Simple 28mm Samurai Skirmish Rules

K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) is the name of the game with these rules. We played many fun games using this one-page wonder, which I'm sure could be applied to a lot of different games. 

Our group had each put together a clan of about a dozen figures each for some good Oriental town fights, such as stealing pigs, wives, barrel of rice wine, weapons, gunpowder, and etc.  Initially, we all painted our clans adopting the color scheme of a pro or college football team.  The most colorful clan was probably the one modelled after the Miami Dolphins with a color scheme of Teal and Orange.

Here are the rules:

Sensō

One-page Samurai Skirmish Wargames Rules: Revised: March 09, 2002, Author Unknown?

SCALE:

Sensō is a skirmish game, 1:1 figure scale, for 25mm miniatures.  One scale inch represents six feet and one turn roughly approximates one-two minutes.  Bases should be square for foot, approximately one inch. Mounted can be 1” x 2”.  The game is WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get); figures are armed and armoured as they appear.

PLAYERS:

                Each figure in the have has a skill level represented by a type of die.  Better skill level gets a lower die to roll with.  All actions taken by that figure use that die.  For instance, a skill level D8 figure always uses an 8-sided die for shooting and fighting.  That die type/skill level shall be hereafter called “Die Value” or “DV”.  See example below.

RINGS:

                Ring markers are used to record all the negative effects of combat and movement on a figure.  Rings are applied every time a figure is negatively affected in combat or is reloading an arquebus.  One ring is removed at the end of every turn.  If a figure still has two or more rings remaining after ring removal, it is removed from play.

GAME SEQUENCE:

Player turn sequence is determined at the start of the game by dicing off.  Umpire always goes last. During his/her turn, each player’s figures may Move, Reload or Shoot.  If a figure has a ring, it cannot do anything! 

If you move into contact with an enemy figure, you can also fight.  Resolve this combat immediately. 

At the end of each player’s turn, every player can remove one ring from each of his/her figures.  After this, any figure with tow of more rings remaining is removed from play.  There are no other morale rules in the game.

SHOOTING:

                Any of the player’s figures may shoot at targets, which they can see.  Range limits are given below.  Vision at night is limited to 12”.  To shoot, simply roll your DV.  Modify the roll by adding appropriate modifiers below.  A “1” is a hit, put a ring on the target. “Zero” or less is a kill, remove the target figure from play.  Place 2 rings on a figure that has fired an arquebus (one is removed this turn, and next turn he is reloading).  IF a hit target is mounted, roll DV again.  An odd number of kills the horse instead of hitting the rider and the rider is now dismounted with one new ring for having fallen off.

                Arquebus targets are always considered unarmoured.

Weapon Short Range         Long Range                          Modifiers

Bow                        15”                          30”                         Target in Cover                  +1

Blowpipe               3”                            6”                            Target Mounted                 -1

Shuriken                2”                            4”                            Arquebus                            +1

Arquebus              12”                          24”                          Short Range                       -1                

                                                                                                Unarmoured Target          -1

MOVING:

                Any Figure may move up to the distance shown below.  Rough terrains halves movement distances.

                                               

                                Foot figures may move up to 6”.

                                Mounted figures may move up to 12”.

                                Climbing or swimming is at the rate of 2” per turn.

                                Mount/dismount, climb over wall, through window, etc., takes a full move.

FIGHTING (MELEE):

                Figures may only fight if in base-to-base contact with the opponent’s base.  Figures may not be attacked in the rear; always assume they can spin around to defend themselves.  To resolve combat, simply roll the DV’s for each figure.  Add the appropriate modifiers below.  The winner is the lowest die roll.  The loser is killed and removed from play.

                If more than one figure is fighting a single figure, use the “outnumbered” modifier below and the lowest of the DV’s of the outnumbering figures.  If the outnumbered guy wins, the enemy figure with the lowest DV value is killed.

                               

                                Modifiers

                                Unarmed                                                                               +0

Martial Arts                                                                            +1

Dagger, Short Sword, Wooden Weapons                      +1

                                Outnumbered                                                                       +2

                                On foot against mounted opponent**                             +1

                                Defending Cover                                                                 -1

**Unless armed with Naginata or Yari

EXAMPLE SKILL LEVELS:

               

Fencing Instructor (Miyamoto Musashi) or Ninja                          D4

                Typical Samurai or Monk                                                                   D6 or D8

                Typical Ashigaru                                                                                  D8 or D10

                Peasant, unarmoured                                                                        D12