Sword and Fan

Sword and Fan

Sword and Fan was the sixteenth suplement for the Legend of the Five Rings 4th Edition RPG. It explores war and politics in the Emerald Empire through the greatest works of strategy in the battlefield and the courts – the Book of Sun Tao and Otomo Madoko's The Subtlety of the Court. It was released on June 2014.

Credits

• Design: Robert Hobart
• Written by: Marie Brennan, Robert Denton, Chris Hand, Dave Laderoute, Maxime Lemaire, Seth Mason, Eric Menge, Thomas Willoughby
• Edited by: Robert Hobart
• Art Director: Robert Hobart
• Cover Design: Robert Denton
• Cover Art: Veronica V. Jones
• Layout: Robert Denton
• Original Graphic Design: Edge Entertainment
• Artists: Aaron Acevedo, Christopher Appel, Steve Argyle, Matthew S. Armstrong, Steve Argyle, Drew Baker, Beet, Steven Belledin, Noah Bradley, Theresa Brandon, Heather Bruton, Manuel Calderon, Sergio Camarena, Mike Capprotti, Brent Chumley, Storn A. Cook, Ed Cox, Jose Cua, Max Degen, John Donahue, Lino Drieghe, Pam Eklund, Randy Elliott, Jason Engle, Shen Fei, Sam Flegal, Felipe Gaona, Anthony Grabski, Ancor Gil Harnandez, Hector Herrera, Andy Hepworth, Jeff Himmelman, Jon Hodgson, David Horne, Lisa Hunt, Llyn Hunter, Janine Johnston, Jaime Jones, Jason Juta, Michael Komarck, Heather Kreiter, Greg Lambrakis, Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, Iordanis Lazaridis, Alayna Lemmer, April Lee, Eric Lofgren, Asier Martinez Lopez, Jorge Matar, Thomas Manning, Britt Martin, Patrick McEvoy, Dieter Miller, Jake Murray, Justin Norman, William O’Connor, Andrew Olson, Glen Osterberger, Chris Ostrowski, Immar Palomera, Ben Peck, Joshua Pinkas, Eric Polak, Mark Poole, Erich Schreiner, Adam Schumpert, Chris Seaman, Jazz Siy, Lee Smith, Florian Stitz, Nikolay Stoyanov, Imaginary Friends Studios, Gong Studios, A.C. Swedberg, Julien Tainmont-Pierrat, Mario Wibisono, Brad Williams, Jarreau Wimberly, Matt Zeilinger
• Production Manager: David Lepore
• Senior Brand Manager: Todd Rowland
• Chief Executive Officer: John Zinser
• Design Team: Shawn Carman, Robert Hobart
• Head Playtester: Brian Bates
• Playtesters: Team 1 (Brian Yoon, Dave Smith, Patrick Chen, Aien Elmi, Jason Kang, Ki Chang Kim, Roger Liang, Arthur Nguyen); Team 2 (Marie Brennan, Kyle Niedzwiecki, Terrance Seddon, Megan O’Neil); Team 4 (Rob Hobart, Becca Hobart, Shawn Edwards, Kevin Blake, Lewis Fleak, Brett Sweeney, Todd Stites, Daniel Briscoe); Team 6 (“Haters United”: Greg Long, Erykah Fasset, Maxime Lemaire); Team 8 (“Team Internet”: Edward Reynolds, Mathieu Brebouillet, David & Richard Whitney, Tarl Cowley, Francois Poncin, Jason Shafer); Team 17: (Tom Lewis, Jamie Kipp, Gavin O’Hearn, Shawn MacLean, John Taylor); Team 18: (Dave Laderoute, Lee Vollum, Tristan Maclaurin, Corbin Allard, Alex Luty, Amanda McEvoy, Adrienne Payette, James Shpulak, François Sébastien Guimont, Devha Livingston, Kari Villa, Ryan Woodbeck, Cole Desgroseilliers); Team 19: (Charles Caswell, Vincent Stanton, Chuck Sweeden, Fox Whitworth); Team 20: (Matt Tyler, Scott Pegg, Kevin Koch, Michael Lawrence, Jonathan Harrison, Paul Casagrande, John Bradford); Team 21: (James Freeman-Hargis, Sarah Koz, David Wright, James Mosingo); Team 22: (Scott Shepard, Dawn Dalton, Andrew Doud, Justin Davidson, Jon Huskey, Trista Lillis); Team 23: (James Wagner, Ryan Bataglia, Chris Foster, Phil Jenicek, Kristin (Kay) Markert); Team 24: (Tony Love, Nicholas Love); Team 30: (Jim Friedman, Izzy Friedman, Chris Hoffmann, Jay Becknell, Stephen Pelton)

