Feudal Japan Simulation—O’Grady

In this simulation you are going to assume the role of a Feudal Lord in Japan. You will have duties and obligations to your overlord (Daimyo) that you must attend to each turn. You will also have some freedom to develop your lands as you see fit, but remember, your Daimyo comes first, in everything. He has the power to reward or punish you as he sees fit; even the slightest insult could get your head separated from your soldiers; so be POLITE.

There will be two roles that can be assumed: a Daimyo (Main Lord) and a Lesser Lord, who is a vassal of the Daimyo. Each Daimyo has three Lesser Lords who will work to improve the standing and power of the Daimyo. The Daimyo has absolute power over his lesser lords and if they displease him, he may order them to take their lives. The Daimyo will be focused on issuing orders to the Lesser Lords and pursuing diplomatic efforts with other Daimyos.

Lesser Lords will be involved in running their lands, growing their economies and armies, and engaging in trade with the Emperor, and other lesser Lords.

Order of the Simulation:

  1. All players are given a folder showing them who they are attached to (Daimyo), where they are located, and what resources they have.
  2. Inside your folder will be a tracking sheet, some koku, and cards showing what you own.
  3. Daimyo’s will issue orders to the lesser lords who will then get in line to meet with the Emperor. During this phase, Lesser Lords will purchase what is needed whilst Daimyo’s use this time for diplomacy with other Daimyo’s.
  4. The Emperor is the provider of all things in the Empire. Lesser Lords will go to him and purchase all military units (USING ONLY RAW MATERIALS); rice plants(1 KOKU); mining equipment(1 KOKU); and mulberry leaves (1 KOKU), each turn.
  5. Lesser Lords may also take the time to compliment or bemoan their Daimyo to the Emperor.
  6. After meeting with the Emperor, each Lesser Lord will visit the Temple of Fate and will accept a Fate Card, which may or may not impact their region. There are good and bad Fates, so it can be good or bad.
  7. The last phase of a turn is when the teacher asks if: any Daimyo’s are declaring war and if any lesser Lords are deposing their Daimyo.
  8. War is settled by lesser lords handing over their armies and Daimyo’s finding allies.
  9. Each army receives a different number of die; Samurai=4; Ronin=2; Peasants=1
  10. Attackers throw dice first; then defenders. Defenders will always be in a castle so they have two non-movable Samurai armies for defense.
  11. After combat, the turn is over and the next turn begins with payment.

OBJECTIVE: To conquer three other domains and force the Emperor to acknowledge you as the Shogun of Japan.

HOW YOU ACCOMPLISH THIS OBJECTIVE: If you are playing the role of a:

  1. Daimyo your role is to ADVISE, ORDER, AND DEAL WITH ALL BATTLES
  1. You need to motivate (and watch) your lesser lords. Help guide them to make more money (it is ultimately yours) and to make sure they are also developing what you really need; samurai.
  2. Hold your lesser Lords accountable. If you are seen as weak and forgiving, you are not long for this world or simulation.
  3. Your ultimate goal is to conquer three other daimyos to force the Emperor to make you Shogun. This is no easy task and you will need to use diplomatic, economic and military cunning to achieve your objectives. Standing back and letting other people make deals is a sure way to defeat or rebellion.
  4. You need to make sure your Lesser Lords are growing their economies. You may not directly control their provinces, but you can give them a quota; just make sure they can reach it.
  5. You come from a long line of proud samurai and therefore cannot TOUCH MONEY (but your Treasurer may)! You may not buy or sell, BUT YOU CAN ADVISE/WARN YOUR LESSER LORDS TO DO SO.
  6. Diplomacy is an important task in this simulation. You need to make alliances and make sure no one is going to attack you. Make as many alliances as you think you can keep, and consider making some you have no intention of keeping!
  7. Before you start swaggering around the room, make sure you can back it up. No one likes a bragger.

OBJECTIVE: To conquer three other domains and force the Emperor to acknowledge you as the Shogun of Japan.

