I have yet to completely finish my Japanese terrain project, which is not uncommon for me when I have enough to run a pleasant looking game. The scenario was basically a Ninja attack on a Samurai’s summer residence. A 20 point limit for Steve and I made the game move quickly and still provided enough miniatures to have the variety you need.

The table terrain was a real pleasure to play over.

Game 1: Steve Ninja, Guru Samurai

The Ninja consisted of a ninja hero a Lieutenant, a base of three ninja and two single ninja. The Samurai leader was accompanied by tow samurai, a base of three archers and a base of three spearmen. The Samurai leader also carried a bow.

Opposing 2IC’s move tentatively forward.

Samurai and Ninja leader fight.

Ninja move forward into the manicured gardens.

The Samurai hero and his spearmen retainers also join the fight against the Ninja leader who is forced back.

Ninja move forward to take on the third samurai.

A second samurai moves back to the centre to assist the lone samurai

The ninja star shurikens were causing some damage weakening one samurai and taken the second out.

The fight over the water garden has seen the retreat of the ninja leader with the spearmen in hot pursuit.

The samurai hero on the “duck boards” shoots at the ninja leader……….

The rest is history. A victory to Guru.

Game two.

We swapped sides with the ninja now ready for revenge. I was keen not to have my ninja leader out on his own like the last game, so was looking at playing a cautious game and let the star shurikens do the talking.

The first turn saw the ninja move forward providing their leader with all round protection.

The samurai leader moved on the right flank with archer support.

With spearmen and a samurai on their left.

A samurai attacks the group of ninja acolytes taking one down with ease.

Having been forced away by the samurai leader ans his bowmen’s fire the ninja leader moved out of the fry pan and into the fire. Attacked by spearmen and a samurai the ninja leader’s retainers moved to his aid.

Following up the acolytes who should be easy prey for the samurai, he falls over (rolling the Japanese equivalent of a F.U.B.A.R.)!

Needless to say I could not hold my laughter, but Karma is a strange thing. My ninja lieutenant attacked the undefended samurai lying face down in the dirt katana feet away from him……

…….. and totally missed. I thought these ninja were combat demons! All I needed was three swords with five dice but only ONE! F$#&*k!

Meanwhile my leader takes down a samurai – the impudence to think he could kill me!

The ninja leader takes on the spearmen but they hold, while the samurai who tripped over stands up to fight.

I couldn’t hit him whilst prone on the ground but took off his head with one swipe of the katana!

Things were now looking good but as most of my leaders now had several wounds which evened things up. However, the samurai were low on men.

Not daunted the samurai and his bowmen move to attack.

While their last spearmen dies fighting.

Supported by two Lieutenants and two retainers the odds were still in my favour.

In a blur one retainer goes down (sorry about the pic quality).

Then the samurai takes out a lieutenant!

With his third activation of the turn, in true samurai style he charges the ninja leader, and down I go! From champ to chump in one turn!

Test of honour is a great fun game in true hollywood style. Where samurai are heroes and everyone else is dead!

Steve and I really love these rules and had a great afternoons fun.