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Managing Your Territories and Armies
Territorial management depends on how you want to run the game. If you are
looking to become a big military power and crush your enemies with sheer
numbers,
you will build more men and dojos. If you are looking to get ahead in technology
and hit them with fewer, more powerful units, you will climb the technology tree
and have fewer but more powerful men. Everything that you do and all you can
build rotates around the level of your castle. The amount of money you bring in
comes from things like your farms, ports and mines. The koku is the currency in
Shogun and it needs to be well managed or you will be broke by the end of a
year.
This section will help you to understand how the building tree works, how the
economy works and how to use the two together. Natural disasters are a part of
this game and when they happen they can be a great setback. There's nothing
worse
than building that legendary sword smith to have an earthquake take it down
along
with 2 of your famous dojos. When a natural disaster hits a territory, the koku
output for that year is halved and the loyalty of your people goes down, so be
prepared with some Shinobi if at all possible. There isn't anything you can do
about the money, but the Shinobi will keep order and help prevent the revolt.
Money Management
What would you like to do? Do you want to be a power monger and spend all your
money on military might or do you want to play the diplomat and go up the
technological tree? If you choose military power, build your armies and build
them fast. Don't worry about castle and building upgrades; you are going for
sheer numbers here. If you want to go up the technological tree, build a good
garrison in your territories and put your money into upping your structures.
Watch your koku output. You are not guaranteed a set amount of money every year.
One year could yield a plus fifty percent while the next could cut your income
in
half with a drought.
Military Power
This is the way of the warrior. You will build a lot of low-level troops to just
overrun the opposing forces, but your forces will be nothing special in terms of
weaponry and armor. You will see your empire spread out fast, and just the shock
of a large army can make your opponent surrender without a fight.
Build up your farms to at least 40% to help keep the money coming in to support
these troops. The more troops you have, the more Koku is spent to support them
each year.
When and where you can, build mines and ports. Ports bring in 200 Koku per year
and mines vary from 200 for Copper, 400 for Silver, to 600 for Gold. Mines and
ports are very expensive but when you can spare the cash, they are a great
investment.
Get your castle to level 2 (large castle) so you can build a horse dojo and
upgrade your archers and spearmen to +1 honor units when you train new units.
With this, you now have all the lower-level units consisting of archers, foot
soldiers, and cavalry.
When you can, build a castle in new territories and get an archery and spear
dojo
built. Protect them and use the men produced to move to the next territory. The
more dojos, the more troops you can have pushed out each turn.
Technological Power
This is the way of the diplomat. You will use diplomacy to keep the opponent off
you while you build up your technology to crush him later. You will work to
attain the highest quality of weapons, armor and troops. You will not spread out
fast but when you do move, you will move with high-power shock troops like the
No-
Dachi swordsman and the Heavy Cavalry.
Build up your farms to at least 40% to help keep the money coming in to support
these troops. The more troops you have, the more Koku is spent to support them
each year.
When and where you can, build mines and ports. Ports bring in 200 Koku per year
and mines vary from 200 for Copper, 400 for Silver, and 600 for Gold. Mines and
ports are very expensive but when you can spare the cash, they are a great
investment.
Keep just enough troops around to keep you alive. You don't need anything more
till you are at a level 4 castle with some high level upgrades.
Don't forget diplomacy! Keep on good terms with as many clans as possible so you
have time to build up your forces and technology. This route to winning is a
waiting game for you and you need time to build up.
Build your castle to level 4 and get your buildings to their highest upgrades as
fast as possible. Nothing brings fear into the enemy lines like heavy cavalry
with a +3 honor, legendary armor and legendary weapons.
Accept all traders but only use the Dutch trading post so you do not lose
Buddhism and your warrior monks. This will allow you to get the guns to really
wreak havoc.
When you get some good forces, just begin stepping through the territories while
your main territories build your troops. When you get to this point, the game is
about over.
Ports play a big part in the game because #1, you can get 200 koku per year from
trade and #2, you can move troops from one port to another that you own in 1
move
anywhere on the map. When you start to move further from your troop builders,
this can be an invaluable asset.
Castles allow you to get bigger and better troops and buildings: build them when
you can. You MUST have a castle to build any dojo but you can build a mine, farm
and border watchtower without one. Castles allow you to garrison your territory
also. If you get attacked in a territory and you cannot win, you can pull some
of
your troops back to your castle and try to wait it out. The time you can wait
before your troops get sick and die off depends on the amount of troops inside
and the size of the castle.
Farms give you koku to buy and maintain things in your territory. You can also
upgrade your farms to double the output of koku. You will upgrade 20%, 40%, 60%
and finally 100%, which makes a big difference in your economy.
The Clans
The clans of Japan each have their own special troops and abilities, along with
a
goal to attain the throne. While one will kill you with a ninja, the other will
shoot you with 900 archers. One will ally with you and help you while the next
will ally with you and attack you while your back is turned. Below is a short
description of each clan, its starting territories, starting armies, and the
special ability of the clan.
Clan Shimazu: (Green)
Clan Shimazu begins on a peninsula in the far southwestern part of the
continent.
