I’m toying with the idea of creating a Wars of the Roses version of this to complement my Advanced Kingmaker, as I think the system can be adapted pretty well to this period and setting.
Can’t find much info around on variants; IL’s files on BGG won’t load for me.
The main difference would be a greater emphasis on killing off rival claimants, and less on “conquering” provinces - an anachronism in 15th century England, where landholdings were scattered in small manors.
But overall the troop types match quite well:
Daimo = Lord (I have 24 Lords; the Dukes and Earls from 1453-1461, divided between up to 8 players)
Swordsman = Knight (1-4 in each Lord’s retinue(army))
Bowman = Archers (1-4 per Lord)
Spearman = Levy (1-8 in a retinue)
Ronin = Mercenaries (recruited from abroad)
Ninja = Murderer
The gunners might be deleted, or perhaps replaced by artillery units, or the mercenaries may be ranged units (crossbows)
Castle building is hardly relevant, as stone castles were almost obsolete, and could hardly be thown up in the space of a game turn, so perhaps each player starts with one home castle.
Anyway I’ll get started on a map and see how it goes.
I’ve heard somewhere about a game “Shogunmaker” which combines the two game t’other way round; I’d be interested if anyone has ever seen anything of this, but I believe it’s a home made game which turns up at conventions now and again.