Kenshin vs.

Shingen:
The Battle of Kawanakajima
Game Design: Suzuki Ginichirou
Produced and Published by Arclight
Translation by: Matt Boehland
Emails welcome: matt@wolfgames.com
Japanese wargame database:
http:www.wolfgames.com!pnwar!pnwar.htm
Rulebook
1. ntro!uction
This game simulates the clash between Ta"eda #hingen
and $esugi %enshin that too" place near the
%awana"a!ima plains on #eptember &'th( &)*& +&)*&
being Eiro"u , in the calendar system of the time-. This
was the ,th( and greatest +yet still inconclusi.e- of the
battles of %awana"a!ima.
Many pre.ious wargames use luc" of the dice to
determine the results of combat( but this game instead
has players choose one of their combat cards(
numbered &/*( to resol.e battles. Because of this(
.ictory is determined not by the 0random factor0 of one0s
luc" with dice( but with 0reading and bluffing0.
". #umber of $la%ers an! game length
This game is for 1 players.
2ne player is the $esugi %enshin/led $esugi side( and
the other is the Ta"eda #hingen/led Ta"eda side.
The game usually ta"es about ,' minutes to & hour to
play.
&. Game com$onents
This game includes the components listed below.
Please chec" whether or not they are there.
+&- 3ameboards +, pieces-
These cardboard boards are printed with a
representation of the terrain that was the battlefield at
%awana"a!ima. There are , sheets of cardboard( but
they are put together to form a single map. 4arious
information is also printed on the map.
Turn trac"
Ta"eda side $esugi side 5ight attac" army bo6 7
start.placement start. placement 8einforcement
+Tan colored- +3ray colored- he6es +9 places:
:&( :1( and :9-
;a< =e6es
The map has si6/sided spaces printed on it( called
he6es. All pieces placed on the gameboard are placed
clearly within one of these he6es.
;b< Terrain
>n each he6( the terrain is depicted as follows. Terrain
can ha.e an effect on mo.ement and combat.
Plains Mountain 8i.er
;mo.e cost ?1< ;mo.e cost?1<
;combat .alue /&<
@ Any he6 that is not a mountain or ri.er is treated as a
plains he6.
;c< Aharts
2n the gameboard are bo6es used during the game as a
turn trac" +see ,/,-( and for night attac"s +see ,/1-.
;d< #etup information
>n many he6es( a general0s name and code are printed.
These are sample starting placements for the pieces.
Begin by placing the pieces as directed( and they can(
under some restrictions( be arranged as desired +see ,/
1-.
Placement code +refers to units-
3eneral0s name +placed general0s name-
Page 1
+1- $nits +total: ,*-
Among the pieces used in the game( the ones that
represent armies are called 0units0. >n this game( the
$esugi side has 1& units( each with a blue border( and
the Ta"eda side has 1) units( each with a red border.
2n the front +face- of each unit( the leading general0s
name( placement code( and combat .alue are printed.
2n the bac" of the units( the crest indicates whether the
army is controlled by $esugi or Ta"eda.
+front- +bac"/ Ta"eda- +bac"/$esugi-
Placement code Ta"eda ? 8ed $esugi ? Blue
3eneral0s name Aombat .alue
+either a whole number(
or with a 0.)0 fraction-
+9- Mar"ers +total: &,-
Among the pieces used in the game( play aids that do
not represent any "ind of military power are called
0mar"ers0. There are the following "inds of mar"ers.
;a< Turn mar"er +&-
This is placed on the turn trac" on the gameboard to
indicate the progress of the game.
Turn mar"er +identical on both sides-
;b< Mo.e retreat mar"ers +&9-
The front and bac" of these mar"ers are used for
different purposes.
The front side is called a 0retreat mar"er0( and the bac"
side is a 0mo.e mar"er0.
Mo.e mar"ers are placed on face down units to
indicate those units that can still mo.e this turn.
8etreat mar"ers are placed on units that retreated in
combat to indicate their lowered combat .alue +see
chapter B-.
+front- +bac"-
8etreat mar"er Mo.e mar"er
+,- Aombat cards +total: &C-
These cards are used by each player on their own
generals when resol.ing combat. There are B cards for
the $esugi side player +with a blue border on the face-
and D cards for the Ta"eda side player +with a red
border on the face-.
2n the combat cards( a modifier to the combat .alue of
the unit it is played on is printed.
Amongst the combat cards( there is & $esugi card and
1 Ta"eda cards that ha.e 0retreat0 printed on them
instead of a number. These are retreat cards.
