Hello and welcome to another article about Bushido Risen sun by GCT studios. So far we’ve focused on some of the factions that make up the world of the Isles of Jwar. This article is a little different.
If you want to find out more about Bushido, check out our other articles:
Competitive play is at the beating heart of Bushido. Many Goonhammer readers and fans of other systems have told us the competitive scene is also a big part of your enjoyment of the games you play. With that in mind we wanted to give you a bit of insight into that world in Bushido Risen Sun, and hopefully situate Bushido among some of the many other great systems out there.
To do this, Goonhammer have convened an all-star cast of competitive Bushido players, including three grand Masters and top Tournament Organisers (TO’s) to share how they got into the game, what they compare it to, some of their top tips, and their hopes for the future of the game.
On to the introductions for our illustrious panel;
Craig runs Bushido Cast, a podcast series about all things Bushido. Craig is a former Grand Master, and host of the upcoming Bushido English Masters at Warfare, in Farnborough UK on 17th November.
Doji Josip is the reigning UK Games Expo Bushido Grand Master with Descension, frequent podium finisher and co-host of the narrative tournament Stories from Yoshimuri in Vienna Austria, coming up this September 21st, and presents videos about Bushido in German and English. Event Report: Stories from Yoshimuri – Signs & Portents | Bushido (1xDeutsch 1xEnglish)
Gaming Greg is a veteran TO, host of the past three Adepticon Grand Masters, and co-host of the YouTube channel Gaming with the Guys Miniatures. He’s played a massive part in growing the Bushido community and the competitive scene in the USA.
Mootaz is the current top rated overall Bushido player on Longshanks with a win percentage of 85% across Ito, Temple of Ro Kan and more, has hosted and won multiple tournaments, and set up and runs the Bushido Companion app, the free (and nigh on indispensable) resource for all things Bushido.
Sceptic_Mantis is a two time Bushido Grand Master with Minimoto and Prefecture of Ryu, dominating Bushido in 2022. He’s an active playtester for the game, and currently one of the highest ranked players with Ito on Longshanks, though still regards them as ‘treacherous snakes’.
What got you into Bushido?
Gaming Greg: Back in 2017 I was looking for a feudal Japanese miniature game to play. While at Adepticon I found a couple of options, Bushido and Test of Honor. I picked up both but enjoyed Bushido much more. The fantasy element to it, dice mechanic, and low model count all made the game very attractive. Add to that the models were beautiful and I was hooked!
Craig (Bushido Cast): A long time ago I started playing Warhammer 40k 2nd edition with my twin brother and went from there really. I eventually played skirmish games such as Confrontation and then Infinity, and more recently picked up Bushido which is now my main game (though I do like a bit of Moonstone as well!). To start, I think it was the models that first appealed. I brought the Savage Wave starter set and manged to convince a few other friends to do likewise for other factions. The newer sculpts really caught my eye!
From there it was clear that Bushido has the best melee mechanics around. It reminded me of Confrontation’s dice games while being very different. Bushido uses challenge or ‘face to face’ tests, which I had grown to love through Infinity.
Mootaz: I played a lot of Guildball. When that game was stopped in August 2020, I knew that the competitive scene for that game would go away, so I was looking for a new game. A well known Guildballer also played a lot of Bushido and was posting about it on his Twitter, so I knew the game already by name. When I asked around with my friends for a new game to play, I posted a list of requirements: small model count, alternating activations, premeasuring, well-written rules that lend themselves to competitive play. One answer I got was “Bushido fits all of your criteria” and so I took a deeper look and haven’t looked back since.
Sceptic_Mantis: I got into Bushido at my local gaming club. I got back into this edition with Minimoto as they were the new hotness at the time, and I really liked the model’s aesthetic. I honestly didn’t give a huge amount more thought to the play style than that initially, though I would go on to buy in to several more factions.
Doji Josip: Me and my GF organized the Legend of the Five Rings Card Game (L5R) community in Vienna. The Game lost support from FFG, so we were looking for a new game to organize. A friend of mine showed us Test of Honor and Bushido minis and after a few battle reports from Gitsapalooza, we were hooked! All the movement shenanigans and the focus on melee combat is something I really enjoy.
So we went ahead and tried to motivate as many people as we could to try out the game, organizing a lot of demo games either at FLGS, at home or at conventions. It wasn’t easy, as it was around COVID times, but we managed to get 4-10 Bushido players to a monthly gaming day (and still do). We learned a lot from our time with organizing L5R events and our biggest change was to stop trying to make people play competitively and have a more casual gaming approach and that worked really well!
We started doing events instead of tournaments called “Stories from Yoshimuri” where the focus is having a collaborative gaming experience with a mix of roleplaying, fully painted scenery and a focus on having a great time together. We were a bit nervous at the start, if it would work, but the community showed us that they liked that kind of gaming experience. After a while people that started out as competitive gamers enjoyed themselves more in these Story events and casual gamers noticed that the competitive gamers aren’t as bad as they thought they would be and tried themselves at competitive tournaments. A win for everyone!