They are the masters of the sword and the No-Dachi that they train are the
cheapest and greatest in the game.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Satsuma (Capital) Daimyo, Emissary
Osumi N/A
Hyuga N/A
Higo Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai
Bungo Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai
Buzen Yari Samurai, Yari Ashigaru
Nagato
Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Clan Special Abilities
The Shimazu Clan can train and maintain the No-Dachi swordsman for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Clan Mori: (Red)
Clan Mori begins in the northwestern strip of Japan. This clan holds religion in
high regard and its training and upkeep of warrior monks is unrivaled.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Mimasaka (Capital) Daimyo, Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers, Emissary
Harima Yari Ashigaru, Samurai Archer
Iwaba Yari Samurai
Bizen Samurai Archer, Yari Ashigaru
Hoki Yari Samurai
Izumo (2) Yari Samurai
Iwami Yari Ashigaru, Samurai Archer
Suo Samurai Archer, Yari Ashigaru
Clan Special Abilities
Clan Mori can train and maintain the warrior monks for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Clan Oda: (Gold)
If you are looking for a Hitler of this game, Clan Oda will fit the bill. They
are the power mongers that believe in genocide of its enemies through sheer
force. They do not have any special units, but they can call upon the Ashigaru
without paying much. They begin in the center of Japan with many rebels around
them.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Owari (Capital) Daimyo, Yari Ashigaru, Samurai Archers, Emissary
Mino (2) Yari Ashigaru
Wakasa Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Tamba Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Kawachi (2) Yari Ashigaru
Omi Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Iga Samurai Archers
Yamato Samurai Archers, Yami Ashigaru
Kii Yari Ashigaru
Clan Special Abilities
The Oda Clan can recruit and maintain the Yari Ashigaru for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Clan Imagawa: (Light blue)
The people of Clan Imagawa are the sly, sneaky diplomats and assassins of the
game. They make good use of the ninja and emissary and are not above talking to
you and then killing you in your sleep. They begin with split territories, a
group of 3 in the south center of Japan and a group of 3 in the far west end of
the continent.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Totomi (Capital) Daimyo, Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai, (2) Ninja, Emissary
Suruga Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers
Mikawa Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers
Chikugo Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers
Chikuzen Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers
Hizen Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers
Clan Special Abilities
Because of their nature, Clan Imagawa can recruit and keep Ninja and Emissaries
for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Clan Tekeda: (Black)
Masters of the horseman, the Tekeda clan is unrivaled in the uses of the
cavalry.
They start with a horse dojo and stomp through the enemy lines with a vengeance.
This clan also starts divided on the continent with 3 territories in the middle
south and 3 in the west.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Kai (Capital) Daimyo, Yari Cavalry, Yari Samurai, Cavalry Archers, Emissary
Izu Yari Cavalry
Sagami Cavalry Archers, Yari Samurai
Bitchu Yari Samurai
Bingo Yari Cavalry, Cavalry Archers
Aki Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers
Clan Special Abilities
The Tekeda Clan can train and maintain cavalry units for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Clan Hojo: (Purple)
Once the mighty Shoguns, this clan is one of the wealthiest in all Japan. The
lands they hold are rich in valuable ores so they can build the mighty
fortresses
that stop armies cold. They begin the campaign on the eastern end of Japan.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Shimosa (Capital) Daimyo, Emissary
Hitachi Yari Ashigaru, Samurai Archers
Musashi Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Shimotsuke Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai
Kozuke Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai
Clan Special Abilities
Clan Hojo has the ability to build castle structures for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Clan Uesugi: (Dark Blue)
This clan is very persistent and rich. In their run to become the leaders of
Japan, they train their archers at a cost reduction and their leaders are very
strong. The starting point for them is in the far eastern end.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Mutsu (Capital) Daimyo, Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers, Emissary
Dewa N/A
Sado Yari Ashigaru
Echigo Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Shinano Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai
Hida Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai
Clan Special Abilities
Clan Uesugi creates and maintains archers for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Neutral and Ronin: (White)
(You cannot play the Neutral Clans) The Neutrals are clans and territories that
do not want to fight for the right to become Shogun for one reason or another.
They will not attack you unless you attack them but beware, they do continue to
build and they start with some pretty strong buildings and armies.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Tosa Yari Ashigaru
Iyo Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Awa N/A
Sanuki Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Awaji (2) Yari Ashigaru
Yamashiro (Emperor) (4) Warrior Monks, (2) Samurai Archers
Echizen Warrior Monks, Samurai Archers
Etchu Warrior Monks, Samurai Archers
Noto N/A
General Battle Tactics
As in all real-time strategy games, there are battle tactics that just work.
Below, I will walk through these tactics starting with General Tactics, Troop
balance, then the formations and finally a lesson on how to use the land. I have
found that I can take a smaller army and clean up on a far superior force
(within
reason).
To start, use the land. Never charge up a hill when the enemy is at the top; you
will only come back down in a body bag.
If you are defending, get on top of a hill and guard it from all sides; the
enemy
is not stupid and will come in from the back.
Do not attack a river territory unless you have twice the normal number of men
needed to take a normal territory; bridges are EASY to defend.
When defending a territory with a river, make sure to have plenty of archers,
they can pick the enemy off before they cross the bridge at all.
Do not attack castles for they will fall with time. Let them.
Mix your troops; there is nothing worse than having all spearmen to see your
enemy has all No-Dachi and all you needed were some archers and cavalry and the
day would have been yours.
Keep your archers in the front as long as you can; no good having your cavalry
getting hit with their archers while out of range of yours.
When defending, set a position and hold there. Do not chase across the
battlefield at retreating forces. If they want to fight again, they will come to
you again. If you chase, you will get set upon by more troops and then you will
be fleeing, if you can.
NEVER let cavalry charge your archers; this is devastating. Have some Yari
troops
around to cut off a cavalry charge.
Keep an eye on what your troops are fighting. If something comes in that will
clean you up, back up and bring in a counter to that force.
If you are losing a fight and you are defending the territory, go into the trees
and hide. The enemy will stand around till time runs out and you will win.
When you are attacking an army with a lot of arquebusiers, try to plan the
attack
with rain so they cannot fire their guns. To have a better chance at this,
attack
in the spring.
Don't attack in the winter unless you REALLY need to…the timer just buzzes by
and
you probably wont win because of this unless you attack a much smaller force.
Unless really needed, leave your taxes at normal till you build up a high
loyalty
or you have some Shinobi running around to quell any rebellions and raise the
loyalty.
Use the Heavy Cavalry and the No-Dachi for what they are made for: SHOCK TROOPS.
Charge them into the formations and the formations will usually break. I have
used my Heavy Cavalry to break even Yari Samurai formations. They will turn back
and fight and kill you off, but for the effect of a quick shock there is no
substitute. If you can use your Heavy Cavalry to hit the archer lines and your
No-
Dachi to hit the incoming spearmen, you will devastate the opposition.