8etreat card * modifier combat card
Blue border ? $esugi 8ed border ? Ta"eda
Aombat card list:
$esugi cards: Ta"eda cards:
Aombat card .alue: & Aombat card .alue: &
Aombat card .alue: 1 Aombat card .alue: 1
Aombat card .alue: 9 Aombat card .alue: 9
Aombat card .alue: , Aombat card .alue: ,
Aombat card .alue: ,.) Aombat card .alue: )
Aombat card .alue: ) Aombat card .alue: )
Aombat card .alue: * Aombat card .alue: *
8etreat card 8etreat card
8etreat card
+)- 8uleboo" +&-
This instruction boo".
'. Game $re$aration
The following is performed in order to prepare for the
game.
(1) Se$arate an! !eal units an! car!s
Eirst( each player ta"es all their chosen side0s units and
combat cards. The $esugi player ta"es their 1& units
and B cards( and the Ta"eda player ta"es their 1) units
and D cards.
Page 2
(") *nits+ starting $lacement
Each player( following the rules below( places their
units in the starting placement he6es on the board.
Throughout the game( no more than & unit can e6ist in
a single he6.
*esugi si!e $la%er
Place all 1& units face down on the map. The units are
placed in the he6es on the map that ha.e the general0s
name and code printed on them.
After that( the placed units can be switched around. The
$esugi side0s placement he6es are split into 9 groups(
0>0( 0>>0( and 0>>>0. Fithin each group( units can be freely
e6changed +any number of units can be e6changed-.
$nits cannot be e6changed with units from other
groups.
Take!a si!e $la%er
Erom the 1) units( ta"e the &, units with general names
and placement codes printed on them and place them
face down in their starting he6es on the map.
After this( the placed units can be switched as desired
+any number of units can be e6changed-.
There is & starting he6 with no unit name printed on it(
but a unit can be placed there.
5e6t( the remaining units are placed face down and
mi6ed well. 9 units are drawn and placed +without
loo"ing at them-( & each in the reinforcement he6es +the
he6es coded :&( :1( and :9-. The remaining units are
placed face down +again( without loo"ing at them- in
the 0night attac" army bo60 on the board. These && units
represent the returning armies that participated in the
night attac" on Mt. #ai!o. 5ote that they are not
currently performing a night attac" +the portion of the
battle depicted in this game is a daytime battle-.
(&) ,ombat car!s
The $esugi side player ta"es all B cards they recei.ed
into their hands. The Ta"eda side player remo.es one
of the 0)0 modifier cards and places it in the bo6( and
ta"es the remaining B cards into their hand.
(') Turn marker
Einally( place the turn mar"er on the 0&0 bo6 of the turn
trac".
This ends the game preparation( and the game begins
with the $esugi side player ta"ing their turn. After this(
the Ta"eda side player ta"es their turn. At the end of the
Ta"eda side0s turn( the turn mar"er is ad.anced & space(
and the ne6t turn begins( starting as always with the
$esugi player.
-. Game se.uence
Each player ta"es their indi.idual turns( called 0$esugi
side0s turn0 and 0Ta"eda side0s turn0.. Both player0s
indi.idual turns combined are collecti.ely called 0a turn0
+short for 0game turn0-.
The game separates the &1 hours of the battle( from
*am to *pm( into * turns representing 1 hours each.
There are a few differences between the $esugi side
player0s and Ta"eda side player0s turns( detailed below.
/) *esugi si!e+s turn
&- 8eco.ery phase
The $esugi side player remo.es any and all retreat
mar"ers on any of their army units.
1- Aommand phase
The $esugi side player may choose up to * of their face
down units( and for each one may choose to flip them
face up or place a 0mo.e mar"er0 on them.
=owe.er( on the *th turn( as the commanding $esugi
%enshin is in the front line( the command phase is
s"ipped.
9- Mo.ement attac" phase
The $esugi player can choose as many of their units
that are face up or ha.e a mo.e mar"er on them as they
want( and mo.e them one at a time. Guring mo.ement(
if they ha.e the opportunity( they can perform attac"s.
B) Take!a si!e+s turn
&- 8eco.ery phase
The Ta"eda side player remo.es any and all retreat
mar"ers on any of their army units.
1- Aommand phase
The Ta"eda side player may choose up to * of their
face down units( and for each one may choose to flip
them face up or place a 0mo.e mar"er0 on them.
=owe.er( as they are under a surprise attac" on the first
turn( other than turning face up anyall of the 9 Mt.
