#Squad Operations (部隊運用)

Contents

Minions and Veterans are grouped into squads and move by a Lord's orders. A squad is a pillar of Domination and a shield for the battle line.

Canon — squad and order costs. This document is the final rule for squad-order Energy costs. The tables in this text are the result of the simplified cost rule (§Squad Order Costs). See co-99-meta/co-99-01-authority.md for the authority system.

Related Entries: Minion · Veteran · Domination · Energy and Breath · Attributes §Wisdom

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#Squad Composition

#Scent — The Bones of an Army

Lords are the battlefield's brilliant protagonists, but the line is actually held by squads of nameless soldiers. When 5 ashigaru set their spears, the zone's Domination rises; when 4 archers stand in the Rear Zone, enemies cannot advance carelessly. These soldiers do not decide for themselves. They move on one word from their commander.

#Law — Rules

• Squad = a group of the same grade (Minion or Veteran) + the same weapon.
• Headcount: usually 3~6 people.
• No actions of their own: squads act only through a Lord/Elite's squad order.
• Domination contribution: simply being deployed in a zone provides a Domination bonus.

Squad vs Individual Unit

A squad is a group unit that moves only through squad orders. In contrast, shikigami, puppets, and Elite-grade lieutenants are individual units, and they are not targets for squad orders, overall command, or Squad Tactics. The shared rules for individual units are collected in the parent document.

Details: ../co-06-00-index.md §Distinguishing Individual Units and Squad Units · ../co-99-meta/co-99-02-core-principles.md Principle 2.

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#Squad Orders

#Scent — In One Word

A seasoned commander's orders are short. "Advance." "Fire." "Hold." On that single word, soldiers move in perfect order. A leader with excellent strategy (Wisdom) can issue complex orders with fewer breaths.

#Law — Rules

A Lord/Elite spends their own Energy to order a squad.

Base cost: 2 Energy. With Wisdom +2 or higher, 1 Energy. No exceptions.

Order Types:

Volley/Attack Check (scales by hit strength):

2d10 >= target Defense (no modifiers; the squad's massed firepower).

The effect depends on the strength of the hit-roll result. There is no separate support die — 1 hit roll decides everything.

On failure: miss. If the target is in the Core Zone, check misidentified fire.

Design intent: 1 roll decides everything → faster play. It uses the strength of the 2d10 bell curve — high totals create larger effects. Critical Hits also matter at squad scale.

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#Cohesion (結束力)

#Scent — A Shaking Heart

Soldiers are not machines. When comrades fall, yoma roar, and the commander disappears, their hearts break. Cohesion measures the will that lets a squad keep standing on the battlefield.

#Law — Rules

Cohesion is a squad's morale/durability. Base 3. (Veteran squads 4.)

Causes of Reduction:

Convenience rule: Do not subtract "headcount loss" and "area hit" after every attack; settle them in a batch at Lull. "Lord incapacitated" and "Core Zone entry/exit" are narrative moments, so apply them immediately. This greatly reduces the burden of tracking Cohesion during combat.

Recovery:

#Squad State System (部隊狀態, Squad States)

During and after battle, squads move among three states. Each state has a different return path and recovery cost. Do not mix them together.

#Rout (崩壞) — Cohesion 0

The squad members have broken apart and fled or hidden. Their fighting power is gone, but most are still alive.

Trigger Conditions:

• Cohesion reaches 0 (accumulated reduction causes).
• Can be prevented by Pure Land Monk "Shield of Amida" and similar effects.

Immediate Effects:

• Remove the squad from its current zone. Domination contribution 0.
• The squad exists in an abstract "off the battlefield" space. It cannot receive orders during battle.
• Later attacks targeting that squad can hit only after a pursuit check (same as the withdrawal rules).

Return During Battle (Rescue):

• At each Lull Phase, the lord may attempt 2d10 + Presence >= 13.
• Success: the squad returns at Cohesion 1. Redeploy it in a zone adjacent to the lord.
• Failure: retry at the next Lull. Failure itself does not turn into Destruction.

Postbattle Handling:

• If it has 1 or more Wounds remaining, it automatically recovers to Cohesion 1. Headcount, equipment, and experience are preserved.
• It can deploy unchanged in the next battle.

#Destruction (潰滅) — Cannot Return to the Battlefield

Most squad members are dead or incapacitated. The squad has physically ceased to exist.

