Welcome to our store for Senjutsu: Battle For Japan.
A tense, fast-play Samurai duelling game, with beautiful miniatures, expansive deck-crafting mechanics and memorable showdowns.
This store features the same discounts and content from our original Kickstarter Campaign. Late-Pledge here and don't miss out!
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Post KS Update #1 The Playtesting Update, Accidental Add-Ons, Paypal, Email Backlog, Retailers
over 2 years ago
– Thu, Nov 18, 2021 at 12:39:54 AM
Good morning, afternoon and evening brave, victorious Senjutsu soldiers!
It is a new week and I don't know about you but I am feeling that there is a great, big Senjutsu Kickstarter Campaign-sized hole in my life now!
The Senjutsu Playtesting Process:
Senjutsu will be an extensively well balanced and tested game on launch, that is my commitment to the brilliant community that has formed around the game in recent weeks. We will be running playtesting in 2 waves, Alpha and Beta, with the Alpha testing starting in 2-3 weeks and running until Paul and myself are happy with all of the wordings, rules and major card balancing decisions.
Once we have moved through Alpha testing, Beta testing will begin.
Senjutsu's testing periods will largely be hosted on TableTop Simulator, a great and handy tool for playing Board Games digitally. Paul and I will be updating the current version of Senjutsu's TTS as soon as we are able (this week if possible).
Stage 1 Alpha Testing:
Alpha testing will be open for anyone with a real passion for breaking games and being very sharp on "exploiting" poorly wrote-out mechanics.
As it is our intention to offer 'Matched Play' for Senjutsu, we are relying on you, our wonderful community, to tear the beating heart out of Senjutsu, do awful things to it and then to help Paul and myself patch it back up, polish all the rough edges and to get it back into the world as a wonderful, finished gaming system. We need constructive, passionate people who love to solve problems.
All Alpha play-testers will be named and credited in the final production copy of the Senjutsu Rulebook.
There are several requirements to be an Alpha play-tester. You must;
Have Discord.
Have Tabletop Simulator or a well-sized gaming group to play Senjutsu with.
Be able to commit to a 'good level' of testing sessions, enough to be able to make informed statements about the Senjutsu system with the game experience to back it up.
3) Wait for Dan's Wednesday Discord Announcement. Dan will be creating an Alpha Playtesting Sign-up Channel and asking for a little information about your gaming background and experience.
Jump on in and apply!
Beta Playtesting:
Although the TTS Senjutsu Mod will be kept up to date as much as possible, there will be several rounds of focused 'Beta' testing on Senjutsu after the Alpha Playtesting process has finished.
We will be testing:
Character and Ability Card Balance.
Solo and Co-op Campaign Balance.
Game-mode Balance.
Beta Playtesting will likely start in the New Year (2022) and run for as long as possible. Every suggestion will be valued and any major contributions will be credited in the final Rulebook with a credit for you, the tester! We will hopefully not have to limit the numbers of Beta play-testers and a special Discord Channel will be setup nearer the time to gather feedback.
To be a Beta play-tester you will will not necessarily need Discord, we will be able to handle submissions via email.
V8 Rulebook:
The V8 Rulebook is being worked on now and will hopefully be out this week for you guys to have a look at (tear apart). All suggestions will be welcome and can either be emailed to me at [email protected] or submitted via Discord.
Kickstarter processing, accidental orders and the process:
The Kickstarter platform takes around a month to charge everyone's card, collate the backer information and get it ready for Paul and myself to access. After this time I will be happy to sort out anyone who either picked up an extra pledge by accident or picked up the Add-Ons by accident with an All-In pledge.
I can also take direct payment for pledges- if you want me to do so, I can guarantee that your pledge will be loaded onto the BackerKit Store on the first week of it opening.
Paypal:
Kickstarter does not work with PayPal, if you wanted to pledge using PayPal then you can use the BackerKit store to top up your pledge or email me directly at [email protected] .
Kickstarter Direct Messages and Emails:
I have a couple hundred KS messages / Senjutsu-related emails that came in from the end of the campaign to now. My intention is to clear through these tomorrow/ Wednesday and get back to everyone who had queries.
