Naginata Ashigaru

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Even an anthole may collapse an embankment.

— Japanese saying


In game[edit | edit source]

Bushi tap.png
Naginata Ashigaru — Vital statistics
Naginata Ashigaru

Highly versatile medium infantry unit, capable of dealing heavy splash damage and taking apart anything except heavy cavalry or missile cavalry on flanking manoeuvres.

Prereq: Build time HP LOS Attack Attack speed Movement
speed
Upgrade of
  • Late Mediaeval Era [3];
  • Level 2: Mercenaries Military
10s
(150t)
170 8 22 2.1s
(32t)
30

Suicide rkc.png

Cost Created from Armour Weapon range Specialty
Base Ramp Pop
Timber: 60;
Food.jpg: 60
Timber: 2;
Food.jpg: 2
1 Barracks 3 Melee
  • Small defensive bonus versus missile infantry.
  • +2 splash attack radius.

Japan.jpg

Overall strategy[edit | edit source]

Consisting of light polearm infantry, Naginata Ashigaru may not be as good as the Southern European Espadachines, yet their main draw lies in several areas: firstly, they can be recruited one age earlier than the Armoured Militia which are recruited by China, Hungary, Mongolia and Turkey. The second is that like most polearms units, they also can inflict brutal amounts of splash damage if left alone to their own devices. Lastly, their fairly cheap cost means that although weaker than most other factions' medium infantry, you can create massive numbers of these units to bulk up your numbers and to assist your costlier albeit stronger samurai units.

Thus far, the only issue you might be facing with these units could well be the fact that they are very fragile, if attacked by more heavily armoured units.

Unit summary[edit | edit source]

  • by the Numbers — Although weak, Naginata Ashigaru have a cheap cost, encouraging players to train these units in formidable numbers.
  • Sitting Ducks — Although Naginata Ashigaru have a ferocious attack that makes them dangerous infantry counters, their weak armour and slower walking speed make them fair game for better-equipped cavalry archers and Knights.

Trivia[edit | edit source]

Ashigaru in Rise of Kings: Chronicles do not wear jingasa, because jingasa were not standard issue until the mid-16th century CE, well after the historical period covered. Japanese mercenary artillerists however may be seen wearing the jingasa.

History[edit | edit source]

Although the common perception of Japanese and foreigner alike often assumes that the samurai (or also saburai) were the lynchpin of Japanese military might, it was actually the humbler ashigaru which formed the rank and file of pre-Tokugawa Japanese armies. The ashigaru were originally infantry levies (mostly armed with bows) recruited wherever possible to make up numbers where the bushi or samurai classes were deficient, but as the size and intensity of wars in Japan increased, so did their importance — by the Early Modern Era, ashigaru were often trained semi-professional warriors armed and salaried by the local strongman who recruited them to do his bidding.

References[edit | edit source]

See also[edit | edit source]