Trigger Conditions (one of the following):

1. Squad Wounds reach 0: accumulated damage during battle reduces Wounds to 0.
2. Explicit exception effect: the Mandate of Heaven Table/Karma Table, a scenario special effect, a masterwork or secret art, and so on directly declares "squad destruction."

Immediate Effects:

• Remove the squad completely from the battlefield. It cannot return within the same battle by any means.
• If it is the lord's squad, the lord is in a leaderless state (apply Leaderless Squads).
• Other squads on the same side take Cohesion -1 (morale shock).

Postbattle Re-formation:

• Until re-formed, that squad cannot deploy.
• During the re-formation period, 1 of the lord's squad slots is empty.
• If a named lieutenant (Elite-grade) is included in the Destruction, that NPC is permanently lost. It becomes a narrative milestone.

#State Tracking Guide

• Put state checkboxes in the squad section of the character sheet and mark one of [Active/Routed/Destroyed].
• When Routed, also write Cohesion 0; when Destroyed, also write Wounds 0. This reduces confusion.
• When Destroyed, record a re-formation countdown (remaining seasons).
• On the lord's domain sheet, keep a "lost squads" log to track scenario and Renown Title impact.

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#Squad Tactics (部隊戰術)

#Scent — Squads Have Techniques Too

A squad's actions are not limited to "advance" and "fire." Kagura elite spearmen unfold the Three-Rank Spear Wall to stop enemy Breakthroughs, Hiei warrior monks use Exorcist Sutra to cut a yoma's Defense, and Fuma genin block sight with smoke screens.

These unique combat abilities are called tactics (戰術). Tactics follow the same structure as personal maneuvers, but they are triggered at squad scale and activated by a commander's squad order.

#Law — Tactic System

#Types of Tactics

#Tactic Slots by Grade

#Tactic Activation Rules

Tactic activation cost = squad-order cost (2 Energy, Wisdom discount applies) + the tactic's own additional cost

Example:
 A scholar with Wisdom+2 orders Kagura spearmen to use "Three-Rank Spear Wall":
 Squad order = 1 Energy (Wisdom+2 discount)
 Three-Rank Spear Wall additional cost = base (no additional cost)
 Total cost = 1 Energy

The table's additional cost base means there is no extra Energy beyond the squad-order cost. Powerful tactics list a separate cost such as +1 Energy or +2 Energy.

#Squad Order Cost by Wisdom Modifier

The cost rule is a 2-branch simplification. Wisdom +2 or higher is recommended for squad-command builds.

#Tactic Stat Block Format

[Tactic:Kata] Name (kanji) — faction name
Additional Cost: base or +N Energy (separate from squad-order cost)
Check: 2d10 >= target Defense (or automatic)
Effect: (general effect)
Anti-squad: (additional effect against squad-grade targets — for clearing many Minions/Mobs)
Limit: N times/round / N times/battle / —

#Anti-Squad Scaling

Tactics are optimized for squad-vs-squad combat. Handling individuals one by one is tedious — tactics remove enemies efficiently at squad scale.

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#Generic Squads (傭兵/民兵/盜賊)

#Scent — Borrowing Blades

Squads that do not belong to a faction. They may be hired with gold, levied from a village, or gathered from back alleys. They have no faction trait, but each has its own character. These are the squads PCs can access and command most easily.

#Law

#Mercenary Band (傭兵團)

Tactics:

Useful if you have money, gone if you do not. The most honest soldiers.

#Militia (民兵隊)

Tactics:

Brave when defending home. Far away, they want to go home.

#Bandit Band (盜賊團)

Tactics:

Untrustworthy, but cheap. Useful for ambushes.

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#Support Squads (補助部隊)

#Scent — Hands That Do Not Hold Blades

Not every hand on the battlefield holds a sword. Some hands carry arrows, and some beat drums. Some sew wounds, and some raise the war banner high. Without them, even elite troops cannot last for days.

#Law — 4 Support Squad Types

#Supply Unit (補給隊)

Tactics:

Weakness: priority 1 target when enemies break through to the Rear Zone. If destroyed, allied supply is cut → Cohesion -1 chain.

#Military Band (軍樂隊)

Tactics:

Weakness: If the military band is wiped out, the stance effect immediately vanishes. Squads relying on Raise Morale shake at the same time.

#Medical Unit (醫務隊)

Tactics:

Weakness: direct combat power 0. Protection required. Most vulnerable to Rear Breakthrough.

#Standard-Bearer Unit (旗手隊)

Tactics:

Weakness: If the standard-bearer unit is wiped out or the banner is captured, all squads in the same army take Cohesion -2 (morale collapse). Rear protection is required.

