The Book of Kozuke Samurai

[dnutt99]

The Book of Kozuke Samurai
Thora's Vengeance - Collection 5 - "Ninjas and Samurai"

Spoiler Alert!

If you cannot see the Army Card graphic, check Hasbro's Unit Page for stats and special powers, plus "character biography" and other non-game unit info.

Character Bio: The glaring sunlight rides down the length of his long curved blade. The weight of it balances off the end of his arm, dancing there like a thing possessing a will of its own, throwing itself up, down and across in swift and deadly strokes. The young samurai’s body twists and flows, leaps and dives, whirling about in a warrior’s frenzy. One enemy after another falls, outmatched by the superior skill of the Kozuke.
The sun falls low on the horizon, bathing the landscape in its red glow. Exhausted and outnumbered, the Kozuke fight on. Their adversary closes them in, trapping them between the points of arrows drawn tight on their strings, and a steep drop into churning waters. The bowstrings twang and the Kozuke let themselves fall backwards, giving their lives to the waters below rather than allowing themselves be taken by their enemy.
Falling out of Earth’s timeline the Kozuke enter a new world. Here on the battlefields of Valhalla, their fight continues on. (Hasbro)
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-Rulings and Clarifications-

• - COUNTERSTRIKE : Who is affected by counterstrike
  Does Counter Strike work against other characters that have Counter Strike?
  Yes, the only time the Kozuke's Counter Strike is negated is against other Samurai. All other figures that have counterstrike can still be affected by it unless otherwise stated on their card. (Hasbro FAQ)
  
  - CHARGING ASSAULT : Bonus Movement Using Charging Assault
  When using Charging Assault, can the Samurai’s movement be enhanced by anything like roads, or auras to increase the amount of spaces it can move?
  Yes. This ability is enhancing the base movement of the card, which may also be enhanced by things like Glyphs, Auras, or special terrain. (Hasbro FAQ)
  
  - CHARGING ASSAULT : Ending Turn Adjacent to Opponent
  If I use Charging Assault and am able to move adjacent to an enemy figure, can I still move +3 spaces if I don’t end adjacent to that enemy?
  In order to use Charging Assault, you MUST end your turn adjacent to an opponent. (dnutt99)

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-Combinations and Synergies-

Synergy Benefits Received

• - HATAMOTO TARO : Heroic Defense Aura
  As Samurai, Kozuke Samurai may benefit from Hatamoto Taro’s HEROIC DEFENSE AURA
  
  - KATO KATSURO : Kato Katsuro's Command
  As a Samurai Squad, the Kozuke Samurai may benifit from Kato Katsuro's KATO KATSURO'S COMMAND activation synergy.

Synergy Benefits Offered

• - SACRED BAND : Disciplined Army Defense Bonus
  Having a Disciplined personality, Kozuke Samurai may aid the Sacred Band with their DISCIPLINED ARMY
  DEFENSE BONUS
  *NOTE: See The Book of Sacred Band for proper application.

C3V and SoV Custom Synergies

Spoiler Alert!

Synergy Benefits Offered

Synergy Benefits Received

COUNT RAYMOND : MANEUVER 9
As Humans who follow Einar, Kozuke Samurai may benefit from Count Raymond's MANEUVER 9 ability.

EBON ARMOR : ANIMATED MATERIEL & ETERNAL WAR
As a Unique Human figure, a destroyed Ebon Armor you control may be placed on Kozuke Samurai's Army Card to replace Kozuki Samurai upon his own destruction.

TOMOE GOZEN : DEFENSIVE FORMATION
As Samurai, a Kozuke Samurai may boost his own defense as well as Tomoe Gozen's when adjacent to Tomoe Gozen.

TOMOE GOZEN : SAMURAI LIFE DEBT
As a Unique Samurai Squad, Kozuke Samurai may benefit from Tomoe Gozen's activation synergy.

