Articles - Shokuhō mod for Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord

Greetings all! It’s been a while since we have last updated you on the mod, so here is a small post to show you what our level design, 2D and research teams have been working on these past few weeks. We hope to give you similar updates in the future, but in the meantime enjoy!

Planned major factions
While we are still trying to figure out what certain faction to include in Shokuhō. Our historical research team has gathered the following 'Major Faction' list we at least want to include in the mod.

Nanbu Faction
Located in the extreme and cold north of Honshu, the Nanbu clan was famous for its fortified ranches built throughout their territories, which produced fine warhorses. After expelling the Anto faction, the clan also began to pursue into sea trade in the region. The Nanbu horse was probably one of the best japanese horse breeds at that time and in the past it was highly desired due to his beauty, aptitude and obedience. Moreover, The Nanbu clan was very well known for its aggressive expansionism during the era of Harumasa and conquered most of the far north Honshu.

The vast lands of the Nanbu can be summarized by this saying: “The Nanbu land is until the crescent moon becomes full.” Meaning that traversing through all the Nanbu territory lasted until the crescent moon was full.

Uesugi Faction
Originally the Yamauchi-Uesugi family held the title of Kanto Kanrei, a very prestigious position that assumed control of the lands in the Kanto region under the Shogunate. As the Sengoku period went on, the family became threatened and fled to Echigo under the protection of their vassal Nagao Kagetora, who was then adopted to succeed the Uesugi and his titles, the latter would soon be known as the iconic Uesugi Kenshin.

Although various theories surround the figure of Kenshin, what is known about him is that he acquired the reputation of an impressive warmonger who commanded a powerful army who also financed various wars and invasions on the neighboring territories, including the Kanto region of the Hojo, For this, he was called the “God of War”. Aside from wars, he also was known to have greatly financed both commerce and production in his lands which became prosperous, Kenshin still was known for its piety, often forgiving betrayals and rebellions from vassals, aside from being an enjoyer of poetry and romances, being also known to never have married or kept concubines, so his sons were adopted from other families.

Takeda Faction
Primarily located in the mountainous and infertile region of Kai province, the clan was engaged in perpetual conflict since early in the times of Nobutora, as they kept expanding its domains and defeating rival families, at the cost of high taxes and manpower. Takeda Shingen is perhaps the best well known figure of the faction, having expelled his detested father he took control of the clan and conducted reforms to improve the efficiency and productivity of his lands throughout his territorial expansions.

The Takeda faction were famous for their strong army and cavalry and were known for having one of the best armies of Japan at this time, one especially well known cavalry regiment was the Akazonae or “Red Arms” as they all wore red armor; they often were the first to charge into the enemy formations causing disorganization and fear among their ranks, the scarlet armor color is said to have added an even more increased psychological effect on this. Shingen was personally a very well respected figure, known for his sharp judgment and visionary mind on both military and civil affairs, he would soon be able to encounter capable rivals to test his talents.

One of the clan’s battle banner was Furinkazan, which could be translated as below: “As swift as wind, as gentle as the forest, as fierce as fire, as immovable as the mountain.”

Tokugawa Faction
Tokugawa was a cautious player, he waited until the next good move could have been done and prioritized an analytical and foresight attitude. Ieyasu himself was known as a stoic man who rejected life based on the basic human desires and prioritized things on a more practical and even opportunistic view. After the battle of Okehazama, when the Imagawa army suffered a huge defeat; the Tokugawa betrayed them by taking their domains at Totomi province and they would soon ally with the Oda. The clan also had Ninja retainers serving it and after the destruction of the Kai Takeda it would even recruit the enemy generals, rather than wasting their talents.

Oda Faction
In the past, the Oda was just a minor and fragmented clan under the shugo of Owari province. The famous figure of Nobunaga, who successfully elevated the clan to great levels, was described as an unconventional and harsh figure which got him the nickname of “The Fool of Owari”. However he was later regarded as a respected, refined and feared warlord. Furthermore, Nobunaga had an innovative mind and conducted reforms in various fields, from trade to war and greatly enhanced his clan’s relations with the West and its technology, notably the Portuguese. In 1560, the Oda launched a surprise attack with a much inferior force against the Imagawa army in the battle of Okehazama and this famous event would mark the beginning of Oda’s supremacy.

