Taiko! Samurai Warfare During the Age of the Country at War

Taiko! recreates the command and control methods of the samurai warlord, who, in the period covered by these rules, typically led from the rear where he could keep a watchful eye on the proceedings of the battle. While he can join the fray (perhaps to bolster the flagging morale of one of his units), his ability to control the rest of his army will suffer, maybe evening failing to follow his orders.

Written with 15mm figures in mind, Taiko! converts easily to 6mm and 25mm as well. The rules play to two levels of combat, 1:1 scale, and 50:1 scale. The former is used for small skirmish battles, and has a fast and chaotic feel to it as units of warriors engage, pursue their beaten foe, and then perhaps find themselves being beaten and pursued. The 50:1 scale is ideal for recreating the larger battles of feudal and/or renaissance Japan, with large formations of infantry and cavalry maneuvering around the battlefield under the control of their lord or one of his generals.