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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-

• - TBA

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-Heroscapers Community Contributions-

Power Rankings

Jexik: Kozuke Samurai- Though weak on defense, the five attack of the Kozuke is an unprecedented value. Charging Assault ensures that most melee units won’t attack them first. B-

OEAO: B

Cleon: Tier 5 (144/208)

dok (VC inclusive): B-

Master Index

Originally Posted by MKSentinel

Kozuke Samurai
Charging in Water? http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?t=3836
Quality Unit? http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?t=3927
Boosting Counterstrike? http://www.heroscapers.com/community...read.php?t=768
Charging Assault Wording? http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?t=1964
And Move Bonuses? http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?t=4576
Charging Assault Wording? http://www.heroscapers.com/community...ead.php?t=7278
F’ed in the A? http://www.heroscapers.com/community...ead.php?t=9227

Unit Strategy Review

Unit Strategy Review: Kozuke Samurai

[jcb231]

It has been officially ruled that these guys MUST end their move adjacent to an oppoent to use the Charging Assault, but has it been ruled that they MUST attack that opponent then? Can they simply charge into engagement and choose not to attack? My group remains unclear on this.

[Uprising]

Why would you charge into an engagement and choose not to attack? Just curios.

[dnutt99]

Originally Posted by Uprising

Why would you charge into an engagement and choose not to attack? Just curios.

I might decide not to attack a Rat or Charos even given the situation! But in regards to the first question, it is ruled that you must end your move adjacent to an opponent with no reference at all to attacking. There are obvious reasons, (given the situation), that you may decide not to attack, so ,........... you don't have to!

[Eclipse]

I just want to point out you must end your move adjacent to an enemy figure, but the book currently states you must end your turn. Obviously this creates a problem if you move next to an enemy figure and then kill him

Anyway, I absolutely LOVE the Kozuke. They're freakeshly fast when it counts, and deceptively slow otherwise. You'd be surprised how many people forget how big their threat range is after watching their normal move. On roads they can pretty much attack whatever they wish.

In my experience, the Kozuke work great with their Izumi breatheren. The two can hold off an formidable enemy attack by playing tag team with their respective strengths. The Izumi out front make a great roadblock, forcing the enemy to stop and deal with a high defense unit with Counterstrike. Once stopped, the enemy troops easily fall prey to an 8 move 5 attack assualt from the Kosuke. Even if an Izumi falls, they've served their purpose quite well.

In narrow passageways, this can go on for quite a while. In one particularly infuriating encounter, I plugged up a gap in the trees with a single Izumi. When the enemy approached in force, the lead unit fell to counterstrike, which immediately made a space for an Kosuke to charge in and double the damage. This pattern continued until the two figures had effectively wiped out a squad and a half of Heavy Gruts.

[LilMoochie]

Originally Posted by Eclipse

I just want to point out you must end your move adjacent to an enemy figure, but the book currently states you must end your turn. Obviously this creates a problem if you move next to an enemy figure and then kill him

Must mean you can take another turn if you kill them

[Uprising]

Originally Posted by dnutt99

I might decide not to attack a Rat or Charos even given the situation! But in regards to the first question, it is ruled that you must end your move adjacent to an opponent with no reference at all to attacking. There are obvious reasons, (given the situation), that you may decide not to attack, so ,........... you don't have to!

Well that's not very Samurai like. You dishonor the Kozuke name.

[GForce3062]

Whenever I draft the Kozuke's, I always have them as my first wave of figures to go out and fight. I don't know why, I just do it, and it pays off

[The Super Atheist]

very good counter attack units.

[Taeblewalker]

Originally Posted by The Super Atheist

very good counter attack units.

Grimnak is always a good Samurai stopper, thought the Kozukes with attack 5 and Tagawa with attack that could go up to 6 can turn the tide if they get the jump on him instead (easier for the Kozuke if the Kozuke player plays them correctly).

[NecroBlade]

Originally Posted by Taeblewalker

Right. I edited it. Thanks.

No problem. The Tagawa are actually pretty good Orc fighters, though they would be horribly outnumbered, which, in my experience, usually wins the day. Once their attack is high, though, they can put some damage on the heroes.

[War Solves Everything]

In my experience, these guys kill twice there points or none at all.