Territorial Strategy
In this section, we will go through each and every territory to give you a
screenshot and some strategy on the places to start and places to take to have
the advantages spoken of above. There is an attackers view (RED) and a defenders
view (BLACK) of each territory. These of course could vary depending on your
troop makeup but these will be for a balanced group of footmen, archers and
cavalry.
General Territory Strategy Overview
Above is a list of the 21 territories and the strategies for both the attacker
and the defenders. In this section, I will go over the general strategies that
were used above to help you to take any territory. I will give you some insight
on how to use the land, cover and pinch points in the land to make your enemy
cringe and flee for the hills. The first thing you need to do is use the in game
mini map when you enter battle. This little map will show you all the high
points, low points, trees, buildings, rivers and bridges and it is invaluable
when you are setting up your strategy before the battle begins. Use the arrow in
the right hand corner of the mini map to pull it out and enlarge it for easier
use. Study it and if possible, use a pen and paper to figure out which
directions
you will take to conquer the opposing forces. Below, I will go over the
landscape
that is in Shogun and tell you how to use it to your advantage.
Bridges: Bridges are a pain for the attacker. Any territory with a river and
bridge almost always requires two to three times the number of attacking men to
take it because your men can only cross two by two. You need to get your men to
the other side of a bridged river as fast as possible or try to lure the
defender
to your side, which is not an easy thing to do mind you. Use Cavalry when
attacking, heavy if you have them. They cross fast; they can outrun the
intercepting spearmen to hit the archers to allow your other troops to cross
without the arrows raining down on them. Defenders on the other hand need to get
archers in position so they cannot hit the other bank but can rain down arrows
on
the bridge itself. When the attacker is coming across in pairs, you can pick
them
off quite well with your ranged units. Be ready for that charge mentioned above.
Place spearmen on the side of your archers so when the cavalry come across, you
can intercept them on a moment notice. Remember, your archers can hardly damage
the heavy cavalry with the armor they wear so keep the cavalry away.
Hills: Every territory has hills. From a defensive standpoint, they are your
friends; from that of the attacker, you will learn to hate them. When you are on
top of a hill fighting down, you have a pretty good advantage over the opposing
force along with the fact that they got worn out climbing to get to you. Make
the
attacker come to you if you have a hill to stand on. On the other note, hills
are
good for you to hide from archers so you can get close enough to rush them. If
an
area is REALLY hilly, your cavalry are really put at a disadvantage because the
charge is cut down. Climbing up a hill is VERY slow and wears you out a lot.
Even
at a run, you will not move at faster than a snails pace which will give the
Yari
troops at the top of the hill an easier chance to overtake you.
Trees: What hills are to cavalry, trees are to archers. When you have a group
under archer fire and you can get to the trees, get there. Your losses will be
cut WAY down and you will let the enemy archers blow off all their ammo in the
trees making them easy pickings. If you are defending a group of trees, your
archers do not have ANY trouble shooting out so make them come to you if you
can.
Trees are also great for getting close to the enemy without taking fire. Just go
around the backside of the woods and charge through to the enemy. This will take
their archers out of the battle for a good amount of time and you can possibly
get in close enough to take the archers out before they do too much damage.
Cliffs: Cliffs are a pain on either side. When you get to close with an army,
some or all of them will get hung up on it. When and if they do find a way
around
it, they will in single file, making them easy to pick off. If you can force the
opposing forces up or down a cliff, do it. More than likely you will cut the
forces in half and dealing with thirty men now and a trickle of the last thirty
is easier than taking on sixty in one shot. Cliffs also give your archers a
great
range advantage and I have had my archers use all their arrows before the
opposing forces have even gotten to me. Believe me, when you do that, there
isn't
much left of that opposing force.
Open Plains: Not much cover, just a few rolling hills make the open plains a
cavalry heaven. This is where the cavalry units shine, being able to charge into
the distance and wreak havoc on the opposing forces is great but the casualties
from being in the open can be great also. I prefer to stay out of the open
unless
I already have the opposing forces in battle and I want to get my horsemen there
REAL fast. Footmen on the plains are dead footmen so keep them in the cover
unless you are chasing a retreating force. This is about the only strategic
value
of the open areas.
Buildings: In some of the territories, you will have some buildings. They really
don't hold much value except to block the occasional arrow volley. If you are
under fire, you can hide behind them so save some of your men but not all
because
the buildings in here are small.
Troop Balance
Some troop combinations just work good together while others do not. I have
found
that some combinations are almost a sure win against anything and the more
different kinds of troops you can throw in an army, the better off you will be.
It's better to have a few of everything than to have none of what you really
need
to take a battle. Whatever you do, do not ever forget the archers and yari
troops; they are your mainstay.
I have found that the best combination is to have a combination of missile,
footmen, cavalry and some shock troops. If you need to do a lot of damage and
you
are outnumbered, the Warrior Monk is great but if you have the field in terms of
force, a well balanced army can make your casualties a lot smaller. One of the
best defenses for the missile user is the Naginata and Yari Samurai combo. The
Yari will knock down any cavalry and the Naginata will stop any non-cavalry
troop. If you do not have the Naginata yet the Warrior Monk will fit the bill to
a lesser extent.
Use the cavalry archer. They don't have a lot of shots till they are out of
arrows but they can wreak havoc on the slower spearmen prior to a melee
confrontation. Send them in, let them shoot a few shots, RUN them back so they
cant be attacked, and shoot some more. When you are out of arrows, run them off
the field of battle so you don't lose them; they don't fight very well.
If you need to get to the other side of the battlefield fast to kill a group of
harassing archers, none will be better than the Yari Cavalry. They are fast and
can pack enough punch to make any archers run with their tails tucked. Be
careful
when doing this however. If the enemy is alert, you may run your cavalry into a
protecting wall of Yari Samurai and you will lose this.
