Bow Attendants (ROTS Unit)

Bow Attendants (ROTS Unit)
Class	Bow Infantry
Recruitment Cost	550
Upkeep Cost	100
Requires	Buildings: Bushi Training Grounds
Melee Attack	3
Charge Bonus	5
Bonus vs Cavalry	0
Range	150
Accuracy	30
Reloading Skill	40
Ammunition	25
Melee Defence	2
Armour	3
Morale	5
Speed	4

Description

These archers are average shots with a good range, providing deadly support for close combat troops.

While almost any man can be trained to shoot a bow well enough to fire in the general direction of the enemy, skill and dedication are needed to shoot accurately and well in the heat of battle. Bow attendants have good morale and are trained well enough for close combat should the need arise. Like many bowmen, however, they are vulnerable if attacked by cavalry.

Archery has a long history in Japanese warfare and every samurai was expected to master the art. The bow plays a key role in several Japanese myths. Tamamo no Mae, the beautiful courtesan who stole the heart of the Emperor Konoe, was killed by an arrow fired by Miura no Suke, a mighty warrior. Although Tamamo no Mae was a most beautiful and intelligent woman, she was a kitsune, a nine-tailed fox, working for an evil rival to the Emperor. When her secret was revealed she fled, and Miura no Suke gave chase. Aware that her doom was close, Tamamo no Mae appeared to Miura no Suke in a dream and begged for her life. He refused and fired the fatal arrow the very next day. Tamamo no Mae's fox body turned into the Sessho Seki, the Killing Stone, which legend says kills any who come into contact with it. The stone was haunted by the fox spirit who chose to take the name Hoji, until she was convinced to leave, or exorcised, by Genno, a Buddhist monk.

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Average accuracy and reload rate.
• Good morale.
• Weak in melee.
• Vulnerable to cavalry.
• Weak against samurai infantry.

Special Abilities

• Flaming Arrows - This unit can fire flaming arrows for a short period of time. Flaming arrows have a greater damage effect and can set fire to flammable objects. Flaming arrows don't function in wet weather.
• Screens - A shield that can be erected during the deployment phase when you are defending. It impedes the movement of enemies, and blocks enemy projectiles.

Other Information

Bow Attendants are, without a doubt, much more reliable at shooting which is reason enough to have them in your armies instead of the woefully incompetent Bow Levies. They are also very valuable for Castle Garrisons since the concept of siege weaponry didn't exist yet in the Gempei War. Be warned about pitting Bow Attendants against Foot Samurai as their superior archery skills will actually allow them to defeat Bow Attendants despite being outnumbered by a ratio of 2 to 1. It is strongly recommended for Bow Attendants to be recruited in a Province that has both a Master Bowmaker and a Hunting Lodge as the Exceptional Accuracy Bonus will make them almost as good as Foot Samurai while being slightly cheaper in both Recruitment and Upkeep costs.