Yumi Samurai

"Superior Warrios with bows and swords."

- In-game description

Yumi Samurai are a unit in Sengoku Jidai.

Full Unit Profile

 * Shooting:
 * Bow: Short Range 2. Long Range 4. Effect halved at long range. Less effective than firearms, especially against firearms. Can shoot overhead.


 * Impact:
 * Troop Quality: +50 POA vs any.
 * Melee:
 * Swordsmen: +100 vs any mounted except Steady Pistols(M). +100 against foot, unless these are steady and "protected" (Unit has Pike, Spearmen or Bayonet, or is defending an Obstacle, or is commanded shot with adjacent friendly non-light mounted troops).
 * Armor Advantage: Up to +50 POA vs less well-armored opponents unless these have Musket, Salvo, Arquebus or Heavy Weapon, or are Artillery, Elephants, or Battle Wagons.
 * +15 for warriors lapping round smaller units
 * Troop Quality: +50 vs any.

Gameplay
Yumi Samurai are a common Japanese unit, and with good reason. Of high quality with both Shooting and Melee capabilities they are well-rounded, able to defend themselves in close combat better than pure archer units and able to fire on other units unlike pure swordsmen, on top of having 12 Action Points making them pretty mobile as well. Whether its fighting in a forest, softening an enemy before a charge, or supporting a line of troops in front of them, their versatility combined with their overall quality makes them a decent unit for any Japanese player, and its hard to imagine any tactical situation in which they're useless.

However, there are two issues with Yumi Samurai, starting with their cost. For all their qualities they are a relatively expensive unit and depending on how they are used their additional cost compared to alternative units may not be worth it.

For example, if one decides to keep their Yumi Samurai away from close combat and just rain arrows upon the enemy, Yumi Ashigaru are far more cost efficient, 40% cheaper for only a ~15% decrease in their Shooting rating.

Likewise if someone wants a unit for close combat then units with Yari or Naginatas are far better choices; Naginatas get an Impact capability that Swordsmen lack and get to negate enemy armor, meanwhile Yari are protected against cavalry and negate Swordsmen Melee POA while keeping its own bonus against foot. This means that even Yari Ashigaru can beat Yumi Samurai in open terrain: more specifically the Ashigaru get +50 POA on Impact (+100 minus the +50 quality bonus of the Samurai) and +50 for each Melee phase on that same calculation.

This is before we get into how pure Yari or Naginata units can be cheaper; you can buy almost two Yari Ashigaru for the cost of one Yumi Samurai (72 vs 60), and even Yari Samurai is slightly cheaper (54 vs 60)

Secondly, Yumi Samurai are not protected, which means they are vulnerable to cavalry.

Ultimately, Yumi Samurai are an undoubtedly good unit, but whether or not they are worth the cost depends on how much of their versatility you intend to use. If one intends to use them mainly as a close combat or ranged unit, then cheaper and more specialized units are a better choice.

History
Samurai were the land-owning class of the Japanese feudal system, equivalent to European knights. They were skilled in the use of horseriding as well as various weapons and martial arts. Contrary to popular belief the katana was not their primary weapon; samurai were skilled at both but they were archers first and foremost, the bow (yumi) valued above the katana for its range and versatility.

Unit Lists

 * Aoi 1591-1599
 * Aoi 1600-1603
 * Aoi 1604 Onwards
 * Hojo Before 1530
 * Hojo 1530-1542
 * Hojo 1543-1543
 * Hojo 1568-1569
 * Hojo 1570-1574
 * Hojo 1575-1586
 * Japanese Invasion Force 1591-1599