What keeps you playing Bushido Risen Sun?
Mootaz: The rules and mechanics are deep and reward practice. The melee mechanics are the best I’ve seen in my 20+ years of playing tabletops. The game is well-balanced and scenario-focused and allows for different win strategies.
Sceptic_Mantis: I love the models in Bushido from both an aesthetic design aspect and the interesting game design concepts. I do enjoy creating new list combinations and how faction identity develops. Pushing the envelope within the parameters of the faction in a game as diverse as Bushido is really satisfying.
Craig: We liked the game’s core mechanics, and scenario focused play, so much we started a little podcast to support. There were some great existing content creators which inspired us, and we also wanted to help grow the community. One Robot Dice Explosion podcast on Ninjas involving a Grand Master, someone who has won the major tournament, really resonated with me. I thought, this is a game I could have fun with and jumped in from there.
Since then, it’s fair to say I’ve gone all in on the game. I try and attend tournaments as often as I can, and any Bushido community events that comes up (there was recently one run by Arashi’s Fanboys). I have run a Bushido tournament at Warfare for the last two years and I’m pleased to say we’re back again this year.
I’m an avid play tester and like to contribute to development where I can. In fact, I’m an ‘Alpha’ play tester and on the ‘rules team’ (we help address rules questions on GCT Studios’ Discord). All that keeps me busy, but I do find time to build and paint models, and importantly actually play the game! I won a Grand Masters last year, so recently I’ve also been designing a model with GCT Studios! What keeps me engaged is really the community. I’ve met some fantastic people through the game and very much feel like I’ve found my people!
Doji Josip: A healthy combination of the great community vibes, the solid ruleset which get regular updates and the new releases that make new games exciting. I also love going to all the tournaments, as people are very chill there, especially when we’re off to dinner together and talk about the game. And last but not least, I have the feeling that GCT is really listening to their community and adapting where needed. So many companies nowadays don’t do that well enough!
Gaming Greg: The base game mechanics are still solid and enjoyable. With new models and factions being added it spices up old factions and gives me new toys to enjoy. The story is also evolving which also keeps my interest.
How do you typically approach list building?
Sceptic_Mantis: I approach list building from a competitive standpoint. Primarily, I judge models on how effective they are for their role for the cost. If the model fits the theme or the design concept, even better. With this concept in mind, I’ll look to identify how a list is going to carry out its win condition and build into that, building in counters to list weaknesses where possible or considering modifications to counter well known ‘boogey men’ lists that I might expect to see.
Gaming Greg: I am a pretty straight forward list builder. I typically build around a model or two that I like a lot or a thematic idea/story to help me develop a list. My favorite was a Ronin list that used Kiyozumi Hinadori and Hozumi Koga from the two-player starter set. Who doesn’t want to build a list around star-crossed lovers! In this case since Hinadori is visited by the Imperial princesses who want to help her and Koga break free of their families, so I included Xi, Yanjing, and Yizhi into the list. It was fun to play and the stories I could make up about their battles made it more enjoyable
Doji Josip: I love to pick a model or an ability and try to build around it.
One of my favorites was taking Kiyozumi Hinadori and trying to have as many “ignores damage on doubles” abilities as I can. Shiho seemed the way to go, as they have access to two “ancestral armours” (Shiho Clan Armor, Full Moon Regalia) and the Talon Medallion which goes on two models and you can put in Hozumi Koga with the Ancestral Armor Ability. That’s five Models that completely ignore damage on doubles and with Hinadori’s ability you even compare doubles on 3 dice! It’s so annoying to opponents, but not a serious tournament list.
https://www.instagram.com/edchopp/
Mootaz: I often start with a few models I want to play. I then fill up the list with faction staples that I have played successfully before. The list then goes through a lot of revisions before it even hits the table for the first time. Each iteration refines small points until I like the version and want to test it. I never start with a theme unless the theme’s effect is something my list is built around. A theme is something I apply at the end to make my list more effective, if it fits my model selection.
Craig: Most of my lists tend to focus on having flexible utility profiles that can upset the opponent’s battle plans. There can be some more complicated synergies or setups in there, but often some redundancy alongside. I tend to favour lesser used models, if you can get those to work it can be very satisfying. Those profiles are also not so well know which means you may have a slight knowledge edge over the more commonly relied on profiles. I tend to play for scenario first, or at least have a good plan over brute force. That’s all subject to specifics of whatever I’m playing or trying out at the time of course!
Any top tips for new players – particularly when thinking about tournaments?
Craig: Just sign up, get involved and get playing! It sounds obvious but that’s the key part. If you get games in, then your skill level will increase, learning from experience is often key to mastery of tabletop games. But, more importantly you will have a lot of fun as well! It’s a great community and I’ve seen time and time again new players attend and enjoy tournaments.
