. If lost, return the marker to your clan board.
Achievements Details:
- When you have met the requirements for an achievement, place 1 of your achievement markers on the main board in the space for that achievement. The first player to place all 7 of their achievement markers wins the game immediately.
- You gain an achievement as soon as you meet the requirement.
- You can gain multiple achievements in a single turn, but you can put only 1 of your markers in each achievement space.
- Multiple players can gain the same achievement. Stack their markers on top of each other.
- Achievements are never lost, except for Maintain Control of Toshi Ranbo.
- If 2 players reach 7 achievements at the same time, the player whose turn it is wins the game.
- If an achievement has 2 spaces, you can earn it twice. Place 1 marker each time you achieve it.
Your Turn
Play begins with the first player and proceeds clockwise. On your turn, follow these 5 steps in order.
Note: It is important to familiarize yourself with the key terms (see Key Terms below).
- Choose an Order Card
- Place the Order Card
- 3a. Activate a Column OR 3b. Take a Noble Action
- Resolve Battle (if a battle has been triggered)
- End of Turn
Key Terms (referenced during Your Turn)
- Territory: Any hexagon-shaped space on the map.
- Troop: A piece that represents soldiers who fight for your clan.
- Army: A group of 1 or more troops from the same clan in a single territory.
- Control: You control any territory where only you have an army. You also control your clan buildings, even without troops, until taken by an opponent.
- Clan Buildings: The unique buildings and camp buildings (circle-shaped tiles) each clan can build.
1. Choose an Order Card
On your turn, choose any faceup order card from the order row, paying any resource costs when you take it.
Clearing the Order Card Row: Before choosing an order card, you may optionally discard all 5 order cards if 4 or more of the cards either are the same color, OR have a resource cost. If you do, draw replacement order cards from the deck to refill the row. In the unlikely event that there are not enough order cards to refill the row, shuffle the discarded orders and form a new deck.
2. Place the Order Card
You have 2 choices of what to do with the chosen order card:
- Place it faceup above your clan board at the top of the column matching the color of the card to activate that column (see Activate a Column). OR
- Place it facedown on top of a noble action spot at the bottom of your clan board and pay the required influence to take 1 of your available noble actions (see Take a Noble Action).
3a. Activate a Column
If, during the previous step, you placed an order card faceup at the top of a column, you now activate that column.
Activate the column from top to bottom, starting with the order card you just placed. Each card and each action printed on the clan board in that column will be activated.
Note: Cards stay for the whole game, and you will activate older cards every time you activate the column.
- You do not pay any costs since you pay the cost for choosing a card, not using it.
- You may choose to ignore any order cards and printed actions.
Example – Activating the Expand Column: You take the 2-cost card (paying its cost), then tuck it behind the corresponding column color. Then you activate the column: (A) You gain 2 resources. (B) You gain 1 resource (ignoring any icon with no function here). (C) You gain 1 resource or 1 of another resource. (D) You can buy buildings with the resource shown. (E) You can buy tactics with the resource shown.
Important! Many icons have a red background. These are not gained resources. They have no function when you activate a column and can be ignored. They will instead improve your abilities when attacking or defending in battle.
Recruiting
When you activate your recruit column, you can place new troops from your clan board on your fort tile or on a territory containing any clan building you control. You can split multiple recruits between multiple locations. You are limited to a total of 15 troops in play.
Forts
Each player starts the game with a fort on the edge of the main board. Any time you recruit or retreat, you can place troops on your fort tile. You can have any number of troops on your fort tile. No other player can move onto your fort tile.
Building
When you activate your expand column, you may build 1 or both of your clan's buildings. There are 2 kinds of clan buildings:
- Unique Building: Each clan has their own unique building. The player that controls its territory gains its benefits. Your clan's unique building card explains its effects.
- Each clan's unique building has a unique effect.
- You can have up to 5 troops in the territory with your unique building.
- You can recruit or retreat to unique buildings you control.
- Opponents can gain control of your unique building and its benefits.
- Camp Building: Each clan can build a camp. You can have any number of troops in each territory with a camp you control.
