II. Player Roles

In Sengoku, each player (with the exception of players on the Bakufu team) takes on the identity of an historically significant individual from their clan or temple. Characters either begin the game as a team leader (usually a Daimyo or Abbot), or are listed as a retainer or subordinate. A team leader completely controls each team (within the rigid rules for correct conduct) and has the final say in all military, diplomatic, and economic matters.

All players are honor-bound to carry out their leader’s commands, even unto (in-game) death.

Sengoku consists of four primary activities in which players may freely participate. With the exception of your team’s main General, no player should consider themselves tied to a single activity. Players are encourage to “float” between activities as necessity (or their interests) dictate. For example: you may find yourself conducting diplomacy in the spring and pressed into leading an army during the summer.

Primary Roles

Each turn players choose which dedicated role they are taking on for the action phase. It is not necessary that every role is filled every turn; for example, a particularly beleaguered team may need as many Generals as they can muster during a crisis.

• Diplomacy: Diplomats are responsible for the political relations of the clan, and will spend each turn either acting as a liaison for the purpose of creating treaties between clans.

• Warfare: Players actively commanding armies at the main map are referred to as Generals. Generals are responsible for issuing army orders, leading troops in battle, and maintaining an awareness of the region’s military situation. When conducting military operations, you must remain at the Main Map during the Action Phase, for if you are actively leading an army and switch roles or die while the clan’s army is not at a fortification, that army disbands immediately.

• Politics: Envoys travel to Kyoto to either participate in the Imperial Court to keep an ear out for events in other clans and gain favor with the Emperor or answer a summons from the Bakufu.

Secondary Roles

Secondary Roles

• Subterfuge: Each team employs agent networks that may be used to spy on other clans or otherwise interfere with their normal operations. Players participating in the subterfuge area of play are responsible for issuing agent orders and resolving agent actions.

• Governance: This involves governing the clan by setting the focus of the team and managing its assets and expenditures. Clan management is usually handled by a team’s leader, but this can be delegated to subordinates.

You are free to move around as you wish during the game. However, unless you are commanding armies or conducting diplomacy, it is wise to remain at your home table to receive messages and resolve Agent actions. Try to keep a player at your team table to receive visitors, information, post, etc. This also keeps congestion to a minimum.