Rokugan Local Governance:
Ashigaru
For much of Rokugan, unmarried young heimin men of a village between the ages of sixteen and thirty serve as ashigaru if they are healthy. Unmarried heimin women of similar age may also choose to serve in this role, especially if they are taking the place of a family member or lover who would otherwise be required to serve as an ashigaru. Society overall does not expect women in these roles.
The majority of ashigaru are seasonal soldiers. They depart for war after they have worked with their families in the villages to plant their village's crops. During the summer, they remain with their units, generally under the direction of a samurai commander. When summer ends, they will normally be permitted to return in time to assist bringing in the harvest, while they winter at home in their villages, crafting and otherwise working to create goods that can benefit their families.
However, war scars men and homes alike. When there is no warfare and the land is fully at peace, ashigaru are usually not called up up at all, working in harmony with their villages. Unfortunately, such times are few. As war intensifies, the ashigaru are called up for longer and longer periods, eventually, potentially, being needed year round. Ashigaru after intense fighting may be released to return to villages that have disappeared, their families fled or killed by the tides of war. The samurai lord they served may fall in battle, leaving them rudderless. They may have fled a superior foe against orders and been afraid to return to their own lands. Or, if they have been embroiled in warfare for a long time, these young men may be unwilling or unable to submit to the humble rhythms of a life of planting and harvesting, instead drinking to drown the memories of their experiences and looking for the camaraderie of their fellow ashigaru for comfort. In the aftermath of great wars, there are frequently periods of time when such heimin become permanent ashigaru, a class of mercenary wandering foot soldiers.
Ashigaru called seasonally from their villages are normally supplied by their lord, given food and the weapons the lord believes they require. However, they are not paid as samurai are. They can make additional money by looting the fallen or the lands they conquer, or wealthy lords can reward them for success. Permanent ashigaru will offer themselves to a lord for service by making an arrangement with a higher-ranked ashigaru, a jizamurai, a karo, or a lower-ranked samurai, in exchange for koku. Permanent ashigaru arm and supply themselves with the loot of the fallen. While ashigaru freely loot the dead, they are careful never to take a samurai's daisho as loot. They know they would be killed for daring to do so.
Ashigaru are not expected to have the discipline of samurai. If they are in battle against overwhelming odds, few expect the ashigaru units not to break and run. Ashigaru are not expected to come up with battle strategy or be superior fighters. If a samurai commander has made an order to stay, his ashigaru can expect to suffer for their cowardice at breaking the order, of course. However, if their commander is dead and no new orders have been given, it would be rare for an ashigaru to risk their life to push their unit towards victory. That said, those special ashigaru who do succeed in making a valiant stand against overwhelming odds, of their own initiative, truly can make an impression on their lord. If they survive and the battle is won, such ashigaru may win themselves the greatest glory an ashigaru may know: the reward of a daisho and an invitation to join the samurai caste as one of their lord's own followers.
Peasant Levies
Moderate warfare is frequent, and during such times only the usual heimin of villages are conscripted to serve as ashigaru: young unmarried people in fighting shape who tend to be called up frequently. They are generally conscripted along with their village sonchou as the season of war begins. However, as a clan begins to suffer significant losses in battle, their situation and manpower becomes more and more desperate. A second, third, or fourth level of conscription may be ordered from a village.
When second or third conscriptions occur, the heimin are required to report to serve their lord in battle. A first conscription would be only of the ashigaru: young, unmarried men of age. A second conscription might require one man from every family, regardless of marital status or age. A third might require all men and women between 14 and 45, excepting women with small children. A fourth conscription, in truly desperate times, could require everyone except the extremely old, extremely young, and extremely infirm. The heimin that report to such conscriptions serve as peasant levies.
Peasant levies are untrained, minimally armed, and often barely fit enough to fight. They are not expected to have discipline. They are only expected to obey the one who is put in charge of them and do what they can to survive. It is apparent to all that a Lord who has called up their peasant levies is in truly desperate straits. Peasant levies will be supplied and fed with what their lord can spare at such a difficult juncture. Their only hope is to be allowed to return home.
