Senjutsu: Battle For Japan

Update #7 More Free Stuff! New Language Partner and the Dog's Trust Social Goal
over 2 years ago – Sat, Oct 23, 2021 at 05:49:00 AM

Good morning, afternoon and evening noble Backers!

More Free Stuff!

£600,000k! What a Stretch Goal to smash! Your hard work and patience has unlocked high-quality Ashigaru Standees for Senjutsu's Core and Deluxe Boxes. 

The Ashigaru Standees add a series of 2 Wound, low-level "Grunt" enemies to all levels of the Senjutsu experience. Slay them in Solo and Co-op, or partner up with your own gang of retainers in a Vs Duel!

More Ashigaru Standees are on their way, eventually opening the door to plastic versions as we continue to smash through those Stretch Goals. 

New Language Partner:

A wonderful new Partner has signed for Senjutsu, adding a very popular language option into this Samurai game. A formal announcement will follow tonight alongside the new Gameplay Update: Attacks and Blocks Focus.

New Social Stretch Goal: The Dogs Trust:

To celebrate the success of this campaign and your wonderful efforts to build a community, we will be donating £1 for every Like we get on our Facebook page, this SG is special and is in place until the END OF THE SENJUTSU KS CAMPAIGN. Please come support us to support Dogs in need.

Mini-Update #2: Painted Minis, Help The Little Guy + Community Stars
over 2 years ago – Sat, Oct 23, 2021 at 05:42:42 AM

Painted Miniatures and Help The Little Guy (Social Goals):

Big thanks to our paid Minis painter Max Ayson. Follow the dropbox link here see how the Core Game Miniatures do with some paint on them! (These were just the 28mm versions too). 

I told Max to create an Insta for his work, he's a little shy, so help us to help him! Go and follow him- 150 Followers and we will unlock "The Terror", a unique Jade card for the Ronin! Click on the image above!

(Or go to https://www.instagram.com/maxaysonhobby/ )

(EDIT: You have already done it but keep going! I'm gonna message him and cackle when he falls over in shock! Let's get Max to 500 follows?)

Community Stars:

We continue to be grateful for the wonderful community forming around Senjutsu, Paul and I will be working on a list of Backers that have been "Community Stars" on this page and social media.

 Here is the only exclusive for Senjutsu- each Community Star Backer will receive a T-Shirt, signed by us and giving their chosen name and "I survived the Senjutsu Campaign", wear it with pride and continue being wonderful. 

Gameplay Guide #2 Knowing Your Enemy, Transparency and Forging a Unique Samurai
over 2 years ago – Sat, Oct 23, 2021 at 05:42:19 AM

Good morning, afternoon and evening Backers! 

Knowing Your Enemy: 

Each Samurai in Senjutsu has 15-18 unique Signature Ability Cards. These are special Ability Cards only taken by that Samurai (or through their Core Weapon choice- see below!). Each Signature Card is either balanced to be mechanically special to them or as a super cool attack/ability!

For example, the Phoenix Arc card below is one of the only Ability Cards in the whole game with an instant kill? Is this too much- can I see this coming or is it totally RANDOM?

Here is why it is not random... the more powerful a card... the more it is telegraphed. Telegraphing an attack is like when a big guy throws a punch- it'll normally be slow and you know exactly where it's going. 

How will I know what Ability Cards are coming at me? Card Transparency: 

There are five main mechanics that take randomness out of Senjutsu.

1) The Focus System: 

On the card above, there are 3 symbols that look like a purple lotus flower. This is Senjutsu's meta-currency mechanic "Focus". What focus does is reward you, the player, for playing towards the strengths of your pre-set or constructed Ability Card Deck. (See below for how to gain focus). 

If you are fighting the Warrior, you will know that her Jade Card requires this focus to activate and she will need to carefully consider your positioning when they have this focus in order to hit with the Ability Card. Some cards- like dirt throw- will rob the opposing Player of focus, as you can't really concentrate with dirt in your eyes. 

2) The Kamae System:

Many cards have cool bonuses that are unlocked by being in the right Kamae, for example, the Red Kamae (Aggression) gives Quick Stab a forward 1 optional movement- allowing for a brilliantly fast attack with a readable movement. 

3) Positioning:

Big Attacks like Phoenix Arc require very specific and timely positioning from your opponent, get behind her, get 3 Hexes away from her, get real close to her. Now your opponent can't behead you- even though they have the 3 Focus and are in the Red Kamae.

4) Card Counting:

Jade Cards will happen once, a Gold Card of a particular kind happens once, your opponent plays Lunging Thrust twice? Well they can't have another one because its a Steel Ability Card (limited to 2).

If you see their Jade Card, you know their Samurai will lack the energy to do that again!

5) Deck Knowledge:

The final reason Senjutsu's combat won't be random at all is that every time you play a competitive tournament style game, we recommend that you are entitled to look at your opponent's Ability Card Deck and vice versa. This information will be either something you can write down, or you can hand them your deck before the game or use the planned App which can make a "40k-style Army List" to read through. 

