Bow Ashigaru (TWS2 Unit)
| Bow Ashigaru (TWS2 Unit) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Bow Infantry |
| Recruitment Cost | 350 |
| Upkeep Cost | 75 |
| Requires | Buildings: |
| Melee Attack | 2 |
| Charge Bonus | 2 |
| Bonus vs Cavalry | 0 |
| Range | 150 |
| Accuracy | 25 |
| Reloading Skill | 20 |
| Ammunition | 20 |
| Melee Defence | 1 |
| Armour | 1 |
| Morale | 3 |
| Speed | 4 |
Description
Bow ashigaru are light foot archers used to screen the front line, harassing enemies with long range volleys of arrows.
These soldiers do not possess the prowess or prestige of samurai, but they are still a formidable force. In the same time it takes to fire and reload a firearm once, these archers can loose a dozen arrows upon the enemy. Once hand-to-hand fighting starts they should retreat to safety behind the battle line, as bow ashigaru are not trained or properly equipped for melee. They must also be wary of cavalry, having little defence against a charge.
Historically, bow ashigaru were used as skirmishers and sharpshooters, and were also expected to take part in close combat once they had fired all their arrows. Perhaps surprisingly, they were not made obsolete by the arrival of guns. While gunners reloaded, archers could continue to fire arrows, providing cover and maintaining the pressure on an enemy.
It was the job of the yumi ko gashira, an ashigaru commander, to judge when the enemy was in range and when to fire so that no arrows were wasted. Assistants would be ready with well-stocked boxes of arrows for resupply, and, if they ran out, an archer could always pick up enemy arrows and return them to the original owners!
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Fast firing and long-range infantry who can fill the sky with arrows.
- Very vulnerable to cavalry and weak in melee. Not as damaging as matchlocks.
Bow Ashigaru VS Bow Samurai
| Bow Ashigaru | Bow Samurai | |
|---|---|---|
| Recruitment Cost | 350 | 750 |
| Upkeep Cost | 75 | 150 |
| Unit Size | 120 | 90 |
| Melee Attack | 2 | 5 |
| Charge Bonus | 2 | 5 |
| Bonus vs Cavalry | 0 | 0 |
| Range | 150 | 150 |
| Accuracy | 25 | 40 |
| Reloading Skill | 20 | 60 |
| Ammunition | 20 | 20 |
| Melee Defence | 1 | 2 |
| Armour | 1 | 4 |
| Morale | 3 | 8 |
Although the Stats are in favor of the Bow Samurai, the Bow Ashigaru can actually beat the Bow Samurai in a one-on-one archery fight simply because their larger unit size of 120 gives them 30 more archers. If allowed the first volley, the extra 30 archers can compensate for the Bow Ashigaru's lower reload and accuracy. So in terms of missile damage output, the Bow Ashigaru can be more cost-effective than the Bow Samurai. However, in the event of a charge attack by melee units, the Bow Ashigaru will break and fall faster than the Bow Samurai.
