Azure Dragon Force are a type of line infantry in Fall of the Samurai.
Description[]
The Azure Dragons are trained to use firepower to defeat their foes, not charge into melee.
They are line infantry, and carry modern rifles, which are both accurate and have a reasonable rate of fire. Like most rifles, they have a large bore and do significant damage to targets. The Dragons are not suited to melee combat, and if they are carelessly left unsupported, they might be overwhelmed by a cavalry attack. However, thanks to the martial traditions of Aizu province, they have good morale.
The troops of Aizu province fought under a set of laws of war that, unusually, outlined how they were to behave towards non-combatants and enemies. For most of Japanese history being on the losing side in battle, or being near a victorious army, was a fairly dangerous affair. Samurai counted their honour by the foes they defeated, and there was little room for mercy. The Aizu rules of war, drawn up at the end of the 18th Century, made a point of forbidding their troops from despoiling enemy lands, looting, and generally behaving like a medieval conquering army.
The unit was named after a Chinese constellation, the mythological Azure Dragon of the East, a creature associated with the element of wood. The dragon supposedly protected the city of Kyoto, along with the other mythical creatures used to name Aizu combat units.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Good accuracy and reload rate.
- Average in melee.
- Weak against cavalry.
- Good morale.
General Information[]
Unique to the Aizu, Azure Dragon Force are a step above Line Infantry, superior in most categories save armor and bonus vs cavalry. They are correspondingly more expensive to train and maintain, however. Azure Dragon Force are in turn inferior to Imperial Infantry/Republican Infantry/Shogunate Infantry, yet are cheaper. For those factions that can afford to shoulder the recruitment and upkeep costs, training Shogunate/Imperial Infantry is the better option.
The exception to this rule is if the player wishes to betray his allies and transition to a Republic come realm divide: whereas all Shogunate/Imperial Infantry disband automatically if a faction declares itself a Republic, Azure Dragon Force do not, allowing the faction to retain its line infantry forces.
Azure Dragon Force have near-identical statistics to Black Bear Infantry, Red Bear Infantry, and White Bear Infantry, but are cheaper to train and maintain. Unlike Black and White Bear Infantry, who require 3rd tier buildings to train, they can also be trained at 2nd-tier barracks, making them available much earlier. Despite their extra value for men and ease of recruitment, however, in the late-game Aizu players may wish to switch to Vermilion Bird Force instead, which are superior.
| Fall of the Samurai Infantry | |
|---|---|
| Sword Infantry | Katana Kachi • Shogitai |
| Spear Infantry | Spear Levy • Spear Levy Garrison • Kyoto Police • Yari Kachi |
| Bow Infantry | Bow Kachi |
| Matchlock Infantry | Matchlock Kachi |
| Special Infantry | Kisho Ninja |
| Militia Infantry | Levy Garrison Infantry • Levy Infantry • White Tiger Force |
| Light Infantry | Sharpshooters • Tosa Riflemen • Yugekitai |
| Line Infantry | Azure Dragon Force • Black Bear Infantry • Black Tortoise Force • Garrison Infantry • Imperial Infantry • Line Infantry • Red Bear Infantry • Republican Infantry • Shinsengumi Police Force • Shogunate Infantry • Vermilion Bird Force • White Bear Infantry |
| Elite Infantry | Imperial Guard Infantry • Infanterie de marine • Kihetai • Republican Guard Infantry • Royal Marines • Shogunate Guard Infantry • United States Marines |