#Guidelines for Support Squads

• Faction allocation: 0~2 per 1 faction. Regular armies are well supplied. Irregulars/guerrillas almost never have them.
• Detailed faction allocation: see Factions §Support Squad Allocation.
• Squad orders: Activate with the same Lord/Elite squad-order cost as other squads.

#Kagura Domain Special Case (C8)

Kagura Domain does not maintain a separate standard-bearer unit. Its faction trait "Regular Military Discipline" already embeds the standard-bearer effect (maintaining even Cohesion) — the army runs without external morale support. Kagura Domain uses only a supply unit + medical unit. This is part of Kagura Domain's identity; other factions need a standard-bearer unit to enjoy a similar effect.

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#Non-Combat Squad Use

Variant. This optional squad-use rule applies only when the GM adopts it. It does not affect combat values.

#Scent — The Faces of Soldiers

A squad is not only Wounds and Defense. Within it may be a soldier who once worked as a carpenter, a soldier who sailed boats, or a soldier who knows herbs. The battlefield binds them into one unit, but in some scenes their hands and experience can come into view.

#Law — Squad Specialist Check

If no PC has the needed skill and a PC commands a squad, the GM may allow a Squad Specialist Check. This represents a useful soldier happening to stand out at the right moment.

Trigger Conditions:

• The PC must currently command at least 1 squad.
• No PC or major NPC with the relevant skill can be present in the scene.
• It must be plausible that someone in that squad could have the relevant skill.
• This can be requested only 1 time per session.
• A squad can have only 1 specialist.

Check:

The PC commanding the squad makes the following check. The GM sets the Target Number to fit the scene difficulty. Use Standard 11 unless there is a special reason otherwise.

2d10 + Fate + Fortune >= Target Number

If the PC does not have the Fortune skill, treat the Fortune bonus as +0. Do not apply the untrained penalty.

Result:

• Failure: no suitable person is found in that squad.
• Success: 1 specialist with the relevant skill at Novice is found.
• Critical Hit: 1 specialist with the relevant skill at Trained is found.
• Heavenly Mandate: 1 specialist with the relevant skill at Trained is found, and they also have 1 related skill at Novice.

Record:

Record the specialist's name, squad, and skills on the squad sheet.

Limit:

The specialist's skills are used only for situation checks. Even if the skill suits combat, it does not directly add bonuses to the squad's attacks, Defense, Wounds, tactics, or Domination.

Survival Check:

If the specialist's squad routs or is destroyed, the PC commanding that squad makes a Fate check to confirm the specialist's survival. On failure, the specialist dies permanently.

Advancement Guide:

A surviving specialist can be considered first as a major NPC, retainer candidate, or the named person who emerges when that squad promotes to Veteran.

#Law — Squad Background Proficiency

Use this quick handling when a squad's background clearly suits a task, but the scene is too light to establish a separate specialist.

Trigger Conditions:

• The squad's origin, mission, equipment, or troop type must fit the task.
• The task must be non-combat work.
• The squad must not already have a more specific rule for that task.

Effect:

The squad does not take the untrained penalty for that task. Treat the squad as equivalent to Novice in the relevant skill.

Check:

If the squad handles the task by itself, use the following check.

2d10 + 0 >= Target Number

For example, if an engineer squad is mobilized, simple disarming, bridging, fieldwork reinforcement, or obstacle removal can be checked at +0.

No Stacking:

This handling does not replace or strengthen explicit support squad effects, faction-specific troop effects, or Famous Squad aptitudes and battle methods. If a squad already has a concrete rule such as navigation training, Emergency Medicine, scouting +3, or disguise check +3, that rule takes priority.

Relation to Specialists:

Do not apply Squad Background Proficiency and Squad Specialist Check in the same scene. Use Squad Background Proficiency when you only need quick background handling; use Squad Specialist Check when you want to establish a named person.

Combat Limit:

This rule does not affect combat, squad orders, squad attacks, Defense, Wounds, Cohesion, or Domination.

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#Mass Battle (合戰)

#Scent — Do Not Track 5 Myriad Troops

On the plains of Kanto, two daimyo sides face each other. 5 thousand vs 7 thousand. Tracking all of them one by one is impossible — and unnecessary. A hero's blade pierces one point on the battlefield, and that one point tips the scales of fate.

#Law — Mass Battle Scaling Guide

#Core Principle

1 squad of 5 people is not "5 people" but "one unit of the battlefield." It may be 5 people, 50 people, or 500 people. The rules are the same.