The No-Dachi are a GREAT way to break the formation and charge of the enemy.
When
these giant 2 handed swords hit the front line of the enemy, they will scatter
and usually falter in their morale. When you have one of your enemy units down
in
men and they look like they are about to flee but just need that extra push, the
No-Dachi will push them for you. Keep the No-Dachi away from any cavalry
however;
they will succumb very quickly to the yari cavalry or heavy cavalry.
When you get the Dutch to give you ports, get some musketeers. They are VERY
helpful when dealing with the heavy cavalry and can easily take down most units.
Just keep them away from the heat of melee battle because most anything will
kill
them in hand to hand. Again, back these up with archers, Yari and Naginata and
most anything will drop.
The Emissary is a good way to just learn what the other guy has in his back
territories. They move one territory per turn and when they sit in a territory
for a turn, they give you all the information on the troops there.
The Shinobi is neat in a way that you can use him to spy and when loyalty is low
in a territory, you can have him work on making them revolt. Just his presence
alone will make loyalty in an enemy territory go down and when he is in your
territory, he is an anti spy and he will increase your loyalty by policing.
Next comes the Ninja, who has the ability to turn the war in one kill. Ninja are
pretty weak unless you build them up in honor and to do this you need kills.
Kill
enemy level zero generals to build the honor up. When it is high, wait for that
one general that is causing you trouble and assassinate him. Ninja only have a
certain percent chance to do the kill…. Don't even bother unless it's over 40%,
not worth the chances that you will lose the ninja and gain the hate of the
Daimyo you attempted to kill.
The Legendary Geisha is one heck of an assassin. Put her on a daimyo and you can
almost count on him dying unless he sends a high level ninja or another Geisha
to
kill yours. Nice thing is, if the Geisha fails, the Daimyo cannot attack her
because of the belief that you do not attack a woman so she can try again later.
Formations
The formations in Shogun are basic ways to set up your troops to get the most
effect from them when they tangle with the enemy. The 3 basic unit formations
are
the Close formations, the Loose Formation and the Wedge formation. Then when you
are in battle, you can change your group formations to the Single Line
formation,
the Defensive formation, the Square Formation, the Left Hand Offensive, the
Center Offensive, the Right Hand Offensive, the Skirmish Center, the Skirmish
Right and the Skirmish Left. Each of these can spell victory or defeat so get to
know them and how each is used. I will give you some basics on these in this
guide so you will have a general idea on which one is used in which situation.
Using the Land
This is one of the most important parts of the game in terms of the actual
battles. If you don't use the land for what it has to offer, you will make every
battle that much tougher to win. Use the land, and you will take minimal losses
and walk through battles when you should have lost it all. Using the land
consists of using rivers, hills, trees and cliffs to make your enemy break up
and
do what you want them to do.
First is the river. When you fight in a river territory, you have one bridge
that
you can cross to get to the troops on the other side. The trick here is to have
archers ready with some footmen to protect them if you are the defender. As they
cross the bridge, let loose with the archers and wait. When they cross to the
other side of the bridge, charge with the footmen. By the time they get all the
men across, there will not be enough men to even hurt you much less all the
footmen coming at them. Most times, the enemy will flee here. If you are the
attacker, get the cavalry and No-Dachi / Warrior Monks out. First thing to do
here is to charge the archers with the cavalry to stop the shooting and make
them
run. Watch out when doing this though, there will be some Yari Spearmen coming
your way. That is what the No-Dachi / Warrior Monks are for. Let the spearmen
come and cut them down with the No-Dachi / Warrior Monks. Don't let them get to
the cavalry if you can; the cavalry already have a mission to stop the archers.
Be prepared to lose men when attacking a river territory, there is just no way
around it but this will help you to take it without losing a great deal of them.
Another thing, when you attack a river territory, come with double the manpower
you think you would really need.
Hills are the friend of both sides of the battle and the enemy. The army on top
of the hill has an advantage over the ones coming up in that they will hit more,
kill more, be less fatigued and move faster. When you charge a hill, your troops
move painfully slow and they do not fight well up the hill. When an enemy has
the
hills, look around for a back way up there. Usually you can get on an even keel
with them to attack straight on if you look. If need be, get behind some trees
to
minimize the archer damage while you circle. The troops that shine in the hills
are the archers. They can shoot further and hit more when they are on a hill
shooting down so don't try to charge up to them thinking that it is an easy
kill.
Keep your distance and keep covered.
Cliffs are not climbable and therefore troops can be split up on them so be
careful. One thing that I find is that when you tell troops at the bottom to
come
around to the top, they will hang up on the cliff and have troubles moving. I
have lost battles with 2 or more of my units doing this when I needed them to
route something that was attacking a vulnerable unit. One of the good things is
that this happens to the enemy also, so take advantage of it. Micromanage your
troops around this obstacle and you may hang the enemy up, opening up his
vulnerable missile shooters.
Flatlands have nothing strategic except the possibility of some trees. This is
where the Cavalry shines. If you are the defender of the territory, you should
have some Yari cavalry and spearmen with the occasional Heavy Cavalry for shock.
If you are attacking this territory, you want A LOT of cavalry of all sorts, not
forgetting the cavalry archers. In the attackers view, CHARGE. Lead in with your
footmen and charge like crazy with your Yari Cavalry and your Heavy Cavalry.
Have
your Cavalry Archers lead the whole thing with its hit and run tactics with the
bow. Out here in the open, this is a wide field and anyone can take it.
Forests are great in that anything in them is concealed and harder to hit with
arrows. This is where you want your archers to be if you can because they can
fire out without trouble but the arrows coming in are semi blocked. Another good
thing about the forests is that if you are going to lose the battle, you can
hide
some troops in the forests, have the others leave the field and wait out the
timer. I have won many a losing battle this way; cheap but effective. If you
cant
beat them out, starve them out.
