#Building Your Warband (兵隊を揃える)

Five ashigaru are assigned to Setsuna. Mina has one shikigami.

#Scent — How to Hold a Spear

Instead of the cafe, Kuro's apartment. Paper soldier tokens lay on the table. The small square papers were labeled "spearman," "archer," and "shikigami."

"Today is about your warband," Kuro said.

Hana picked up a token. It said "spear Minion x5."

"Setsuna has soldiers?"

"Yes. Five ashigaru assigned by Kagura Domain. Infantry with spears. They have no combat experience."

Hana set down the token. Five people. Five lives depending on Setsuna's orders.

"Do they have names? These people?"

Kuro paused for a moment. "You can name them if you want. But these people are Minions. They can die from a single cut. If you give them names, it hurts more when they die."

Hana quietly looked at the token. The number 5. Five lives inside it.

"...Daichi, Jiro, Saburo, Shiro, Goro. First through fifth."

Kuro wrote the names on the back of the token with a pencil.

Mei asked, "What about Mina's shikigami?"

"Shikigami are different. You put a spell on a paper doll and make it move. It's not a soldier — it's a spell formula."

Mei nodded. "I'll name it 'Kami'(paper). Because it's paper."

Kuro laughed. "Direct."

"Commanding soldiers is simple," Kuro said. "When you give orders, the soldiers move. Things like 'advance,' 'shoot,' or 'raise shields.' But to give orders, you must spend your own strength."

"What does that mean?"

"In combat, swinging your blade and giving an order to soldiers use the same resource. If you swing your blade too much, you have no strength left to order soldiers. On the other hand, if you only give orders, you have no time to fight yourself."

Hana understood. "Blade or command. It's a choice."

"Right. And if you are good at command, the strength needed to give orders decreases. If you're clever, your subordinates understand with fewer words."

"Soldiers also have morale," Kuro said. "Base 3. It decreases when they are hit by enemies, when their commander falls, or when something terrifying happens. At 0, they flee."

"If they flee, do they come back?"

"No. The unit has broken. A gap opens in the Front Zone, and the enemy pushes in."

Hana clenched the token. "I won't let them break."

Kuro nodded. "To be a good commander, you must not overuse your soldiers."

Five paper tokens. Daichi, Jiro, Saburo, Shiro, Goro. Soldiers with names wait on the paper. Next week, they grip spears for the first time.

#Law — Session Transcript

Kuro: "The squad system."

#Squad Composition

Kuro: "Squad = a group of soldiers of the same kind. 3~6 people. Base composition score 10 points."

Unit	Score	Equipment
Minion spearman	1	yari
Minion archer	1.5	yumi
Minion teppo soldier	2	tanegashima
Minion warrior monk	1.5	vajra/staff
Veteran spearman	3	yari + light armor
Veteran cavalry	4	yari + mounted

Hana: "If Setsuna is a 1st-dan samurai... 5 Minion spearmen(5 points) + 3 Minion archers(4.5 points) = 9.5 points? Within 10 points."

Kuro: "Right. That's the basic composition. 1 spearman squad + 1 archer squad. A small unit led by Setsuna."

Mei: "Mina has no squad?"

Kuro: "For onmyoji, shikigami replace squads. A 1st-dan shikigami is 1 body. Its combat power is weak, but it has broad range and does not need the GM to control it directly. Later, you can strengthen shikigami or increase their number."

#Squad Commands

Kuro: "The commander(PC) gives orders to a squad. Cost: 2 Energy. If Wisdom(智) is +2 or higher, discounted to 1 Energy."

Hana: "Setsuna's Wisdom is 0... so 2 Energy."

Mei: "Mina's Wisdom is +2, so 1 Energy?"

Kuro: "Right. Mei's onmyoji has high Wisdom, so command is cheap. But Mina's main work is controlling shikigami, so she has no squad."

Command	Effect
Advance	Move squad zone
Volley Fire	All bow/gun squad members attack
Shield Wall	Zone Domination x1.5
Retreat	Withdraw safely
Enter Core	Enter the Core Zone (Cohesion -1)

#Cohesion

Kuro: "Squad morale. Base 3. At 0, it breaks(flees)."

Cohesion Change	Cause
-1	Takes damage from enemies, allied commander incapacitated
-2	Standard-bearer unit captured, allied Lord-rank unit incapacitated
+1	Military band/entertainer effect, commander's encouragement

Hana: "If Cohesion is 3, they flee after being hit three times... tight."

Kuro: "That's why Pure Land monks and entertainers matter. Maintaining Cohesion is their role. Setsuna holds the front, and someone behind her has to raise morale."

#Hit Intensity Table

Kuro: "When a squad attacks an enemy, use the hit intensity table. It is different from individual combat."

Total	Minion Target	Veteran+ Target	Elite/Lord Target
Hit	Remove 1 person	Cohesion -1	1 Wound
13+	Remove 2 people	Cohesion -1 + 1 Wound	1 Wound
17+	Remove 3 people	Cohesion -2 + 1 Wound	1 Wound + Defenseless
Critical Hit	Remove 3 people	Cohesion -2 + 1 Wound	2 Wounds
Heavenly Mandate	Everyone	Cohesion -3 + 2 Wounds	instant death/3 Wounds

Mei: "If you hit a Minion, 1 person dies instantly... ashigaru lives really are light."

Kuro: "It's the Sengoku period. That's why commanders matter. If you force soldiers in recklessly, they are wiped out."

Kuro: "Summary.

Squad Composition: combine Minions/Veterans within 10 points
Command Cost: 2 Energy (Wisdom+2 → 1 Energy)
Cohesion: base 3, breaks at 0
Hit Intensity: when squads attack, effects branch by total

Setsuna commands 5 spearmen + 3 archers. Mina has 1 shikigami. Next week, this unit enters combat for the first time."

Five tokens. One shikigami. This is Setsuna and Mina's fighting strength. Even if the enemy is ten times larger, a wise commander can win.