The glaring sunlight rides down the length of his long curved blade. The weight of it balances off the end of his arm, dancing there like a thing possessing a will of its own, throwing itself up, down and across in swift and deadly strokes. The young samurai’s body twists and flows, leaps and dives, whirling about in a warrior’s frenzy. One enemy after another falls, outmatched by the superior skill of the Kozuke. The sun falls low on the horizon, bathing the landscape in its red glow.
Exhausted and outnumbered, the Kozuke fight on. Their adversary closes them in, trapping them between the points of arrows drawn tight on their strings, and a steep drop into churning waters. The bowstrings twang and the Kozuke let themselves fall backwards, giving their lives to the waters below rather than allowing themselves be taken by their enemy.
Falling out of Earth’s timeline the Kozuke enter a new world. Here on the battlefields of Valhalla, their fight continues on.[1]
Stats[]
- Life: 1
- Move: 5
- Range: 1
- Attack: 5
- Defense: 3
- Point Value: 100
- Figures Per Squad: 3
Abilities[]
- Charging Assault:
Any or all Kozuke Samurai may add 3 to their Move number as long as they are unengaged prior to moving. Kozuke Samurai must be able to move adjacent to an opponent’s figure in order to use Charging Assault. - Counter Strike:
When rolling defense dice against a normal attack from an adjacent attacking figure, all excess shields count as unblockable hits on the attacking figure. This power does not work against other Samurai.
Synergy[]
- Hatamoto Taro: Heroic Defense Aura
As Samurai, Kozuke Samurai may benefit from Hatamoto Taro’s Heroic Defense Aura ability. - Kato Katsuro: Kato Katsuro's Command
As a Samurai Squad, the Kozuke Samurai may benifit from Kato Katsuro's Command ability. - Sacred Band: Disciplined Army Defense Bonus
Having a Disciplined personality, Kozuke Samurai are compatible with the Sacred Band's Disciplined Army Defense Bonus.
History[]
On Earth, the Kozuke Samurai fought against foes who attacked them with bows, but eventually were driven to a cliff edge from which they could not escape. At the brink of death, they were summoned by the Valkyrie Einar to Valhalla.
Additional Info[]
Kōzuke Province was an old province located in the Tōsandō of Japan, which today comprises Gunma Prefecture.[2]
FAQ's[]
- CHARGING ASSAULT: Bonus movement
When using Charging Assault, can the Samurai’s movement be enhanced by anything like roads, or auras to increase the amount of spaces it can move?
Yes. This ability is enhancing the base movement of the card, which may also be enhanced by things like Glyphs, Auras, or special terrain. (Hasbro FAQ)[3]
- COUNTERSTRIKE: Who is affected by counterstrike
Does Counter Strike work against other characters that have Counter Strike?
Yes, the only time the Kozuke's Counter Strike is negated is against other Samurai. All other figures that have counterstrike can still be affected by it unless otherwise stated on their card. (Hasbro FAQ)[3]
Resources[]
For further reading and strategy tips, check out the Book of Kozuke Samurai at Heroscapers.com.
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20090124230132mp_/http://www.hasbro.com/games/kid-games/heroscape/default.cfm?page=Inside/CharacterDetail&char_id=96&set_id=7&set_type=2
- ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Kōzuke" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 568
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=2567