Territorial management depends on how you want to run the game. If you are
looking to become a big military power and crush your enemies with sheer
numbers,
you will build more men and dojos. If you are looking to get ahead in technology
and hit them with fewer, more powerful units, you will climb the technology tree
and have fewer but more powerful men. Everything that you do and all you can
build rotates around the level of your castle. The amount of money you bring in
comes from things like your farms, ports and mines. The koku is the currency in
Shogun and it needs to be well managed or you will be broke by the end of a
year.
This section will help you to understand how the building tree works, how the
economy works and how to use the two together. Natural disasters are a part of
this game and when they happen they can be a great setback. There's nothing
worse
than building that legendary sword smith to have an earthquake take it down
along
with 2 of your famous dojos. When a natural disaster hits a territory, the koku
output for that year is halved and the loyalty of your people goes down, so be
prepared with some Shinobi if at all possible. There isn't anything you can do
about the money, but the Shinobi will keep order and help prevent the revolt.
Money Management
What would you like to do? Do you want to be a power monger and spend all your
money on military might or do you want to play the diplomat and go up the
technological tree? If you choose military power, build your armies and build
them fast. Don't worry about castle and building upgrades; you are going for
sheer numbers here. If you want to go up the technological tree, build a good
garrison in your territories and put your money into upping your structures.
Watch your koku output. You are not guaranteed a set amount of money every year.
One year could yield a plus fifty percent while the next could cut your income
in
half with a drought.
Military Power
This is the way of the warrior. You will build a lot of low-level troops to just
overrun the opposing forces, but your forces will be nothing special in terms of
weaponry and armor. You will see your empire spread out fast, and just the shock
of a large army can make your opponent surrender without a fight.
Build up your farms to at least 40% to help keep the money coming in to support
these troops. The more troops you have, the more Koku is spent to support them
each year.
When and where you can, build mines and ports. Ports bring in 200 Koku per year
and mines vary from 200 for Copper, 400 for Silver, to 600 for Gold. Mines and
ports are very expensive but when you can spare the cash, they are a great
investment.
Get your castle to level 2 (large castle) so you can build a horse dojo and
upgrade your archers and spearmen to +1 honor units when you train new units.
With this, you now have all the lower-level units consisting of archers, foot
soldiers, and cavalry.
When you can, build a castle in new territories and get an archery and spear
dojo
built. Protect them and use the men produced to move to the next territory. The
more dojos, the more troops you can have pushed out each turn.
Technological Power
This is the way of the diplomat. You will use diplomacy to keep the opponent off
you while you build up your technology to crush him later. You will work to
attain the highest quality of weapons, armor and troops. You will not spread out
fast but when you do move, you will move with high-power shock troops like the
No-
Dachi swordsman and the Heavy Cavalry.
Build up your farms to at least 40% to help keep the money coming in to support
these troops. The more troops you have, the more Koku is spent to support them
each year.
When and where you can, build mines and ports. Ports bring in 200 Koku per year
and mines vary from 200 for Copper, 400 for Silver, and 600 for Gold. Mines and
ports are very expensive but when you can spare the cash, they are a great
investment.
Keep just enough troops around to keep you alive. You don't need anything more
till you are at a level 4 castle with some high level upgrades.
Don't forget diplomacy! Keep on good terms with as many clans as possible so you
have time to build up your forces and technology. This route to winning is a
waiting game for you and you need time to build up.
Build your castle to level 4 and get your buildings to their highest upgrades as
fast as possible. Nothing brings fear into the enemy lines like heavy cavalry
with a +3 honor, legendary armor and legendary weapons.
Accept all traders but only use the Dutch trading post so you do not lose
Buddhism and your warrior monks. This will allow you to get the guns to really
wreak havoc.
When you get some good forces, just begin stepping through the territories while
your main territories build your troops. When you get to this point, the game is
about over.
Ports play a big part in the game because #1, you can get 200 koku per year from
trade and #2, you can move troops from one port to another that you own in 1
move
anywhere on the map. When you start to move further from your troop builders,
this can be an invaluable asset.
Castles allow you to get bigger and better troops and buildings: build them when
you can. You MUST have a castle to build any dojo but you can build a mine, farm
and border watchtower without one. Castles allow you to garrison your territory
also. If you get attacked in a territory and you cannot win, you can pull some
of
your troops back to your castle and try to wait it out. The time you can wait
before your troops get sick and die off depends on the amount of troops inside
and the size of the castle.
Farms give you koku to buy and maintain things in your territory. You can also
upgrade your farms to double the output of koku. You will upgrade 20%, 40%, 60%
and finally 100%, which makes a big difference in your economy.
The Clans
The clans of Japan each have their own special troops and abilities, along with
a
goal to attain the throne. While one will kill you with a ninja, the other will
shoot you with 900 archers. One will ally with you and help you while the next
will ally with you and attack you while your back is turned. Below is a short
description of each clan, its starting territories, starting armies, and the
special ability of the clan.
Clan Shimazu: (Green)
Clan Shimazu begins on a peninsula in the far southwestern part of the
continent.
