Central to any multi-player team game, picking which class' to include can be a big decision for the developers. That's why we've spent a lot of time over the last couple of weeks researching (Wikipedia'ing) to try and come up with class' that'll not only be fun to play, but also retain some historical accuracy. Its probably one of the biggest decisions we've made since launching the mod, but we're really pleased with the work we've made and are now ready to share some of our decisions.
Please note that the names of the class' below are still subject to change, but for the most part we believe that we've found relatively accurate descriptions and names to match their European medieval counterparts.
Kyudoka (Archer)
The Samurai Archer. The Kyudoka are ranged specialists, using their Hankyu and Yumi bows to keep enemies at a distance. They can also wield the Tanegashima, an early flintlock musket. Kyudoka are vulnerable in Melee as they are very lightly armored.
Armor
- Light Karuta Dou (leather chest armor)
- Cloth undergarments
- Hachimaki (bandana)
Primary weapons
- Hankyu (short bow)
- Yumi (long bow)
- Tanegashima (flintlock musket)
Secondary weapons
- Tanto (dagger)
- Wakizashi (short sword)
Ranged weapons
- Smoke bomb
- Fire bomb
Ashigaru (Man-at-arms)
The Ashigaru make up the bulk of a Samurai army, wielding lighter weapons designed for speed, such as the Katana and Tachi. They are lightly armored and rely on out maneuvering and overwhelming their enemies.
Armor
- Hara-ate Dou (metal plate armor)
- Chain undergarments
- Leather Jingasa (cone helm)
Primary weapons
- Katana
- Tachi (sabre like sword)
- Kanabo (short mace weapon)
Secondary weapons
- Tanto (dagger)
- Wakizashi (short sword)
Ranged weapons
- Senbon (dart)
- Shuriken
Samurai (Knight)
The Samurai are the most powerful melee units available in the mod. They are well protected and equipped with the most powerful weapons, although they lack the speed of other units due to the burden of their heavy armor and weapons.
Armor
- O-yoroi Armor (translates as ‘great armor’, made from iron plate and Lamella)
- Heavy chain and silk undergarments
- Heavy kabuto with Mengu (face armor)
Primary weapons
- Odatchi (great sword)
- Tetsubo (large wooden/metal mace)
- O-kusarigama (two-handed war sythe)
Secondary weapons
- Tanto (dagger)
- Wakizashi (short sword)
Ranged weapons
- Senbon (dart)
- Shuriken
Sohei (Vanguard)
The Sohei are Warrior Monks who have taken up arms to fight for their Shogun. Although not as heavily armored as the Samurai, they are still exceptionally dangerous due to the high-damage weapons at their disposal. Typically wielding pole weapons such as the Naginata or Yari, they prefer to keep their enemies at a distance and strike suddenly to deal huge amounts of damage.
Armor
- Heavy Kimono robes
- Hara-ate Dou (worn under their robes)
- Hachimaki (As a head cowl)
Primary weapons
- Naginata (Japanese glaive)
- Yari (spear)
- Sasumata (trident)
Secondary weapons
- Tanto (dagger)
- Wakizashi (short sword)
Ranged weapons
- Senbon (dart)
- Shuriken
Got any feedback on any of the above? Please leave us a comment as we would love to know what you think!
Amazing, just amazing
Thanks Gervaise!
Cheers!
Looks interesting, but why do the Ashigaru have Katana, but no Yari? Wha? And the Samurai don't even have Katana at all...
I agree. The classes seem very cool and pretty well researched, but I also thought that the katana was the essential weapon of the samurai and not something ashiguru would be outfitted with.
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Excellent classes! Amazing!
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How will you address the use of shields for knights and Man at arms? I don't believe I have ever seen the use of shields in feudal Japanese warfare. - Although I'm no expert on the subject and all of my knowledge is from films, games, and the internet.
They won't be cheap *** shield(Just kidding I am not sure) :P
The problem is, without shield. These damn archer is gonna be pain in the ***.
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I can't wait for that mod ;D
I believe that Japanese warriors viewed the use of a shield as an act of cowardice. Just like almost every Chivalry player sees the use of a bow/crossbow/javelin as cowardice.
edit: Most Japanese weapons were 2-handed, also, and thus a shield would be a hindrance. There was however something called a Horo, which was a stiffened silk cloak that was worn by messengers (tsukai) and bodyguards (yojimbo) and could stop arrows moderately effectively. I believe there was also some kind of mop-like device that when spun could 'catch' arrows. Not sure about this though.