Retailers:
If you are a retailer, the Sell-Sheets and retailer-limited prices will be out and with you very soon, estimating the end of the week and into next for a turnaround time.
We will be loading your order onto BackerKits back office system, this costs nothing and gives me a handy way of tracking your order, its SKUs and the payment status. I will also issue a direct invoice with any order with our VAT number and status if relevant / needed.
Samurai Spotlight #6 + 7 The Ashigaru, Akita and Assassin! + New Social Stretch Goal Haiku Contest
over 2 years ago
– Tue, Nov 16, 2021 at 11:52:47 PM
Good morning, afternoon and evening patient warriors!
Today we have a fighter double-bill, covering the humble Ashigaru and the deadly Assassin! And the announcement of our Haiku Contest!
Ashigaru & Akita:
The Ashigaru and his Akita guard dog have a unique dynamic on the battlefield, where the controlling Player must make sure their lowly Ashigaru works in tandem with the powerful Akita to bring down your enemies. Neither the Ashigaru or the dog are strong in isolation- with each having fewer wounds than a regular fighter and less spectacular feats of endurance, skill and strength reflected in their Signature Cards. Combined however, you have a potent team that will leave any opponent desperately defending themselves against tooth and spearpoint!
The Akita is represented by a single Behaviour Card and deck of Ability Cards, whilst the Ashigaru is controlled like a regular fighter- through a 40 card Ability Card Deck and Kamae Tree.
The Akita once unleashed can be recalled or given commands, but left without commands will follow its own initiative as a trained, toothy killer!
The Ashigaru's Core Card contains a special ability that will allow you to flip the Akita's Behaviour Card, this newly set behaviour then will heavily modify how the dog acts on the battlefield. Some special Signature Ability Cards in the Ashigaru's deck go further- allowing a Player to issue explicit orders to the Akita dog in order to get the animal to safety or into the best possible positioning.
The Yari (spear) is a potent weapon at range, use its fantastic reach to stab at the enemy from afar without risking your Ashigaru. The Yari Impale grants a forced 1 forwards / backwards movement and a great 4/3 spaced single wound attack right in front of the fighter. Use this in conjunction with the highly mobile Akita to keep the enemy busy, exposed and under pressure.
The Assassin:
The Assassin is our high damage-output, high vulnerability fighter.
With a fantastic system for Focus generation on the Kamae Tree and a Focus-gaining special ability on the Core Card, the Assassin specialises on doing as much as he can quickly and then escaping to safety.
Discarding a card as the Assassin will gain a focus when playing the Core Card's special ability, this thematically represents his scalpel-like precision and desire to end the duel as quickly as possible- shrinking your hand of options in order to pick the card and play the Ability Card that most appeals to you.
The Assassin's Tanto Slice is a fast and simple Core Weapon Card with a great focus-spend movement on it.
Disarming Gaze:
Disarming Gaze is a unique Instant Additional for the Assassin. Pair it with a block or an attack and force the opponent to discard a Defence Ability Card from their hand. Strategically you can use Disarming Gaze to make the chances of the opponent stopping your attacks weaker and weaker until it becomes time for the final strike!
Umbra Vault:
Umbra Vault is a really fun card, starting with a forced 1 movement into the enemy's front before swapping positions with them as you leap over their shoulders.
Umbra Vault comes with a great pushback too meaning enemy Samurai can be left crashing into any obstacles behind you as well- meaning a good player can not only change their position on the battlefield but also give their opponent a Stun for the trouble!
Metsubushi Pipe:
Representing a tube or whistle stuffed with hot ashes, itching powder and flour, the Metsubushi Pipe is a very unique Attack Ability Card that attacks in a little 'mushroom cloud' pattern in front of the Assassin.
All enemy fighters hit by the attack will canceltheir movement for the remaining Round and take a Hobble- slowing their actions as they try to clear their streaming eyes.
Being in the Balanced Kamae will grant a second Hobble, leaving the enemy slower and more open to attack or being outmanoeuvred.
The Aggressive and Defensive Kamae positions are really useful for changingthe makeup of your opponent's hand- forcing a respective Defence Card or Attack Card discard onto the opponent and reducing their options as you dance around them looking for the perfect opening!
