| DaiKonjo | 15 May 2008 8:32 a.m. PST |
So ok it really boiled down to a cavalry spear charge and guns – BUT – anyone know of anywhere on line with the names and USES of the opening formations etc. I have some brief notes and loads of books but not one with any real detail etc. TIA |
| hedeby | 15 May 2008 9:13 a.m. PST |
I used to game the army of Nippon in the original Warhammer Fantasy rules. I found a half dozen formations in Osprey's book on samurais. |
| Crust Punk | 15 May 2008 9:47 a.m. PST |
One of Turnbull's books is loaded with them. I can't recall the name as I never owned it. Best of luck. |
| brevior est vita | 15 May 2008 10:09 a.m. PST |
The book you are probably thinking of is _Samuarai Warfare_ by Stephen Turnbull. More info here: link Hope this helps a bit! Cheers,
Scott |
| Jovian1 | 15 May 2008 10:59 a.m. PST |
ars belli has the book for you to look at – the Japanese forces had all kinds of opening moves/formations and deployment in the forms dictated how your army was going to fight that day – some formations gave one side an advantage because of how units were placed and reserves were placed. The movie Heaven and Earth has some great lines on the various formations and the fear that some formations created if used and you were not deployed to deal with them. Some of the formations were purely defensive – others were offensive in nature – the "rolling wheel" is one of my favorites! |
Uesugi Kenshin  | 15 May 2008 11:14 a.m. PST |
Re: "Heaven and Earth" my Samurai favorite movie, finally out on DVD w/ subtitles. Known as "Ten To Chi To" in Japanese. See my review here: link Back to formations: on line not sure, but "Killer Katanas" #2 has a good amount of info on them. See my review here: link |
| Samurai Elb | 15 May 2008 11:15 a.m. PST |
The old Killer Katana Rules – at least the 1st version – has those formations too. Werner G. Elb aka Samurai Elb |
| Uesugi Kenshin | 15 May 2008 11:19 a.m. PST |
Almost forgot: forums.samurai-archives.com/viewforum.php?f=2 This forum has just about everything you could want on Samurai including (drool) heraldry in color plates. |
| DaiKonjo | 15 May 2008 11:30 a.m. PST |
Thanks guys – have most of the Turnbull books but that one! Will hunt stuff down :-) |
| Jovian1 | 15 May 2008 12:24 p.m. PST |
FYI – read Turnbull with a critical eye – he knows a lot of information, but he has some odd discrepancies and views which tend to romaticize the brutality of these wars. |