- You can recruit or retreat to camps you control.
- Opponents can gain control of your camp and its benefits.
For each clan building you build, pay the cost shown on the building card; place the building card on your clan board, covering 1 of the 2 spots for buildings; then place the building tile on the main board in a territory, adhering to the following restrictions:
You may build a building in territories:
- where you have an army,
- adjacent to where you have an army, or
- adjacent to your fort.
You may not build a building in territories:
- that contain any tile or token (unless it has been removed; see Moving into Villages), or
- that contain enemy troops.
Example: Lion (pictured in yellow) can build in any territory where they have troops, adjacent to where they have troops, and adjacent to their fort, if there is no token present in the territory. Lion cannot build in any territory that contains enemy troops, a village token, a shrine, a watchtower, a fort, or Toshi Ranbo, or in any territory not adjacent to or occupied by their troops.
Once built, you control the building and can use its effects as long as you continue to control it. If there are no troops in a territory with a building, the clan that built the building controls it.
Note: If an opponent moves into a building you built, they gain control of it and can use its effects.
Once you have built both of your buildings, you earn an achievement (see Winning the Game).
Tactics
When you activate your expand column, you may buy 1 or more of your tactics cards. You have 2 clan-specific tactics and 2 neutral tactics, received during setup, to choose from. For each tactics card you buy, pay the cost shown on the card, then place it on your clan board, covering 1 of the 3 spots for tactics. You are limited to a maximum of 3 tactics during the game. Some tactics cards recruit heroes when acquired (see Heroes).
Once you have bought 3 tactics, you earn an achievement (see Winning the Game).
Movement
For each movement earned when activating your armory, recruit, or influence columns, you may move an army from 1 territory to 1 adjacent territory.
Note:
- An army is a group of 1 or more of your troops in the same territory.
- No more than 5 troops from a single clan can be in the same territory (except at forts and camps).
- You can combine armies by moving troops into a territory where you already have troops as long as you do not have more than 5 troops in the same territory at any point.
- You can split up an army by moving some troops out of a territory and leaving some behind.
- You may purchase as much extra movement as you can afford based on the column activated. For example, you could pay 2 to gain 2 extra movement if you activate your influence column.
- You must finish a movement before taking another movement.
- If you move into a territory with a village token or upgrade tile, claim it if your troops are still there at the end of your turn (see End of Turn).
- You may move the same army multiple times with multiple movements or split movements between different armies.
- As soon as an army enters a territory containing an opponent's army, a battle is triggered and all movement for your turn ends (see Resolve Battle during the next step of your turn).
Reminder: Only you can move into your fort, and you cannot move into an opponent's fort.
Example: A player activates their influence column, using 1 free movement action to move to an adjacent space. They then pay 1 resource to move an additional time to the empty village space. Finally they pay 1 more resource to move to the armory shrine. They will claim the armory upgrade tile there at the end of their turn.
Movement Using Watchtowers
Before or after each movement you use, you may pay 1 to transport an army freely between your fort and any watchtower territories.
Note:
- You may transport an army this way only just before or just after each movement you use.
- Paying to transport an army this way does not use any of your movement.
- The army must begin on a watchtower territory or on your fort tile.
- The army must go to a different watchtower or to your fort (not an opponent's fort or an unused fort).
- If you go to a watchtower and an opponent's army is on the watchtower territory, you must stop movement, as it triggers a battle (see Resolve Battle).
- Triggering a battle ends all movement, including watchtower movement.
Example: Before or after a movement action, Crab may pay 1 to move directly from their fort to any watchtower on the map. Before or after their next movement, Crab may pay 1 to move to any other watchtower or back to their fort.
Moving into Shrines
There are 2 or 3 shrine territories on the main board, depending on the number of players. If you control a shrine territory at the end of your turn, take its matching upgrade tile and place it on your clan board on the column matching its color. The tile should cover the lesser benefits printed on your clan board. If an opponent currently has the upgrade tile on their clan board, take it from them.
