Matchlock Kachi

Matchlock Kachi
Appears in	Fall of the Samurai
Belongs to	Most factions
Type	Matchlock infantry
Ammunition	15
Soldiers per unit	30/60/90/120
Attack skill	6
Charge bonus	6
Anti-cavalry skill	0
Armour	4
Defense skill	2
Range	100
Precision	25
Loading speed	25
Morale	7
Tech requirement	Shih
Produced from	Traditional Dojo
Cost	570 SP/400 MP
Upkeep	80
Turns to train	2
Unit cap	None

Matchlock Kachi are a type of matchlock infantry in Fall of the Samurai.

Description

These warriors carry muskets capable of massed volleys that inflict great damage.

War is changing and those who stubbornly cling only to the old ways will surely perish. All armies require the firepower these musket-armed troops offer. Their accuracy makes them ideal for breaking enemy charges and providing support for the main line of troops. They should never be sent into melee combat, and their slow reload times leave them vulnerable to cavalry attacks. In ranged combat they will be outmatched by units with more modern firearms.

Muskets were originally introduced into Japan by Portuguese traders in the 1500s. These weapons were bought, copied, improved and then remained the standard Japanese firearm for years after. Despite the availability of better weapons from overseas, it was still not unusual to find armies using designs that were hundreds of years old and “native” rather than “foreign”. The matchlock had the advantage of being simple, quite rugged in operational conditions, and its use was well understood by men, officers and generals. To be fair to the Japanese, who might appear a little hidebound by their use of the matchlock, during the 19th Century many European armies had been strangely reluctant to abandon the familiar flintlock in favour of the new-fangled percussion cap.

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Average accuracy and slow reload rate.
• Weak in melee.
• Weak against cavalry.
• Weak against rifles.
• Average morale.

General Information

In addition to having a worse reload speed and accuracy, matchlock kachi have a shorter range than that of rifle armed troops, putting them at a severe disadvantage. Despite their shortcomings, they are still able to take on and win against militia troops in a one on one scenario. Their melee skills, while not being as good as that of specialized melee troops, are a cut above that of most rifle-armed troops, though this does not fully make up for their smaller regiment sizes in a melee fight.

Matchlock Kachi are the earliest unit type that have a tech requirement: Shih. While Shih is a relatively early technology to research, this still serves to make matchlock kachi even more inaccessible.

Matchlock Kachi are of greater value when fighting in defensive sieges, where their good melee skills can be often put to use. In the late game, however, their low range, poor accuracy and reload skill, as well as low number of men per regiment make them a poor match against dedicated line infantry and skirmishers.