Basic Unit Statistics
| Upkeep Cost | 0 | |
| Melee Attack | 10 | 31% |
| Charge Bonus | 15 | 42% |
| Bonus vs Cavalry | 10 | 40% |
| Melee Defence | 5 | 14% |
| Armour | 4 | 50% |
| Morale | 10 | 25% |
| Speed | 4 | 33% |
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Versatile infantry that are good in melee and against cavalry.
- Not as good in melee as sword infantry, and not as good against cavalry as spear infantry.
Description
This unit is made up of women warriors armed with the naginata, a long pole arm that is tipped with a deadly curved sword-blade. These fearless samurai women have outstanding morale and excel in melee combat. They are most powerful against sword-armed infantry but if properly handled, they can execute devastating flank attacks against enemy spearmen as well. Because their numbers are few, the onna bushi can be swamped by larger, less skilled enemy units. Historically, Japanese women were trained to defend their homes in times of war but few took part in open battle. Those who did quickly became legends. In the “Heike Monogatari”, an account of the Genpei War, Tomoe Gozen, a female samurai of the Minamoto clan, is described as “especially beautiful, with white skin, long hair, and charming features”. She was also recorded as being “a remarkably strong archer, and as a swordswoman she was a warrior worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a god, mounted or on foot.” She was one of the last warriors standing at the Battle of Awazu, even outliving her master who was struck down by an arrow during the fight.