Table of Contents

Introduction (page 6)

• Fiction with the ambassador Ikoma Jun and the rikugunshokan Bayushi Kiwadoi, regarding the struggle for control of the Gakka province.
• What Is This Book?
• Literature of the Sword and Fan
  • The Book of Sun Tao
  • The Subtlety of the Court
  • Other Works on War and Politics
    • Akodo's Leadership
    • Tangen's Lies
    • Seppun Hanako's The Articles of Heaven
    • Otomo Yamato's The Divine Branch
    • The Wisdom of the Heavens

Chapter One: Strategy (page 14)

• Fiction with the rikugunshokan Akodo Unmei unleashing Ikoma Jidai during the struggle for control of the Gakka province.
• The Nature of Strategy
  • Strategy versus Tactics
• Strategy in Rokugan
  • Strategic Planning
  • Mustering of Forces
  • Strategic March and Deployment
  • Rate of March
  • Engagement
  • Disengagement and Consolidation
  • Redeployment
  • Stand-Down of Forces
  • Victory with No Strike
• War at Sea
• Notable Campaigns in the Emerald Empire
  • The Crane-Crab War (The First Yasuki War)
  • The Second Lion-Phoenix War
  • The Mantis-Ivory Kingdoms War
  • The War of the Rich Frog
• Notable Generals of Rokugan
  • Matsu Itagi
  • Shiba Kaigen
  • Bayushi Tozasu
  • Daidoji Masayoshi
  • Moto Narantsetseg
  • Tsukuro

Chapter Two: Tactics (page 40)

• Fiction with the slain of the Imperial Observer Otomo Hokan at the hands of the infamous commander Bayushi Konitsu.
• The Rokugani Battlefield
• Battlefield Formations
  • “Anchored Line”
  • “Archer Squad”
  • “Archer's Row”
  • “Cautious Advance”
  • “Lotus at Dusk”
  • “Marching Column”
  • Crab Formations
    • “Heart of the Mountain”
    • “Soul of the Crab”
    • “Hida's Formation”
  • Crane Formations
    • “Iron Pillar”
    • “Strike and Move”
    • “Soul of the Crane”
  • Dragon Formations
    • “Spirits and Steel”
    • “Souls in Harmony”
    • “Soul of the Dragon”
  • Lion Formations
    • “Rain of Death”
    • “Tiger's Mouth”
    • “Soul of the Lion”
  • Mantis Formations
    • “Kaimetsu-Uo's Formation”
    • “Closing Wave”
    • “Soul of the Mantis”
  • Phoenix Formations
    • “Blessings of Steel”
    • “Soul of the Phoenix”
  • Scorpion Formations
    • “Bayushi's Knives”
    • “Soul of the Scorpion”
  • Spider Formations
    • “Memories of the Lost”
    • “Daigotsu's Discipline”
  • Unicorn Formations
    • “Invincible Advance”
    • “Four Winds”
    • “Soul of the Unicorn”
• Rituals and Traditions of Battle
  • Desertion and Other Failures of Duty
  • Looting and Destruction
  • Hostage Taking
  • Limitations on Standing Armies
  • The Price of Defeat: Battlefield Suicide
  • Taking and Displaying Heads
  • Paying Tribute
• Forbidden Tactics
• Expanding the Mass Battle Rules
  • Using the Rules of Mass Battle
  • Non-Bushi and Mass Battle
  • Shifting Perspective: Battle as Backdrop
  • Additions and Options for Mass Battle Rules

Chapter Three: Cavalry Warfare (page 68)

