Hi guys.
Rather than charge head first into the game, thought I'd write all the retainer info down so those not able to play shogun can think on their selections later on. These are copied off the game's mouse over text for each one. Please forgive spelling mistakes and such.
List will be alphabetical except for the starting retainers and the clan specialization retainer. As we [TWC] are sword specialized, I can't say what the other three are, prob very similar to the sword bonus but for other units, but will leave a blank space for them for now.
Limited edition - I think it's the Ill Omen retainer that would normally come with an armour set unlock.
Clan specialism - Sword training network: Reduce sword casualties. Increased clan influence gain
Clan specialism - Reduce spear casualties. Increased clan influence gain (Credit to daniu for this)
Clan specialism - Reduce archer casualties. Increased clan influence gain (Credit to daniu for this)
Clan specialism - Reduce cavalry casualties. Increased clan influence gain (Credit to daniu for this)
Name of retainer: actual bonus (how to unlock) map meaning found on map. arm meaning it needs the following armour set. Some are linked to building chains found on the map, some to achievements and some are post battle random drops.
Huntsmen: +2 accuracy for Bow ashi (starting retainer)
Light horse stud: +1 melee attack for light cav (starting retainer)
Straw practice dummy: +1 melee attack for loan-sword ashi (starting retainer)
Wooden practice spears: +1 melee defense for yari ashi (starting retainer)
Drill square: +3 melee defense all sword infantry (map)
Bad omen: -1 morale all enemy ashi (arm. goldfish scale)
Bandit horse thieves: -5 charge bonus for enemy cavalry (map)
Blade master: +3 attack for sword infantry (arm. blade master)
Blind bow sensei: +5 accuracy all bow units (map)
Camp sickness: Reduced speed for enemy misile infantry (arm. Naoe Kanetsugu)
Cold snap: Reduce enemy bow unit reload speed (map)
Damp powder: Reduce enemy matchlock reload speed (map)
European Gunsmith: +5 accuracy all matchlock units (teppo range building chain)
European horsetrader: +5% speed for cavalry (map)
Expert gun instructor: +5 accuracy for matchlock units **need to check notes again
Famous armoury: +1 armour for all melee infantry (map)
Forage parties: Increased fatigue resistance for all cavalry (map)
Garden of convalescence: 2 most damaged veteran units fully heal before next battle (map)
Geisha poisoner: Increase enemy avatar cooldowns by 10% Cancels effect of enemy wizened sage retainer (sake den building chain)
Gokamon bodyguard: +5 melee defense for avatar (arm. Oda Nobunaga)
Gosha Odosana samurai priest: Avatar slight decreased morale of enemy units in vicinity (arm. Tokugawa Leyasu)
Hero worshiping boy: +2Hp fpr avatar (arm. Hosokawa Tadakoi)
Infantry officer: +1 morale all samurai melee infantry (arm. honda tadakatsu)
Inspiring orator: -10% recruitment cost for ashi units (map)
Kacchu-Mochi armour bearer: +3 armour for Avatar (arm. Toyotomi Hideyoshi)
Legendary item - Dragonfly cutting spear: +5 to charge, +5 vs cavalry for Avatar (drop)
Legendary item - Flawless mount Okage: +15 speed for avatar (drop)
Legendary item - Hachiman Crest: avatar aura radius increased, rally spell cooldown decreased (drop)
Legendary item - Heavenly banner: +1 morale for all units (drop)
Legendary item - Hideous Menpo Mask: avatar -3 morale and causes fear in enemy units ** (not quite sure who gets -3 morale, your av or the enemy ) (drop)
Legendary item - Kawari Kabuto Helm: +10 melee defense for Avatar (drop)
Legendary item - Kabuto of the Shogun: +2Hp +2 armour for Avatar (requires Shogun achievement)
Legendary item - Masterwork Do-Maru armour: +2 armour for avatar (drop)
Legendary item - Masterwork Kote arm guards: +2 armour for avatar (drop)
Legendary item - Tebkagoken Sword: +10 melee attack for Avatar (drop)
Lightweight Gunjingura war saddle: +5% speed for all cavalry (arm. multicoloured laced)
Livestock pestilence: Reduce speed for enemy cavalry (map)
Loyal Fuda-Shu retainers: +2hp for avatar (arm. Uesugi Kenshin)
Metsuke Inspector: Avatar rally also causes -1 morale for enemy units in radius. Cancels effects of enemy shinobi retainer (map)
Mikoshi Portable shrine: +2 melee attack for all monks (arm. multicoloured laced)
Military storehouse: Increases fatigue resistance for all melee infantry (map)
Mochiyari gumi spear bearer: +5 charge bonus for avatar (arm. Kawari Kabuto)
Mouldy feed stocks: Reduce fatigue resistance for enemy cavalry (arm. catfish tail)
Mounted scout: Increased ability to spot hidden units (arm. Maeda Toshie)
Ninja Jonin: allows field of kisho ninjas (sake den chain)
Open basketwork quivers: +5 ammo for bow units (map)
Ox carts: Allows to feild 1 seige engine (comes with first siege unit unlock)
Practice grounds: +2 melee attacl to all melee cavalry (map)
Productive rice paddies: +1 morale for ashi units (map)
Sage advisor: All unit cooldowns reduced by 1%. Cancels effect of enemy geisha poisoner retainer (map)
Sake peddler: -5 enemy missile accuracy (map)
Scroll of inspirational verse: +3 melee attack for avatar (arm. Sparse point laced)
Shinobi informer: Reveals deployment of non hidden units. Cancels effect of enemy wizened monk retainer (sake den chain)
Shogun's emissary: allows player to feild great guard unit (stables chain)
Short sighted inspectors: Reduced reload on enemy seige weapons (map)
Skilled weaponsmith: +1 melee for all melee infantry (map)
Spoiled rations: Reduced fatigue resistance for all enemy melee infantry (arm. Itakura Katsushiga)
Sticky fingered storemaster: -10% ammo for enemy bow units (map)
Supply wagon: +5 ammo for all missile units (arm silver scale cuirass)
Surgeon: Proportion of unit casualties healed after battle (map)
Target range: +5 accuracy for bow units (map)
Tetsu-bishi caltrops: +3 vs cavalry for spear and missile infantry (arm. kato kiyomasa)
Trading post: -5% recruitment for all units (map)
Uma-I horse doctor: +5 avatar speed (arm. Ichinotani)
Uma-Jirushi Nobori standard bearer: +2 morale for avatar (arm. morning glory)
Unbalance spears: -5 melee defense for enemy spear (arm. tripple hollyhock)
Untrained fugu cook: -2 melee defense for all enemy melee infantry (map)
Water carrier: Increased fatigue resistance (map)
Wizened monk: -1 morale enemy avatar, 1+ morale for your avatar, cancels enemy metsuke inspector retainer (map)
Yabusami master: +5 accuracy, +5 reload skill for avatar (arm. Golden scale cuirass)
Yagyu sword instructor; +2 melee attack for all sword infantry (sword chain)
Yari master: +2 melee defense for all spear infantry (map)
Yumi officer: +6 reload skill for bow infantry (archery chain)
Zori tori sandal bearer: Increased fatigue resistance for avatar (arm. Date Masamune)