Daimyo: A Mass Battle Samurai Wargame
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The FroGames Card
Deploy your contingents, roll for initiative, activate your commander at the right moment. Someone moves ashigaru, someone charges with cavalry, someone prays the dice hold up. And in the end, Japan has a new lord.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT
Mass battles in feudal Japan of the Daimyo
Daimyo is a wargame rule set in the Sengoku period (mid-15th to early 17th century), when the great Japanese feudal lords vied for dominance with armies of thousands of men. Designed by Alexander Smith and illustrated by Giuseppe Rava, it is part of the Osprey Wargames line dedicated to streamlined and accessible rule sets for historical conflicts.
At the table, you take control of a clan, build armies with units and contingents, and lead them into battle. Unit characteristics are determined by variable dice types, commanders have unique abilities that can turn the tide of battle, and the book includes thematic scenarios and a map-based campaign system that allows you to decide the fate of Japan.
What they say abroad
"A set of fast-play, mass battle wargames rules"
A fast-play rule set for large-scale battles
— Osprey Games
First reading. It's an Osprey rule set for mass battles in the Sengoku era. We're intrigued by the contingent system with dice characteristics, the balance between game speed and historical depth, and especially the integrated campaign system. We will update this card after the first games.
— FroGames
Daimyo: A Mass Battle Samurai Wargame
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · first reading: based on rules and official presentation, updated after first gamesWhat's inside
A rule set to bring Sengoku to your table
Fast-play rules
<cite index="1-1,4-4">Streamlined system for mass battles</cite>, with contingent activation and dice-based resolution. 80 pages, Osprey Wargames format.
Units and contingents
<cite index="1-6">Units are grouped into contingents, with characteristics determined by variable dice types</cite>. Ashigaru, samurai, cavalry, archers: each type has its tactical weight.
Commanders with abilities
<cite index="1-7">Commanders have unique abilities that can turn the tide of battle</cite>. The moment you use them can decide the battle.
Scenarios and map campaign
<cite index="1-8">Thematic scenarios with variable objectives and a map-based campaign system</cite>, simple yet robust, to decide the fate of Japan in multiple linked battles.
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of each turn
Each turn follows a fixed sequence: initiative, activations, combat resolution, moral check.
Determine who activates first this turn. It can change from turn to turn, and whoever controls the initiative controls the pace.
In turn, you activate a contingent: move, shoot, charge. Each unit has characteristics defined by the type of die (d6, d8, d10, d12). The higher the die, the stronger the unit.
Resolve melee or ranged conflicts. Roll dice for the units involved, compare results, assign wounds. Losses accumulate, contingents weaken.
Check the morale of units under pressure. Commanders can use their abilities in this phase to support troops or turn the critical moment around.
⏱️Your first gameThe chronicle, moment by moment▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Deployment
Choose your clan, compose your army with available units, decide how to group contingents. Every deployment choice matters: cavalry on the flanks? Ashigaru in the center? Where do you place the commander? You study the map, consider the scenario objective, place the pieces.
First turns
Initiative, contingent activation, movement. Units advance, some charge forward, some hold position. The dice for characteristics begin to speak: a strong unit rolls d10, a weak one d6. Distances shorten, contact is imminent.
First clash
Cavalry against ashigaru, samurai against samurai. Dice fly, losses accumulate, someone loses an entire contingent and has to rethink the plan. The commander hasn't entered yet: do you use him now or wait for the decisive moment?
Commander abilities
You activate the commander's ability at the right moment: reinforcements, moral boost, devastating charge. Something changes, the pressure shifts, a flank collapses or holds. Miniatures move, dice continue to roll, the battle enters its hot phase.
Victory or retreat
One of the two reaches the scenario objective or the opposing army is too decimated to continue. You count the losses, evaluate what worked and what didn't. If you're playing the campaign, you update the map and prepare for the next battle.
🐸Before you know itThree honest things, from friends▼
Before you know it
Three things you need to know
You need your own miniatures
Fast-play, not beer-and-pretzels
Integrated campaign system
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
Each scenario has different objectives. Some common conditions:
Victory
- Achieve the scenario objective (conquer a position, destroy an enemy contingent, hold the field)
- Decimate the enemy army until it retreats due to losses
- In the campaign, conquer enough provinces to unite Japan under your clan
Defeat
- The army loses too many contingents and morale collapses
- You do not achieve the scenario objective within the time limit
- In the campaign, you lose too many consecutive battles and your clan is defeated
Daimyo promises to bring Sengoku battles to the table with fast but deep rules. If you already have the miniatures or the desire to start, July 2026 is the right month.
💬Frequently asked questionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently asked questions
FAQ on Daimyo: A Mass Battle Samurai Wargame
What exactly does the book include?
The complete rulebook (80 pages), rules for building Sengoku armies with units and contingents, multiple scenarios with variable objectives, and a map-based campaign system to link multiple battles. It does NOT include miniatures, polyhedral dice, or terrain: you need to have those yourself.
How many miniatures do I need?
<cite index="4-5">Daimyo puts players in command of entire armies</cite>, so dozens of miniatures per side are needed. The recommended scale is 10mm or 15mm to keep the table manageable. If you already have a Sengoku collection, you're all set. Otherwise, it's an investment.
How complex is it compared to other Osprey wargames?
Osprey defines it as fast-play, so it's leaner than rulesets like Bolt Action but less casual than a filler. Contingent activations, variable dice, commander abilities: there's tactical depth, but you're not overwhelmed by tables. First game in 90-120 minutes, then you speed up.
What mechanics does Daimyo use?
Alternate activation of contingents (groups of units), characteristics determined by variable die types (d6/d8/d10/d12), combat resolution with dice comparison, morale system, unique commander abilities. Distance measurement with a tape measure or ruler.
Is it available in Italian?
No, this is the English edition published by Osprey Games. The text is entirely in English (rules, scenarios, army descriptions). We are not aware of any announced localized editions.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Daimyo: A Mass Battle Samurai Wargame is a fast-play ruleset for large-scale battles set in the Japanese Sengoku period (mid-15th–early 17th century). Designed by Alexander Smith and illustrated by Giuseppe Rava, for Osprey Games, it brings armies of ashigaru, samurai, and cavalry to the table with a contingent system and variable-dice characteristics. It includes thematic scenarios and an integrated map-based campaign system. English edition, 80 pages, July 2026. Available on FroGames.it.
Daimyo: A Mass Battle Samurai Wargame
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
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📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
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