Ashigaru

Ashigaru are basic infantry raised by the Asian Alliance. They are cheap infantry, raised from the nation's vast reserves of peasants and bottom-end city population.

They are fitted with a standardized equipment consisting of a protective suit with a headpiece, which offers light protection from fire, cold, radiation and biochemical weapons and armed with a Minigun before being marched off into battle aboard a Mongoose or Drop Ship. While they are not well trained or expensively equipped, they are educated from an early age in the values that the Alliance holds dear and fight with a dodged zeal and obedience, meeting even the most miserable battlefield conditions with a calm resolve that can be quite unsettling to opposing forces. Their deployment in human-wave tactics is common, as wave after wave crashes upon the defenders' positions until eventually it cracks.

Ashigaru are light infantry and predominantly move on foot. This is necessitated by the lack of tactical motorized transport for the Alliance's vast quantities of infantry and the large prohibitive terrain in which many battles are carried out. Ashigaru often find themselves in amphibious landing operations on restricted terrain, jungle warfare and defensive positions, neither of which would benefit greatly from employing motorized transport or support. When mechanized support is given during an assault, it usually comes from the Alliance's various Mecha, which are capable of keeping pace with the infantry in any terrain.

Stats

 * Type: Infantry
 * Class: Light infantry
 * Lv: 10
 * HP: 125
 * SIZ: 1
 * Cost: 100$ (80$ when trained by the Asian Alliance)

Equipment

 * Yari or Carbine
 * Conical hat made of rice straw
 * Puttee
 * Tabi
 * Zori
 * Rifle grenades - WWII vintage rifle grenades from both sides have been adapted as a tank-stopper and siege weapon, granted to accomplished Ashigaru.

Fletcher
The Alliance Fletcher is a basic carbine, designed for optimal performance in jungle warfare, landings or when operating it from cramped defensive positions. Unlike western rifle models, the fletcher fires a dart rather than a bullet, conveying improved ballistic characteristics which allow a greater rate of fire and greater range.

Light of Foot
Ashigaru, literally "light-footed", travel lightly and can cross terrain with characteristics that are prohibitive to vehicles and even more heavily-equipped infantry. Ashigaru receive no movement penalty in jungle terrain.

Fletcher ★
Elite Ashigaru receive flechettes fashioned from better materials and shaped with nanoforgery. This ammunition allows them to better penetrate body armor and even cut up light vehicle armor.

Effect

 * Flat +25% damage increase against infantry armor and light vehicle armor.

Rifle grenade
The "fire lance" fires a single incendiary fragmentation grenade in an arc. Useful for breaking up groups of infantry or to demolish buildings.

Strategy
The Ashigaru is a unique unit that does not readily compare to any of the other infantry units. Because of the predominantly pedestrian mobility, he is required to be less armored than the GI and his various derivatives. For example, the Ashigaru's foot speed is 20% greater than that of the GI and Conscript, equal to that of the Partisan. There is no difference in HP to any of the other basic infantries (120). The most noticeable difference is in terms of armor and weapon output - the Ashigaru carries some nano-alloy plating. The Ashigaru's main weapon, the Fletcher, is comparable to a SMG for most purposes - the damage output is comparable to the PPSh-41