They are the masters of the sword and the No-Dachi that they train are the
cheapest and greatest in the game.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Satsuma (Capital) Daimyo, Emissary
Osumi N/A
Hyuga N/A
Higo Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai
Bungo Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai
Buzen Yari Samurai, Yari Ashigaru
Nagato
Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Clan Special Abilities
The Shimazu Clan can train and maintain the No-Dachi swordsman for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Clan Mori: (Red)
Clan Mori begins in the northwestern strip of Japan. This clan holds religion in
high regard and its training and upkeep of warrior monks is unrivaled.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Mimasaka (Capital) Daimyo, Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers, Emissary
Harima Yari Ashigaru, Samurai Archer
Iwaba Yari Samurai
Bizen Samurai Archer, Yari Ashigaru
Hoki Yari Samurai
Izumo (2) Yari Samurai
Iwami Yari Ashigaru, Samurai Archer
Suo Samurai Archer, Yari Ashigaru
Clan Special Abilities
Clan Mori can train and maintain the warrior monks for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Clan Oda: (Gold)
If you are looking for a Hitler of this game, Clan Oda will fit the bill. They
are the power mongers that believe in genocide of its enemies through sheer
force. They do not have any special units, but they can call upon the Ashigaru
without paying much. They begin in the center of Japan with many rebels around
them.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Owari (Capital) Daimyo, Yari Ashigaru, Samurai Archers, Emissary
Mino (2) Yari Ashigaru
Wakasa Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Tamba Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Kawachi (2) Yari Ashigaru
Omi Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Iga Samurai Archers
Yamato Samurai Archers, Yami Ashigaru
Kii Yari Ashigaru
Clan Special Abilities
The Oda Clan can recruit and maintain the Yari Ashigaru for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Clan Imagawa: (Light blue)
The people of Clan Imagawa are the sly, sneaky diplomats and assassins of the
game. They make good use of the ninja and emissary and are not above talking to
you and then killing you in your sleep. They begin with split territories, a
group of 3 in the south center of Japan and a group of 3 in the far west end of
the continent.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Totomi (Capital) Daimyo, Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai, (2) Ninja, Emissary
Suruga Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers
Mikawa Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers
Chikugo Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers
Chikuzen Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers
Hizen Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers
Clan Special Abilities
Because of their nature, Clan Imagawa can recruit and keep Ninja and Emissaries
for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Clan Tekeda: (Black)
Masters of the horseman, the Tekeda clan is unrivaled in the uses of the
cavalry.
They start with a horse dojo and stomp through the enemy lines with a vengeance.
This clan also starts divided on the continent with 3 territories in the middle
south and 3 in the west.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Kai (Capital) Daimyo, Yari Cavalry, Yari Samurai, Cavalry Archers, Emissary
Izu Yari Cavalry
Sagami Cavalry Archers, Yari Samurai
Bitchu Yari Samurai
Bingo Yari Cavalry, Cavalry Archers
Aki Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers
Clan Special Abilities
The Tekeda Clan can train and maintain cavalry units for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Clan Hojo: (Purple)
Once the mighty Shoguns, this clan is one of the wealthiest in all Japan. The
lands they hold are rich in valuable ores so they can build the mighty
fortresses
that stop armies cold. They begin the campaign on the eastern end of Japan.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Shimosa (Capital) Daimyo, Emissary
Hitachi Yari Ashigaru, Samurai Archers
Musashi Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Shimotsuke Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai
Kozuke Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai
Clan Special Abilities
Clan Hojo has the ability to build castle structures for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Clan Uesugi: (Dark Blue)
This clan is very persistent and rich. In their run to become the leaders of
Japan, they train their archers at a cost reduction and their leaders are very
strong. The starting point for them is in the far eastern end.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Mutsu (Capital) Daimyo, Yari Samurai, Samurai Archers, Emissary
Dewa N/A
Sado Yari Ashigaru
Echigo Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Shinano Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai
Hida Samurai Archers, Yari Samurai
Clan Special Abilities
Clan Uesugi creates and maintains archers for a lower cost.
-----------------------------------
Neutral and Ronin: (White)
(You cannot play the Neutral Clans) The Neutrals are clans and territories that
do not want to fight for the right to become Shogun for one reason or another.
They will not attack you unless you attack them but beware, they do continue to
build and they start with some pretty strong buildings and armies.
Starting Territories and Units
Territory: Units:
Tosa Yari Ashigaru
Iyo Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Awa N/A
Sanuki Samurai Archers, Yari Ashigaru
Awaji (2) Yari Ashigaru
Yamashiro (Emperor) (4) Warrior Monks, (2) Samurai Archers
Echizen Warrior Monks, Samurai Archers
Etchu Warrior Monks, Samurai Archers
Noto N/A
General Battle Tactics
As in all real-time strategy games, there are battle tactics that just work.
Below, I will walk through these tactics starting with General Tactics, Troop
balance, then the formations and finally a lesson on how to use the land. I have
found that I can take a smaller army and clean up on a far superior force
(within
reason).
To start, use the land. Never charge up a hill when the enemy is at the top; you
will only come back down in a body bag.
If you are defending, get on top of a hill and guard it from all sides; the
enemy
is not stupid and will come in from the back.
Do not attack a river territory unless you have twice the normal number of men
needed to take a normal territory; bridges are EASY to defend.
When defending a territory with a river, make sure to have plenty of archers,
they can pick the enemy off before they cross the bridge at all.
Do not attack castles for they will fall with time. Let them.
Mix your troops; there is nothing worse than having all spearmen to see your
enemy has all No-Dachi and all you needed were some archers and cavalry and the
day would have been yours.
Keep your archers in the front as long as you can; no good having your cavalry
getting hit with their archers while out of range of yours.
When defending, set a position and hold there. Do not chase across the
battlefield at retreating forces. If they want to fight again, they will come to
you again. If you chase, you will get set upon by more troops and then you will
be fleeing, if you can.
NEVER let cavalry charge your archers; this is devastating. Have some Yari
troops
around to cut off a cavalry charge.
Keep an eye on what your troops are fighting. If something comes in that will
clean you up, back up and bring in a counter to that force.
If you are losing a fight and you are defending the territory, go into the trees
and hide. The enemy will stand around till time runs out and you will win.
When you are attacking an army with a lot of arquebusiers, try to plan the
attack
with rain so they cannot fire their guns. To have a better chance at this,
attack
in the spring.
Don't attack in the winter unless you REALLY need to…the timer just buzzes by
and
you probably wont win because of this unless you attack a much smaller force.
Unless really needed, leave your taxes at normal till you build up a high
loyalty
or you have some Shinobi running around to quell any rebellions and raise the
loyalty.
Use the Heavy Cavalry and the No-Dachi for what they are made for: SHOCK TROOPS.
