Ikusa

About this board game

Ikusa is a strategic civil-war game for 2–5 players, with sessions lasting around 360 minutes. Set in the chaotic feudal society of medieval Japan, it places players in command of factions seeking to consolidate their strongholds and become Shogun, the supreme ruler.

Players command forces across the islands of feudal Japan. Their forces include provincial troops stationed in provinces and mobile armies led by daimyos. Each turn begins with players allocating their koku into bids and purchases for the round.

Turn order is determined by the bids. Ties are settled either through player agreement or a random draw, creating a contested opening to each round. After turn order is established, players account for their other bids and payments, then make important purchases and recruitment decisions.

• Purchase castles and fortresses.
• Draft new troops and ronin.
• Bid for the lone ninja.
• Plan and execute attacks against enemy territories.

Once the bidding and purchasing phase is complete, players act in turn order to plan and carry out attacks. Battles are resolved through die rolls, as armies fight to take enemy territories and expand their control.

A player wins by capturing a certain number of territories, either through direct conquest or by defeating an opponent’s last daimyo and taking over that player’s forces. Originally published as Shogun, the game was later renamed Samurai Swords because of a name conflict with James Clavell’s Shogun. Ikusa is the latest iteration of the game, preserving its focus on bids, armies, strongholds, and an ambitious struggle for supremacy.