Shadow Stab is one of the Assassin's Jade card choices. A relatively fast attack that is conditional on being exactly behind the enemy, if pulled off Shadow Stab will inflict an Instant Kill at Initiative Speed 6.
If you've managed to stay in Concealment (Not being hit with any Attacks or Status Card Effects whilst in that unique Kamae position!) then Shadow Stab is absolutely deadly- inflicting the Instant Kill effectat Initiative Speed 9.
(Try it in Solo and see how far you can get "Splinter-Cell" style!)
New Contest!
Comment below with your Haiku!
Paul and I are absolutely loving the Haikus we are seeing posted everyday on this project page.
So we would like to introduce a way of getting your work into our project.
Simply comment below with a Haiku that you have come up with and feel reflects Senjutsu, our community or something meaningful in your life. Paul and I will take them to the team and discuss them, with our favourite threeHaikus being published in the rulebook with your explicit permission and chosen name (for authorship).
Please get thinking and we can't wait to see what you come up with!
Much love, James and Paul!
Update #9: Both honoured and humbled, Senjutsu funds in style! A thank you.
over 2 years ago
– Tue, Nov 16, 2021 at 02:48:18 PM
Good morning, afternoon and evening wonderful Senjutsu Backers!
Thank You:
The Senjutsu campaign has smashed all expectations, becoming a major milestone project for Stone Sword Games, Paul and myself. The community support and growth within Senjutsu's Kickstarter Campaign has been nothing short of legendary!
Paul and I have been left speechless, reeling from the massive outpouring of love, excitement, discussion and hype that our little campaign has generated. Many backers have remarked that this is the way to run a Kickstarter Campaign, well you have shown the larger Kickstarter institution how to be a part of a Kickstarter Campaign.
You are indivisible from it, part of it and Paul and I will never be able to thank everyone enough for their efforts in engaging with other Backers, helping other Backers and continuing to guide Senjutsu's development. Paul and I will be enjoying a much-needed weekend off- with Monday next week opening with a huge and comprehensive guide to Senjutsu's Playtesting Process which will be starting in December.
Stay in touch!
We will be releasing regular Updates all the way until Fulfilment, these Updates will include:
We have a thriving Discord that we would absolutely love you to join! Visit here to sign up (https://discord.gg/dtJSTAzHCD )– a lot of Playtesting information and Card Updates will be sent out through Discord (and Kickstarter Updates) so make sure you don’t miss out!
Pledge Manager:
The Pledge Manager will be opening in two to four weeks. This Pledge Manager will allow you to choose your Pledge Rewards, add cool new stuff and select your Language Version for Senjutsu. Later in 2022, this is where you will provide your shipping address and pay for shipping.
We won't close the Pledge Manager until we have to, hopefully March or later. All deals and discounts and Early Bird bonuses will apply whilst the Pledge Manager is open too!
Until Monday, thank you all again- we are humbled by all the hard work and love that has gone into this campaign.
Welcome to the start of a brilliant Senjutsu journey!
Much, much love!
James and Paul.
Senjutsu Vs, Co-Op + Solo Game-Modes Guide + Samurai Spotlight #8 & 9 The Sailor and The Monk
over 2 years ago
– Tue, Nov 16, 2021 at 09:35:09 AM
Good morning, afternoon and evening travelled adventurers!
Today we have a huge Update! Covering the added Stretch Goal Game-modes as well as a fighter double-bill for the salt-bitten Sailor and the esoteric Monk!
Last Stand Solo + Co-op Game-mode:
Last Stand pits yourself and an optional second Player against hordes of increasingly dangerousAI combatants and intermittent Enemy Bosses!
Each wave of enemy combatants is generated according to an escalating scale of difficulty, with the starting waves of enemies consisting of simple Katana and Yari Ashigaru with fairly average Attack Cards. The late waves consist of hardened, super aggressive AI determined to tear your fighter apart! Killing all of the enemies within a wave will progress you (and your optional Co-op partner) to the next wave!
Last Stand’s starting setup is easy!