This is not a hard and fast rule- but an advisory one that we want to test with the thousands of fans who have backed! It works for games like 40k and Bolt Action, but we can see how it won't always work! So testing will lead to whether or not we recommend this in tournament packs or just display it as an option. 

Gaining Focus; 

The Warrior is motivated by vengeance, having two ways to gain Focus.

1) The Warrior will gain Focus with some special Signature Cards after dealing wounds to her opponents, representing her desire to kill the enemy Samurai. Some Base Ability Cards also will gain your Samurai focus. 

2) By using her unique Kamae tree. Each time the Warrior can change Kamae and is already in Red (Aggression), she can move into her Aggression-fuelled Focus slot, gaining 1 Focus because being sent back automatically to the Red Focus (like tapping). Each time this happens she will gain a Focus - passing along the linked Kamae Branch . 

More Customisation? Forging a Unique Samurai: 

A mechanic Paul and I have been testing for some time, which is really wonderful, is the idea that your weapon is also tied to your Samurai and can be detached and given to other Samurai Fighters to create an incredibly hybrid-build.

Some Signature Ability Cards and a few Base Ability Cards will have a specific Weapon-type listed on them. Equipping the weapon allows these Ability Cards to be drafted into your deck. 

Just as cool, you will be receiving a new Core Weapon Card for each Samurai that is entirely derived from the Weapon they've choose to wield. This Core Weapon Card is pretty average, but can be a really dependable card to use when needed. Like the Core Samurai Card, the Core Weapon Card forces a discard to continue your Ability Decks journey towards exhaustion and like the Samurai Core Card it is returned to the hand after use. 

I hope this sheds some light on why Senjutsu has a nuanced and intelligent combat system that cannot be fully taken in by a single game. Please comment any questions you have and I'll answer them- make your own minds up on whether this sounds groovy to you or not! 

Update #6 Matagot, BackerKit Emails and Shuriken Stretch Goals! (Gameplay Update to follow)
over 2 years ago – Sat, Oct 23, 2021 at 05:03:56 AM

Good morning, afternoon and evening Backers!

Matagot:

We are very pleased to announce Matagot as our French Publisher for Senjutsu! Matagot's fantastic team has previously published Kemet, Cyclades and Inis and we are very happy to be sharing this wonderful campaign together. Together we will create a high quality fully translated product. 

BackerKit Emails:

Did you sign up to a BackerKit Landing Page? Did you get this email? 

"Senjutsu : Battle for Japan is now live on Kickstarter! Pledge in the first 48 hours and receive a FREE ninja miniature.

Your early pledge will help us have the strongest possible launch!"

YOU GET THE EARLY BIRD NINJA FOR FREE! It will be added to your BackerKit Pledge Manager post campaign- it won't be missed as we have your email on the system which will be crossed against the 16,800 people who signed up!

Shuriken Stretch Goals:

Post £600,000, we will be adding 10 Shuriken Stretch Goals!

These are really really fun and cool Stretch Goals spaced £10,000 apart that add a load of content. Let's continue to share and pledge and fly towards £600,000! 

A gameplay Update is coming tonight- please have a read if you want more clarification on how the Samurai are different from each other. 

Kind regards,

James and Paul!

Update #5 Lifesavers, 'Character' Spotlight Updates and the Big News!
over 2 years ago – Sat, Oct 23, 2021 at 03:13:25 AM

Good morning, afternoon and evening Backers! 

Lifesavers: 

Ok, I got 5 hours sleep! I woke up and wonderful- comments were being answered, competently, with grace and with answers that were full of information. It feels like Christmas. 

Before any industry professional receives a single thank you- I have to thank this astounding collection of fans, they were not asked to help like this, but like Sam carrying Frodo up Mt Doom... Paul and I have been lifted and carried by these wonderful people.

Thank you 

Dan Knight, Steve, Hendrick, Heathen, Buzzin, Walter Mak, Superfly Kid,  Kiyuu, Slater, Sam Livemore, Flo Jing, Guido, Alexander Elder, Sharon Dunphy. 

Especially Dan Knight, there will be something special for you and all this positivity post-campaign.

(If I've missed your name off and you have been a font of positivity for us, it isn't intentional! You'll be picked up and mentioned in the rulebook at the very least!)

Character 'Spotlight' Updates:

New Updates will begin to drop in the midday (BST) that show off some of the cool and unique "Signature" Cards of each fighter in Senjutsu.

Paul and I will also be talking about our design choices and the playstyle of each fighter, explaining how their unique and thematic mechanics manifest on the battlefield and how you can use them to kick butt!

Also to repeat what's been said... Add-Ons will be available post campaign if this ends up being an expensive KS for you. The Add-Ons will be fully translated by our publishing partners. 

Le Big News!

We've had some fantastic news this morning concerning a new publisher and fully translated version of Senjutsu. Wait for our 5pm (BST) update but feel free to speculate in the comments- you might even guess which language too!

Au revoir! 

James, and Paul!