Bow Kachi are a type of bow infantry in Fall of the Samurai.
Description[]
Excellent shots, with superb range, these men retain the skills of earlier centuries.
The noble art of the bow should not be forgotten in more modern times of steam engines and machine guns. These men still have much to offer as they are skilled warriors. With good range and an accuracy born of years of dedication to their art they are a fine addition to any army. However, they should never be committed to close combat and they are incredibly vulnerable to cavalry charges. Should they attempt a fight against more modern weapons they will probably find themselves overpowered and take heavy losses.
The bow has always been a valued and important part of Japanese society and warfare. In some myths the bow could mean the difference between life and death, even for the innocent. During the Nara period the nine-headed dragon Kuzuryu took up residence in Lake Ashi in Hakone. The creature demanded sacrifice and the villagers had to devise a fair way to select the family whose daughter’s life would satiate Kuzuryu. It was decided that a white feathered arrow should be shot into the air over the village and the house that it landed on would have to give up their youngest daughter for sacrifice. This process continued until Kuzuryu was vanquished by a priest named Mankan who chained him to a rock formation within Lake Ashi.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Good range and accuracy but low damage.
- Weak in melee.
- Weak against cavalry.
- Weak at range against rifles.
- Average morale.
General Information[]
While these troops are armed with bows that may seem archaic compared to the rifles most other missile troops use, bow kachi have some significant advantages. The arced trajectory of their arrows allow them to fire from behind hilly terrain, giving them a distinct advantage over rifle-armed troops who need a clear line of sight. This trait also allows them to be placed behind friendly troops without fear of friendly fire. Another advantage bow kachi have is their superior range. This allows them to harass most rifle-armed troops that aren't paying attention with impunity, and forces enemies to go on the offensive. As they are available from the early game, Bow Kachi can provide support to early armies with less fear of facing cavalry or other expensive troops that may reach them easily. In the later game, however, sharpshooters and artillery begin to nullify the range advantage bow kachi have.
Bow Kachi have some extra utility during siege battles, as their flaming arrows (which require the Shih technology to research) can light fortifications on fire.
The downsides of bow kachi are the small number of men per regiment and the overall low killing rate. They can be easily ridden down by cavalry for these reasons, and fare very poorly in melee combat against specialist troops. Their superior melee stats when compared to some line infantry do not make up for their deficiency in numbers. In head-on battles with a clear line of sight, they lose against line infantry due to their poor killing rate.
The modern unit type that compares most closely to Bow Kachi are sharpshooters, who have the same amount of men and range. Sharpshooters deal damage far more quickly thanks to their rifles, but bow kachi can fire over hills or friendly troops.
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 |