Charge them into the formations and the formations will usually break. I have
used my Heavy Cavalry to break even Yari Samurai formations. They will turn back
and fight and kill you off, but for the effect of a quick shock there is no
substitute. If you can use your Heavy Cavalry to hit the archer lines and your
No-
Dachi to hit the incoming spearmen, you will devastate the opposition.
Territorial Strategy
In this section, we will go through each and every territory to give you a
screenshot and some strategy on the places to start and places to take to have
the advantages spoken of above. There is an attackers view (RED) and a defenders
view (BLACK) of each territory. These of course could vary depending on your
troop makeup but these will be for a balanced group of footmen, archers and
cavalry.
General Territory Strategy Overview
Above is a list of the 21 territories and the strategies for both the attacker
and the defenders. In this section, I will go over the general strategies that
were used above to help you to take any territory. I will give you some insight
on how to use the land, cover and pinch points in the land to make your enemy
cringe and flee for the hills. The first thing you need to do is use the in game
mini map when you enter battle. This little map will show you all the high
points, low points, trees, buildings, rivers and bridges and it is invaluable
when you are setting up your strategy before the battle begins. Use the arrow in
the right hand corner of the mini map to pull it out and enlarge it for easier
use. Study it and if possible, use a pen and paper to figure out which
directions
you will take to conquer the opposing forces. Below, I will go over the
landscape
that is in Shogun and tell you how to use it to your advantage.
Bridges: Bridges are a pain for the attacker. Any territory with a river and
bridge almost always requires two to three times the number of attacking men to
take it because your men can only cross two by two. You need to get your men to
the other side of a bridged river as fast as possible or try to lure the
defender
to your side, which is not an easy thing to do mind you. Use Cavalry when
attacking, heavy if you have them. They cross fast; they can outrun the
intercepting spearmen to hit the archers to allow your other troops to cross
without the arrows raining down on them. Defenders on the other hand need to get
archers in position so they cannot hit the other bank but can rain down arrows
on
the bridge itself. When the attacker is coming across in pairs, you can pick
them
off quite well with your ranged units. Be ready for that charge mentioned above.
Place spearmen on the side of your archers so when the cavalry come across, you
can intercept them on a moment notice. Remember, your archers can hardly damage
the heavy cavalry with the armor they wear so keep the cavalry away.
Hills: Every territory has hills. From a defensive standpoint, they are your
friends; from that of the attacker, you will learn to hate them. When you are on
top of a hill fighting down, you have a pretty good advantage over the opposing
force along with the fact that they got worn out climbing to get to you. Make
the
attacker come to you if you have a hill to stand on. On the other note, hills
are
good for you to hide from archers so you can get close enough to rush them. If
an
area is REALLY hilly, your cavalry are really put at a disadvantage because the
charge is cut down. Climbing up a hill is VERY slow and wears you out a lot.
Even
at a run, you will not move at faster than a snails pace which will give the
Yari
troops at the top of the hill an easier chance to overtake you.
Trees: What hills are to cavalry, trees are to archers. When you have a group
under archer fire and you can get to the trees, get there. Your losses will be
cut WAY down and you will let the enemy archers blow off all their ammo in the
trees making them easy pickings. If you are defending a group of trees, your
archers do not have ANY trouble shooting out so make them come to you if you
can.
Trees are also great for getting close to the enemy without taking fire. Just go
around the backside of the woods and charge through to the enemy. This will take
their archers out of the battle for a good amount of time and you can possibly
get in close enough to take the archers out before they do too much damage.
Cliffs: Cliffs are a pain on either side. When you get to close with an army,
some or all of them will get hung up on it. When and if they do find a way
around
it, they will in single file, making them easy to pick off. If you can force the
opposing forces up or down a cliff, do it. More than likely you will cut the
forces in half and dealing with thirty men now and a trickle of the last thirty
is easier than taking on sixty in one shot. Cliffs also give your archers a
great
range advantage and I have had my archers use all their arrows before the
opposing forces have even gotten to me. Believe me, when you do that, there
isn't
much left of that opposing force.
Open Plains: Not much cover, just a few rolling hills make the open plains a
cavalry heaven. This is where the cavalry units shine, being able to charge into
the distance and wreak havoc on the opposing forces is great but the casualties
from being in the open can be great also. I prefer to stay out of the open
unless
I already have the opposing forces in battle and I want to get my horsemen there
REAL fast. Footmen on the plains are dead footmen so keep them in the cover
unless you are chasing a retreating force. This is about the only strategic
value
of the open areas.
Buildings: In some of the territories, you will have some buildings. They really
don't hold much value except to block the occasional arrow volley. If you are
under fire, you can hide behind them so save some of your men but not all
because
the buildings in here are small.
Troop Balance
Some troop combinations just work good together while others do not. I have
found
that some combinations are almost a sure win against anything and the more
different kinds of troops you can throw in an army, the better off you will be.
It's better to have a few of everything than to have none of what you really
need
to take a battle. Whatever you do, do not ever forget the archers and yari
troops; they are your mainstay.
I have found that the best combination is to have a combination of missile,
footmen, cavalry and some shock troops. If you need to do a lot of damage and
you
are outnumbered, the Warrior Monk is great but if you have the field in terms of
force, a well balanced army can make your casualties a lot smaller. One of the
best defenses for the missile user is the Naginata and Yari Samurai combo. The
Yari will knock down any cavalry and the Naginata will stop any non-cavalry
troop. If you do not have the Naginata yet the Warrior Monk will fit the bill to
a lesser extent.
Use the cavalry archer. They don't have a lot of shots till they are out of
arrows but they can wreak havoc on the slower spearmen prior to a melee
confrontation. Send them in, let them shoot a few shots, RUN them back so they
cant be attacked, and shoot some more. When you are out of arrows, run them off
the field of battle so you don't lose them; they don't fight very well.
If you need to get to the other side of the battlefield fast to kill a group of
harassing archers, none will be better than the Yari Cavalry. They are fast and
can pack enough punch to make any archers run with their tails tucked. Be
careful
when doing this however. If the enemy is alert, you may run your cavalry into a
protecting wall of Yari Samurai and you will lose this.