Moto Kyouaku-Inu

• Fiction with the commander Ikoma Jidai defeating the Scorpion forces led by Bayushi Konitsu during the struggle for the control of Gakka province.
• Cavalry Tactics
  • Cavalry Tactics of the Unicorn Clan
  • Modern Cavalry Warfare
  • Cavalry Tactics
• Cavalry War After the Return of the Unicorn
  • Fiction with Kaiu Juri, being defeated by the Unicorn cavalry tactics.
• Cavalry Units and Tactics In Other Clans
  • Tsuru's Legion
  • Doji's Fan
  • The Dragon's Wind
  • The Lion Wardens
  • The Orochi Riders
  • The Tsunami Legion
  • The Rising Sun
  • The Hellbeasts
• The Care and Training of Warhorses

Chapter Four: Enemies (page 92)

Legulus's Legion

• Fiction with Hiruma Renzo and his sister Hiruma Iniko, confessing she was taken military plans from her betrothed, Ikoma Jun, and passing them to the Scorpion.
• A Brief History of Clan-on-Clan Warfare
  • Reasons for Clan Conflict
  • Declaring War
  • Great Clans against Minor Clans
  • Imperial Forces against Clans
  • Clans against Ronin/Pesasants
  • Wartime Diplomacy
• War and Intelligence Work
• Suing for Peace
• Clan-Specific Aspects of Clan-on-Clan Warfare
• Nonhuman and Supernatural Enemies
  • Fighting the Shadowlands
    • Fiction with Akodo Kiyotaka and Kaiu Juuzo fighting the Shadowlands atop of the Kaiu Wall.
  • The Shadow
  • The Nezumi
  • The Naga
• The Empire Against the Outside: Gaijin Enemies
  • The Merenae and the Thrane
  • The Yodotai Threat
  • The Yobanjin
  • The Ivinda
  • The Senpet Empire

Chapter Five: Court and Civilization (page 118)

A group of Geisha

• Fiction with Bayushi Kiwadoi, who is goaded by Doji Seiyami into a duel, where she is killed by the Doji's cousin and champion, a Kenshinzen.
• Civility and Etiquette
• Samurai Etiquette: How not to be a Barbarian
  • Basic Rules of Conduct
  • The Etiquette of Swords
  • Bragging
  • The Etiquette of Revenge
  • Guest and Host
  • The Etiquette of Dealing with Peasants
• Conduct in Court
  • Courtly Dining
  • Court Fashion
• Cleansing and Purity
  • Ritual Cleansing
• The Essence of Civility: The Tea Ceremony
• Inheritance in Rokugan
• Geisha and the Karyūkai
  • Geisha and the Clans
  • The Kolat Silken Sect
• Role-Playing Rokugan: Why civility Matters

Chapter Six: Politics Through the Year (page 152)

Kemari

• Fiction with Asako Fujiko as new Imperial Observer in the struggle for the control of Gakka province.
• Fiction with Akodo Unmei, who attacked a Taoist temple against the advice of Kitsu Domen and Ikoma Jidai.
• Spring, the Season of Plow
• Summer, the Season of the Sword
• Fall, the Season of the Harvest
• Winter, the Season of the Fan
  • Small Courts
  • The Provincial Courts
  • The Great Courts
  • The Imperial Court
  • Dressing the Court
  • Dressing the Grounds
  • Winter Court: Things to See and Do
  • Dueling in Winter
• The Theater of Politics and the Art of Diplomacy
  • Exchange of Hostages
  • Trade and Commerce at Winter Court
• Matchmaking
• Masters of the Court
  • Bayushi Kaukatsu
  • Kakita Yoshi
  • Otomo Madoka
  • Seppun Hanako
  • Susumu Kuroko

Chapter Seven: Outsiders in Rokugan (page 186)

Susumu Kuroko, Susumu Daimyo

• Fiction with Asako Fujiko, who decides that victory has been earned by the Lion, but Ikoma Jun, the Lion ambassador, withdraws their claim, gained by dishonorable means.
• Fiction with the abbot Omeiyo, formerly the samurai Ikoma Jidai, and his son Ikoma Jun. The monk maneouvers to force the Scorpion to retaliate the Lion offenders, expecting to start the war again.
• Ronin in Court
• Monks in the Court
  • Responses to Monks at Court
• Gaijin at Court
• The Shadowlands and the Court
  • The Spider Clan and the Courts

Appendix: New Mechanics (Page 200)

• New Advantages
• New Advanced Paths