Mootaz: The most important thing is to know your own list well. Think about what your list can and cannot do well and practice with your list without changing too much. There are many different factions so you can’t know them all as a beginner. This means that you’ll invariably meet something on the table that you don’t know. Knowing your own list well will give you the ability to react to what’s happening on the table by leveraging your own strengths.
Doji Josip: A lesson I learned from L5R that I can recommend for any more complex game: Try to first get a hang for the rule set. After that, try to understand your faction. Between games don’t change too many models, but stick to the core idea a bit until you understand how the models want to be used. When you think you developed a good style with your warband, learn how the opponents faction works and interest yourself in how to counter them.
And as always try to have fun! If you see your opponent struggling, especially in a casual game, try not to plan your moves of what would win you the game, but what would excite both players more!
Sceptic_Mantis: When thinking about tournament play, think about how your list will carry out a victory. Is it going to out-damage the opposition and attrition them down. Bog the opponents forces down with numbers while you utilise your numerical advantage to win on scenario? Always keep that in mind and play in such a way as to utilise your advantages.
Know as much as you can. The greater your knowledge base, the less likely you are to be outplayed or be taken by surprise by certain tactics. Additionally, the more you know your models, the more likely you are to be able to deploy them effectively against your opponents.
Greg: My experience is less playing in tournaments and more hosting tournaments. What I typically would advise new tournament players keep things simple and try to know the rules to the figures in your list as best you can. Bushido has a wide range of figures with a bunch of keyword effects, feats, and combinations.
It is hard to know everything and it can be intimidating to a new player so keep it simple, learn rules and effects on the figures in your warband so all you have to worry about is your opponent. Nothing is worse than forgetting a rule, effect, or ability and remembering it after the fact. Like remembering to say, “Combo Attack” when revealing dice. Don’t be shy about writing notes to yourself to remind you of abilities during a game. The back of your hand is a great Post-It note pad!
What are your hopes for the future of the game?
Mootaz: I hope that the game stays true to its core of small model count and well-balanced rules. The game should embrace the digital world a little more. Physical cards that are easily outdated are a problem for new players. A public repository of all current card images is a must. For those people that like physical cards, an easy integration into print on demand like drivethrucards should also be approached.
Sceptic_Mantis: I hope it continues to grow and gain the appreciation for the model and games design is deserves. I personally love the occasional profile errata to mix up the meta and play styles but this is my personal preference and not something I know GCT is keen on doing.
Greg: I hope to see more varied scenarios and rules for more narrative/campaign play. The game has solid basic game mechanics but additional ways to play will make the game more popular with the casual gamer and give competitive players a new way to play.
Craig: I think the game’s in a great state. There has been a big balance errata, and a few smaller ones to finesse profiles and rules which makes the field really balanced. And we have had some great new releases recently. I like that there’s a fantastic community with organized events, content creators and ongoing GCT support.
A campaign and full lore book is the only thing missing for me right now!
Doji Josip: That’s a difficult question, as I quite enjoy where the game is at the moment (and that includes the errata’s and new models coming out). I hope that the game doesn’t become too convoluted with complicated rules. It’s a difficult system to learn already, compared to other skirmish games. Having too many abilities to keep track of is not good for the gaming experience. A (mini-)faction that strains this aspect are the Kinshi. Which actions unlock whose ability and when is something really hard to keep track of, especially for an opponent that has limited experience against them. When I play a tactical game, I want to be aware of my tactical possibilities. If they are obfuscated by too many or too complex rules, it stops being fun.
So the answer to the question would be: I hope that future products of the game have rules that are easy to understand and play with.
A fun one to end: Which faction is going to win the next GM?
Doji Josip: I really want it to be Jung. They seem like a tricky faction, but somehow are missing something crucial to get into the top tables. And that’s why I hope somebody out there gets creative enough and makes them work!
Greg: I am thinking it will be Ito. With all the new models I see increased interest and more varied lists for my beloved snake samurai. I hope that the winner will make an upgraded Saburo with more flowing hair… Saburo is so jealous of Ito Itsunagi’s long hair!
Sceptic_Mantis: I think it’s probably between Temple and Silvermoon. They have the broadest model range with access to some of the most powerful models at present.
Mootaz: The game is balanced enough that it’s not factions but good players that win tournaments. But good players tend to migrate to factions that are flexible and forgiving enough to help them navigate through the uncertainty of big tournaments. My guess is that Prefecture or Temple will win the next GM.
Craig: Honestly, they can all win! I hope Ito Clan do as they have not yet done so, and now it’s long over due. Good luck to them!
Closing Remarks
Thanks to all our panellists for taking the time to share their thoughts and insight. We hope you’ve enjoyed this journey through the minds of some of the top Bushido players and TOs out there. It’s a testament to the depth of the game and community that 5 different factions were picked as potential GM winners! Hopefully our panel’s stories will have inspired you to give the game a go – or try out a few new list building approaches if you’re a veteran.
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