His personal seal was Tenka Fubu, and while the most common translation is “Rule the world by military force” it actually means “Rule the world under the empire”. Thus, its connotation was not necessarily militaristic, but more alike a political viewpoint. Oda Nobunaga’s objective was to establish a world under a central and coherent government.

Mori Faction
The clan started it’s ascendance under Mori Motonari, who was just a small lord between the great Amako and Ouchi clans. The Mori gradually started to increase its power as they allied with the Ouchi and would fight against the Amako and other minor clans, but when the Ouchi got into internal struggles the clan later decided to rebel against the Ouchi and both the Amako and Ouchi clans would later be destroyed by the Mori. The Mori were also known for the naval expertise of their vassals, most notably Kobayakawa, who later got the cooperation of the Noshima-Murakami pirates to fight under Mori. Motonari personally was still known as a diligent, quick-minded person and would be recognized as a great tactician.

Otomo Faction
Known for their close relationship with the Portuguese, this clan soon established a deeper alliance with the foreigners under the rule of Otomo Sorin. They were one of the most powerful Christian factions in the Sengoku period, which neither spared shrines nor temples of Shinto-Buddhist traditions during their conquests. Aside from creating commerce and cultural exchanges with the Portuguese, they also received military aid in battles such as the siege of Moji in 1561. They also controlled various provinces and were one of the most prominent clans in the land and often struggled with the great Ouchi, Mori and later the Shimazu factions.

Shimazu Faction
The clan was well-known for its fierce warriors, and bravery . They stayed as one of the most memorable factions due to their aggressive expansion, misleading tactics and devout courage among their warriors, which led them to winning battles even at great numerical disadvantage. One of their famous tactics was known as “Tsurinobuse” or “Fishing Field”, in which basically a small army unit feigns defeat to lure the enemy to a hidden army, and although this may seem simple, it required high discipline and coordination to make it work.

They also were one of the first clans to widely adopt firearms among his lines since the Portuguese arrival, although they later denied the Portuguese catequese work on its territory.

Ikko-Ikki
They started out as a rebellious movement of followers of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism who opposed the samurai rule and became feared by various Daimyos.

Although the religious cathedral of the Jodo Shinshu was under Hongan-ji temple, they were initially not associated with it; but as the movement grew, it became one of the primary bases for them. The chief of Hongan-ji acted as the religious figure of the sect, similarly to the Pope in medieval Europe. It is known to have been dependent on the participation and support of a wide range of subjects, from common peasants to local lords and mercenaries, even from other Buddhism sects.

The Jodo Shinshu sect in itself was known as a wide-spread and easily understood method to achieve enlightenment according to the belief; which mostly allowed it to spread widely among the various layers of the population.

Campaign map update
Kyushi:

Shikoku:


Lake Biwa:


Hokkaido:


Mount Fuji:


Japan vs. Calradia
The Green circle is the size of Calradia


Storyline & Quests
The approach we have decided to take in regards to the storyline is a relaxed one - while there will be overarching major quests concerning clans, the player will have the freedom to do what they like. There will be big and small quests throughout the campaign, whenever in a village, a town or on the road. Similarly, you will find many companions and characters in inns and special places. Some may be from the area, and some may be from abroad; foreign merchants stranded in Japan, wandering ronin, merchants mixed up in feuds, travelling warrior monks and more.

Loading screens
Our 2D-art team has been working hard as well. The following images are some of our custom Bannerlord loading screens:








Want to join the Shokuhō team?
Currently we are in need of developers for the Programming, Level Design, 2D and 3D teams; specifically, programmers, level designers, 2D digital concept artists and 3D generalists, artists or modellers. Please note that all applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and the "requirements" are strongly desired but not absolutely set in stone! Our applications might be momentarily be closed due to maintenance, but feel free to join our Discord as they will open soon!

General requirements:
- Commitment to the project and tasks assigned to them.
- Experience with Discord, Trello, Google Drive, etc...
- Communication is key; keep your fellow devs up to date with whatever is relevant.
- Motivation and enthusiasm for the project.

2D requirements:
- Is knowledgeable in the field of art (which includes shapes, lighting, shading, proper composition, character posing, anatomy, depth, values, etc.) and is capable of applying them to their work.
- Character and/or environmental concepting.
- the ability to "adapt" and apply their skills into a different air style environment to the best of their ability.
- Mostly digital, has at least a tablet and a program to sketch and compose. (Photoshop, Coral Painter and so on)
- Capable of working with historical references provided by the other departments.