#ai!o armies +on :&( :1( and :9-( the Ta"eda player
cannot turn any units face up or place any mo.e
mar"ers on the first turn.
Page 3
+9- Mo.ement attac" phase
The Ta"eda player can choose as many of their units
that are face up or ha.e a mo.e mar"er on them as they
want( and mo.e them one at a time. Guring mo.ement(
if they ha.e the opportunity( they can perform attac"s.
+,- 8einforcement phase
>f the Ta"eda side player has any units left in the night
attac" army bo6( they can choose up to 9 of them( and
"eeping them face down( place them & each in the
reinforcement he6es +coded :&( :1( and :9-.
=owe.er( they cannot be placed in any reinforcement
he6 that already has another unit on it.
+)- Turn mar"er phase
The Ta"eda side player ad.ances the turn mar"er one
space.
0. 12,
All units e6ert an influence called their H2A +Hone of
control- on all * he6es ad!acent to them.
H2A e6ample:
3. 4o5ement rules
+&- Each unit that is face up or has a mo.e mar"er
placed on them can use up to C mo.ement points in
their side0s mo.ement attac" phase( e6pending the
points to mo.e and attac". A face up unit recei.es C
mo.ement points each attac" phase( not !ust for a single
one.
+1- A unit that recei.es mo.ement points is not reIuired
to perform mo.ement andor combat( and it is
acceptable to stop before e6pending all their mo.ement
points. =owe.er( remaining mo.ement points cannot be
carried o.er for use on future turns.
+9- A unit pays & mo.ement point in order to mo.e to
an ad!acent he6. =owe.er( in order to enter a mountain
or ri.er he6( it costs 1 mo.ement points +& additional
point-.
+,- A unit with a mo.e mar"er on it remo.es it after it is
done with its mo.ement attac"s for that turn +e.en if it
ended up not mo.ing or attac"ing-.
+)- >f after beginning mo.ement( a unit enters the H2A
of an enemy unit( it must end mo.ement at that point.
+*- Any unit that enters an enemy H2A due to the
effects of mo.ement is immediately flipped face up +if
not already-. This includes the mo.ing unit and the unit
that was not mo.ing. >n other words( any units ad!acent
to any enemy units are always face up.
+C- There are no circumstances that allow any unit to
enter a he6 containing another unit. >t does not matter if
the units are friendlyenemy( or whether it is mid/
mo.ement.
+B- A unit cannot mo.e from an enemy H2A to an
ad!acent he6 that is also in an enemy H2A( whether or
not it is the same enemy0s H2A.
+D- A unit that mo.es out of an enemy H2A may not
enter another enemy0s H2A in the same turn.
+&'- A unit that mo.es out of an enemy H2A( at the end
of its mo.ement( is placed face down and has a retreat
mar"er placed on it.
+&&- A unit can attac" enemy units at the beginning of
or during mo.ement. & attac" costs 9 mo.ement points.
Because of this( a unit that has spent ) or more
mo.ement points when entering an opponent0s H2A
cannot attac" that turn.
+&1- A player is free to choose the order their units
mo.e and attac". =owe.er( each unit must completely
finish its mo.ement and attac"s for the turn before any
others can mo.e or attac".
+&9- A unit who is .ictorious in combat can continue
using its remaining mo.ement points for further
mo.ement. =owe.er( e.en if there are sufficient
mo.ement points( that unit cannot perform any more
attac"s that turn. Mo.ing after defeating an enemy unit
does not count as lea.ing that unit0s H2A.
6ace u$ units an! mo5e markers
All units appear on the board originally face down.
$nits that become face up and units with mo.e mar"ers
on them can both mo.e in the same way.
The difference between the two is that face up units can
mo.e +andor attac"- e.ery turn without needing to do
Page 4
anything else. $nits with mo.e mar"ers on them +face
down units- must ne6t turn once again ha.e a mo.e
mar"er placed on them or they will be unable to mo.e
+or attac"-.
Between the two( face up ma"es mo.ement easier( but
if a player doesn0t want their opponent to "now what
the unit is( they need to "eep it face down and place
mo.e mar"ers on it instead.
7. ,ombat rules
Aombat occurs when a unit attac"s another unit in its
H2A.
/ttacks an! occurrence of combat
The current player in a turn can attac" an enemy in its
H2A if it has not yet attac"ed that turn( and spends 9
mo.ement points. Aombat is immediately resol.ed at
the point the attac" is declared.