You maintain possession of the upgrade tile until an opponent takes it from you. Having possession of the upgrade tile does not count as controlling the shrine territory.
If you control 2 shrine territories, you earn an achievement (see Winning the Game).
The 3 shrines are the Recruit Shrine, Armory Shrine, and Influence Shrine, each matched to a Recruit Upgrade Tile, Armory Upgrade Tile, and Influence Upgrade Tile respectively.
Moving into Villages
If you control a territory with a village token at the end of your turn, flip the token faceup and gain the troop or resource shown. If you gain a troop this way, place it in your fort. Next, place the token faceup on your clan board. If you already have 3 village tokens on your clan board, return the token to the game box.
If you have 3 village tokens, you earn an achievement (see Winning the Game).
Moving into Toshi Ranbo
Toshi Ranbo is a special territory in the center of the main board. The first player to move an army into Toshi Ranbo must have at least 5 strength in that army. The army's strength is the number of troops in the army plus any strength printed on heroes with that army and on order cards on your clan board.
Moving into Toshi Ranbo with the initially required 5 or more strength does not count as winning a battle, but it does end your movement for the turn. Flip the Toshi Ranbo tile to the controlled side after you enter Toshi Ranbo; the 5-strength requirement for entering will no longer apply.
When you newly occupy Toshi Ranbo, take the expand upgrade tile and place it at the top of your clan board's expand column, covering the lesser benefits printed there. If an opponent currently has the expand upgrade tile on their clan board, take it from them. If an opponent currently has an achievement marker on the Toshi Ranbo tile, return it to them.
If this is your first time claiming Toshi Ranbo, place an achievement marker on the Gain Control of Toshi Ranbo spot on the main board (see Winning the Game). Place another achievement marker on the Toshi Ranbo tile. This achievement counts toward your total 7 achievements; however, this achievement is lost as soon as you no longer have an army in Toshi Ranbo (see Maintain Control of Toshi Ranbo).
Note:
- Having possession of the upgrade tile does not count as controlling Toshi Ranbo, only having an army there does.
- When defending Toshi Ranbo, gain an additional 1 armor and 1 blood during battles there (see Resolve Battle).
3b. Take a Noble Action
If you placed an order card facedown on a noble action instead of activating a column during step 2, take the action printed on your clan board:
- Cost 1 Influence: Choose another card from the order row (paying any costs) and place it on any column of your clan board (even if the color does not match). Activate the column you just placed the card in.
- Cost 2 Influence: Recruit 1 of your clan's heroes (see Heroes below), then activate any column on your clan board. You don't get to add a card to that column. Note: You may not use this action to recruit a mercenary hero.
- Cost 3 Influence: Gain 1 of your clan's 2 special order cards. Add it to the top of its matching column and activate that column, starting with the special order (see Special Orders below).
Note: You may perform each noble action only once, but in any order you choose.
Once you have used all 3 noble actions, you earn an achievement (see Winning the Game).
Heroes
Each clan has 3 unique heroes who can be recruited from your tactics cards and the recruit-hero noble action. There are also 3 mercenary heroes who may be recruited using the 3 "Mercenary" neutral tactics cards. When you recruit a hero, add the matching standee to your fort or any territory containing your army. Place the hero card faceup near your clan board as a reference for the hero's effect.
- Heroes must always be with an army or in your fort. If all the troops your hero is with are killed (see Resolve Battle), move the hero to any clan building with your troops or back to your fort.
- Heroes do not count toward the limit of 5 troops per territory.
- You can never lose a hero.
- You cannot have more than 1 hero you control in the same territory (other than your fort).
- Movement: Heroes cannot move on their own; they must move with an army.
Special Orders
When you use your special-order noble action, choose 1 of your special order cards and place it in the matching column, activating that column from top to bottom as normal.
- Some special order cards feature all 4 column colors. You may place such a card in any 1 column.
- Some special order cards have a one-time effect and are discarded.
- The "Innovation" neutral tactics card also allows you to place a special order card.
4. Resolve Battle
A battle is triggered whenever a player moves an army into a territory containing an opponent's army. Follow these steps to resolve a battle:
Key Terms:
- Attacker: The player moving troops into a territory containing another player's troops.