3D requirements:
- A somewhat established workflow or pipeline, capability of problem solving during a phase within the workflow.
- Has knowledge in limb topology and knows how to apply them. (mostly for character related meshes)
- Retopology for character related meshes, items and props.
- Capable of UV Unwrapping and texturing models.
- Has some knowledge within the field of arts as well. (proper anatomy, shapes, lighting, composition, rendering. etc)

If you are interested, you will need to join the Discord below and fill in the application form found in the #dev-applications channel. For non 2D and 3D artists, we will be opening up applications for the rest of the team over the next few weeks (subject to change).

Link to our Discord: discord.gg/E54ny34
Link to our Youtube channel: Shokuhō Youtube channel
Link to our Taleworlds Forum page: Shokuhō Taleworlds forum

Greetings all, happy holidays on behalf of the whole Shokuhō development team! Looks like Santa has flown by and dropped a late delivery for us... it’s the first showcase of assets!

Before we begin, we'd like to thank everyone for the overwhelming support so far. A lot of new faces have joined our Discord (Discord.gg) and the support, questions and offers we've had were more than we could have imagined. Thank you! In the meanwhile, we've been working hard on a showcase.

Ashigaru: Otherwise translated as "light of foot". Armies in Japan, as far back as the 9th century, relied on wealthy landowners for supplies and manpower. These landowners developed into the samurai class, who would levy or conscript peasants that worked their land into armies in times of conflict. By 1568, these peasant levies would develop into what would now more commonly be called the 'ashigaru' - peasant conscripts equipped with largely mass-produced equipment, such as tatami armour, yari spears and yumi bows. The rise of Oda Nobunaga marked a period of transition for the ashigaru, elevated from a militia/farmer status to that of a professional soldier. Firearms were introduced to Japan in 1543, a full 25 years before the starting date of the mod, and quickly became a popular implement of war. Ashigaru in this time would often be equipped with matchlock muskets - an especially valuable weapon in the hands of footmen, needing comparably less training to use efficiently than a longbow. The bodies of the Sengoku Jidai's armies were defined by ranks of massed spearmen, archers and muskets - a role better filled by none other than the ashigaru.

Sohei: Translates to ‘warrior monk/monk soldiers’. Sohei emerged in Japan during the early medieval (or ‘Heian’) period from warring sects of Buddhism vying for Imperial appointments and political prominence. As political circumstances changed in Japan in the 13th and 14th centuries, the role of warrior monks and their participation in war was reduced to mostly lesser sectarian conflicts, as well as brief rebellions. By the time of the Sengoku Jidai, this had changed once more and the sohei emerged as a political and fighting force to be reckoned with - particularly with the onset of the Ikkō-Ikki rebellions. Militant revolutionaries of the Jōdo Shinshū sect, backed by peasant rebels, seized control of Kaga Province and established further power bases in Nagashima and Ishiyama Hongan-ji, eventually attracting the ire of more established samurai clans. The sohei were often instantly recognizable because they wore a white headcowl over their shaved heads, wrapped around until only the eyes were exposed. The most popular weapon in the warrior monk arsenal was the naginata, a vicious glaive-like polearm that they wielded with great proficiency. Many sohei were expert archers and effective warriors.

Weapons of Shokuhō: Yari, Yumi, Kanabō & Naginata

Yari: A straight headed spear manufactured in medieval Japan. Many variants of this weapon exist, but generally it is characterised by a straight double-sided blade measuring several centimetres to even a metre or so in length, mounted atop a pole of hardwood (usually red oak) reinforced with lacquerware. The pole of the spear would be between a metre to six metres long, depending on the variant being made and the size of the people wielding them. A particularly long variant of yari called ‘nagae yari’ became very popular during the later years of the Sengoku Jidai, with a pole measuring between 5 and 6 metres to capitalise on the use of ashigaru against cavalry and armoured opponents.

