Hordes of the Things
This page last modified: 2 March, 2002
These lists cover Japanese armies, and are organised as 'historically' matched pairs.
Mythylogical Japanese
Gempei wars Japanese semi-historical
Sengokujidai Japanese semi-historical
Mythylogical Japanese, the rise of Japan:
Imperial Descent:
1 x Hero General - the crown prince
Stronghold: T'ang-Chinese style walled city
Kumaso:
1 x Magician General - animistic shaman with great powers over the land
Stronghold - Palisaded hill-fort
The Japanese royal family, considered by many non-Japanese authorities to be descended in part from Korean nobility about 400 AD, claim to be directly descended from the Japanese sun-goddess. The 'Japanese' as we now them today are not the aboriginal inhabitants of Japan, but pushed-out and assimilated the local inabitants here represented as the 'Kumaso'. Remnants of such inhabitants were called the Emishi by the new Japanese state and were finally conquered by ca. 900 AD, by which time they had become masters of light cavalry warfare.
Gempei Wars Semi-historical:
1 x Hero General - Yoshitsune
Stronghold - Palisaded hill-fort
Taira:
1 x Hero General - Kiyomori
Stronghold - Unwalled Japanese city
The Gempei wars of approximately 1100 AD saw power shift from the Taira clan, who dominated the Imperial court at Kyoto, to the Minamoto based in the eastern Kantou plain around what is now Tokyo. Kiyomori had outraged religious feeling by shooting a mikoshi to demonstrate his independence of the local Buddhist sects - sects constantly at war with one another. Countless Japanese tales and legends spring from events concerning this war. The pagoda illustrated in the background was built by Yoshitsune's brother after becoming the first Shougun of Japan.
Sengokujidai Semi-historical
1 x Blade General - fake Daimyo seated amongst bodyguards
Stronghold - Japanese castle
Oda:
1 x Hero General - the unifier of Japan himself, with mounted escort
Stronghold - Japanese castle
The late 16th century saw petty endemic civil wars coalesce into greater fights. Eventually the able Oda Nobunaga overcame all his enemies to unify the country, although after his death, war again broke out: it was only in the 17th century that peace was firmly established. The epic battle of Nagashino, as portrayed in Kurosawa's film 'Kagemusha', saw the defeat of the Takeda clan, after their lord had been assasinated by a ninja who had hidden for several days in his private toilet.
Return to my HotT index.
1 x Hero - a loyal sidekick, but also of incredible valour, often a younger brother
1 x Cleric - ancient seer dispensing magical artifacts to heroes in need
2 x Riders - imperial troops
2 x Spears - trained militia regiments on T'ang Chinese pattern, armed with spears
2 x Shooters - trained militia regiments on T'ang Chinese pattern, armed with bows
1 x Horde - untrained miltia
(option - replace Seer with O-yumi - stand-mounted Chinese-style giant crossbow counting as HotT artillery)
1 x Dragon - wingless Chinese version, fated to be slain by the imperial prince
1 x Behemoth - Oni - fearsome giant with demonic powers and appearence
1 x Water lurkers - Kappa - mischevious water goblins
1 x Lurkers - Kumo, and other such creatures of entrapment
1 x Lurkers - Tengu - very long-nosed goblins, fighting with swords
1 x Lurkers - ambushing tribal archers in furs with concealed swords
4 x Shooters - tribal warriors with bows
Minamoto:
1 x Hero - Benkei the ultra-strong warrior monk
1 x Blades - Warrior monks with naginata from Gion, etc
1 x Cleric - Priest and warrior monks escorting mikoshi (portable shrine)
2 x Riders - Samurai from the Kantou
3 x Blades - other eastern Bushi with naginata and light armour
1 x Horde - followers on foot
2 x Riders - Imperial guards
3 x Riders - Taira nobles and other Samurai
2 x Shooters - western Bushi with bow and heavy armour
1 x Blades - other western Bushi with naginata and light armour
1 x Blades - warrior monks opposed to those of Gion, etc
2 x Hordes - followers on foot
Takeda:
1 x Hero - Impetuous son of the late Daimyo
3 x Knights - Takeda horse with yari
3 x Blades - Samurai on foot with yari or naginata
1 x Shooters - Ashigaru with bow
2 x Spears - Ashigaru with yari
1 x Sneaker - Ninja, adept at hiding in toilets (truly!)
3 x Blades - Samurai on foot with yari or naginata
3 x Shooters - Teppotai arquebusiers
2 x Spears - Ashigaru with yari
1 x Horde - peasants drafted in for seige work
(option - replace Horde with Lurkers - ambushing mercenary Ronin or bandits)