- Defender: The player whose territory was invaded.
- Retreat: The loser of a battle takes any remaining troops and moves them to their fort or a clan building they control, choosing a single destination for all retreating pieces.
1. Calculate Initial Strength, Blood, and Armor
The attacker and the defender each calculate these values as follows:
- 1 strength from each troop in the battle.
- 1 strength, blood, or armor from each icon that appears on any of the following: heroes in the territory, order cards on clan boards, tactics, and clan buildings. (Defender only) 1 armor and 1 blood if the battle is happening in Toshi Ranbo.
Each player uses the tracking tokens to record their initial values on the battle board (red for attacker, blue for defender).
2. Roll Battle Dice
Each player starts the game with 3 roll-dice icons and 2 keep-dice icons printed on their clan board in the armory column. Players can get additional roll-dice, reroll-dice, and keep-dice icons from heroes in the territory, order cards, tactics, and clan buildings.
Starting with the defender, players use their roll-dice, reroll-dice, and keep-dice icons to roll as follows:
- Roll Dice: First, the defender rolls a number of dice equal to how many roll-dice icons they have. A player can never roll more than 6 dice. Each die has 8 faces.
- Reroll Dice: Next, they may use rerolls if they have any. Each reroll-dice icon allows them to reroll as many dice as they would like, once per reroll-dice icon they have.
- Keep Dice: Finally, they decide which dice to keep. They keep a number of dice equal to how many keep-dice icons they have. Update their strength, armor, and blood on the battle board by adding the icons shown on kept dice.
After the defender rolls, rerolls, and keeps dice, the attacker does the same.
Note: Players can have more than 10 roll-dice, reroll-dice, and keep-dice icons. They are not limited by the battle board.
3. Resolve Kills
Each blood a player has kills 1 of their opponent's troops. When a troop is killed, remove it from the territory and return it to its respective clan board. Kills do not reduce strength.
Each armor a player has prevents 1 kill.
Important: If you ever have fewer than 3 troops on the main board, you will place troops in your fort at the end of the turn until you have 3 (see End of Turn).
4. Determine Winner
Determine the winner of the battle by comparing each player's total strength and resolve the outcome as follows:
- Attacker Higher, no attacker troops surviving: Attacker gets nothing and does not count the battle as won. Defender must retreat.
- Attacker Higher, attacker troops surviving: Attacker is the winner, takes control of the territory, and gains a battle achievement. If the battle was in Toshi Ranbo, the winner gains achievement(s) (see Winning the Game). The loser must retreat. The winner steals any village token from the loser and gains the resource on it.
- Tie: The loser must retreat. The winner steals any village token from the loser and gains the resource on it.
- Defender Higher, defender troops surviving: Defender is the winner but does NOT gain a battle achievement. The loser must retreat. The winner steals any village token from the loser and gains the resource on it.
- Defender Higher, no defender troops surviving: Defender gets nothing and does not count the battle as won. Attacker must retreat.
Proceed to End of Turn to resolve the End of Turn step.
Full Battle Example – Lion vs. Crane
Lion moves 4 troops and their hero Ikoma Tsanuri into Crane's territory. Lion is the attacker and Crane is the defender in this battle.
Lion starts the battle with 5 strength (4 from troops and 1 from an order card) and 1 blood (from their hero). They have no armor.
Crane starts with 4 strength (3 from troops and 1 from their hero) and 1 armor (from an order card).
As the defender, Crane rolls first. They roll 3 dice, then use a reroll from their hero to reroll the 2 single results. They keep 2 dice: an armor die as well as a strength die.
As the attacker, Lion rolls next. They roll 5 dice (base 3 plus 2 from their hero). They do not have a reroll. They keep 2 dice: a strength die as well as a blood die.
Using the battle tracker, Crane (using blue tokens) and Lion (using red tokens) total up their strength, armor, and blood:
- Lion has 4 blood, but Crane has 2 armor, reducing Lion's kills to 2.
