
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,216
- BGG rating
- 7.7
The Great Battles of Alexander: Deluxe Edition
- 1–4 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 1995

1996
Rules assistance for Samurai: Warfare in 16th Century Japan
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Samurai: Warfare in 16th Century Japan is a board game released in 1996 for 2 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Richard H. Berg and Mark Herman and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
(from GMT website:) Samurai is the fifth entry in the award-winning Great Battles of History series and is easily the most exotic and visually stunning. Samurai covers all the major battles of the Sengoku Jidai (the Age of Warring Daimyos). Japan was truly a country at war. Because of the nature of 16th century Japanese warfare, it is also the easiest game in the series to play. The revamped command system simulates the clan-oriented levels of leadership, plus simplified shock and fire mechanics. Also included are individual samurai used to challenge opponents and collect the important severed heads. Ignore the challenge and lose face, or even be forced to commit seppuku on the spot. Battles include the most unusual Okehazama, complete with burning castles, thunderstorms, and a historically victorious army out-numbered six to one; Anegawa; Kawanakajima; Mikata-ga-Hara; Nagashino, with the famous Takeda cavalry corps charging Oda's volley-firing musketeers; and the most famous battle to take place in Japan, Sekigahara. All the great leaders are there: Obu Nobunaga, Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, and of course, Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Anegawa 1570 - Nobunaga takes the offensive against his treacherous brother-in-law, Nagamasa. His objective is Nagamasa's castle of Odani. Sekigahara 1600 - The most decisive battle in the history of Japan. The rivals were I. Mitsunari and T. Ieyasu ... one would be Shogun. Kawanakajima 1561 - Uesugi Kenshin was determined to destroy Shingen once and for all. His objective was Shingen's Kaizu Castle. Okehazama 1560 - One of Oda Nobunaga's finest victories, won by a small force against one much larger, at odds of about six to one! Nagashino 1575 - The culmination of Oda Nobunaga's brilliant military career and a milestone in Japanese history. Mikata-ga-hara 1572 - Takeda Shingen is pitted against the young Tokugawa Ieyasu in a furious battle. TIME SCALE: 20 minutes per turn MAP SCALE: 100 yards per hex UNIT SCALE: 100 men per strength point; individual leaders and samurai NUMBER OF PLAYERS: One to four DESIGNERS: Mark Herman and Richard Berg ART DIRECTOR/PACKAGE DESIGN: Rodger B. MacGowan MAP ART: Mark Simonitch, Joe Youst (1996), Leland Myrick (2007) COUNTER ART: Mark Simonitch, Rodger B. MacGowan, Mike Lemick GAME RESEARCH: Masahiro Yamazaki
Samurai: Warfare in 16th Century Japan supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Samurai: Warfare in 16th Century Japan is 180 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Samurai: Warfare in 16th Century Japan for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Samurai: Warfare in 16th Century Japan has a complexity rating of 3.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Samurai: Warfare in 16th Century Japan belongs to these categories: Wargame, Medieval, and Renaissance. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Samurai: Warfare in 16th Century Japan are: Richard H. Berg and Mark Herman. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Samurai: Warfare in 16th Century Japan as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.