#Scale Table

#Reinterpreting Elites and Lords

In a large-scale mass battle, an Elite/Lord is not a single character but a "command squad." Treat the person + 5~10 bodyguards as 1 unit.

#Changes at Scale

• Wounds values stay the same (1 Wound per squad is a relative ratio, not an absolute value)
• Energy/Domination/Cohesion all use the same rules
• However, losing one squad does not mean "the whole army collapses" (narrative decision)

#GM Advice — Focus on One Point

Do not implement the entire large-scale battle with rules. Compress a 5 thousand vs 7 thousand battle into "one zone where the protagonists act." The GM provides the narrative that the outcome of that one zone affects the whole battlefront.

Structure of a good mass-battle scenario:

1. Introduction: The GM describes the overall battle situation (armies of tens of thousands, banners, drums)
2. Mission assignment: "Your unit will attack the flank of the enemy main camp"
3. One-zone battle: A battle compressed to 5-person squad vs 5-person squad scale
4. Reflect the result: Narrate how victory or defeat in this battle affects the whole battlefront

The players do not need to track 5 myriad troops one by one. The purpose of the rules is that their blades pierce one point.

Details: see Mass Battle Scenario Guide §5 Core Battlefront Types.

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#Leaderless Squads (無指揮部隊)

#Scent — The Banner Falls

The Lord's banner falls. The followers hesitate — whose orders should they obey? Some flee, some hold their ground, and some draw blades and step forward. A leaderless state is the moment when a squad's true nature is revealed.

#Law — Leaderless Differential Tables

#Trigger Condition

Triggers when the commander (Lord/Elite) becomes incapacitated or retreats from the battlefield. The squad immediately takes Cohesion -1, and from the next round it rolls automatic action at count 1.

#Determining Unit Attribute (at Scenario Start)

A squad's leaderless table is determined at scenario start. Even if the squad's mission changes during the scenario, the table remains the same — leaderless state reveals its original nature, so it does not change with the mission.

GM decision guide:

#Leaderless Action Table (1d10)

Action Explanations:

#Temporary Command by Veteran Grade

• If a Veteran (練)-grade unit is in the same zone, it can take temporary command at the next Lull Phase.
• After temporary command is declared, that squad can act through normal squad orders again.
• Limit: a Veteran in temporary command must choose 1 between own action vs squad command.
• Own action: acts like a normal Veteran by receiving squad orders
• Squad command: activates squad orders with its own Energy (same as the Elite squad-order cost)
• If the Veteran holding temporary command becomes incapacitated, the squad becomes leaderless again.
• If multiple Veterans are in the same zone, only the GM or the one with the highest Cohesion can command.

#Temporary Command → Permanent Promotion

If the Veteran holding temporary command survives the battle and squad Cohesion has not reached 0, it can be promoted to Elite after the scenario (GM discretion). This is equivalent to "growth of an Elite-grade unit leader" in the squad advancement table above.

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#Squad Advancement (部隊昇級)

#Scent — War Makes Soldiers

A peasant who first gripped a spear with trembling hands can become an elite with iron eyes after repeated battles. Squads also grow as they gain experience. Among them, some unit leaders become known by name.

#Law — Advancement Conditions

#Advancement Limits

• Advancement must have narrative credibility. Filling only the battle count is not enough.
• The whole squad does not advance as itself; it is replaced by a higher-grade squad.
• Example: when a 5-Minion squad advances to Veteran, headcount decreases to 3 (elite consolidation).
• Advancement to Elite-grade or higher is a campaign milestone (successful domain defense, participation in a great-yoma hunt, and so on).

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#Squad Equipment Rules (部隊裝備)

#Scent — What if You Give a Squad a Famous Blade?

If you issue a masterwork katana to a Minion squad, they cannot activate the blade's true power (masterwork technique). But the sword itself is good, so it cuts a little better. A squad does not draw out the limits of a tool — it only uses the tool as a means.

#Law

#Tactics Manual/Secret Manual Rules

• Tactics manuals/secret manuals have no Divine Treasures. Tactics are made by humans.
• Tactics manual: can be mass-produced. Copies can be made (Wisdom check >= 13, gold 5).
• Secret manual: unique item. Cannot be copied. Losing it is final.
• Total tactics manuals/secret manuals one squad can hold: up to 2.

→ The masterwork list for tactics manuals/secret manuals is included in Equipment and Consumables.

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Squads are the pillars of the line. If the pillars fall, the battlefield falls. If the pillars grow, they become a castle.