- Crane has 2 blood and Lion has no armor. Crane kills 2 of Lion's troops.
- Lion's total strength of 7 defeats Crane's total strength of 5. Since Lion has at least 1 surviving troop, they win the battle, take the territory, and score an achievement for winning a battle as the attacker.
- Crane retreats their 1 surviving troop and their hero to their fort.
- Lion then takes a village token of their choice from Crane and gains the indicated resource (1 wood).
5. End of Turn
After performing all your actions and resolving a battle if one has been triggered, resolve any end-of-turn effects, including, if applicable, collecting village tokens, claiming shrines, and claiming Toshi Ranbo.
If any player has fewer than 3 troops on the main board after resolving all these effects, they place troops in their fort until they have 3 troops on the board (even if it is not their turn).
To end your turn, add new cards to the order card row until it has 5 faceup cards.
The next player clockwise then takes the next turn. Continue taking turns in this way until a player has completed 7 achievements; that player wins the game (see Winning the Game).
Hero-Specific Clarifications
- Bayushi Aramoro: If both players in a battle have heroes with abilities that occur when the battle starts, resolve Bayushi Aramoro first, then resolve all other abilities simultaneously. When the battle starts, if the opponent does not pay an influence, they must ignore any icons and abilities related to battle on their heroes. Bayushi Aramoro's ability occurs before any other start-of-battle hero abilities. Moto Chagatai's ability to move to the battle before it starts and Toturi the Black's increase to maximum army size are unaffected (but Moto Chagatai's ability and Toturi's ability to add a troop to the battle when it starts are ignored).
- Bayushi Kachiko: Maximum army size rules still apply; do not add a troop to the location if you already have 5 present.
- Daidoji Uji: Do not count strength from troops in the territory until after dice are rolled and kills are resolved.
- Moto Chagatai: He cannot move to a battle if you already have another hero there.
- Togashi Yokuni: If you use his ability, the results of the battle are still determined normally.
Credits
Game Design: Ben Rosset & Matthew O'Malley
Development: David Bertolo, Bryan Bornmueller, Jonathan Gilmour-Long
Illustration: David Ardila, Asep Ariyanto, Imad Awan, Marius Bota, Joshua Cairos, Sergio Camarena, Caravan Studio, Anna Christenson, Billy Christian, Calvin Chua, Conceptopolis, Leanna Crossan, Carlos Cruchaga Palma, Mauro Dal Bo, Nele Diel, Stanislav Dikolenko, Guillaume Ducos, Graey Erb, Shen Fei, Tony Foti, Felipe Gaona, Diego Gisbert Llorens, Kevin Goeke, Maerel Hibadita, David Horne, Axel Hutt, Wen Juinn, Agri Karuniawan, Pavel Kolomeyets, Alayna Lemmer, Damien Mammoliti, Francisco Miyara, Tomas Muir, Chris Ostrowski, Andrey Pervukhin, Borja Pindado, Polar Engine, Eli Ring, Oscar Romer, Fajareka Setiawan, Filip Storch, Shawn Tan Ignatius, Darren Tan, Isuardi Therianto, Andreia Ugrai, Le Vuong, Arif Wijaya, Robin Wouters
Cover Art: Joshua Cairos
Graphic Design: David Ardila, Randy Delven, Zack Marsh, Tony Mastrangeli
Sculpting: Luigi Terzi
Cartography Art: Francesca Baerald
Creative Direction: Bree Woodward
Art Direction: Jay Hernishin, Tony Mastrangeli
Production: Guadalupe Gonzalez, Ellie Gentry
Copy Editing: Dan Varrette
Marketing: Britta Fisher, Krystal Rose, Preston Wing
Head of Studio: Mike Hummel
Board Game Arena Development: Steffen Horn (LeSteffen)
Franchise Development: Andy Christensen, Joe DeSimone, Ness Jack, Matt Keefe, Charlotte Llewelyn-Wells, Brian Mulcahy, Gwendolyn Nix, Katrina Ostrander, Sean Ryan, Ashley Stephens, Nick Tyler