#on8combination of combats
Aombat is always & unit .s. & unit. >f an attac"ing unit
is in the H2A of 1 or more enemy units( the attac"ing
unit must declare which enemy unit is the target of their
attac". The unit performing the attac" and their
declared target are the only 1 units that will participate
in that combat.
,ombat resolution se.uence
Each combat is resol.ed with the following seIuence.
(1) ,ombat car! $la%
Each player chooses & combat card from their hand(
places it face down( and both players re.eal their
chosen cards at the same time.
(") Retreat
>f one or both players play a retreat card( the retreating
units are turned face down( ha.e a 0retreat0 mar"er
placed on them( and are mo.ed & he6.
The retreating unit cannot enter an enemy H2A nor a
he6 containing another unit. >f there is no legal area to
retreat to( the retreating unit is remo.ed.
(&) Determining combat results
>f both players re.eal combat cards with die roll results
+combat .alue modifiers- printed on them( combat
results are determined. Each player adds the modifier
on the card they played +the 0die roll0- to their
participating unit0s combat .alue. The combat .alues
are compared( and the player with the higher result
wins the combat.
(') Ties
>f the totals are the same( both players each place down
another combat card( and re.eal them simultaneously.
The player who plays the card with the higher modifier
wins the combat. 8etreat cards played at this time are
treated as normal. >f still tied( players continue playing
one card at a time until there is a winner or one or both
retreat.
/$$l%ing combat results
There is no effect on the .ictorious unit. Gepending on
the difference of the final combat .alue totals( one of
the following effects is applied to the loser.
a- >f the difference in totals is greater than &( the losing
unit is remo.ed.
b- >f the difference in totals is eIual to or less than &(
the losing unit retreat as in B/1 abo.e.
2ther combat8relate! rules
+&- >f a unit with a retreat mar"er is attac"ed in combat(
that unit0s combat .alue is reduced by &. Also( if that
unit loses the combat( e.en if by & or less( it is
remo.ed.
+1- >f the unit performing the attac" is .ictorious and
still has mo.ement points left( that unit may continue to
mo.e( but cannot perform further attac"s that turn.
+9- Aards used in combat are discarded. Either player
can chec" which cards ha.e been discarded at any time.
+,- >f a player has no cards or only retreat cards in
hand( they can immediately return all their discarded
cards to their hand.
+)- The $esugi side player has a combat card with a ,.)
modifier.
+*- The Ta"eda side player at first does not use one of
their two ) modifier combat cards +"eep it in the bo6
for future use-. 2n the ,th turn or later( when the
Ta"eda side player replenishes their hand with their
discards( they can choose to e6change one of their two
retreat cards +placing it in the bo6- for the e6tra )
modifier combat card. The e6changed retreat card is no
longer used. This e6change is not mandatory( and e.en
if not e6changing the retreat card the first time( the do
the e6change ne6t time they replenish. =owe.er( once
the e6change is made( they cannot be re/e6changed.
+C- A unit in a ri.er he6 has its combat .alue lowered
Page 5
by & for as long as it remains in the he6.
+B- Fhen either side0s commanding unit retreats( all of
that player0s other units ha.e their combat .alue
reduced by & for the rest of the game.
This effect accumulates each time the commanding
general retreats.
The $esugi side0s commanding general is $esugi
%enshin( the Ta"eda side0s commanding general is
Ta"eda #hingen. These are the only counters with a
combat .alue of *.)( ha.e their general0s name written
in white instead of blac"( and ha.e a placement code of
0A0.
4o5ement 9 /ttack e:am$le:
The $esugi side player places a mo.e mar"er on the
face down unit 0$&0. $& mo.es & he6( and as this brings
it into the H2A of the Ta"eda side0s T& unit( it stops its
mo.ement immediately. T& is also face down( but it and
$& are both flipped face up when they enter each
other0s H2A. $& still has * mo.ement points left( and
spends 9 of them to attac" T&.
>n the combat( $& is .ictorious( but the difference in
totals is only '.)( so T& retreats & he6 instead of being
remo.ed( is flipped face down( and has a retreat mar"er
placed on top of it. >f T& happens to be the
commanding general unit +Ta"eda #hingen-( all of the
Ta"eda side0s units would recei.e a /& modifier to all
combats from then on.
After that combat( $& begins mo.ing again( and mo.es
& he6( this time entering both T& and T10s H2A +see the
picture on the right-. $& must stop( T& is once again
flipped face up +"eeping the retreat mar"er on it-( and
T1 is also flipped face up.