HOW YOU ACCOMPLISH THIS OBJECTIVE: If you are playing the role of a:

  1. Lesser Lord your role is to OBEY, PLAN, AND TRADE
  2. It is your responsibility to see that your rice plants are planted and, if directed, to build new farms. Koku (a unit of rice) is our official currency, and your peasants grow it. Each year you will need to pay the Emperor for new seeds so you plant again.
  3. If you have mines in your area, you must also ensure they are productive by keeping them up (you have to pay a maintenance fee to the Emperor each turn).
  4. If you have silk farms, you will need to pay the Emperor for mulberry leaves for the worms each year.
  5. You must also remember the needs of your peasants; for if they are happy, they will be more productive. You will have the option to buy HAPPY cards from the Emperor to make them happy and safer.
  6. You must provide your Daimyo with soldiers; good ones. All armies can be purchased from the Emperor, but you will need certain trade items to buy them.
  7. Samurai are the best and purchase one you need: IRON, COAL, COPPER, RICE
  8. Ronin, dishonored samurai, are next best: IRON AND COAL
  9. Peasants are the least effective and needs just IRON
  10. ALL ARMIES REQUIRE UPKEEP OF ONE KOKU PER TURN!
  11. Each turn you must hand over ½ of your income(not all of your money) to your Daimyo’s treasury.
  12. Anything leftover is yours to keep, spend, sell, or use as a bribe. You are under NO OBLIGATION to tell your Daimyo what you did or did not do. But if he finds out, he may think your head would look better on a bamboo pike. Be careful.
  13. If you and the other lords under your daimyo want to overthrow him you may do so and here is how: all must agree and decide which one of you become the new daimyo. Then you tell the emperor and he says yes or no.
  14. If your Daimyo conquers another region, and you have served him well, he may make you the new daimyo. Service has its rewards.
  15. You are also in competition with the other lords under your daimyo. You want to look good and want him to look bad.

PRICE LIST

MILITARY UNITS CAN BE PURCHASED ONLYWITH RESOURCES:

SAMURAI: IRON, COAL, COPPER, RICE (WORTH 4 DICE)You can only deploy four of these in a campaign.

RONIN: IRON AND COAL (WORTH 2 DICE)

PEASANTS: IRON (WORTH 1 DICE)

ALL HAPPY PEASANT CARDS: 3 KOKU

RESOURCES COST:YOU WILL EARN:

IRON ORE MINE10 KOKUNEEDED FOR ARMY

COAL MINE10 KOKUNEEDED FOR ARMY

COPPER MINE10 KOKUNEEDED FOR ARMY

GOLD MINE10 KOKU2 KOKU

SILK FARM10 KOKU2 KOKU

RICE FARM10 KOKU2 KOKU

You can only purchase a new resource if you have that in your area. For example, Mutsu cannot buy a Silk Farm because it is so cold up there!

REGION SPECIFIC COMMODITIES

This information goes into the PARTICULAR daimyo’s folder

KYUSHUCHOSHUSHIKOKUKYOTOMUSASHI MUTSU

1 coal1 iron ore1 copper1 coal1 iron1 coal

1 silk1 silk1 silk1 silk1 silk1 iron

3 farms4 farms1 farms3 farms3 farms2 farms

Daimyo of KYUSHU CONTROLS:Daimyo of CHOSHU CONTROLS:

LORD SATSUMALORD BINGO

LORD BUZENLORD MIMSAKA

LORD HIGOLORD HARIMA

Daimyo of SHIKOKU CONTROLS:Daimyo of KYOTO CONTROLS:

LORD IYOLORD YAMATO

LORD AWALORD TANBA

LORD SANUKILORD KAGA

Daimyo of MUSASHI CONTROLS:Daimyo of MUTSU CONTROLS:

LORD SHIANOLORD AKITA

LORD HITACHILORD NAMBU

LORD SAGAMILORD TOWADA

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