Tokugawa Kisho Ninja (TWS2 Unit)

Tokugawa Kisho Ninja (TWS2 Unit)
Class	Special Infantry
Recruitment Cost	750
Upkeep Cost	250
Requires	Clan: Tokugawa Buildings: Criminal Syndicate
Melee Attack	15
Charge Bonus	22
Bonus vs Cavalry	0
Range	50
Accuracy	40
Reloading Skill	60
Ammunition	2
Melee Defence	10
Armour	3
Morale	12
Speed	5

Description

These ninja are virtually undetectable in battle, capable of carrying out deadly surprise attacks.

Kisho ninja have mastered the art of invisibility, making them highly effective assassins who possess terrifying supernatural powers! In fact, their skills are actually the product of a lifetime of intensive training, cunning and the clever use of misdirection. The ability to move about largely unseen on the battlefield means they appear from nowhere, launch an assault on an enemy general and then vanish before they are caught or killed.

They are armed with throwing knives for short-range attacks and their blinding grenades can disorientate an enemy for a short time, reducing their fighting ability. To remain as stealthy as possible kisho ninja operate in small numbers, so must avoid prolonged close combat because they cannot afford to take many casualties.

Historically, ninja were rarely used on the battlefield itself, although their fighting prowess was certainly equal to the challenge. Instead, a daimyo would hire them to undertake espionage missions or assassinate rivals. The ninja’s role was to carry out tasks that others could not honourably accomplish, as they were not constrained by bushido, the code that governed samurai behaviour. During sieges, ninja would infiltrate an enemy’s castle in disguise, gather intelligence and cause confusion by, for example, setting fires - leading the enemy to assume he had turncoats within his walls.

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Infantry who perform very specialised tasks on the battlefield.
• Vulnerable to units who perform broader roles.