My first post on this forum, just discovered this board! Really excited, I played Shogun when it first came out and I have always wanted an updated one!
Just a quick question or speech, I don't want to ask something that has been asked a hundred times, however, I did a search and I could not find a real answer.
How effective are the Teppo Ashigaru going to be? I really don't feel that the arquebusiers were accurately effective in Shogun and I also don't think they're fairly represented in Medieval II. I own a couple Japanese Matchlocks, and I can tell you that they are extremely deadly weapons in trained hands. I compete with a Japanese matchlock, and we START at 100 yards with a target 3 feet wide and 5 feet tall, and it is no problem to group targets in a dinner plate circumference with these guns at 100 yards (it is not a rifle by the way, but a smoothbore). Though I do think rate of fire and accuracy should decrease after every volley (fatigue, fowling, etc.) Few people give these firearms the credit they deserve, if they were only as effective as they appear to be in these games, then I really don't think that the Daimyos (and Europeans alike) would have invested so much in them. Though they cant lay as consistent or quick blanket of missiles as archers can, one volley of musket fire should be as if not more devastating. The range of these guns should be comparable if not greater than SOME of the Japanese bows (if this is possible of course in the game) Crossbows are only really effective at 50 yards and Yumi's are, in the hands of an expert, maybe to a 120 yards. The arquebus is still extremely effective at 150 yards and accurate enough to hit a man sized target, especially when employed en mass. I am by no means an expert, but I really think these guns deserve more recognition and some more utility than they get in the Total War series.
P.S.
If anyone doubts my claim of 150 yards, I will gladly take some pictures next time I go out to the range and prove it.
My Tanegashima...