First create or choose an Ability Card Deck for your Samurai exactly as you would do in a regular duel. Then build the micro decks for each starting enemy AI. These decks use coded AI Ability Cards, for example “Solo AI Cards S04 – S09 for Yari Ashigaru 1”, and each micro deck is carefully balanced to ensure that the AI’s difficulty scales from an easy start to brutal final waves!
As you cut and slash your way through the first few waves the difficulty of these enemies will increase- with new Enemy types like the Yumi (Bow) Ashigaru entering the battlefield to attack you from afar! The early wave enemies will be replaced with more aggressive, capable AI and you will have to carefully balance out the risk of being hit with the risk of running out of the powerful attacks in your Ability CardDeck.
At staggered intervals between certain waves, you will have to fight “Enemy Bosses”. Enemy Bosses are AI Samurai designed to duel you using flavoursome and tactical combinations of AI Cards that push your skills to the limit!
Defeating the Enemy Bosses “reloads” your Ability Card Deck by shuffling your Discard Pile back into your Ability Card Deck- but any Wounds taken by your Samurai are permanent! Try to see how long you can last Solo or with a friend in this challenging, relentless game-mode!
Noblewoman Escort Solo, Co-op and VS Game-mode:
The Noblewomen Escort game-mode is a game-mode that can be played Solo against an AI, Co-op against multiple AIs or in a VS Duel against other players.
In this game-mode you are tasked with escorting a Noblewoman to safety. The Noblewoman has been targeted by an Enemy Clan and must make it from a chosen Battlefield to the Rowing Boat waiting for her on the other side of the Riverbank map (Included in all pledges). Different Battlefields can be chained and setup in a myriad of ways with the terrain to make all new challenges in this fun game-mode.
The Noblewoman is an AI character who can move in two ways-
- If your Samurai is adjacent to the Noblewoman at the beginning of the Round, then you may move her with the movement detailed on your active Ability Card, whilst still benefitting from this movement yourself.
- Or you may simply move the Noblewoman 1 Hex and 1 optional Rotation instead at Initiative Speed 0.
The Win Condition is simple- get the Noblewoman to the waiting rowboat! The Enemy / Enemy Players will win if the Noblewoman is cut down! Even if the Enemy Players kill your Samurai, you may still win if your death guarantees escape for the fleeing Noblewoman.
The Co-Op version of Noblewoman Escort doubles the fun, with two Noblewomen to escort to safety against the AI or other Enemy Players.
This Game-mode has a huge amount of strategy and fun twists and turns in the gameplay.
Do you sacrifice your life to stall for time and hope that the Enemy cannot catch up? Maybe you use the Terrain to forge a clever and well defended path to the Rowboat? Or just pick a straight-line pathway and get through as quickly as you can?
Fallen Lord Solo, Co-Op and VS Game-mode:
The Fallen Lord Game-mode is a Solo, Co-op and Vs Game-mode where you are charged with defending the fallen body of your Lord as the enemy try to recover his head.
Players will either take the role of Attacker or Defender. Defenders have a normal 40 Card Ability Card Deck whilst Attackers must create or choose a much-reduced Deck of 20 Ability Cards.
The defending Samurai are setup on the Battlefield with the Fallen Lord adjacent. This Fallen Lord is represented by a dead Samurai token (in all Core Sets) or the Oda Miniature in the ‘When Two Worlds Collide’ Add-On. The Attacking Samurai can then start on the Battlefield on a predetermined edge Hex.
The Attacker / Attackers are trying to take the head of the Fallen Lord by playing their Core Ability Card in a Round where they start the Round adjacently to the Fallen Lord. This wins the Attackers the game if the remaining Ability Cards that Round do not kill the triumphant Attacking Samurai.
The Defender/ Defenders must defend the Fallen Lord’s Body until the Attackers are defeated or run out of time (measured by their shrunken Ability Card Deck).
The Fallen Lord game-mode also plays with Co-Op and Solo, with yourself and an optional friendly Samurai defending the Fallen Lord from constantly spawning Enemy AI which will attempt to get to their objective until all of them are defeated.
