Rokugan is a land filled with spirits, beauty, and strife. Seven great clans inhabit this diverse realm, ever loyal to the Emperor, but ever fighting for dominance among themselves. As they battle for supremacy, the daimyō who lead their people must use all their cunning and skill to gather information, anticipate their opponent’s actions, and lay battle plans that will lead them to victory. Only one can prove themselves worthy of becoming the true voice of this land and usher Rokugan into a new age of prosperity.

~ Swear Your Allegiance ~

Battle for Rokugan is a strategy game of conquest and mayhem that puts two to five players in the roles of Rokugani daimyō fighting for territory in the early days of the Emerald Empire. The realm is divided into territories that belong to each of the seven honorable clans - Crab, Crane, Dragon, Phoenix, Lion, Scorpion, and Unicorn - that have been battling for dominance since their foundation by the Kami. The players’ ultimate goal is to conquer as many of Rokugan’s provinces as possible to gain honor for their people and show the Emperor that theirs is the only clan fit to guide the Empire.

Each territory contains provinces that serve as battlegrounds for the daimyō. With each province claimed for their clan, the daimyō gain honor that will be weighed against that of their rivals. Should these leaders claim all the provinces within a territory, they gain special abilities that can be used to either bolster their clan’s strength or sabotage their enemies’ plans. By taking control of these territories, the clan leaders of Rokugan hope to prove their clan’s superiority and bring the Emperor’s favor to their people. Before the battle begins, players receive a secret objective and pledge their sword to the clan they will represent in the coming war to gain its special ability, daimyō screen, and control tokens. One of these tokens is placed on the clan’s capital, located in the heart of their province. From here, the daimyō begin their struggle to spread their clan’s influence by placing control tokens in any unclaimed province.

~ Devise Your Strategy ~

Battle for Rokugan is played over a series of five rounds, each consisting of three phases: upkeep, placement, and resolution. At the beginning of the upkeep phase, the daimyō determine the first player through the initiative deck and draw combat tokens. Each daimyō has a secret hand of six tokens that may be used to bolster defenses, seek peace or a divine blessing, bluff, initiate military attacks, or raid a province and leave nothing but ash! Once their forces have been gathered, each daimyō may use any territory cards that might aid their pursuit of power and begin to form their battle plans.

During the placement phase, the clan leaders of Rokugan seek to expand their territory by placing combat tokens. The daimyō must balance their resources to fortify their defenses, attack neighboring clans, and engage in diplomacy. A strategy that focuses solely on one aspect, such as pursuing military conquest while leaving one’s province undefended, might grant a leader some early, and important victories, but can just as easily lead a clan to ruin. After the clans have prepared and battle plans have been set, the resolution phase begins.

In the resolution phase, all truths come to light as combat tokens are revealed. Any bluff tokens are returned to their daimyō, and then conflicts are resolved. First, the clans send out their raiding parties to destroy any province they wish to keep from their enemies. Next, the daimyō attempt to settle claims through the use of diplomacy. Finally, if no other course of action remains, the clans engage in battle. If a defending province wins the battle, they gain an extra clan token to further defend their claim from future attacks. But if the attacking nation overpowers a province, they assume control and the defender’s hold on the realm weakens. Once the dust has settled and all battles have been resolved, any daimyō who control all the provinces within a territory claim the territory card for that region and become one step closer to victory.

~ Claim Your Victory ~

At the end of five rounds, the daimyō must agree that enough blood has been spilt and determine who is the most honorable leader, the worthiest of ruling Rokugan. Each daimyō reveals their secret objective card and determines their total honor by accounting for each of their face-up control tokens, provinces, territories, and whether they have completed their secret objective. The most honorable clan gains control of the Emerald Empire, wins the favor of the Emperor, and ensures their clan’s place in the annals of Rokugan.

Strength, cunning, strategy, and wisdom shall pave your path to victory. Do you have the fortitude to lead the realm and bring honor to your clan? Plan your conquest, outwit your rivals, and win the Battle for Rokugan!