Nippon
Armoured gunpowder infantry · T3
Teppo Samurai
铁炮武士
Heavily armoured samurai of Nippon who take the field with matchlock and katana: lead shot to break armour, katana to guard the body.
Background
The craft of the teppo reached Nippon aboard the merchantmen of the sea road some generations past. The gunsmiths of the port towns copied and refined it again and again, until the matchlock became a mainstay of every daimyo's arsenal; and those who carry it to war are, for the most part, heavily armoured samurai kept on a clan's stipend. With katana at the hip and long gun in hand, they drill without cease in loading and in the volley: at the word of command the ranks fire as one, and when the foe closes they cast the gun down and draw the blade. The lead ball quits the barrel with strength enough to pierce armour, and when the powder smoke drifts away, the armoured elite the enemy line relied upon often lie already felled in pools of blood. What they keep is still the old samurai code: to die in battle is honour; to fall back is shame.
Unit type
- Class
- Infantry · missile
- Equipment
- Matchlock (direct fire) and katana (melee)
- Armour and shield
- Chainmail, armour 70; no shield
- Training
- Trained
Recruitment
- Recruited from
- Warrior's Manor (tier 1) / Samurai Taisho's Manor (2) / Samurai Hall (1) / Hatamoto Guard (2) / Tetsu Fortress Forge (landmark); also bought with Renown through Tachibana Naotora on the Expedition Companions panel
- Unlocked by
- Building any of the above; the companion option unlocks, and gains capacity, as your Bond tier with her rises
- Recruitment time
- 1 turn
- Unit cap
- None from buildings; companion capacity grows with Bond tier
Stats
- Melee attack
- 34
- Melee defence
- 28
- Weapon strength (base / AP)
- 20/10
- Katana
- Charge bonus
- 10
- Missile strength (base / AP)
- 6/24
- Mostly armour-piercing; hits inflict Sundered Armour
- Range
- 155
- Ammunition
- 22
- Reload time
- 13 seconds
- Armour
- 70
- Chainmail
- Leadership
- 75
- Speed
- 28
- Health per model
- 88
- 7040 across 80 men
- Unit size
- 80
Unit traits
Armoured
Armour 70 counts as heavy armour
Armour-Piercing
The lead shot deals mostly armour-piercing damage (24)
Anti-Infantry
The katana has a bonus vs infantry of 14
Abilities

Teppo DrillThis mod
Loading, aiming, and firing all follow strict drill. Recovers 5% of maximum ammunition every second.
Always on while the unit stands still: accuracy +40, reload skill +10

BushidoThis mod
A samurai who cannot protect those they are duty-bound to protect is no different from the dead, even if they cling to life.
Triggers at 50% health or below: base and armour-piercing weapon damage +15%, melee attack +10 and Unbreakable, for 25 seconds
Unit attributes

Hide (forest)Vanilla
This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.