Yumi: An asymmetrical Japanese bow usually made with a wooden core laminated with bamboo. A very popular weapon amongst the samurai - its development and variants changed massively during the course of the Sengoku Jidai as new techniques were incorporated to adapt to widespread warfare. The term ‘yumi’, as used in English, is a blanket term that encompasses bows from the daikyu (similar to a longbow) to the more compact hankyu (akin to a shortbow). Use of the yumi required the wielder to be trained and experienced in the martial arts of kyūjutsu and kyūdo, proving an unwieldy and complex weapon in the hands of the untrained. Despite a decline in use following the introduction of firearms to Japanese warfare, the yumi remained a common and deadly weapon on the fields of Japan.

Kanabō: The kanabō is a club-like weapon often made of solid wood (although metal variants and similar all-metal weapons exist), often with iron studs or spikes added for additional lethal effect. Related weapons are the tetsubō, ararebō, kanemuchi and aribo, although all share the essential characteristic of being a large heavy weapon used to bludgeon foes into submission/death.

Naginata: The naginata is a fearsome weapon for both cavalry and infantry and saw widespread usage across Japanese battlefields from the Kamakura era (1185-1333) to Muromachi era (1336-1573). Despite the large scale replacement of naginata by yari among common ashigaru soldiers who form the bulk of armies in formations, it was still a weapon of choice either for elite warriors in small scale skirmishes or for shock troopers who do not need to form tight formations and to flank and break enemy formations. It was a markedly popular weapon of choice for warrior monks and, in later Japanese history, onna-bugeisha (female samurai), requiring focus and practice in the naginatajutsu martial art.

If you're interested in the mod or want to join the development team, here's our Community Discord: Discord.gg

With that aside, here's the showcase! (Link: Shokuhō Christmas Special - YouTube)

Hey folks, we’ve a message from the developers of Shokuho. Firstly, we’d like to thank everyone for their support - the community’s grown plenty and so has the team, which currently stands at around 70 developers. Clearly, this would’ve been impossible without your fantastic support. Naturally, there are always questions from time to time, and so we decided to sit down and compile a general FAQ to satisfy everyone’s curiosity. Without further ado, we’ll get right to it!

- The developers of Shokuhō

When will the mod be released?

Ideally, we’d like to release a basic playable version within a year, and then go from there. Keep in mind we’re still working with the beta modding tools, and development is dependent on many factors. Regardless, we’re still working on it everyday!

How many people are working on Shokuhō?

We currently have a team of around 70 voluntary developers working in their free time. Our developers are spread across different departments and teams, and we continually recruit on a rolling basis as we see fit.

Can I help with the mod?

We’re always in need of developers, as well as moderators. In the far future we’ll also be looking for testers and translators. If you’re interested, join the Discord and follow the instructions in #dev-applications. Discord.gg

How’s the progress on the mod?

Progress is smooth-sailing; every week there’s always work done, whenever it’s in programming, 3D modelling or art and design. Keep an eye peeled for our upcoming sneak peeks on Discord!

Is there going to be a pre-alpha or beta I can join?

We’ll be recruiting testers down the line when a testable version is released; make sure you join the Discord know first-hand.

Is there a development roadmap or list of priorities that the community could have access to?

Our team’s working on a general roadmap which will be released sometime for the public. Otherwise, we’ll be providing regular updates in the Discord.

Will this mod be the same as Gekokujo?

As the spiritual successor to Gekokujo, this mod will use Gekokujo as a starting base, and expand into a more immersive experience of 16th century Japan. Something to note is that Marty (the original creator of Gekokujo) is working with us! Anyhow, our team will be working hard on many features to provide a single-player experience of feudal Japan like no other.

Can I become a shogun, daimyo or lord right from the beginning?

It has been considered, but it’s not a priority right now. That being said, it’s likely that we’ll incorporate different starting modes. It is however too early to say, given that Bannerlord is still in early days and rather buggy.

Is this mod single-player only?

Our current priority is to produce a single-player campaign - multiplayer has been considered and is a planned feature for the future.

Will this mod be compatible with other (QOL) mods?

It’s too early to say, considering that Shokuho is intended to be a complete overhaul. We may possibly incorporate other QOL mods, provided that they don’t interfere with Shokuho itself. We’re still early days in this aspect especially since the SDK isn’t in its final version yet. Ultimately though, we'd like Shokuho to be fully original while incorporating other small and popular/universal QOL mods.

Can I donate anywhere?