The No-Dachi are a GREAT way to break the formation and charge of the enemy.
When
these giant 2 handed swords hit the front line of the enemy, they will scatter
and usually falter in their morale. When you have one of your enemy units down
in
men and they look like they are about to flee but just need that extra push, the
No-Dachi will push them for you. Keep the No-Dachi away from any cavalry
however;
they will succumb very quickly to the yari cavalry or heavy cavalry.
When you get the Dutch to give you ports, get some musketeers. They are VERY
helpful when dealing with the heavy cavalry and can easily take down most units.
Just keep them away from the heat of melee battle because most anything will
kill
them in hand to hand. Again, back these up with archers, Yari and Naginata and
most anything will drop.
The Emissary is a good way to just learn what the other guy has in his back
territories. They move one territory per turn and when they sit in a territory
for a turn, they give you all the information on the troops there.
The Shinobi is neat in a way that you can use him to spy and when loyalty is low
in a territory, you can have him work on making them revolt. Just his presence
alone will make loyalty in an enemy territory go down and when he is in your
territory, he is an anti spy and he will increase your loyalty by policing.
Next comes the Ninja, who has the ability to turn the war in one kill. Ninja are
pretty weak unless you build them up in honor and to do this you need kills.
Kill
enemy level zero generals to build the honor up. When it is high, wait for that
one general that is causing you trouble and assassinate him. Ninja only have a
certain percent chance to do the kill…. Don't even bother unless it's over 40%,
not worth the chances that you will lose the ninja and gain the hate of the
Daimyo you attempted to kill.
The Legendary Geisha is one heck of an assassin. Put her on a daimyo and you can
almost count on him dying unless he sends a high level ninja or another Geisha
to
kill yours. Nice thing is, if the Geisha fails, the Daimyo cannot attack her
because of the belief that you do not attack a woman so she can try again later.
Formations
The formations in Shogun are basic ways to set up your troops to get the most
effect from them when they tangle with the enemy. The 3 basic unit formations
are
the Close formations, the Loose Formation and the Wedge formation. Then when you
are in battle, you can change your group formations to the Single Line
formation,
the Defensive formation, the Square Formation, the Left Hand Offensive, the
Center Offensive, the Right Hand Offensive, the Skirmish Center, the Skirmish
Right and the Skirmish Left. Each of these can spell victory or defeat so get to
know them and how each is used. I will give you some basics on these in this
guide so you will have a general idea on which one is used in which situation.
Using the Land
This is one of the most important parts of the game in terms of the actual
battles. If you don't use the land for what it has to offer, you will make every
battle that much tougher to win. Use the land, and you will take minimal losses
and walk through battles when you should have lost it all. Using the land
consists of using rivers, hills, trees and cliffs to make your enemy break up
and
do what you want them to do.
First is the river. When you fight in a river territory, you have one bridge
that
you can cross to get to the troops on the other side. The trick here is to have
archers ready with some footmen to protect them if you are the defender. As they
cross the bridge, let loose with the archers and wait. When they cross to the
other side of the bridge, charge with the footmen. By the time they get all the
men across, there will not be enough men to even hurt you much less all the
footmen coming at them. Most times, the enemy will flee here. If you are the
attacker, get the cavalry and No-Dachi / Warrior Monks out. First thing to do
here is to charge the archers with the cavalry to stop the shooting and make
them
run. Watch out when doing this though, there will be some Yari Spearmen coming
your way. That is what the No-Dachi / Warrior Monks are for. Let the spearmen
come and cut them down with the No-Dachi / Warrior Monks. Don't let them get to
the cavalry if you can; the cavalry already have a mission to stop the archers.
Be prepared to lose men when attacking a river territory, there is just no way
around it but this will help you to take it without losing a great deal of them.
Another thing, when you attack a river territory, come with double the manpower
you think you would really need.
Hills are the friend of both sides of the battle and the enemy. The army on top
of the hill has an advantage over the ones coming up in that they will hit more,
kill more, be less fatigued and move faster. When you charge a hill, your troops
move painfully slow and they do not fight well up the hill. When an enemy has
the
hills, look around for a back way up there. Usually you can get on an even keel
with them to attack straight on if you look. If need be, get behind some trees
to
minimize the archer damage while you circle. The troops that shine in the hills
are the archers. They can shoot further and hit more when they are on a hill
shooting down so don't try to charge up to them thinking that it is an easy
kill.
Keep your distance and keep covered.
Cliffs are not climbable and therefore troops can be split up on them so be
careful. One thing that I find is that when you tell troops at the bottom to
come
around to the top, they will hang up on the cliff and have troubles moving. I
have lost battles with 2 or more of my units doing this when I needed them to
route something that was attacking a vulnerable unit. One of the good things is
that this happens to the enemy also, so take advantage of it. Micromanage your
troops around this obstacle and you may hang the enemy up, opening up his
vulnerable missile shooters.
Flatlands have nothing strategic except the possibility of some trees. This is
where the Cavalry shines. If you are the defender of the territory, you should
have some Yari cavalry and spearmen with the occasional Heavy Cavalry for shock.
If you are attacking this territory, you want A LOT of cavalry of all sorts, not
forgetting the cavalry archers. In the attackers view, CHARGE. Lead in with your
footmen and charge like crazy with your Yari Cavalry and your Heavy Cavalry.
Have
your Cavalry Archers lead the whole thing with its hit and run tactics with the
bow. Out here in the open, this is a wide field and anyone can take it.
Forests are great in that anything in them is concealed and harder to hit with
arrows. This is where you want your archers to be if you can because they can
fire out without trouble but the arrows coming in are semi blocked. Another good
thing about the forests is that if you are going to lose the battle, you can
hide
some troops in the forests, have the others leave the field and wait out the
timer. I have won many a losing battle this way; cheap but effective. If you
cant
beat them out, starve them out.