"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." ~ Sun Tzu, The Art of War ~ The year is 1336. Japan's emperor has lost all authority and is little more than a figurehead. Across the country, powerful lords - called daimyo - have risen up and begun to claim dominion over the land and its resources. But all true paths to power depend upon the service of the elite, noble warriors known as samurai. In Samurai, a classic tile placement game by Reiner Knizia set in feudal Japan, two to four players assume the roles of ambitious daimyo competing for control of Japan. To rise above your rivals and influence the nation's cities and villages to your cause, you must prove you can lead their people. Through the strategic placement of tiles, you can establish your sway over lesser lords, the production of rice, and the region's religious leaders. Sometimes, though, even these won't be enough to establish your dominance, and to cement your claim, you must send in your samurai. This edition of Samurai maintains the game's original mechanics while updating it with beautifully sculpted game pieces, new leader tokens to aid in scoring, and all-new art and graphic design that draw upon traditional Japanese styles.
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