Warhammer Nippon 9th Ed 1.1 (beta) out now!

Well that certainly took a bit longer to finish than expected...

This is a pretty huge update overall, as I redid most of the layout from scratch - lots of "under the hood" improvements that no-one besides me will probably notice, but oh well. This version contains a ton of new art and extended lore for Nippon, with several rewrites in the bestiary entries as well. It also features a new map - a proper one using the topography of the latest Warhammer world, made by Owen Wells of the Discord server and then filled in by me. Also massive thanks to Stefan Wolf who wrote up the lore for the new special characters, with the basis for their rules being a joint operation.

As you can see from the title, I consider this a beta release - it's been over 5 years since the last Nippon update (making me on par with GW now, yikes...), and as such it will likely have quite a lot of bugs and issues I have missed. I'll give it 1-2 weeks for you guys to weed those out and collect feedback before updating it to the "official" 1.1 version.

Anyway, hope you enjoy it; it sure required a lot of time and effort to make it!

 

This update changes the following (and probably a lot more that I forgot to list):

• A Katana counts as a hand weapon. If on foot, the wielder may choose to use it as a two-handed weapon which Requires Two Hands. If they choose to do so, they gain +1 Strength that does not affect armour saves as well as the Parry special rule.
  
• Added mantlets: Units with mantlets must place them on separate bases in front of the unit. Every model in the front rank must have a mantlet base in front of it, which must also be set up within the army's deployment zone. A unit with mantlets gains a 4+ armour save against missile attacks to its front arc (except attacks that fire like a stone thrower). However, if the unit moves or reforms during the game, the mantlets are removed from play. Can be taken by Samurai Warriors, Onna Bushi, Ashigaru Bowmen, Ashigaru Aquebusiers and Ozutzu Ashigaru.
• Removed Sashimonos.
• Horo Cloaks gives a 6+ armour save against missile attacks.
• Removed Taisho, Hatamoto replaces them. Hatamoto has the Sworn Bodyguard special rule like Tomb Heralds.
• Daimyo and Hatamoto may take handguns/longbows in addition to another close combat weapon.
  
• The Battle Standard Bearer can have a magic banner with no points limit. However, a model carrying a magic standard can only carry other magic items up to a total 25 points.
• Daimyo and Hatamoto have a hand weapon by default, can upgrade to Katana.
  
• Daimyo and Hatamoto may ride Koimainu.
• Shugenja may use Lore of Light.
  
• Kensai have a Parry (5+).
• Samurai Warriors can upgrade to spears, polearms or great weapons for free.
  
• Any Samurai Warrior unit may take handguns.
• Samurai units can upgrade to heavy armour.
  
• Samurai Cavalry costs 15 pts.
• Fast Cavalry only pay 5 pts for musicians.
  
• Ashigaru can replace spears with pikes.
• New Core Unit: Peasant Levies.
• New Special unit: Koimainu Riders.
• Yabusame do not suffer penalties to Hit for moving and shooting and can fire Multiple Shots even when moving that turn. In addition, when firing from short range, all their missile attacks have the Armour Piercing (1) special rule. Cost 18 pts.
  
• Warrior Monks can replace polearms with handguns.
• Onna Bushi are Stubborn. Units of Onna Bushi that are garrisoning a building or fighting behind a defended obstacle may re-roll failed Break tests.
  
• Onna Bushi can replace polearms with longbows. Do not have light armour by default.
• Ronin are Stubborn, have Way of the Warrior rule. Can take longbows.
• Sumo Warriors do not have Unstoppable Force, costs 12 pts.
  
• Wako Pirates may take spears and handguns, cannot skirmish.
• Kabuki Doll Sewamono Style: While performing this dance, the Kabuki Dolls have the Dodge (5+) special rule.
• War Fan can be used as additional hand weapon or buckler.
  
• Removed blowguns, Ninja can take blowpipes instead.
  
• Ninja have the Dodge (6+) special rule.
• Shinobi have the Dodge (5+) special rule.
• Great Guard have Devastating Charge. A1, W2. Costs 40 pts.
  
• A Mikoshi Shrine, and any unit of Warrior Monks joined by it, has the Stubborn special rule.
• A Mikoshi Shrine adds +1 Power Dice to your power pool in each of your Magic phases.
• Mikoshi Shrines have Magic Resistance (1).
• Blessings of the Kami: The effects of each Blessing lasts until the start of the next Nippon Magic Phase.
  
• New Special Unit: Fire Rockets.
• New Rare Unit: Taiko Drums.
• New Rare Unit: Cannon
• Flaming Arrows fires like a normal bolt thrower with an improved profile. Misfires on a To Hit roll of 1.
• Oni may take two hand weapons.
  
• Removed Independent rule from Tengu.
• Tengu may take light armour for 1 pt.
  
• Kitsune are War Beasts, Unit Size 1. A Kitsune is Level 1 Wizard that uses spells from the Lore of Shadow. They have W2, A2. Have a 5+ Ward save. Costs 80 pts.
• Mizuchi have S6, T6, W6, A5. Have Aquatic, can Fly. Have Poison Breath.
• New Special Character: Odari Nobuhide
• New Special Character: Takai Katsuyori
• New Special Character: Dawate Tadamune
• New Special Character: Uesigo Norimasa
• New Special Character: Sanada Naomasa
  
• Removed Red Devils; they are instead an upgrade to Sanada Naomasa.
• New Special Character: Minamoto Kenshin
• New Special Character: Akashi Sho 
• Supreme Shugenja: Himiko channels Power Dice on roll of a 3+ and Dispel Dice on a 5+.
• Himikoi has Eight Span Mirror: If an enemy spell targets Empress Himiko or the unit she is with and is subsequently dispelled by her, she may immediately cast the spell back at the enemy caster just like a Bound Spell, using the same casting value as the enemy wizard.
• Himiko costs 370 pts.
• Tokudaira Ieyasu costs 270 pts.
• One unit of Samurai Warriors in an army led by Tokudaira Ieyasu may be upgraded to Great Guard for a cost of 4 points per model. Great Guard have +1 Weapon Skill and Strength as well as the Devastating Charge and Stubborn special rules. This unit counts as a Special choice.
• Hitomi Gozen has a longbow. Her Thundering Blade has Lightning Attacks. Costs 90 pts.
• O-Sayumi has the Kabuki Dance special rule. Against enemy characters, O-Sayumi may re-roll failed rolls To Wound, and has the Killing Blow special rule. Costs 140 pts.
  
• Removed the Red Ronin.
• Generally cheaper Clan Mon for units.
• Removed mention of Clan Mon in army list, these are specified on the Clan Mon page instead since a lot of units can only take one Clan Mon anyway.
• Chotosa Clan Mon: Models with this Mon may re-roll 1's when rolling to Hit with longbows.
  
• Any To Hit roll of 6 made by a model with their weapon coated in Night Milk automatically Wounds.
• Removed Dripping Poison.
  
• Borne on the Wind allow for a 10" move.