As $& did not lea.e an enemy H2A during mo.ement
+T& is the one who left $&0s H2A-( this entering of T10s
H2A is a legal mo.e. =owe.er( $& cannot mo.e
further( and cannot attac"J partially because a unit can
only attac" once a turn( and at any rate( also because it
only has 1 mo.ement points remaining anyway.
Kastly( the mo.e mar"er is remo.ed from $&( ending its
mo.ement and attac"s for that turn.
;. <ictor% con!itions
This game ends after * turns. Fhen the game ends(
.ictory is determined as below. =owe.er( the game can
end before the *th turn if a commanding general is
remo.ed.
1) Su!!en !eath
>f a player remo.es their opponent0s commanding
general( the game ends and that player wins a complete
.ictory.
") ,alculating score
>f both commanding generals remain at the end of *
turns( each player recei.es points as follows in these 9
ways:
+a- Eor each enemy unit remo.ed: & point
+b- Eor each of a player0s own units on the board face
up: & point. =owe.er( the $esugi player only counts
their units that are on Ta"eda0s side of the ri.er +the
side of the ri.er $esugi0s group 0>>0 starts on-. $esugi
units e6actly on the ri.er are not counted. +5ote: The
original rules incorrectly state 0group >0( the errata has
been noted on Arclight0s page( and 0group >>0 is correct-
+c- Eor each time the opposing general has retreated: &
point
&) Determining the 5ictor
2ther than for sudden death( .ictory is determined by
comparing the scores. >n general( the player with more
points wins +the e6ception being a draw-.
The le.el of .ictory is determined as below:
Graw : Gifference of '/1 points
Marginal .ictory: Gifference of 9/) points
Tactical .ictory: Gifference of */B points
Gecisi.e .ictory: Gifference of D or more points
Aontact info:
Japanese Iuestions can be directed to Arclight at:
email: b/game@arclight.co.!p
Fhile not important to gameplay +other than the
commanding generals described in the rules-(
translations of the names of each general +and their
placement code and combat .alue- follow on the last
page.
Page 6
Take!a si!e generals
Takeda Shingen : A : 6.5
Takeda Nobushige : B : 6
Takeda Nobukado : C : 5
Takeda Yoshinobu : : 6
!" # Asa$i Nobu%ane : & : '.5
() *+ ,-a.uku /oukan : 0 : '
12 34 Ya-a-o%o 5ansuke : 6 : '.5
78 9: A%obe 5a%susuke : ; : '
<1 = Ana>a-a Nobuki-i : , : 5.5
? @A ;a$a Basa%ane : / : '.5
CD EFBoGhiHuki ShigeuIi : 5 : '
JK @L Mbu Basakage : N : 5
OP QRBo$oHu-i To$asada : B : 5
ST @U Nai%ou Basa%o>o : N : '.5
VW @ 5ousaka Basanobu : '
XY Z[ Mba%a Bi%su-o$i : '
X1 @\ M>a-ada Basa>uki : 5
JK Q@ Mbu To$a-asa : 5
]^ @_ Ai-o%o Basa%o-o : '
` a Ashida Nobu-o$i : '.5
bc d Baba Nobuha$u : '
e fg Sanada Yuki%aka : '.5
Amari Masatada : 5
Yonekura Shigetsugu : 4
XY h Mba%a Nobusada : 6
*esugi si!e generals
ij k lesugi 5enshin : A : 6.5
ij L lesugi 5agenobu : B : 6
mn op Naoe Sane%suna : C : 6
qr VR ;ouIou Takasada : : 5
1s Ua Ya-a>oshi To>o-o$i : & : 5
t uv Yasuda Aki-o%o : 0 : 5
wx Ly A-asou 5age-oGhi : 6 : 5
z2 L Ba%su-o%o 5ageshige : ; : 5
{i | Bu$aka-i Yoshiki>o : , : 6
}~ Shi-aHu No$ihisa : / : 5
V Takanashi Basa>o$i : 5 : 5
Suda Bi%suGhika : N : 5
L 5akiHaki 5ageie : B : 6
t Yasuda Nagahide : N : 5
[ A>ukaa Bo$inaga : M : 5
2 ;onIou Shigenaga : : 5
Shiba%a Nagaa%su : : 5
i | ,noue 5i>o-asa : : 5
8 9 ,$obe 5a%sunaga : S : 5
r T: NakaIou 0uIisuke : T : 5
|o 5u$okaa 5i>oHane : l : 5
Page 7