Office Dog Team: Bryan Bornmueller, Randy Delven, Kevin Ellenburg, Britta Fisher, Ellie Gentry, Guadalupe Gonzalez, Mike Hummel, Waleed Ma'arouf, Zack Marsh, Tony Mastrangeli, Krystal Rose, Preston Wing, Bree Woodward
Special Thanks: Justin Anger, Michael Blomberg, Max Brooke, Teresa Dery, Emile de Maat, Halley Feil, Thomas Gallecier, Miguel Gonzalez, Laura Huls, Ellen Pahr, Luke Peterschmidt, Alex Schlee, Jacinda Wilson, Madeleine Wright
Playtesting Organizers: Alish Dahal, Kevin Ellenberg, Miguel Gonzalez, Charlie McCarron, Joevan Salmon-Johnson, Jonathan Westfall, Emile de Maat
Playtesters: Pásztor Balázs, Chris Baldwin, Jeff Chin, Ben Cichoski, Michael Coe, Nick Davies, Antonino De Rosa, Robin Giron Deras, Henry Geddes, Dan Germain, Tara Gilmour-Long, Gage Gwaltney, Anita Hilberdink, Aaron Houssian, Chris James, Scott Jensen, Gál József and the Kicktester Team, Morgan Lair, Christopher Larson, Danny Mandel, Hailey McCaffrie, Storm McCaffrie, Andrew Nerger, NWO Game Designers, Dwight Powell, Hector Reyes, Caleb Ruah, Frank Sándor, Christopher Talbot, Yilin Tian, Travis Rowen Williams
Board Game Arena Playtesters: John Alexander, clumsy_cah, Duncan Davis, Edwardnkim, Helkaraxe, Alex Jacobs, Tyler Kay, Jenny Langley, Mel Targaryen, Turtle_dude, Jeff Williamson, and the alpha community
To explore products, lore, and news about the Legend of the Five Rings and discover more about the expansive world of Rokugan, visit www.LegendoftheFiveRings.com.
Key Terms
- Attacker: The player moving troops into a territory containing another player's troops.
- Army: A group of 1 or more troops from the same clan in a single territory.
- Clan Buildings: The unique buildings and camp buildings (circle-shaped tiles) each clan can build.
- Control: You control any territory where only you have an army. You also control your clan buildings, even without troops, until taken by an opponent.
- Defender: The player whose territory was invaded.
- Retreat: The loser of a battle takes any remaining troops and moves them to their fort or a clan building they control, choosing a single destination for all retreating pieces.
- Territory: Any hexagon-shaped space on the map.
- Troop: A piece that represents soldiers who fight for your clan.
Icon Key
- Recruit 1 troop
- Gain 1 influence
- Gain 1 wood
- Gain 1 koku
- Recruit or retreat here
- +1 strength in battle
- +1 armor in battle
- +1 blood in battle
- Take a movement action
- Add +1 die to your dice roll in battle
- Reroll any number of dice in battle
- Keep +1 die in battle
- Kill 1 troop
- Roll 3 dice, keep 2
- You may perform the action as many times as you can afford
- Buy extra movement with koku
- Buy extra movement with influence
- Buy extra movement with wood
- Pay card cost to buy tactics
- Pay card cost to build
- Hero
- Building
- Clan goal
- Tactics
- Noble action
- Neutral mercenaries and tactics
- Asterisk denoting additional information
Frequently Overlooked Rules
- The winner of a battle steals a village token from the defeated player and gains the resource on the back.
- You may build in or adjacent to any space containing your army if it is free of tokens, tiles, and enemy troops.
- Heroes must always stay with an army. If you lose all your troops in battle, move the hero to a building with your troops or to your fort.
- If a battle is triggered, the active column for the turn is fully resolved before the battle begins. All movement is still lost.
- You claim a clan goal as soon as you meet its requirements.
- If a battle is triggered by troop movement, goals that require troops to be in that territory cannot be completed unless that player still has troops there after the battle is resolved.
- When moving into a territory with a village token, the village token is claimed at the end of the turn after all other movement and battles have been resolved.