Samurai

Overview

Samurai is an abstract strategy board game designed by Reiner Knizia, originally published by Hans im Gluck (1998) and later by Fantasy Flight Games. Players compete to influence three castes of feudal Japan – represented by Rice (Peasants), Buddhas (Priests), and High Helmets (Warriors) – in order to unite Japan under their rule. The game features elegant tile placement on a map of Japan’s four main islands, where players surround cities and villages with influence tokens to capture figurines. The player who dominates the most castes wins.

Components

• 1 Game board depicting Japan’s four main islands (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu)
• Figurines: Rice paddies (green), Buddhas (yellow), High Helmets (red)
• 20 Hex tiles per player (behind player screens):
  • Figure-specific influence tiles (numbered, affecting only one caste)
  • Samurai tiles (wild, affect any caste)
  • Ronin tiles (wild, affect any caste)
  • Ship tiles (for water placement)
  • Special action tiles (swap, move, etc.)
• Player screens (to hide tile selections)
• City and village markers on the board

Setup

Place the game board centrally. Place figurines on cities and villages: each village gets 1 random figurine, cities get 2, and the capital city of Edo gets one of each type (3 total). The number of cities/villages varies by player count (use the appropriate board side). Each player takes their 20 hex tiles and places 5 face-up behind their screen. The remaining tiles form a face-down draw pile.

Turn Structure

Players take turns clockwise. On each turn, a player must:

1. Place at least one tile from their face-up tiles onto an empty land hex adjacent to a figurine location. If the tile is a “fast” tile (marked with a special icon), the player must place an additional tile.
2. Check for captures: If all land hexes surrounding a figurine are now occupied by tiles, that figurine is captured by the player with the highest total influence adjacent to it.
3. Refill tiles: Draw tiles to replace played tiles (maintain 5 face-up tiles behind screen).

Actions

Tile Placement

• Figure-specific tiles: Show a specific figurine icon and a number (1-4). They only influence that type of figurine.
• Samurai tiles: Wild – influence any type of figurine. Numbered 1-3.
• Ronin tiles: Wild – influence any type of figurine.
• Ship tiles: Placed on water hexes instead of land. They influence adjacent coastal figurines.
• Special tiles: Allow swapping placed tiles, moving figurines, or other unique effects. These are “fast” tiles that require playing an additional tile after them.

Capture Resolution

When all land hexes surrounding a figurine are filled:

• Sum each player’s total influence on adjacent tiles that affect that figurine type (figure-specific + wild tiles).
• The player with the highest total captures the figurine.
• Ties: If two or more players tie for highest influence, the figurine is set aside (no one captures it).

Water Tiles

• Ship tiles are placed on water hexes.
• They influence figurines on adjacent coastal locations.
• Only ship tiles can be placed on water.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The game ends when all figurines of any one type have been captured, OR when 4 or more figurines are set aside due to ties.

Determining the Winner

1. Check each caste (Rice, Buddha, Helmet): The player with the most captured figurines of that caste is the majority holder for that caste.
2. Any player who holds majority in two or more castes wins.
3. If no player holds two majorities, compare the non-majority figurines. The player with the most total captured figurines (excluding their majority caste) wins.
4. Further ties are broken by total figurines captured.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Tied Captures: When players tie for influence on a figurine, it is set aside and nobody gets it. This can be strategically useful to deny opponents.
• Fast Tiles: Special action tiles (swap, move) are “fast” – after playing one, you must play an additional regular tile.
• Edo Capital: Edo contains one of each figurine type, making it a high-value location worth fighting over.
• Player Count Adjustments: Different sides of the board are used for 2, 3, or 4 players, adjusting the number of figurine locations.
• Screen Management: You always have 5 face-up tiles behind your screen. The tiles you choose to play and the order matter strategically.
• Empty Board Rule: If a player cannot legally place a tile (no valid hexes adjacent to figurines), they must pass.

Player Reference

Tile Type	Influence	Placement
Figure-specific	One caste only, numbered 1-4	Land hexes
Samurai	Any caste, numbered 1-3	Land hexes
Ronin	Any caste	Land hexes
Ship	Any caste (coastal only)	Water hexes
Special (fast)	Varies	Must play an extra tile after

Winning: Majority in 2+ castes wins. Otherwise, most non-majority figurines wins.