This is a voluntary project which means one of our policies is strictly no crowdfunding or donations. That being said, we have realised that our coding & programming team do need funding - in due time, we will be working on this and releasing some sort of donation page for our patrons to fund our servers and databases for the mod.

When is the mod set?

The starting year is 1568AD, roughly in the later half of the Sengoku Jidai era of Japan, aka the age of the Country at War.

Why did you guys choose this time period for the mod? Why not earlier like Gekokujo did?

1568 is a pretty iconic time period for the Sengoku Jidai. It's the start of the Azuchi-Momoyama period and has many prominent events such as Oda Nobunaga seizing Kyoto and installing Ashikaga Yoshiaki as the new shogun, as well as Takeda Shingen's attack on the Oda-Tokugawa alliance. In addition, this is just before Oda's campaigns against the Ikko-Ikki in the Ishiyama Hongan-ji War, which makes it the perfect setting to deliver the popular image of a Japan torn between warring samurai everywhere.

Will the Ikkō-Ikki and Ainu play a prominent role in the mod?

The Ikko-Ikki led by Hongan-ji Kennyo will be present in the mod. As the mod takes place just before the start of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji War, they will be treated as a major faction and their territorial holdings will be prominent. However, the extent to which they will play a large role in any kind of actual plot or any mechanics greater than that of the Bannerlord sandbox is something that is yet to be solidified, given the current state of Bannerlord.

The Ainu have been discussed and our Historical Research team has been looking into it. Many of our developers have expressed an interest in including the Ainu but again, it’s too early to say and we’ll need to discuss it in depth to determine whenever or not it’s a viable option. That being said, the Ainu has become quite popular as a idea amongst our developers!

Is this mod historical or fictional?

Historical accuracy is a big driving point for the mod's development. Extensive research is conducted on almost every part of the mod’s assets, from weapons and armour to geography and architecture. Factions will have accurate vassal lords and territorial holdings, with a number of faction leaders having historically accurate unique gear. Historically accurate aspects that might worsen gameplay experience or would not work with Bannerlord's sandbox gameplay style are avoided. To sum up; big yes to historical accuracy, but not at the expense of Mount & Blade’s gameplay that we’re all so well-accustomed to.

How many factions will there be in the mod?

Historical Research is currently compiling a list of the factions present in Japan at this time, as well as their leaders, vassals and territories. The current list numbers ~40 factions, but due to likely engine constraints, workload and quality of gameplay - that number will likely be reduced to somewhere between 20-25. Major clans from the time will be prioritised, and if there is space, minor clans and outsider factions may be considered.

Will any famous historical characters from the Sengoku Jidai be featured in the mod?

There certainly will, and our research team has taken great liberties to make sure that all historical characters in the mod will be wearing their historical armours based off surviving examples and evidence. However, we’re also planning to include companions based off contemporary figures at the time. For example, aside from Oda Nobunaga and Uesugi Kenshin, we’re working on companions such as the African samurai Yasuke and foreign adventurers from Portugal and England. And as a sneak peek, we’ve got a monk-character in the works who is based off Benkei.

Do Europeans have a presence in the mod?

There is unlikely to be any significant European presence aside from missionaries, adventurers and traders. These figures will mostly be companions or special characters. That being said, the Historical Research team has been working hard on looking into other ways to include Europeans as befits the mod.

Will the Imjin War be a thing in the mod?

It is again too early to say, but it’s unlikely. The Imjin War takes place in 1592, quite a few decades after the mod’s starting year. If down the line we manage to make good progress and Bannerlord’s modding tools prove sufficient, an Imjin War event may be plausible. Again, this is all speculative and rather unlikely; there’s enough going on in 1568 as is!

Will there be muskets?

Indeed there will; gunpowder as weapon plays a big role in this period, and aside from tanegashima (muskets), we’re looking at artillery and other forms of hand-held firearms.

Will there be new combat animations and/or stances?

We still haven’t seen the full possibilities within Bannerlord modding, though there are two possibilities. Firstly, if all goes poorly, we’ll implement animations to better reflect the fighting styles at the time. Secondly, if things go well, we'll look into a comprehensive combat system to allow the player to switch between sets of animations (different fighting styles that reflect different martial schools). We have in fact worked considerably on the second possibility, though it’s a matter of seeing what Bannerlord’s engine can and can’t do.

As a sneak peek, here's a little something from our Technical Department...