The Sailor:
The Sailor is our homage to William Adams, an English Pilot who washed up onto the shore of Japan in the 16th century and incredibly rose up the ranks to become a full Samurai!
His Core Card's Special Ability allows you to swap out the Pistol for his Carrack Sword, whilst the Pistol is out you may use it to take the "Dreaded Shot" Gold Attack Ability Card or must defend yourself by using it as a rudimentary club!
The Carrack Sword is a great 1-spaced Weapon Card with a focus-spend step forwards.
Sword Master:
The Sailor uses European fighting styles in his fight against the Samurai of this strange new land. Be aggressive with Sword Master to step forwards and deliver a powerful straight-forward attack, or act Defensively and ward off the enemy with your curious fencing style!
Pilot's Riposte:
Pilot's Riposte is an unusual and powerful Instant Additional that adds a large Parry-range to an existing Defence Card.
With a two-Focus spend, use Pilot's Riposte to expertly deliver a stabbing blow to the Enemy Samurai who think you untrained and weak!
Dreaded Shot:
Dreaded Shot is the Sailor's ranged Pistol Shot Attack. It requires the Pistol to be out in the Hand instead of the Carrack Sword and, once played, uses the enemy's slow speed against them!
The Initiative Speed of Dreaded Shot is counted against the Initiative Speed of the enemy, taking their Active Ability Card's Initiative Speed away from the Initiative Speed of Dreaded Shot. Any difference is then converted to Wounds for the enemy as the Sailor's bullet finds its mark!
The Monk:
The Monk's Core Card contains a Special Ability that allows you to pull specific cards from your Ability Card Deck (before shuffling the deck). Use it to pull 2 Stun Cards and an Enlightened Card to your Hand.
Each Enlightened Card contains a powerful Ability that once played, works to permanently buff the Monk until the end of the duel! (See next Image.)
The Monk is a powerful fighter to play, with a great Weapon Card, 'Jumonji Yari Stab'. A backwards 1 optional movement, solid attack pattern and then a Focus-spend to move into the Defensive (Yellow) Kamae position means that the Monk is rarely flanked!
The Monk has three 'Enlightened' Ability Cards, representing the Mind, Body and Soul.
These Ability Cards are not discarded after being played, but instead are put in front of you in the Player Area. Once all Enlightened Cards have been played and are out in front of you, you will gain the use of the Jade Card 'Zen Master' which provides a powerful alternative to the Monk's Core Card!
Enlightened Mind:
Costing one Focus, you draw three Cards from your Deck. Discard a card from these and place the remaining two at the top and the bottom of your Ability Card Deck (after shuffling the deck). You may then move to any Kamae position, setting up that next Ability Card perfectly!
Enlightened Body:
Costing two Focus, replace a single Wound taken with two Stun Cards and switch to the Defensive Kamae! A very powerful move if the opponent is not being aggressive enough to stop you playing this card.
Enlightened Soul:
Enlightened Soul allows you to search either the Deck or the Discard for the Monk's Jade Card at a cost of three Focus. This is used neatly with Zen Master, drawing it to the Hand and getting it ready for use! Following this search, you switch to the Balanced (Green) Kamae Position.
Zen Master:
Zen Master is a brilliant pseudo-replacement for the Core Card, opening up the movement with a Speed Two full rotation and single Hex more or a two Hex movement in any direction.
Each time Zen Master is played, you gain a focus and change to any Kamae you want- representing the perfect and sublime flow the Monk would have upon reaching a state of Enlightenment on the battlefield!
Samurai Spotlight #5 The Ninja + A 3 Player Video Battle Report + Battle Challenges
over 2 years ago
– Sat, Nov 06, 2021 at 03:15:51 AM
Good morning, afternoon and evening stealthy Senjutsu shinobi!
Ninja Spotlight:
The Ninja is a very unique fighter, who must use a whole host of tricks and diversions to gain the upper hand against his opponents. His Core Card Special Ability reflects this- allowing the Ninja player to search their own Ability Card Deck for any "Ninja Signature" prepared cards they need. Because of the slow speed of the Core Ability Card, a clever opponent will keep pressure on the Ninja player to stop this cycle of engagement and preparation- Ninja are nimble and deadly if underestimated!
