Basic Unit Statistics (can be modified by difficulty level, arts, skills, traits and retainers)
| Recruitment Cost | 850 | |
| Upkeep Cost | 150 | |
| Melee Attack | 6 | 17% |
| Charge Bonus | 15 | 30% |
| Bonus vs Cavalry | 5 | 16% |
| Range | 125 | 19% |
| Accuracy | 50 | 50% |
| Reloading Skill | 45 | 45% |
| Ammunition | 7 | 8% |
| Melee Defence | 4 | 11% |
| Armour | 2 | 13% |
| Morale | 8 | 16% |
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Good accuracy and reload rate.
- Average in melee.
- Weak against cavalry.
- Good morale.
Description
These troops from Satsuma are trained as modern line infantry.
Armed and equipped in the latest European style, for the most part, these men are steadfast defenders of Satsuma province. They are trained as line infantry to delivering disciplined volleys of rifle fire into enemy formations. They carry foreign-made rifles that are accurate, powerful and quick to reload. Although well motivated and with good morale, the Black Bears should not be rashly sent into close combat. They are also vulnerable to cavalry attacks if they are left in unsupported positions. The exception to their modern equipment is the black bear "wigs", called koguma, that they wear, giving them a wild, aggressive appearance. The Black Bears were raised as troops by the Imperial forces, and yet Satsuma is forever associated with the idea of rebellion against the Emperor and his embrace of the modern world. The two ideas should not be seen as contradictory, as there is a long history in Japan, continuing until 1945, of rebellion by those who consider themselves completely loyal to the Emperor and Japan. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that many rebels have considered themselves loyal to their vision of a better, purer Japan, and hostile to the malign influences around the Imperial Court and government. The person and idea of the Emperor have never really been the target of such rebels, even as they fought against Imperial forces.