Fight The Wars Of The Samurai In Warlord Games’ Pike & Shotte

March 3, 2025 by brennon

Pre-orders are now available for a new Pike & Shotte supplement from Warlord Games that covers the Wars Of The Samurai throughout the 15th and 16th Centuries. Could this be a tempting option for you as a Historical wargamer?

Pike & Shotte: Wars Of The Samurai // Warlord Games

Wars Of The Samurai comes packed with historical background information plus army lists, new unit rules, scenarios and plenty of painted miniatures and artwork to inspire you. The idea is to replicate the fight for control of Japan using armies of commoners fighting alongside the elite ranks of the Samurai.

Wars Of The Samurai - Preview // Warlord Games

All of this makes use of the core game mechanics for Pike & Shotte. Tried and tested game mechanics alongside a new theatre of war. In addition to the rules in Wars Of The Samurai, you'll also be able to get a special edition figure in the form of Yasuke, The Black Samurai.

Yasuke, The Black Samurai // Warlord Games

Here is some of the background of Yasuke, thanks to the folks at Warlord...

"An African in the service of Portuguese Jesuits, Yasuke came to the attention of the powerful daimyo Oda Nobunaga when he was presented to him as a curiosity. Nobunaga took the man into his service, naming him Yasuke and conferring upon him the rank of Samurai. Yasuke would serve as Nobunaga’s loyal retainer for some years, allegedly even being present at Nobunaga’s death, whereafter he was returned to the Jesuits. While much of his life is either poorly documented or shrouded in mystery, Yasuke is a fantastic opportunity for painters to show off their abilities, and makes for a great accompaniment to any Oda Clan force on the tabletop, perhaps as part of the retinue of Nobunaga himself."

It's great to see another interesting character getting added into the mix for one of Warlord Games' book pre-orders. Considering he's one of the main characters in the new Assassin's Creed game, it feels apt for him to be popping up on the tabletop.

Samurai Soldier Of Fortune

In addition to Yasuke, there is also a new Soldier Of Fortune that you can pick up this month in the form of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi // Warlord Games

Known as The Second Great Unifier, he would rise from a peasant family to be one of the most important figures in Japanese history. He distinguished himself as a soldier, commander and administrator in the service of the infamous/famous Oda Nobunaga.

He solidified the caste system in Japanese society, banned slavery and conducted restoration and renovation projects that balanced out the power dynamic between the Daimyos. He is shown here, leaping into battle with his sword raised, ready to perhaps take down one of Nobunaga's foes. If you're looking to pick him up for use in Wars Of The Samurai, he will be available until 31st March 2025.

Are you going to be snapping up a new Samurai supplement for Pike & Shotte?