What the Core Card allows a Ninja Player to do that other Samurai cannot, is to fill the Ability Card deck with traps, secret-weapons, poisons and amazing, exotic equipment. Example include Caltrops, Smoke Bombs, Burning Powder and more!
Armed with a Kusarigama (His Core Weapon Card), an unusual sickle-and-chain weapon, the Ninja can choose to strike in front of him or with a focusspend, throw the chain end of the weapon at the opponent across long distances to strike from afar!
Concealment:
The Ninja's Kamae Tree is a little different to the other Samurai we've seen so far. He has a unique Kamae position named Concealment, which cannot be accessed through a Kamae Branch like the Kamae Positions of other Samurai. Instead the Ninja player must use cards that directly move the Ninja to this concealment position- making the experience of playing the Ninja a challenge but a very rewarding one at that!
Whilst 'concealed' the Ninja has some really special abilities that he can use, harnessing the power of the shadows to deceive his enemies. Concealment is also the first Kamae Position we are previewing that can be influenced heavily by the enemy! Landing any kind of Wound or Status Effect onto the Ninja whilst he is concealed will deal a Stun and immediately expose the Ninja- resetting his Kamae position to the gate.
Withdraw:
Ninjas need to hide themselves in the shadows to be able to harness the full power of their traps and tricks- Withdraw will be the most common Signature Ability Card to manage this. At a good speed, the Ninja nimbly moves backwards and gains a focus, but most importantly, moves to Concealment if no enemy fighters are within 2 hexes of their final Battlefield position.
Smoke Bomb:
Smoke Bombs are used to push back the enemy and get away from tight spots in a fight, throw one down as the Ninja to send the enemy scurrying backwards and to then quickly (Speed 6) move away from a combat and guarantee a return to Concealment.
Caltrop Scatter:
Caltrop scatter is a really interesting new Prepared Signature Ability Card. Caltrops are a deployable piece of terrain, placed onto the Battlefield by the Ninja using this Steel-type Ability Card.
Any Samurai who crosses through Caltrop Terrain will take a Wound and a Hobble as the tiny, metal, barbed spikes sink their way into the fighter's feet.
The Ninja can utilise Caltrop Scatter in two ways...
1) If the Ninja is not concealed, they can simply place a Caltrop terrain piece onto the Battlefield in one of the indicated Battlefield Hexes.
2) If the Ninja is concealed, they may place down 3 facedown 'Trap Tokens', these Trap Tokens have a question mark on one side, with either a decoy cross symbol or a Caltrop Trigger symbol on the other. That way the Ninja can hide which Battlefield Hex has the real Caltrop terrain piece on it- confusing the enemy and making them evaluate which pathway to move through!
Senjutsu 3 Player Duel: Paul vs Carl vs Michael
Paul and I filmed a new Senjutsu Video Battle Report for you guys, featuring the Student, Ronin and Warrior and some Rock Terrain to show how they influence Senjutsu's positional duelling system! We had a wonderful time with Carl and Michael - check the video to see if Paul's winning streak continues!
(Click on the image below to go straight to YouTube and give it a watch.)
Senjutsu will be a living game, with a community and a momentum that can be enjoyed both by competitive gamers playing against other players and AI in challenging matchups - or by casual gamers, who look for friendly games or long, branching Solo / Cooperative experiences in their sessions.
We are pleased to announce that Senjutsu will be given full product support for the lifetime of the Senjutsu gaming system. Each month Stone Sword Games will be releasing content, including (but not limited to);
Painting guides
New pre-set deck suggestions
Information and prize support for matched-play Tournaments
New Solo and Co-op Scenarios
And finally, Battle Challenges!
Battle Challenges will be monthly scenarios that are designed to be incredibly hard to win, for Solo Players and Co-Op players against the AI. Each month, a PDF will drop on our Website, Social Media Channels and BoardGameGeek page.
If you beat the scenario, we will be encouraging you to get in touch and tell us how you did it and with what cards. The best strategy submissions will be given prizes and shout-outs in our lovely, growing Senjutsu community!