For much of Rokugan, unmarried young heimin men of a village between the ages of sixteen and thirty serve as ashigaru if they are healthy. Unmarried heimin women of similar age may also choose to serve in this role, especially if they are taking the place of a family member or lover who would otherwise be required to serve as an ashigaru. Society overall does not expect women in these roles.
The majority of ashigaru are seasonal soldiers. They depart for war after they have worked with their families in the villages to plant their village's crops. During the summer, they remain with their units, generally under the direction of a samurai commander. When summer ends, they will normally be permitted to return in time to assist bringing in the harvest, while they winter at home in their villages, crafting and otherwise working to create goods that can benefit their families.
However, war scars men and homes alike. When there is no warfare and the land is fully at peace, ashigaru are usually not called up up at all, working in harmony with their villages. Unfortunately, such times are few. As war intensifies, the ashigaru are called up for longer and longer periods, eventually, potentially, being needed year round. Ashigaru after intense fighting may be released to return to villages that have disappeared, their families fled or killed by the tides of war. The samurai lord they served may fall in battle, leaving them rudderless. They may have fled a superior foe against orders and been afraid to return to their own lands. Or, if they have been embroiled in warfare for a long time, these young men may be unwilling or unable to submit to the humble rhythms of a life of planting and harvesting, instead drinking to drown the memories of their experiences and looking for the camaraderie of their fellow ashigaru for comfort. In the aftermath of great wars, there are frequently periods of time when such heimin become permanent ashigaru, a class of mercenary wandering foot soldiers.
Ashigaru called seasonally from their villages are normally supplied by their lord, given food and the weapons the lord believes they require. However, they are not paid as samurai are. They can make additional money by looting the fallen or the lands they conquer, or wealthy lords can reward them for success. Permanent ashigaru will offer themselves to a lord for service by making an arrangement with a higher-ranked ashigaru, a jizamurai, a karo, or a lower-ranked samurai, in exchange for koku. Permanent ashigaru arm and supply themselves with the loot of the fallen. While ashigaru freely loot the dead, they are careful never to take a samurai's daisho as loot. They know they would be killed for daring to do so.
Ashigaru are not expected to have the discipline of samurai. If they are in battle against overwhelming odds, few expect the ashigaru units not to break and run. Ashigaru are not expected to come up with battle strategy or be superior fighters. If a samurai commander has made an order to stay, his ashigaru can expect to suffer for their cowardice at breaking the order, of course. However, if their commander is dead and no new orders have been given, it would be rare for an ashigaru to risk their life to push their unit towards victory. That said, those special ashigaru who do succeed in making a valiant stand against overwhelming odds, of their own initiative, truly can make an impression on their lord. If they survive and the battle is won, such ashigaru may win themselves the greatest glory an ashigaru may know: the reward of a daisho and an invitation to join the samurai caste as one of their lord's own followers.
Peasant Levies
Moderate warfare is frequent, and during such times only the usual heimin of villages are conscripted to serve as ashigaru: young unmarried people in fighting shape who tend to be called up frequently. They are generally conscripted along with their village sonchou as the season of war begins. However, as a clan begins to suffer significant losses in battle, their situation and manpower becomes more and more desperate. A second, third, or fourth level of conscription may be ordered from a village.
When second or third conscriptions occur, the heimin are required to report to serve their lord in battle. A first conscription would be only of the ashigaru: young, unmarried men of age. A second conscription might require one man from every family, regardless of marital status or age. A third might require all men and women between 14 and 45, excepting women with small children. A fourth conscription, in truly desperate times, could require everyone except the extremely old, extremely young, and extremely infirm. The heimin that report to such conscriptions serve as peasant levies.
Peasant levies are untrained, minimally armed, and often barely fit enough to fight. They are not expected to have discipline. They are only expected to obey the one who is put in charge of them and do what they can to survive. It is apparent to all that a Lord who has called up their peasant levies is in truly desperate straits. Peasant levies will be supplied and fed with what their lord can spare at such a difficult juncture. Their only hope is to be allowed to return home.
