
- BGG rating
- 9.0
Test of Honour: The Samurai Miniatures Game – Bandits & Brigands
- 2 players
- 2017

2017
Rules assistance for Test of Honour: The Samurai Miniatures Game
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.
Test of Honour: The Samurai Miniatures Game is a board game released in 2017 for 2–4 players, 30–60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Graham Davey and Andy Hobday and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Campaign / Battle Card Driven.
The Emperor is weak, challenged by the might of the Shogun. The Clan lords align themselves with one side or the other, taking advantage of the turmoil to settle old grudges and seize new territory. Their loyal samurai, consummate warriors trained in the art of the blade, must do their bidding without question. Test of Honour is a skirmish wargame played with roughly 5-20 models on each side. Players select their force before each game based around a samurai hero along with one or two loyal samurai companions and a variety of clan soldiers. Battles are swift and bloody as players activate and act with a single of a group of their warriors – by drawing representative tokens from a bag, moving and fighting to achieve the objective of the scenario, whether that be cutting down the enemy, defending an outpost or finding and protecting a spy. Play through the scenarios in sequence to tell a tale of bitter clan rivalry, betrayal and revenge! With each battle, your samurai will learn new skills, and perhaps even take the shameful path of deceit and trickery to gain victory – such choices are the ultimate test of honour. Contains: 5 Samurai 20 Ashigaru soldiers armed with spears 10 Ashigaru soldiers armed with bows or muskets 10 Test Of Honour Battle Dice 10 Multibases 21 Blue Faction Recruitment Cards 21 Red Faction Recruitment Cards 23 Skill Cards 6 Injury Cards 10 Dishonour Cards 3 Fate Tokens 5 Objective Tokens 12 Reloading/Cautious Tokens 14 Samurai Action Tokens 16 Commoner Action Tokens 16 Blood Drop Tokens Main Rules booklet Battle Guide booklet
Test of Honour: The Samurai Miniatures Game supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Test of Honour: The Samurai Miniatures Game is 30–60 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 Test of Honour: The Samurai Miniatures Game 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.
Test of Honour: The Samurai Miniatures Game has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light 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.
Test of Honour: The Samurai Miniatures Game belongs to these categories: Wargame, Miniatures, and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Campaign / Battle Card Driven. 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 Test of Honour: The Samurai Miniatures Game are: Graham Davey and Andy Hobday. 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 Test of Honour: The Samurai Miniatures Game 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.