Osprey Warrior 29 : Ashigaru 1467-1649

The ashigaru were the foot soldiers of old Japan. Although recruited first to swell an army's numbers and paid only by loot, the samurai began to realise their worth, particularly with arquebuses and spears, until well-trained ashigaru made up a vital part of any samurai army. Stephen Turnbull tells the story of the ashigaru for the first time, their origins, recruitment training and use in war. Stephen Turnbull draws on previously untranslated Japanese sources and unpublished illustrations that show the range of ashigaru activity, from sailors to catapult artillery men as well as the disciplined ranks of warriors that they had become. Illustrations by Howard Gerrard.

Contents

• The Ashigaru - A Historical Survey
• The Rise of Ashigaru
• Ashigaru earn Armour
• Nobunaga shows the Way Forward
• Toyotomi Hideyoshi
• Ashigaru Recruitment
• The Call to Arms
• Permanent Units
• Rapid Response Units
• Organisation and Command
• Weapon Specialisation
• Spearmen
• Serving a Samurai
• Signals and Flag Bearers
• Campaign Life of the Ashigaru
• Horses
• Looting
• Civilian Casualties
• Field Remedies
• The Ashigaru's Experience of Battle
• Arquebus Troops
• Hand to Hand Fighting
• Archery Squads
• Spearmen
• Spear Carriers and Standard Bearers